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21 November 2025
Vohra Wound Physicians and its Owner Agree to Pay $45M to Settle Fraud Allegations of Overbilling for Wound Care ServicesRead the Press Release
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.
Vallejo Felon Indicted for a Second Federal Firearms OffenseRead the Press Release
A federal grand jury returned a one-count indictment Thursday against Marquese Alvin Roberts, 36, of Vallejo, charging him with being a felon in possession of a firearm, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced.
According to court documents, on May 3, 2025, law enforcement received numerous reports of multiple gunshots heard on the 1600 block of Fairgrounds Drive, in Vallejo. With the assistance of a CHP helicopter and other agencies, officers investigated these reports. During the investigation, officers in the helicopter observed Roberts remove a firearm from a vehicle and conceal it in nearby bushes. They directed law enforcement officers on the ground to the location, where they arrested Roberts and recovered the firearm. At the time of the offense, Roberts was on supervised release following a federal conviction in 2018 for carrying a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Vallejo Police Department, the American Canyon Police Department, the California Highway Patrol Air Unit, the FBI’s Solano County Violent Crimes Task Force, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Solano County District Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Adrian T. Kinsella is prosecuting the case.
Roberts was arrested for a related supervised release violation on May 7, 2025, and remains in federal custody as a result of that violation.
If convicted, Roberts faces a maximum statutory penalty of 15 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Any sentence, however, would 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. The charges are only allegations; the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
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 U.S. Department of Justice 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.
U.S. Citizens and Chinese Nationals Arrested for Exporting Artificial Intelligence Technology to ChinaRead the Press Release
Tampa, FL — U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces that two U.S. citizens and two nationals of the People’s Republic of China (PRC)—all residing in the United States—have been charged with a conspiracy to illegally export cutting-edge NVIDIA Graphics Processing Units (GPUs), which have artificial intelligence (AI) applications, to the PRC.
Those arrested include Hon Ning Ho, aka “Mathew Ho,” a U.S. citizen born in Hong Kong, 34, residing in Tampa, Florida; Brian Curtis Raymond, U.S. citizen, 46, Huntsville, Alabama; Cham Li, aka “Tony Li,” PRC national, 38, San Leandro, California, and Jing Chen, aka “Harry Chen,” PRC national on F-1 nonimmigrant student visa, 45, Tampa, Florida. On Wednesday, November 19, 2025, Ho and Chen were arrested and appeared in court in the Middle District of Florida, while Raymond was arrested and appeared in the Northern District of Alabama. Li was also arrested yesterday and is scheduled to appear today in the Northern District of California.
“As demonstrated by this indictment, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida is firmly committed to safeguarding our country’s national security,” said U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe for the Middle District of Florida. “Thanks to the dedicated investigative work by our law enforcement partners, these defendants who wrongfully exported this sensitive technology are facing justice.”
According to the indictment, the PRC seeks to become the world leader in AI by 2030 and seeks to use AI for its military modernization efforts and in connection with the design and testing of weapons of mass destruction and deployment of advanced AI surveillance tools. The PRC seeks cutting-edge U.S. technology in furtherance of that goal, including NVIDIA GPUs. To protect U.S. national security, beginning in October 2022, the Department of Commerce implemented new license requirements for the export of these technologies to the PRC.
As alleged, from September 2023 to November 2025, Ho, Raymond, Li, and Chen conspired to violate these critical U.S. export controls, by illegally exporting advanced GPUs to the PRC through Malaysia and Thailand. In furtherance of the conspiracy, the conspirators used Janford Realtor, LLC—a Tampa, Florida-based company owned and controlled by Ho and Li—as a front to purchase and then illegally export controlled GPUs to the PRC. Despite its name, Janford Realtor, LLC, was never involved in any real estate transactions. Raymond, though his Alabama-based electronics company, supplied NVIDIA GPUs to Ho and others for illegal export to the PRC as part of the conspiracy.
As further alleged in the indictment, the conspiracy encompassed four separate exports of NVIDIA GPUs to the PRC. The first and second exports resulted in 400 NVIDIA A100 GPUs being exported to the PRC between October 2024 and January 2025. The third and fourth exports to the PRC were disrupted by law enforcement and therefore not completed. These attempted exports related to ten Hewlett Packard Enterprises supercomputers containing NVIDIA H100 GPUs and 50 separate NVIDIA H200 GPUs.
Despite knowing that licenses were required to export these items to the PRC, none of the conspirators ever sought or obtained a license for any of these exports. Instead, they lied about the intended destination of the GPUs to evade U.S. export controls. The indictment further alleges that the conspirators received over $3.89 million in wire transfers from the PRC to fund this unlawful scheme.
As set forth in the indictment, the United States will also seek forfeiture of 50 NVIDIA H200 GPUs, which are property constituting an item or technology that was intended to be exported unlawfully.
The chart below summarizes the charges against each defendant:
Name and Nationality
Age and Residence
Charges
Max. Term of Imprisonment
Hon Ning Ho, aka “Mathew Ho,” U.S. citizen born in Hong Kong34, Tampa, FLConspiracy to violate Export Control Reform Act (ECRA),
ECRA violations (4 counts),
smuggling (3 counts),
conspiracy to commit money laundering, and
money laundering (9 counts)
20 years per ECRA violation; 10 years per smuggling count; and 20 years per money laundering countBrian Curtis Raymond, U.S. citizen46, Huntsville, ALConspiracy to violate Export Control Reform Act (ECRA),
ECRA violations (2 counts),
smuggling (1 count),
conspiracy to commit money laundering, and
money laundering (7 counts)
20 years per ECRA violation; 10 years per smuggling count; and 20 years per money laundering countCham Li, aka “Tony Li,” PRC national38, San Leandro, CAConspiracy to violate Export Control Reform Act (ECRA),
ECRA violations (1 count),
smuggling (1 count), and
conspiracy to commit money laundering
20 years per ECRA violation; 10 years per smuggling count; and 20 years per money laundering countJing Chen, aka “Harry Chen,” PRC national on F-1 nonimmigrant student visa45, Tampa, FLConspiracy to violate Export Control Reform Act (ECRA),
ECRA violations (1 count),
smuggling (1 count), and
conspiracy to commit money laundering
20 years per ECRA violation; 10 years per smuggling count; and 20 years per money laundering countAn indictment is merely an allegation, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty in a court of law.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, the Defense Criminal Investigative Service, and the Department of Commerce - Bureau of Industry and Security. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Joseph K. Ruddy and Lindsey N. Schmidt of the Middle District of Florida and Trial Attorney Menno Goedman of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section.
U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of New Mexico Weekly Immigration and Border Crimes ReportRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – Today, the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of New Mexico announced its immigration enforcement statistics for this week. These cases are prosecuted in partnership with the El Paso Sector of the U.S. Border Patrol, along with Homeland Security Investigations El Paso, and assistance from other federal, state, and county agencies.
In the one-week period ending November 21, 2025, the United States Attorney’s Office brought the following criminal charges in New Mexico:
- 50 individuals were charged this week with Illegal Reentry After Deportation (8 U.S.C. 1326)
- 2 individuals were charged this week with Alien Smuggling (8 U.S.C. 1324)
- 45 individuals were charged this week with Illegal Entry (8 U.S.C. 1325)
- 55 individuals were charged this week with Illegal Entry (8 U.S.C. 1325), violation of a military security regulation (50 U.S.C. 797) and Entering Military, Naval, or Coast Guard Property (18 U.S.C. 1382), arising from the newly established National Defense Area in New Mexico.
Many of the defendants charged pursuant to 18 U.S.C. 1326 had prior criminal convictions for child abuse, disorderly conduct, and prior immigration offenses.
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.
These statistics represent prosecutions by the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of New Mexico only. The numbers do not include individuals apprehended by immigration enforcement officials and subjected solely to administrative process.
Under current leadership, public safety and a secure border are the top priorities for the District of New Mexico. Enhanced enforcement both at the border and in the interior of the district have yielded aliens engaged in unlawful activity or with serious criminal history, including human trafficking, sexual assault and violence against children.
The District of New Mexico consists of 33 counties and shares 180 miles of international border with Mexico. Assistant U.S. Attorneys from Albuquerque and Las Cruces work directly with our federal, state and local law enforcement partners to prosecute immigration-related and other federal offenses.
U.S. Attorney Zachary A. Keller Highlights a Dozen Significant Prosecutions During Government ShutdownRead the Press Release
LAFAYETTE – United States Attorney Zachary A. Keller announces that during the federal government shutdown, the United States Attorney’s Office continued its critical work making the community safer by charging and resolving many significant pending cases in the Western District of Louisiana.
“Our Office’s support staff and prosecutors remained committed to and focused on our mission to make this community safe alongside our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners throughout the shutdown,” U.S. Attorney Keller said. “These dozen cases are just a sample of the impactful matters that our Office continues to prosecute, ranging from combatting child predators, to tackling violent crime, to prosecuting sophisticated frauds including bribery schemes and healthcare fraud. Our Office and partners will continue to stand firm and work tirelessly to make Louisiana a safer place to live, work, raise and family, and run a business.”
The following are a dozen select cases where defendants were charged or sentenced to prison during the federal government shutdown:
- Boris Braggs, 43, an elementary school teacher and pastor in the Monroe area, was indicted for attempted enticement of a minor to engage in illegal sexual conduct on October 15, 2025. The indictment is based on allegations that on September 24, 2025, Braggs communicated online with an undercover law enforcement agent posing as a 15-year-old girl to have sex in exchange for money. Braggs agreed to meet the 15-year-old girl at a local hotel in Monroe, Louisiana. Upon his arrival, Braggs was arrested and placed into custody pending further proceedings, and he is currently detained pending trial. This case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and Louisiana State Police and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Earl M. Campbell.
- Willie Lee Baker, 45, of Shreveport, was indicted for conspiring to distribute fentanyl and distribution of fentanyl, with both resulting in death or serious bodily injury. The case is being investigated by the FBI, Shreveport Police Department and Caddo Parish Sheriff’s Office and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica D. Cassidy.
- Brandon Jermaine Francisco, 39, pled guilty on November 13, 2025, to committing a carjacking resulting in death with Francisco stipulating to a binding and mandatory sentence of life in prison. While pleading guilty, Francisco admitted to carjacking an Uber and Lyft driver who was also a mother of two minor children in 2022. Francisco further admitted that while carjacking and killing the victim, he shot her several times and then disposed of her body before fleeing with the vehicle. The sentencing is currently set for January 27, 2026. This case was investigated by the FBI, Louisiana State Police, St. Joseph’s Police Department, Bedford Police Department, and Scott Police Department, and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys John W. Nickel and Casey N. Stelly.
- Mahmoud Amin Ya’Qub Al-Muhtadi, 33, a Gazan native residing in Lafayette at the time of his arrest, was arrested and indicted for his alleged involvement in the Hamas-led terrorist attack against Israel on October 7, 2023. As described in the Department’s press release, this matter was investigated as part of the Department’s Joint Task Force October 7 (JTF 10-7), and involved many federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies investing significant resources to prosecute. Assistant U.S. Attorney John W. Nickel for the Western District of Louisiana is prosecuting the case alongside Trial Attorneys A.J. Dixon, Andrew Sigler and JTF 10-7 Lead Attorney Alicia Cook of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section, as well as Assistant U.S. Attorney Zoe Bedell for the Eastern District of Virginia.
- In October 2025, three defendants were sentenced for their role in a Lafayette-area bribery scheme involving the 15th Judicial District Attorney’s Office’s Pretrial Intervention Program. Dusty Guidry, 53, of Youngsville, was sentenced to 48 months in prison and ordered to pay a $10,000 fine, Leonard Franques, 64, of Scott, was sentenced to 12 months and 1 day in prison and ordered to pay a $100,000 fine, and Joseph Prejean, 58, of Church Point, was sentenced to 18 months in prison and ordered to pay a $40,000 fine. The fourth defendant, Gary Haynes, who was convicted at trial in September, is scheduled to be sentenced December 17, 2025. The case was investigated by the FBI and IRS - Criminal Investigation and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys John Luke Walker and John W. Nickel, as well as Steven Loew of the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section.
- Charlie L. Simpson, 52, and Charles D. Gardner, 58, who were previously convicted at trial for conspiring to commit bank fraud, were sentenced to 10 years and four years respectively on October 2, 2025. Simpson and Gardner used their positions as executives at United Care and Trinity Home Health to perpetrate a check-kiting scheme to disguise deficits in their companies, resulting in a $3.3 million loss to a victim bank. The case was investigated by the FBI and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Allison L. Duncan.
- Thomas Dewayne Dew, 47, of Many, was sentenced to life in prison October 22, 2025, for conspiring with six other defendants to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine. Dew was found to be selling methamphetamine in large quantities in the Sabine Parish area and supplying the narcotic to other drug dealers in the parish. The case was investigated by the FBI, ATF, and Sabine Parish Sheriff’s Office and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert Moody.
- Michael L. Riggins, 62, of West Monroe, was sentenced to 57 months in prison and ordered to pay roughly $1.8 million in restitution on October 27, 2025. Riggins had previously pled guilty to committing health care fraud in connection with a durable medical equipment (DME) scheme. From 2018 to 2023, Riggins paid for doctors’ orders for medically unnecessary DME and tricked doctors into signing DME orders and certificates of medical necessity to bill for it. Despite receiving hundreds of complaints from victims about fraudulent orders, Riggins submitted over $3.8 million in fraudulent claims to Medicare and was reimbursed over $1.8 million. The case was investigated by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG) and is being prosecuted by Trial Attorneys Samantha Usher and Kelly Z. Walters of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Robin McCoy.
- Damario M. Lyons, 36, was sentenced to 324 months in prison on October 27, 2025, after pleading guilty to conspiring to distribute methamphetamine. Lyons was supplying large amounts of various narcotics, including more than ten kilograms of methamphetamine, throughout the Southwest Louisiana area. The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, Jefferson Davis Sheriff’s Office and Jennings Police Department and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel J. Vermaelen.
- Lenzi Desormeaux Babineaux, 35, of Rayne, was sentenced to a year and a day in prison on November 6, 2025, after pleading guilty to wire fraud in connection with a federal program fraud scheme she was involved in with her father and sister. Babineaux served as Senior Program Manager for Regional Nutrition Assistance, Inc. (RNA), a Sponsoring Organization for the Child and Adult Food Program which is a federal program operated by USDA and administered by the Louisiana Department of Education (LDOE). RNA would submit provider claims monthly to LDOE for payment and disburse payments to providers. Babineaux submitted fraudulent claims and received payment for them. Babineaux’s father, Brian Desormeaux, 64, and Babineaux’s sister, Amy Desormeaux Hernandez, 38, have both pled guilty and are scheduled to be sentenced on February 3, 2026. The case was investigated by the FBI and the Louisiana State Office of Inspector General and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Lauren L. Nickel.
- Christopher Culton, 43, of Deridder, was sentenced to 135 months in prison on November 6, 2025, after previously pleading guilty to possessing child pornography. In 2024, law enforcement received a tip that Culton, who had a prior federal conviction for possessing child pornography, was maintaining a social media account was being used to distribute child pornography. A forensic exam of Culton’s cell phones confirmed prepubescent child pornography to be on both phones, which led to the charges here. The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney John Luke Walker.
- Clarence Reginald Colar, 52, of Lake Charles, was sentenced to 120 months in prison on October 23, 2025, for possessing child pornography. Colar was serving his term of federal supervised release for a previous conviction for possession of child pornography when his probation officer made an unannounced home visit and found that Colar had an unauthorized Samsung tablet in his possession that contained child pornography. This case was investigated by HSI and Calcasieu Parish Sheriff’s Office and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney John Luke Walker.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
You may find a copy of this press release (and any updates) on the website of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Louisiana at www.justice.gov/usao-wdla.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Western District of Louisiana at www.lawd.uscourts.gov or at https://www.lawd.uscourts.gov/cmecf-pacer.
CONTACT: Public Affairs [email protected]
United States Attorney’s Office www.justice.gov/usao-wdla
Western District of Louisiana Twitter @USAO_WDLA
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U.K. Citizen Indicted for $2.7M Telehealth SchemeRead the Press Release
A federal grand jury in the Middle District of Florida returned an indictment Wednesday charging a U.K. citizen for his role in a conspiracy to submit fraudulent claims for telehealth services associated with prescriptions for genetic testing and for causing the submission of false Medicare enrollment documents.
According to the indictment, Marek Rex Vernon Harrison, 61, a U.K. citizen living in Plant City, Florida, was the true beneficial owner and manager of purported telemedicine company CTD Network LLC (CTD). As alleged, CTD employed medical providers to authorize prescriptions for genetic tests, including tests designed to assess cancer risk. The providers conducted purported telehealth consultations in which they approved genetic-testing orders for Medicare beneficiaries referred by marketing companies or laboratories, even though the providers had no prior relationship with the beneficiaries and did not treat them or use the test results for treatment. At Harrison’s direction, CTD allegedly billed Medicare for these telehealth services, which were medically unnecessary and/or not provided as billed. In total, CTD submitted more than $2.7 million in false and fraudulent claims for telehealth services to Medicare, and Medicare paid over $600,000 on those claims.
As further alleged, part of the scheme involved falsifying Medicare enrollment documents submitted to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to conceal Harrison’s role in CTD. CMS requires submitting entities to disclose all persons with a 5% or greater ownership interest or managing control, and to identify whether such individuals have been the subject of a final adverse legal action. At Harrison’s direction, CTD allegedly submitted Medicare enrollment forms falsely listing other individuals as owners and/or managers and concealing Harrison’s 2019 bank fraud conviction.
Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew R. Galeotti of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe for the Middle District of Florida; Special Agent in Charge Matthew Fodor of the FBI’s Tampa Field Office; Special Agent in Charge Douglas DePodesta of the FBI’s Chicago Field Office; and Deputy Inspector General for Investigations Christian J. Schrank of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG) made the announcement.
FBI and HHS-OIG are investigating the case.
Acting Assistant Chief Catherine Wagner and Trial Attorney Miriam Glaser Dauermann of the Justice Department’s Fraud Section are prosecuting the case.
The Fraud Section leads the Criminal Division’s efforts to combat health care fraud through the Health Care Fraud Strike Force Program. Since March 2007, this program, currently comprised of nine strike forces operating in 27 federal districts, has charged more than 5,800 defendants who collectively have billed federal health care programs and private insurers more than $30 billion. In addition, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, working in conjunction with the Office of the Inspector General for the Department of Health and Human Services, are taking steps to hold providers accountable for their involvement in health care fraud schemes. More information can be found at www.justice.gov/criminal-fraud/health-care-fraud-unit.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Two men face federal charges after task force seizes 21 kilograms of fentanyl and over $380,000 from residenceRead the Press Release
ATLANTA - Rico Deville Buice and David Estevan Montillo Diaz have been arrested and charged by criminal complaints with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute fentanyl. Buice and Diaz appeared in federal court on November 19, 2025, to face charges after law enforcement executed a search warrant on at a Forest Park rental home, where they discovered and seized 21 kilograms of fentanyl, $380,000 in suspected drug proceeds, and a firearm.
“These arrests and seizures demonstrate the live-saving impact the Homeland Security Task Force has in our community,” said U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg. “The collaborative effort of different law enforcement agencies united in the fight to eliminate transnational criminal organizations kept a staggering amount of deadly fentanyl from hitting our streets. The resulting charges send a strong message: fentanyl traffickers in our district may run, but they cannot hide. Instead, they will find themselves in federal custody, and their drugs and money seized.”
“This operation is an example of the power of the Task Force in disrupting deadly drug trafficking operations,” said Paul Brown, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. “The seizure of 21 kilograms of fentanyl and over $380,000 in drug proceeds is a direct hit to those who seek to poison our communities. The FBI, in partnership with our law enforcement colleagues, will relentlessly pursue these criminals and hold them accountable.”
“This seizure is a clear reminder of the devastation these criminal networks are willing to inflict on our communities for profit,” said Robert J. Murphy, Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Atlanta Division. “Working as part of the Homeland Security Task Force, our agents are committed to stopping these dangerous organizations before their poison ever reaches our streets. This result reflects the power of our partnerships and our shared resolve to protect families from lethal narcotics and the violence that comes with them.”
“It is with great honor that the Clayton County Police Department partnered with the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) during the execution of a search warrant in Forest Park, Georgia. Members of the Clayton County Police Department’s Narcotics Unit and CAGE Unit assisted in the operation,” said Clayton County Police Chief Kevin Roberts. “This significant seizure will undoubtedly save thousands of lives affected by this highly addictive opioid. The efforts of HSTF have made the streets of Clayton County safer by removing two suspected drug traffickers, disrupting a criminal network, and intercepting dangerous narcotics and illicit proceeds.”
According to U.S. Attorney Hertzberg, the charges, and information presented in court: On November 14, 2025, agents from the FBI Atlanta and DEA Atlanta field offices, along with officers from the Clayton County Police Department, executed a search warrant at a rental property in Forest Park, Georgia. As law enforcement approached the house, Rico Deville Buice ran out of a side door and attempted to flee. Agents quickly apprehended Buice and found approximately $4,000 in cash in his possession.
After David Estevan Montillo Diaz exited the residence, law enforcement discovered in the kitchen and a bedroom an estimated 21 kilograms of fentanyl, approximately $300,000 in rubber-banded stacks of cash, a money counter, a food sealer machine, and a Glock 19 pistol. Approximately $80,000 of additional cash was found in a designer bag allegedly belonging to Buice.
Rico Deville Buice, a/k/a Casino, 41, of Atlanta, Georgia, and David Estevan Montillo Diaz, 23, of Coachella, California, are currently in custody.
Members of the public are reminded that the criminal complaints only contain charges. The defendants are presumed innocent of the charges, and it will be the government’s burden to prove the defendants’ guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial. The charges carry a maximum sentence of life imprisonment with a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years.
This case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Clayton County Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Thomas M. Forsyth, III and Calvin A. Leipold, III are prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
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 Atlanta comprises agents and officers from FBI Atlanta Field Office, the DEA Atlanta Division, Homeland Security Investigations, ATF, CGIS, DEA, FBI, ICE-HSI, IRS-CI, DOL-OIG, DSS, USMS, USPIS, and USSS, with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia.
For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at [email protected] or (404) 581-6016. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.
Two Toa Alta Municipal Police Officers Indicted and Arrested for Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – A federal grand jury in the District of Puerto Rico returned an indictment today charging two Toa Alta municipal police officers with drug trafficking.
According to court documents, Xavier Oropeza-Rosado, 42, and Julio Ángel Berdecía-Rodríguez, 46, of Toa Alta, knowingly and intentionally attempted to possess with intent to distribute cocaine on several occasions since April 2023. Oropeza-Rosado is facing two counts of drug trafficking and one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. Berdecía-Rodríguez is facing three counts of drug trafficking and three counts of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
“The vast majority of police officers bravely serve and protect our communities with honor. When law enforcement officers break that trust, it is our responsibility to bring them to justice,” said W. Stephen Muldrow, United States Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico.
“Public trust is the foundation of every badge in this country. When those sworn to protect their communities choose instead to betray that oath, they undermine the integrity of the entire justice system,” said Claudia Dubravetz, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s San Juan Field Office. “Today’s arrests make one thing clear: no position, no uniform, and no authority exempts anyone from accountability. The FBI will continue to work closely with the U.S. Attorney’s Office to confront corruption wherever it surfaces and ensure the people of Puerto Rico are served with honesty, fairness, and the rule of law.”
The defendants made their initial court appearances on November 20, 2025, before U.S. Magistrate Judge Marcos E. López of the U.S. District Court for the District of Puerto Rico. If convicted, the defendants face a statutory minimum sentence of 10 years and up to life for the drug trafficking counts and a consecutive statutory minimum sentence of 5 years per firearm count. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The FBI is investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney César E. Rivera Díaz 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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Three Defendants Sentenced for Their Roles in California-Based Drug Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Court Judge William F. Jung has sentenced Hopeton Goslin (57, St. Petersburg) to 20 years in federal prison, Tony Marsh (25, Bradenton) to 10 years in federal prison, and Colin Zirpoli (46, Sarasota) to 30 months in federal prison for their roles in conspiring to distribute methamphetamine in the Middle District of Florida.
According to court documents, as well as testimony and evidence presented during court hearings in the case, in February of 2024, the Drug Enforcement Administration began investigating Colin Zirpoli for suspected methamphetamine distribution, which led to led to Zirpoli’s supplier, Elizabeth Poff. The investigation into Poff led to her supplier, Tony Marsh, which led investigators to Marh’s supplier, Hopeton Goslin. Search warrants for Goslin’s home and storage unit led to the recovery of over 45 kilograms of methamphetamine. Goslin, Marsh, Poff, and Zirpoli all pled guilty to their roles in the conspiracy. Poff was previously sentenced to 37 months in federal custody.
Subsequent investigation led to the identification of Goslin’s source of supply in San Diego, California, an origin city for narcotics to be distributed to the east coast. Agents identified Omar Pitter as Goslin’s source of supply, and the investigation revealed that Pitter had been shipping Goslin cocaine and methamphetamine since 2023 via FedEx and UPS. Investigators testified at trial that the estimated combined weights of the shipments were 34 kilograms of cocaine and 697 pounds of methamphetamine.
Pitter, and two additional co-defendants, Keona Fulton and Ciarra Guss, were arrested in California. Their case proceeded to trial in September of this year and a federal jury convicted Pitter and Guss of conspiring to distribute methamphetamine on September 25, 2025. The jury also convicted Pitter and Fulton of conspiracy to commit money laundering. Pitter, Guss’s and Fulton’s sentencings are scheduled for December 2025.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office, the St. Petersburg Police Department, and the Polk County Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Samantha Newman.
The United States Files Civil Forfeiture Complaint Seeking to Forfeit $4 Million in Properties Purchased with Funds Related to Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Oregon filed a civil forfeiture complaint today against two properties located in Provo, Utah, purchased as part of an alleged multi-layered scheme to defraud the United States and a nonprofit organization.
According to the complaint, from July 2020 through May 2025, Benjamin Young, 39, of Provo, Utah, used his position as Financial Manager for a non-profit organization to gain access to its financial accounts and embezzle funds, including federally backed Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans intended to support payroll and essential operations during the COVID-19 pandemic. He then used the funds as part of his purchase of a $3.5 million commercial office suite in Provo in the name of Square the Books, a separate company he controlled, and leased the property back to the non-profit organization.
To conceal the origin of the funds, Young allegedly fabricated a $2.5 million short-term loan and used the fictitious debt to secure a U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) loan under false pretenses. While Young certified that the proceeds from the SBA loan would repay the short-term loan, the funds used by Young to buy the commercial property actually came from the diverted PPP loan proceeds and other funds Young diverted from his employer. Young is alleged to have laundered the SBA loan proceeds and transferred the funds to his personal bank accounts, using a portion to purchase a second property – a $570,000 condominium in Provo.
Based on the complaint, the United States will seek to forfeit the two properties.
The case is being investigated by the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation and the U.S. Small Business Administration – Office of Inspector General. The civil forfeiture action is being handled by Christopher Cardani, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon.
The accusations in the complaint, and the description of the complaint, constitute only allegations that certain property is subject to forfeiture. The United States must prove, by a preponderance of the evidence, that the property is subject to forfeiture.
Tallahassee Man Sentenced for Marijuana Trafficking and Money LaunderingRead the Press Release
TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA – Wesley D. Thomas, 37, of Tallahassee, Florida, was sentenced to two years in federal prison for conspiracy to distribute 1000 kilograms or more of marijuana, and conspiracy to commit money laundering. The sentence was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “Dismantling this transnational drug trafficking scheme required close collaboration and cooperation between our outstanding state and federal law enforcement partners, and my office delivered yet another successful prosecution to send this offender to federal prison.”
The defendant led a drug-trafficking organization moving thousands of pounds of marijuana from the West Coast to Tallahassee, Florida. The defendant would pay young men and women to fly from California and Oregon and then return with multiple checked suitcases full of vacuum-sealed marijuana. A codefendant was caught flying into Tallahassee International Airport from Medford, Oregon with suitcases containing 61 pounds of marijuana. The defendant also paid for marijuana to be driven from the West Coast to Tallahassee. One such driver who was prosecuted federally in Georgia was stopped with approximately 100 pounds of marijuana in the car. He estimated that he would transport 350 to 500 pounds of marijuana per month for the defendant and had been doing so for approximately 18 months. The defendant also paid others to use bank accounts, checks, wires, and money orders to launder his drug proceeds. Seven of the defendant’s managers and couriers were also prosecuted and have already been sentenced.
“This transnational drug trafficking case was a joint effort with multiple law enforcement partners,” said DEA Miami Field Division Special Agent in Charge Deanne L. Reuter. “These relationships allow us to better do our jobs and bring criminals like Mr. Thomas to justice.”
“Law-abiding citizens are negatively affected by drug trafficking organizations, such as the one Wesley Thomas led, because they increase crime in their communities,” said Special Agent in Charge Ron Loecker, IRS Criminal Investigation Tampa Field Office. “In an effort to make communities safer, IRS Criminal Investigation, our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners will continue diligently finding, investigating and forwarding for prosecution those who engage in trafficking illegal drugs.”
The case involved a joint investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Internal Revenue Service, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations, and Florida Department of Law Enforcement, with assistance from the Tallahassee Police Department, the Leon County Sheriff’s Office, and Florida Highway Patrol. Assistant United States Attorney James A. McCain 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.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.
Tallahassee Man Pleads Guilty to Possession of Firearm by a Convicted Felon After Absconding from ProbationRead the Press Release
TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA – Justin Grantsteadman, 36, of Tallahassee, Florida, pleaded guilty in federal court to possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. The plea was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “Our outstanding U.S. Marshals are second to none in their pursuit of criminal offenders and fugitives, and I applaud their excellent work with local and federal law enforcement in this case to find and detain this felon who fled from his prior sentence. My office will continue to aggressively prosecute dangerous felons, like this defendant, to keep our communities safe.”
Court documents reflect that the United States Marshals Service Florida/Caribbean Regional Fugitive Task Force located the defendant at a motel in Midway, Florida due to an active warrant for absconding from state felony probation. Officers arrested the defendant and found a firearm in his front pocket, which had been reported stolen several days before in Tallahassee.
The defendant faces imprisonment for up to 15 years.
The case involved an investigation by the United States Marshals Service, the Tallahassee Police Department, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney James A. McCain.
Sentencing is scheduled for December 30, 2025, at 10:00 am at the United States Courthouse in Tallahassee before Chief United States District Judge Allen C. Winsor.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
As part of its PSN strategy, the United States Attorney’s Office is encouraging everyone to lock their car doors, particularly at night. Burglaries from unlocked automobiles are a significant source of guns for criminals in the Northern District of Florida. Please do your part and protect yourself by locking your car doors.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html
St. Croix Man Sentenced to 18 months on Influencing Federal Officers by ThreatsRead the Press Release
St. Thomas, USVI –U.S. Attorney Adam F. Sleeper announced today that Jamoi Weekes, 31, of St. Croix, was sentenced last week by Senior District Judge Wilma A. Lewis for influencing federal officers by threats to 18 months of imprisonment, two years of supervised release, 20 hours of community service, and a $1,000 fine.
According to court documents, on August 31, 2024, Weekes arrived at the Henry E. Rohlsen Airport on St. Croix in the District of the Virgin Islands to board a flight to San Juan, Puerto Rico. He was referred for a second inspection by an officer with Customs & Border Protection (CBP). At the secondary inspection area station, Weekes was asked to fill out a customs declaration form. He refused to do so. He quickly grew agitated and began yelling at the CBP officers in the secondary inspection area. Specifically, Weekes ripped up the form and demanded to know if CBP Officers had a warrant for his arrest. Thereafter, he threatened to assault and kill the CBP Officers. Because of his unruly behavior, he was prohibited by CBP officers from boarding his flight, and he was asked to leave the CBP secondary inspection area. Weekes did so, but rather than leaving the airport altogether, he sat on a bench near an airline check-in counter. He waited on the bench for a period of time, until he saw the CBP Officers from the secondary inspection area exit the airport terminal and walk towards the parking lot, as their daily shift had concluded. Weekes followed the CBP officers into the parking lot and challenged one to a fight.
The investigation was conducted by Federal Bureau of Investigations, Homeland Security Investigations, and Customs and Border Protection. Assistant U.S. Attorney Rhonda Williams-Henry prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of the Virgin Islands.Southern District charges 321 individuals in border security-related cases this weekRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – A total of 318 cases have been filed in relation to immigration and border security from Nov. 14-20, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
Among those are 182 people who face charges of illegally reentering the country. The majority have prior felony convictions for narcotics, violent crime, sexual offenses, prior immigration or other crimes. A total of 120 individuals are charged with illegally entering the country, while 18 others are alleged to have engaged in human smuggling.
One additional case charges Mexican national Jairo Amaya Martinez with assaulting an Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer. The criminal complaint, filed Nov. 20, indicates Martinez was driving a white Chevrolet van and fled on foot as authorities approached to conduct a traffic stop. Court documents allege Martinez bit the agent on his left hand and forearm, while another officer attempted to subdue him. If convicted, he faces up to 20 years in federal prison.
Other criminal complaints charge Mexican nationals Evencio Arellano-Felix and Ivan Garcia-Mendoza for illegal reentry after having been previously removed Oct. 18 and 21, respectively. Law enforcement allegedly encountered both in Roma. Garcia-Mendoza has a prior conviction for illegal reentry while Arellano-Felix was convicted of failure to identify with fugitive intent, according to the complaints against them.
Also charged with illegal reentry after removal is another Mexican national, Juan Humberto Martinez-Martinez. According to the charges, he was removed from the United States Aug. 10, 2022. However, authorities allegedly encountered him again near Rio Grande City this week.
If convicted, all three face up to 20 years in federal prison.
These cases were referred or supported by federal law enforcement partners, including ICE - Homeland Security Investigations, ICE - Enforcement and Removal Operations, Border Patrol, Drug Enforcement Administration, FBI, U.S. Marshals Service and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives with additional assistance from state and local law enforcement partners.
The 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 and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces and Project Safe Neighborhood.
Under current leadership, public safety and a secure border are the top priorities for this district. Enhanced enforcement both at the border and in the interior of the district have yielded aliens engaged in unlawful activity or with serious criminal histories, including convictions for human trafficking, sexual assault and violence against children.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Texas remains one of the busiest in the nation. It represents 43 counties and more than nine million people covering 44,000 square miles. Assistant U.S. Attorneys from all seven divisions including Houston, Galveston, Victoria, Corpus Christi, Brownsville, McAllen and Laredo work directly with our law enforcement partners on the federal, state and local levels to prosecute the suspected offenders of these and other federal crimes.
An indictment or criminal complaint is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence. A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.
Shamokin Man Sentenced for Trafficking MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
WILLIAMSPORT- The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Abel Huertas, age 28, of Shamokin, Pennsylvania was sentenced by Chief Judge Matthew W. Brann on a drug-trafficking charge to 57 months of imprisonment to be followed by four years of supervised release and 30 hours of community service.
According to United States Attorney Brian D. Miller, Huertas distributed 50 grams and more than 50 grams of methamphetamine in Northumberland County during May of 2022.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Northumberland County Drug Task Force, the Pennsylvania State Police, the Bloomsburg Police Department, the Sunbury Police Department, the Shamokin Police Department, and the Coal Township Police Department. Former Assistant U.S. Attorney Geroge J. Rocktashel and Assistant U.S. Attorney Alisan V. Martin prosecuted the case.
This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
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Schuylkill County Man Sentenced to 151 Months’ Imprisonment for Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
SCRANTON – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Pedro Villot-Ortiz, age 26, a resident of Shenandoah, Pennsylvania, was sentenced to 151 months’ imprisonment by United States District Judge Karoline Mehalchick, for possession with intent to distribute controlled substances.
According to the United States Attorney Brian D. Miller, on July 25, 2025, agents with the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Pennsylvania State Police executed a search warrant at Villot-Ortiz’s residence in Shanandoah, Pennsylvania. Investigators seized methamphetamine and cocaine that Villot-Ortiz intended to sell to his drug customers. He was on probation at the time of this conduct and followed two earlier drug trafficking convictions.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America (https://www.justice.gov/dag/media/1393746/dl?inline), a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
The investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)—Allentown Office, the Pennsylvania State Police, and the Shenandoah Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Tatum R. Wilson.
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Rosebud Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Failure to Register as a Sex OffenderRead the Press Release
PIERRE - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced today that U.S. District Judge Eric C. Schulte has sentenced a Rosebud, South Dakota, man convicted of Failure to Register as a Sex Offender. The sentencing took place on November 12, 2025.
John Larvie, age 35, was sentenced to ten months in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Larvie was indicted by a federal grand jury in June 2025. He pleaded guilty on August 7, 2025.
Larvie was convicted of Aggravated Sexual Abuse in Rosebud Sioux Tribal Court in 2019. Consequently, he is required to register as a sex offender and update his registration within three business days of relocation or changing employment or student status. On May 6, 2025, Larvie began a period of supervised release residing in Rosebud, but he did not update his sex offender registration until June 4, 2025.
This case was brought as a part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Marshals Service and the Rosebud Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services. Supervisory Assistant U.S. Attorney Kirk Albertson prosecuted the case.
Larvie was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Romanian Man Sentenced for Access Device FraudRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson announced that TAMAS KOLOZSVARI (“KOLOZSVARI”), age 30, a Romanian national, was sentenced on November 20, 2025 by U.S. District Chief Judge Wendy B. Vitter for access device fraud, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1029(a)(4). KOLOZSVARI, who has been in custody since November 20, 2024, was sentenced to time served.
According to court documents, on November 13, 2024 and November 14, 2024, KOLOZSVARI and two other individuals possessed device-making equipment, namely credit/debit card skimmers, at three retail locations in the Eastern District of Louisiana, and installed those skimmers on point-of-sale machines.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
The case was investigated by Special Agents of the United States Department of Agriculture – Office of Inspector General; Deputies with the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office; Deputies with the St. Bernard Parish Sheriff’s Office; and Officers with the New Orleans Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Christine M. Calogero of the General Crimes Unit is handling the prosecution.
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Recidivist Offenders Receive Combined 57 Years in Federal Prison for Armed Robbery SpreeRead the Press Release
INDIANAPOLIS- Donta Allen, 28, and Lance McGee, 33, both of Indianapolis, have been sentenced to federal prison for their roles in a string of eleven armed robberies across Marion County.
Allen pleaded guilty to 11 counts of interference with commerce by robbery and four counts of brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence. In June, he was sentenced to 38 years in federal prison, followed by three years of restitution, and ordered to pay $12,790.91 in restitution.
McGee pleaded guilty to 11 counts of interference with commerce by robbery and two counts of brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence. He was sentenced to 19.5 years in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay $12,790.91 in restitution.
According to court documents, from March 25 through April 8, 2022, Allen and McGee conspired to rob at least eleven different stores in Indianapolis and Speedway, Indiana. Wearing a ski mask and concealing his tattoos with makeup, Allen entered each store, pointed a firearm at the cashier, and demanded cash. McGee acted as the getaway driver in a Chevy Malibu and received a share of the stolen proceeds.
The firearm used in the robberies—a Smith & Wesson 9mm pistol—was stolen by McGee from a client while working for a moving company.
The robberies occurred on the following dates and at these locations:
DateVictim BusinessMarch 25, 2022Disc Replay; 8210 Rockville Road, IndianapolisMarch 25, 2022GameStop; 5816 Crawfordsville Road, SpeedwayMarch 27, 2022GameStop; 3269 West 86th Street, IndianapolisMarch 27, 2022AutoZone; 4606 East County Line Road, IndianapolisApril 2, 2022GameStop; 4525 Lafayette Road, IndianapolisApril 2, 2022AutoZone; 7455 Michigan Road, IndianapolisApril 3, 2022Disc Replay; 9739 East Washington Street, IndianapolisApril 5, 2022Disc Replay; 7317 US 31 South, IndianapolisApril 5, 2022AutoZone; 8525 Southeastern Avenue, IndianapolisApril 5, 2022AutoZone; 6055 East 82nd Street, IndianapolisApril 8, 2022GameStop; 6905 South Emerson Avenue, IndianapolisAt the time of the offenses, both defendants had prior felony convictions that prohibited them from legally possessing firearms. McGee had previously been convicted of felony possession of a narcotic drug and aggravated possession of drugs. Allen had prior convictions for robbery, armed robbery, and possession of a firearm by a serious violent felon.
“This case sends a clear message that repeat violent offenders who terrorize our communities will face the full force of federal justice,” said Tom Wheeler, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana. “Donta Allen and Lance McGee are recidivist criminals who committed a spree of armed robberies, endangering lives across Marion County. Thanks to the exceptional work of the FBI, IMPD, and the Speedway Police Department, they have received lengthy prison sentences and can no longer threaten the safety of our neighborhoods.”
“Our communities deserve to feel safe from violent criminals who think nothing of pointing a gun at innocent people,” said Timothy J. O’Malley, special agent in charge of the FBI Indianapolis Field Office. “These sentences reflect the strength of our partnerships with federal, state, and local law enforcement and send a clear message: if you use a firearm to terrorize others, you will face serious consequences.”
The FBI, IMPD, and Speedway Police Department investigated this case. The sentences were imposed by U.S. District Court Judge Sarah Evans Barker.
U.S. Attorney Wheeler thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Pamela S. Domash, who prosecuted this case.
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Prior Felon Convicted for Kidnapping and Four Counts Related to Domestic ViolenceRead the Press Release
TULSA, Okla. – A federal jury convicted a Collinsville man of kidnapping and four counts related to domestic abuse and violence.
Jerry Charles Creek, Jr., 55, was convicted of two counts of Assault of an Intimate/Dating Partner by Strangling and
Attempting to Strangle in Indian Country; two counts of Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury in Indian Country; and Kidnapping in Indian Country.According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Creek began a relationship with the victim in the summer of 2023. After the victim moved in with Creek, he became jealous, possessive, and abusive. Creek isolated the victim from her family and friends. Evidence presented at trial showed that verbal abuse escalated into physical abuse.
In November 2023, Creek accused the victim of cheating and assaulted her throughout the weekend. The victim testified about being strangled, dragged around the house, and kicked by Creek when he was wearing steel-toed boots. He kept the victim from leaving by taking her keys and making her stay naked. If the victim attempted to get dressed, Creek would get enraged. After two days of abuse, Creek left the trailer briefly, and the victim was able to get dressed and escape. When she sought medical treatment, the victim had fractured ribs, a concussion, and bruises all over her body.
The victim testified that in March 2024, Creek began accusing the victim of cheating and strangled her until she lost consciousness and urinated. After regaining consciousness, Creek continued to abuse the victim. At some point she was able to escape, however once Creek noticed she was gone, he went after her, promising to take her home. Upon getting closer to the victim’s home, she testified that Creek stated he needed to go home to get gas. While at a stoplight, in fear, the victim jumped out of the truck and went to a fire station. There she waited for a family member to pick her up.
During a third incident in April 2024, the victim testified that she was at a bar with a male friend. Creek walked into the bar and told her to get in his truck. Creek was enraged again and drove erratically to the victim’s house. They argued in front of the house and went inside. Creek left the house, and she went to bed. Later that evening, she woke up to smoke in her house because it was on fire. Her cellphone was gone, and she could not break her bedroom window. After being rescued by neighbors, and before being intubated, she told her neighbor, “Jerry did it.” She was intubated and hospitalized for eleven days. She was diagnosed with several injuries that were not present before the fire, including numerous lacerations and bruises, and a fractured L4 vertebra. While in the hospital, the victim wrote a note to a family member stating that Creek tried to kill her.
Court records show that Creek was previously convicted of assault with a dangerous weapon, obstructing an officer, being a felon in possession of a firearm, and several other felonies.
The Tulsa Police Department and the FBI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Stacey Todd, George Jiang, and Thomas Buscemi prosecuted the case.
If you are impacted by relationship abuse and need confidential help, you can text “START” to 88788.
Polk County Felon Convicted at Trial for Assaulting Deputy U.S. Marshal with A FirearmRead the Press Release
Fort Myers, Florida – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces that a federal jury has found Myles Andrew Strickland (36, Bartow) guilty of assaulting a federal officer with a deadly or dangerous weapon, using, carrying, and discharging a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence, and possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. Strickland faces a maximum penalty of life in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set.
According to testimony and evidence presented at trial, Strickland was a convicted felon and fugitive wanted on a state arrest warrant out of Polk County. A U.S. Marshals Service task force located Strickland in Lee County. When confronted, Strickland led authorities on a foot chase. During the chase, Strickland turned to face a Deputy U.S. Marshal that had been pursuing him and racked the slide of a firearm he was carrying inside of a jacket, thus preparing the firearm to fire. Strickland was then struck by gunfire from pursuing law enforcement. A spent cartridge casing showed that Strickland had discharged his firearm.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Benjamin S. Winter.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN).
Philadelphia Man Sentenced to More than 22 Years in Prison for Conspiring to Commit Violent Armed Home Invasions Targeting Business Owners and Their FamiliesRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that Shaquan Brown, 31, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Cynthia M. Rufe on Thursday to 272 months’ incarceration for conspiracy to commit armed home invasion robberies targeting the businesses and attached residences of their owners, as well as robbery affecting interstate commerce and attempted robbery affecting interstate commerce, using and brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of robbery, and possession of a firearm by a felon.
Brown was charged by indictment with these crimes in August 2020 and convicted at trial on April 16, 2024.
From November 2019 through January 3, 2020, Brown and three co-conspirators conspired to carry out a series of robberies that targeted business owners and another individual that they believed would keep cash in their home. The offenders used zip ties, duct tape, and firearms to commit these crimes. Brown researched his victims and their businesses, using a GPS tracking device to learn where the victims lived. The defendant and his co-conspirators targeted victims they believed kept cash in their homes, including business owners who were Asian and other business owners who dealt in cash.
On the night of December 31, 2019, Brown and two co-conspirators accosted the owner of a nail salon in Delaware County, Pa., as the owner returned to the business. The offenders forced the victim inside, and repeatedly demanded money, placing zip ties on the owner’s wrists, covering his mouth with duct tape, and striking his face with their fists and a gun. The men took cash from the business, then forced the owner to his residence, where they encountered his wife, their children, and their nanny. The men zip-tied the wife and all of their children, then continued to beat and injure the owner, and demand money. They ransacked the residence while making statements such as “we have been watching you for weeks.”
On the morning of January 3, 2020, Brown and another individual attempted to break into a residence in Chester County, Pa. The defendant had planned to commit an armed home invasion robbery of the homeowner, who was a business owner, and his family, to steal the owner’s business proceeds. While attempting to enter the victim’s home, the home security alarm system went off, and the police responded within minutes. The defendant led the police on a foot chase through the woods and into a creek, where he was arrested. The police recovered duct tape, zip ties, and a firearm from the defendant’s backpack.
“What Shaquan Brown and his crew put their victims through was utterly horrifying,” said U.S. Attorney Metcalf. “No one should have to endure a violent ambush in their home or business, be brutally beaten, and see their family traumatized. Today’s sentence ensures that Brown’s home invasion days are over. We will not permit criminals who’d rather take money than make it to terrorize innocent people and whole communities.”
“Shaquan Brown violently terrorized his victims in their business and in the sanctity of their home,” said Eric DeGree, Special Agent in Charge of the ATF Philadelphia Field Division. “He is now going to federal prison where he will no longer endanger his neighborhood. ATF Philadelphia Field Division has a long history of partnership with the Philadelphia Police Department and U.S. Attorney’s Office, and we will continue to work tirelessly together to ensure justice for the victims and to make our communities safer.”
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Anthony Carissimi and J. Jeanette Kang, and Special Assistant United States Attorney Brian Doherty.
Philadelphia Man Sentenced on Drug ConspiracyRead the Press Release
WILLIAMSPORT - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Roberto Febus, age 35, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania was sentenced by Chief Judge Matthew W. Brann to 78 months of imprisonment to be followed by four years of supervised release.
According to United States Attorney Brian D. Miller, Febus conspired with others to distribute more than 50 grams of methamphetamine in Northumberland County in May 2022.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alisan V. Martin prosecuted 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.
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Philadelphia Man Convicted at Trial of Two Commercial Robberies, Murder of Gas Station AttendantRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that Chihean Jones, aka “Cha,” 40, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, was convicted this afternoon at trial of two commercial robberies in the city and the murder of a gas station attendant during one of those robberies.
Jones was charged by second superseding indictment in January 2024 with two counts of robbery interfering with interstate commerce (Hobbs Act robbery), murder in the course of using and carrying a firearm, and using and discharging a firearm during a crime of violence. A federal jury found him guilty on all counts.
As proven at trial, on August 22, 2022, the defendant drove two other men to a cell phone store on the 100 block of East Olney Avenue. While Jones waited in his Chevrolet Suburban, the two others went inside the store, forced their way into a back room, and stole multiple cell phones. The three men then fled the scene in the defendant’s Suburban.
As further proven at trial, on January 17, 2023, Jones, accompanied by his girlfriend and two other men, drove the Suburban to a gas station on the 7100 block of Torresdale Avenue, which the group intended to rob. They planned to wait for the gas station attendant to leave the store to smoke a cigarette, at which point the defendant would approach with his .45-caliber pistol. The two men accompanying Jones would zip tie the attendant and force him back into the station to open the safe.
When the attendant failed to exit, however, the group sent the defendant’s girlfriend into the store to see what was happening and to determine if the men could kick in the door to the register area. After she reported back, the three men entered the store. Immediately upon entering, Jones pushed his pistol under the protective glass and shot the attendant in the back as the attendant tried to run away. Jones and the two men ransacked the store and stole the attendant’s wallet as he lay dying on the floor.
The defendant is scheduled to be sentenced on March 26 and faces a maximum possible term of life in prison.
This case was investigated by the Philadelphia Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Christopher Parisi and Amanda McCool.
Philadelphia Felon Sentenced to 45 Years in Prison for Drug and Gun CrimesRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that Norman Copper, 34, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, was sentenced to 540 months in prison and five years of supervised release by United States District Judge Mark A. Kearney for drug and gun crimes.
In March of this year, the defendant was convicted at trial of one count of possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine, one count of possession of firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking, and one count of possession of firearms by a felon.
He was charged with those offenses by superseding indictment in June 2024.
In December 2023, the Upper Merion Township Police Department had received information from the Pennsylvania Department of Corrections Parole Field Services that Copper, who was on state parole at the time for attempted murder, had been intercepted on recorded prison calls and video visits that suggested he might be involved in narcotics sales and/or the illegal possession of firearms. As a condition of his parole, Copper wore a GPS monitor.
As proven at trial, GPS location data indicated that he spent many early morning hours at an unapproved area in King of Prussia, Pa., which investigators determined was the apartment of his then-girlfriend. Through physical and video surveillance, Upper Merion detectives saw Copper entering and exiting the apartment on many occasions, often heading in the direction of what was later learned to be a storage unit associated with his girlfriend’s apartment.
In January of last year, law enforcement served search warrants on the apartment and storage unit, seizing more than a pound and a half of methamphetamine, three semiautomatic handguns, one of them equipped with a silencer, and one AK-style semiautomatic rifle, weapons that he was not permitted to possess due to his previous felony conviction.
“Again and again, Norman Copper has flouted the law and chosen to engage in criminal activity that endangered the community,” said U.S. Attorney Metcalf. “He was deeply involved in the distribution of large quantities of meth — and heavily armed to protect his profits, product, and drug dealer persona. Our office and our partners are working every day to put dangerous offenders like him behind bars, to make the public safer.”
“This case is another example of our law enforcement cooperation to prevent violent crime,” said Eric DeGree, Special Agent in Charge of the ATF Philadelphia Field Division. “Copper, who was on parole for attempted murder, was heavily armed and loaded with drugs. Working with the Upper Merion Township Police Department, the Montgomery County Detective Bureau, and Assistant United States Attorneys, Copper will no longer threaten his neighborhood.”
The case was investigated by the Upper Merion Township Police Department, the Montgomery County Detective Bureau, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Lindsey Mills and Justin Ashenfelter.
Pharmacist and Brother Sentenced to Prison for $15M Health Care and Wire Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
A former Michigan pharmacist and his brother were sentenced yesterday to eight years in prison and five years in prison, respectively, for their roles in a conspiracy to commit health care fraud and wire fraud.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, from approximately 2010 to 2019, Raad Kouza, 59, of Wayne County, a pharmacist, and his brother, Ramis Kouza, 46, of Oakland County, a pharmacy manager, billed Medicare, Medicaid and Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan for prescription medications that they did not dispense at pharmacies they owned or operated in Michigan. The defendants executed this fraud by targeting the billing of expensive medications, such as antipsychotics and inhalers, and by concealing inventory shortages at their pharmacies from multiple auditors. As a result of their criminal conduct, the defendants caused a total of over $15 million loss to Medicare, Medicaid and Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan.
In November 2024, Raad Kouza and Ramis Kouza were convicted of conspiracy to commit health care fraud and wire fraud by a federal jury in the Eastern District of Michigan. At sentencing, the Court ordered the brothers to pay approximately $15.5 million in restitution and the same amount in forfeiture.
Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew R. Galeotti of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; Special Agent in Charge Jennifer Runyan of the FBI Detroit Field Office; and Special Agent in Charge Mario Pinto of the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG) made the announcement.
FBI and HHS-OIG investigated the case.
Trial Attorneys Claire Sobczak Pacelli, Jeffrey A. Crapko and Andres Q. Almendarez of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section prosecuted the case.
The Fraud Section leads the Criminal Division’s efforts to combat health care fraud through the Health Care Fraud Strike Force Program. Since March 2007, this program, currently comprised of 9 strike forces operating in 27 federal districts, has charged more than 5,800 defendants who collectively have billed federal health care programs and private insurers more than $30 billion. In addition, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, working in conjunction with HHS-OIG, are taking steps to hold providers accountable for their involvement in health care fraud schemes. More information can be found at www.justice.gov/criminal-fraud/health-care-fraud-unit.
Panama City Man Pleads Guilty to Retaliating Against and Sending Threats to a Federal InformantRead the Press Release
PENSACOLA, FLORIDA – Thomas Zachary Breeding, 41, of Panama City, pleaded guilty in federal court to charges of retaliation against a federal informant and transmission of threatening communications in interstate commerce. The guilty plea was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “Ensuring the safety of our informants and witnesses against threats of reprisals for their cooperation in our criminal investigations and prosecutions is of critical importance to our success in safeguarding our communities from crime. My office will aggressively prosecute such criminal threats to ensure the brave members of our community who join us in the fight against crime are kept safe from retaliation.”
Court documents reflect that on May 31, 2024, the defendant sent Facebook messages threatening bodily injury to an individual. In the messages, the defendant blamed the individual for sending him to prison, called him a “rat,” and promised to “break” a “knife off” in their “guts.” The defendant sent the threats to retaliate against the individual for having provided information to federal law enforcement as part of a prior federal investigation and prosecution of the defendant for distributing cocaine. The defendant, who was on federal supervised release for that prior case at the time he made the threats, also faces revocation proceedings for violating the terms of his supervision.
Breeding’s sentencing and violation of supervised release hearings are currently set for December 18, 2025, at 9:00 a.m. at the United States Courthouse in Pensacola before United States District Judge T. Kent Wetherell, II. The defendant faces up to 25 years’ imprisonment.
The conviction was the result of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration with assistance from the Walton County Sheriff’s Office and the Bay County Sheriff’s Office. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Alicia H. Forbes.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.
Online Seller of Infant Formula Pleads Guilty to Smuggling and Violating FDA Prior Notice RequirementsRead the Press Release
Able Groupe Inc., a company that sold infant formula on the website LittleBundle.com, pleaded guilty today to two felony charges for smuggling European infant formula and importing it into the United States in violation of FDA’s Prior Notice Requirements.
According to court documents, Able Groupe, which also did business as Little Bundle and Huggable, Inc., sold European infant formula to consumers throughout the United States beginning in the spring of 2019. Several of the infant formulas Able Groupe sold were listed on FDA Import Alerts due to their failure to meet nutrient or labelling requirements for infant formula. In pleading guilty, Able Groupe admitted that it attempted to avoid detection and detention of its imported formula by failing to comply with FDA’s Prior Notice requirements for imported food and by using false commodity descriptions for the imported formula. Following an FDA inspection, the company ceased operations and recalled 76,000 units of formula in August 2021.
Able Groupe pleaded guilty to two felony counts: (1) importing food without providing Prior Notice to FDA with the intent to defraud or mislead in violation of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FDCA); and (2) passing and attempting to pass false and fraudulent documents through customs to defraud the United States. Under the FDCA, importers are required to provide Prior Notice to FDA when they import food into the United States. This is the first time a defendant has pleaded guilty to a felony violation for failing to provide such notices to FDA. The company’s plea agreement includes a proposed forfeiture of $304,640, and the matter will result in a total recovery by the Government of approximately $2.3 million. U.S. Magistrate Judge Toliver presided over the company’s guilty plea.
“FDA’s Prior Notice requirements help safeguard consumers as well as the nation’s food supply, and the Department is committed to enforcing the law and protecting our most vulnerable citizens,” said Assistant Attorney General Brett A. Shumate of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “The Justice Department will continue to work with our agency partners to investigate and prosecute those who ignore this important legal obligation, attempt to defraud the government, and put the health and safety of infants at risk.”
“U.S. consumers rely on the FDA to ensure that the food products they purchase for their families are safe,” said Special Agent in Charge Christopher Walker, FDA Office of Criminal Investigations’ Kansas City Field Office. “The FDA will continue to work to bring to justice those who would defy its prior notice requirements, defraud the government, and attempt to deceive American consumers, particularly at the potential expense of infants’ health.”
The Food and Drug Administration’s Office of Criminal Investigations Special Agent Chad Medaris investigated the case.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant Director Patrick Runkle of the Civil Division’s Enforcement and Affirmative Litigation Branch in partnership with the Northern District of Texas U.S. Attorney’s Office.
Omaha Man Sentenced to 300 Months for Methamphetamine ConspiracyRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Lesley A. Woods announced that Jason E. Pemberton, 51, of Omaha, Nebraska, was sentenced on November 19, 2025, in federal court in Omaha for his role in a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. United States District Judge Brian C. Buescher sentenced Pemberton to 300 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After Pemberton’s release from prison, he will begin a 10-year term of supervised release.
In December of 2023, the Department of Homeland Security Investigations Special Agents identified Pemberton as a narcotics distributor with a residence near 88th Plaza and Boyd Street, Omaha, and began a surveillance operation. On January 11, 2024, agents saw Pemberton leave his residence driving a Hyundai Veloster. They followed him to a McDonald’s parking lot where he parked and his co-defendant got out of a parked Chevy Silverado, approached Pemberton, and handed him a black backpack containing methamphetamine. Both vehicles departed immediately after the exchange.
Agents and local law enforcement officers followed Pemberton onto I-80, westbound. Officers saw Pemberton violate traffic laws while driving near mile marker 412, activated their emergency lights, and attempted to conduct a traffic stop but Pemberton did not stop. He fled, reaching speeds of up to 110 MPH, and threw the backpack out the vehicle window. Officers attempted to stop the vehicle by deploying stop strips, but Pemberton made a U-turn and fled the wrong way down an interstate on-ramp near Lincoln, Nebraska, eventually lost control, crashed, and ran before officer took him into custody.
The backpack contained multiple bags of methamphetamine with a gross of weight of 11 pounds.
Later, on the same day of January 11, 2024, agents and officers served a search warrant at Pemberton’s residence. During the search, they seized 36 plastic bags of methamphetamine with a gross weight of 32.06 pounds. During the residential search, agents also found a digital scale, packaging materials, two cell phones, and a money counter.
On January 16 and 17, 2024, agents interviewed two known associates of Pemberton who both said Pemberton had been distributing methamphetamine and is affiliated with a Mexican drug trafficking organization.
The co-defendant in this case is similarly charged for his role the conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine as well as a separate conspiracy to harbor illegal aliens for commercial advantage and private financial gain. His cases are ongoing.
This case was investigated by the Homeland Security Investigations Task Force.
Omaha Man Sentenced to 235 Months for Fentanyl and Firearm CrimesRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Lesley A. Woods announced that Kadonta Muldrew, 31, of Omaha, Nebraska, was sentenced on November 19, 2025, in federal court in Omaha for conspiracy to distribute fentanyl, possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, and being a felon in possession of a firearm. United States District Judge Brian C. Buescher sentenced Muldrew to 235 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After Muldrew’s release from prison, he will begin an 8-year term of supervised release.
In January 2024, a Federal Bureau of Investigation task force identified Muldrew as a dealer of fentanyl pills in Omaha and began an investigation. Between February and May of 2024, Muldrew sold pills to a confidential informant four times in quantities ranging from 50 to 200. Investigators also determined Muldrew was supplying at least one other dealer. On May 17, 2024, law enforcement arrested Muldrew and executed search warrants at three residences and a storage unit in Omaha. When he was arrested, Muldrew had approximately 234 fentanyl pills and $11,301 cash. Execution of the search warrants resulted in seizure of almost 2,000 fentanyl pills, four handguns, and more than $124,000 cash.
Co-defendant Jeron Morris, 33, of Omaha, has been convicted after a jury trial of conspiracy to distribute fentanyl, possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking, and being a felon in possession of a firearm. Because of prior federal convictions that enhance the statutory penalties, Morris faces a mandatory minimum of 35 years in prison and a maximum of life. Morris’ sentencing is scheduled for December 3, 2025.
The cash that was seized will be forfeited to the United States as proceeds of drug dealing.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Omaha Police Department with assistance from the Council Bluffs Police Department (Iowa), Bellevue Police Department, Papillion Police Department, the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office, the Nebraska State Patrol, and the Iowa State Patrol. This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
Omaha Man Sentenced for Sex Trafficking MinorsRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Lesley A. Woods announced that James Hatten, II, 54, of Omaha, Nebraska, was sentenced on November 7, 2025, in federal court in Omaha for five counts of Sex Trafficking a Minor. Chief United States District Court Judge Robert R. Rossiter, Jr. sentenced Hatten to 480 months’ imprisonment on each count, to be served concurrently. There is no parole in the federal system. After Hatten’s release from prison, he will begin a 15-year term of supervised release. Hatten was also ordered to pay a total of $304,800.90 in restitution to his victims.
Hatten was charged with sex trafficking five different minors, spanning from May 1, 2022, through December 6, 2023, in the Omaha area. At sentencing he claimed that he did not know his actions, which involved distributing drugs to minors in exchange for sex acts, constituted sex trafficking as he was not advertising and selling the victims to other people. Calling that of no consequence, Chief Judge Rossiter said the case involved a “reprehensible crime, reprehensible conduct” on the part of Hatten and noted the significant age gap between the perpetrator and his victims in imposing the sentence.
This case was investigated by the Omaha Police Department and Homeland Security Investigations.
Omaha Crips Gang Enterprise Charged with Violent Crimes in Aid of RacketeeringRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Lesley A. Woods announced that 13 Crips gang members were indicted together on a range of federal organized crime charges, including murder in aid of racketeering, murder by firearm, firearms trafficking conspiracy, firearms conspiracy, assault with a dangerous weapon, discharging firearms during and relation to crimes of violence, and other related offenses.
The following defendants were indicted on November 18, 2025:
Gregory Jerome Bahati,
Malik D. Bahati, II,
Johnny L. Chatmon, IV,
Deshawn P. Jackson,
Jaqueris J. Allen,
McKeith M. Bingham,
Kevin Rashad Pierce,
Lamar D. Glover,
Kavion Wright,
Cameron J. Williams,
Darnell L. Matthews,
Noah McIntosh, and
Antrevion McNichols.
The Indictment alleges the Crips gang committed violent acts, including shootings, that targeted portions of the city of Omaha that are claimed territory of rival gangs, such as the Bloods. Evidence adduced at the detention hearings in this matter indicated that many of the victims of these violent events had no gang affiliation at all and were merely innocent people allegedly gunned down by these gang members in their efforts to protect their reputation and status as a gang or to act in retaliation against rival gangs for Crips gang members who were themselves shot or murdered. Evidence at the hearings further indicated that the Crips attempted to claim city blocks in Omaha as their own territory and those actions made those neighborhoods a target for rival gang violence.
Among the Omaha shooting targets that described at the pretrial detention hearings were children under the age of 12, a graduation party with attendees of all ages, including children, a man returning from taking his son to baseball practice, a young man and woman driving down the road in their vehicle, and a mother and two sons who simply witnessed a fight amongst Crip gang members who were shot at and assaulted for recording the gang on a cellular phone.
Omaha Police Chief Todd Schmaderer said of the charges: “The recent indictment represents a significant step forward in protecting the safety of our community. The work of the U.S. Attorney’s Office has been instrumental in bringing these charges forward, and I want to commend their partnership and commitment to justice. I am equally proud of the relentless efforts of the men and women of the Omaha Police Department—particularly those who have dedicated countless hours to these complex investigations. Their hard work directly contributes to a safer Omaha, and these indictments send a clear message that violent gang activity will not be tolerated in our city.”
United States Attorney Lesley A. Woods said, “Without the tireless efforts of the dedicated men and women of the Omaha Police Department, this gang would never have been taken into custody and out of these neighborhoods on these charges. The charges are the result of the police department’s resource-intensive and complex investigation into this alleged criminal network, and their dedicated efforts will provide these victims and their families their deserved day in federal court. This Indictment would similarly not have been possible without the outstanding investigative work of the Lincoln Police Department on the murder charges in the tragic shooting of Savieon Hopkins. The collaboration between OPD and LPD greatly furthered this investigation, and when those police departments join forces, no target is out of reach. Any gang that attempts to claim city streets in the State of Nebraska will make themselves the target of a federal investigation.”
Special Agent in Charge Eugene Kowel, leader of the Omaha FBI Field Office said, “The work by the Omaha Police Department in this case will have a profound impact. Our Safe Streets Gang Task Force brings together multiple agencies in the Omaha Metro region to share resources, manpower, and gang intelligence. We will continue using all the tools we have to apprehend violent gang members who prey upon our neighborhoods with violence, intimidation and fear. We commend the unwavering efforts of the U.S. Attorney’s Office supporting this investigation.”
Indictments are charging documents that contain one or more individual counts that are merely accusations. Every defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
This case was investigated by the Omaha Police Department, the Lincoln Police Department, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Ohio Man Sentenced for Conspiracy to Distribute MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
COVINGTON, Ky. – A Norwood, Ohio, man, Marcus Goodwin, 37, was sentenced by Chief U.S. District Judge David Bunning to 200 months in prison, for conspiracy to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine.
According to his plea agreement, Goodwin conspired with others to distribute over a kilogram of crystal methamphetamine from March 1, 2024 through February 14, 2025 in Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky. Using a confidential informant, law enforcement conducted four controlled purchases of crystal methamphetamine totaling more than a kilogram from Goodwin. Upon arresting Goodwin, law enforcement found three handguns at a hotel room where he was staying, and an additional handgun and 1,192.9 grams of crystal methamphetamine at his residence. Three additional handguns were seized from a location Goodwin used to distribute drugs.
Goodwin was previously convicted of drug trafficking and voluntary manslaughter with specification in the Court of Common Pleas for Hamilton County, Ohio and served a sentence of 14 years for those offenses.
Under federal law, Goodwin must serve 85 percent of his prison sentence. Upon his release from prison, he will be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for 10 years.
Paul McCaffrey, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; Olivia Olson, Special Agent in Charge, FBI Louisville Field Office; Orville O. Greene, Special Agent in Charge, DEA Detroit Field Division; and Chief Jeff Mallery, Florence Police Department, jointly announced the sentence.
The investigation was conducted by the FBI, DEA, and Florence Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Tony Bracke is prosecuting the case on behalf of the United States.
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Ocala Convicted Felon Who Attempted to Pawn A Firearm Sentenced to Five Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
Ocala, Florida – United States District Judge Thomas P. Barber has sentenced Shymiere Montese Howell (31, Ocala) to five years in federal prison for possession of a firearm and ammunition affecting commerce by a convicted felon. Howell entered a guilty plea to the offense on July 22, 2025.
According to court documents, Howell is a 19-time convicted felon with prior convictions that include possession of a firearm by a felon, child neglect, felony battery, and drug possession. On November 8, 2024, Howell entered a Leesburg pawn shop and attempted to sell a loaded handgun. When law enforcement arrived at the pawn shop, Howell attempted to push past them and run out of the store. He was quickly apprehended. As a convicted felon, Howell is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition under federal law.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Leesburg Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney William S. Hamilton.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
New York Siblings Charged with Conspiracy, Money Laundering, Mail Fraud, Wire Fraud, and Aggravated Identity TheftRead the Press Release
SCRANTON- The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Mayovanet Fermin, age 26, and Frnsheska Fermin, age 25, of Yonkers, New York, were indicted on August 19, 2025, by a federal grand jury on 68 counts of fraud, including conspiracy to defraud the government with respect to claims, conspiracy to commit mail fraud and wire fraud, money laundering conspiracy, and aggravated identity theft. The case was unsealed following defendants’ arraignment on October 3, 2025.
According to United States Attorney Brian D. Miller, the indictment alleges that from January of 2020 through July of 2021, the Fermins obtained and shared lists of victims’ personal identifying information (PII) to create and submit fraudulent federal income tax returns, economic impact payment applications, and pandemic unemployment assistance benefits. The indictment alleges over $400,000 in fraudulently obtained payments as a result of the scheme.
The case was investigated by Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigations (IRS-CI), the U.S. Department of Labor Office of Inspector General (DOL-OIG), the Social Security Administration Office of Inspector General (SSA-OIG), and the United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS). Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah R. Lloyd is prosecuting the case.
On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, among other methods, augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the Department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus.
Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
The maximum penalty under federal law for the most serious offense charged is 30 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 and Criminal Informations are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.
This matter occurred on date indicated but not issued at that time due to the government shutdown. Press release posted and made available following the return to normal operations.
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New York Man Sentenced to 60 Months in Drug-Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
Burlington, Vermont – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Vermont stated that on November 19, 2025, Keahnard Rowell, also known as “Stacks,” 35, of New York City, New York, was sentenced by United States District Judge Mary Kay Lanthier to a term of 60 months’ imprisonment to be followed by a 3-year term of supervised release. Rowell previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute cocaine base and fentanyl in Bennington, Vermont, in 2022.
According to court records, between mid-February and July 2022, Rowell was a high-ranking member of a violent drug-trafficking organization in Bennington led by co-conspirator William McLaughlin. While much of the violence was perpetrated by McLaughlin, Rowell was aware of it. Court records indicate that after a particularly violent beating of a woman by McLaughlin over a drug dispute, Rowell offered to protect the woman by bringing her to New York. Once there, however, Rowell took the woman’s phone and identification, thereby making her feel she was not free to leave his residence. In Bennington, Rowell supervised drug trafficking locations and sold drugs for the organization. He also took trips to New York to obtain more drug supply to bring back to Bennington for the organization to sell.
First Assistant United States Attorney Michael P. Drescher commended the collaborative investigatory efforts of Homeland Security Investigations, the Bennington Police Department, the Rutland City Police Department, the Vermont State Police, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Corinne Smith, Jonathan Ophardt and Paul Van de Graaf. Rowell was represented by Jason Sawyer, Esq.
New Orleans Man Sentenced to over 24 Years in Prison for Fentanyl Trafficking and Firearms OffensesRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson announced that ODINE DOMINICK (“DOMINICK”), age 35, was sentenced on November 20, 2025 by U.S. District Judge Lance M. Africk to 292 months in prison followed by five years of supervised release, along with a $300 mandatory special assessment fee, after previously pleading guilty to possession with the intent to distribute more than 40 grams of fentanyl and a quantity of marijuana, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(B), and 841(b)(1)(D); possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 924(c)(1)(A)(i); and being a felon in possession of a firearm, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 922(g)(1) and 924(a)(8).
According to court documents, in the fall of 2023, law enforcement officers observed a photograph of DOMINICK with a rifle magazine in his waistband and a video of DOMINICK inside of a stolen car with a handgun. On December 14, 2023, the New Orleans Police Department and Federal Bureau of Investigation executed a search warrant at DOMINICK’s residence and found over 100 grams of a mixture of fentanyl and heroin; vacuum sealed bags of marijuana weighing over a kilogram; eight digital scales; drug trafficking supplies; 400 rounds of various calibers of ammunition; and a loaded Glock Model 23 .40 caliber handgun with an extended magazine.
Prior to his most recent arrest, DOMINICK was convicted of conspiracy to distribute more than 100 grams of heroin in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana, attempted possession with intent to distribute cocaine in Orleans Parish, and being a felon in possession of a firearm in St. Bernard Parish.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the New Orleans Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys David Berman and Sarah Dawkins of the Violent Crime Unit.
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New Orleans Man Sentenced for Federal Drug Trafficking and Weapons ViolationsRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA –CYRIL HOFFMAN, JR. (“HOFFMAN”), age 27, was sentenced on November 12, 2025 by U.S. District Judge Darrel J. Papillion to 12 years in prison followed by five years of supervised release, along with a $400 mandatory special assessment fee, after previously pleading guilty to two counts of possession with intent to distribute marijuana, in violation of 21 U.S.C. §§ 841(a)(1) and 841(b)(1)(D); possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 924(c)(1)(A)(i); and receipt of a firearm while under indictment, in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 922(n) and 924(a)(1)(D).
According to court documents, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) executed a search warrant at HOFFMAN’s residence on August 20, 2021. FBI personnel recovered marijuana that HOFFMAN intended to sell, and six firearms from HOFFMAN’s bedroom: a Brothers LA Arms .300 millimeter caliber semi-automatic pistol, loaded with a 60 round magazine; a Palmetto State Armory PA-15, .223/5.56 millimeter caliber semi-automatic rifle, loaded with a 30 round magazine; an Anderson Manufacturing AM-15, 5.56 millimeter caliber semi-automatic pistol, loaded with a high-capacity magazine containing live rounds; a Glock 23, .40 caliber semi-automatic pistol, loaded with 20 live rounds; a Glock 19, nine-millimeter semi-automatic pistol, loaded with 14 live rounds; and a Glock 17, nine-millimeter semi-automatic pistol, loaded with 17 live rounds.
A few weeks before the execution of the search warrant, HOFFMAN was indicted in Orleans Parish Criminal District Court for six felony offenses, including four counts of attempted second degree murder, and one count of conspiracy to commit second degree murder. Following the search warrant, HOFFMAN was arrested on those charges but later bonded out of jail in June 2022. On October 25, 2022, while still under indictment and awaiting trial in Orleans Parish, deputies with the United States Marshals Service encountered HOFFMAN inside a motel room in New Orleans East. There was a Glock 22, .40 caliber firearm inside the room, which HOFFMAN denied was his. However, the FBI later found messages that HOFFMAN sent to a third-party admitting he was in possession of the gun. HOFFMAN continued to sell marijuana while on bond and on May 17, 2023, FBI personnel executed another search warrant at HOFFMAN’s new residence and recovered marijuana, digital scales, and packaging supplies for distribution.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
The case was investigated by Federal Bureau of Investigation. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney David Berman of the Violent Crime Unit.
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Monroe County Man Sentenced to 144 Months’ Imprisonment for Drug and Firearm OffensesRead the Press Release
SCRANTON – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that John Nester, age 55, of Tobyhanna, Pennsylvania, was sentenced on November 20, 2025, to 144 months’ imprisonment and a term of supervised release by United States District Judge Karoline Mehalchick for possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
According to United States Attorney Brian D. Miller, Nester previously pled guilty to possessing with the intent to distribute approximately 30 grams of fentanyl and possessing a Glock pistol in furtherance of that drug trafficking crime. The pistol and fentanyl were found during the execution of a search warrant at the defendant’s home in June of 2024. Nester also possessed additional fentanyl on his person and in his vehicle.
The matter was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Pocono Mountain Regional Police, and the Monroe County District Attorney’s Office. Assistant United States Attorney James M. Buchanan prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of a district wide initiative to combat the nationwide epidemic regarding the use and distribution of heroin. Led by the United States Attorney’s Office, the Heroin Initiative targets heroin traffickers operating in the Middle District of Pennsylvania and is part of a coordinated effort among federal, state and local law enforcement agencies to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who commit heroin related offenses.
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Mission Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Assaulting a Federal OfficerRead the Press Release
PIERRE - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced today that U.S. District Judge Eric C. Schulte has sentenced a man from Mission, South Dakota, convicted of Assaulting, Resisting, and Impeding a Federal Officer. The sentencing took place on November 12, 2025.
Shannon Dunham, age 38, was sentenced to eight months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Shannon Dunham was indicted by a federal grand jury in November 2024. He pleaded guilty on August 7, 2025.
The conviction stems from an incident that occurred in October of 2024, in the Rosebud Sioux Indian Reservation, wherein a Rosebud Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services officer was dispatched to a residence in Mission based on a report that Dunham was causing a disturbance. Upon arrival at the residence, the officer contacted Dunham, who was verbally aggressive, grabbed the officer, and brandished a knife at him. Dunham was subsequently arrested.
This case was investigated by the Rosebud Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services. Supervisory Assistant U.S. Attorney Kirk Albertson prosecuted the case.
Dunham was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Minnesota Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Federal Prison for Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled SubstanceRead the Press Release
SIOUX FALLS - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced today that U.S. District Judge Karen E. Schreier has sentenced a Mountain Lake, Minnesota man convicted of Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance. The sentencing took place on November 10, 2025.
William Soudap Somphanthabansouk, 29, was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison, followed by 5 years of supervised release, fine, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Somphanthabansouk was indicted for Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance by a federal grand jury in April 2025. He pleaded guilty on August 25, 2025.
Somphanthabansouk obtained methamphetamine in California through the mail and then distributed it to others in Sioux Falls as well as in Western Minnesota. In early 2025, investigators discovered that Somphanthabansouk had traveled to California and mailed himself a package from there. They arranged to have him stopped on the interstate on his way to Sioux Falls and discovered approximately 228 grams of methamphetamine and a loaded pistol in his vehicle. They then obtained a search warrant for his residence in Mountain Lake, Minnesota, and discovered approximately 850 grams of methamphetamine and multiple firearms. Altogether, investigators believe that Somphanthabansouk was responsible for distributing approximately nine pounds of methamphetamine in this area.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, United States Postal Inspection Service, and the Worthington Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Hodges prosecuted the case.
Somphanthabansouk was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
Maryland Man Facing Federal Charges for Sexual Exploitation of Children in Connection with Child Sex Trafficking RingRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – A federal grand jury returned an indictment, charging Philip Andrew Turner, 46, of Linthicum Heights, Maryland, with sexual exploitation of a minor, online coercion and enticement, receipt of child sexual abuse material, and possession of child sexual abuse. Turner, who is currently detained, is slated for his initial appearance on Wednesday, December 3, in U.S. District Court in Baltimore before Judge Chelsea J. Crawford.
Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the indictment with Acting Special Agent in Charge Evan Campanella, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) – Baltimore; Colonel Michael A. Jackson, Acting Superintendent, Maryland State Police (MDSP); and Anne Colt Leitess, State’s Attorney for Anne Arundel County.
According to the 15-count indictment, Turner used an online account to connect with known child traffickers in the Philippines. Turner submitted payment after negotiating a price and then selected children that he wanted to watch, and the sex acts he wanted to see. He also received child sexual abuse material images from the traffickers that he saved to an online account. Additionally, Turner possessed commercially available child sexual abuse material images on his laptop computer.
If convicted, Turner faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years and a maximum sentence of 30 years in federal prison for each count of sexual exploitation of a child. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge determines sentencing after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
An indictment is not a finding of guilt. Individuals charged by indictment are presumed innocent until proven guilty at a later criminal proceeding.
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.
Know2Protect is a national public awareness campaign from the Department of Homeland Security. Know2Protect’s aim is to educate and empower children, teens, parents, trusted adults and policymakers to prevent, combat and report online child sexual exploitation and abuse. For more information, please visit Know2Protect’s YouTube playlists at Know2Protect Campaign PSA Playlist and Know2Protect Digital Safety Series Playlist on DHS’ main channel. Additional resources are available at Know2Protect.gov, Instagram, Facebook and X, formerly known as Twitter.
U.S. Attorney Hayes commended HSI, the MDSP, and Anne Arundel County State’s Attorney’s Office for their work in the investigation. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Colleen E. 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, please visit justice.gov/usao-md and justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.
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Man from Guatemala Sentenced for False Representation of SSN and Resisting Federal OfficerRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Lesley A. Woods announced that Romeo Edilzar Yaxcal-Tiul, 26, of Guatemala, was sentenced on November 19, 2025, in federal court in Omaha, Nebraska, for falsely representing a social security number and resisting a federal officer. United States District Court Judge Brian C. Buescher sentenced Yaxcal-Tiul to concurrent terms of 12 months’ imprisonment on each offense. There is no parole in the federal system. Judge Buescher also imposed concurrent 1-year terms of supervised release on each count to follow the imposed terms of imprisonment, noting that while Yaxcal-Tiul will be deported by U.S. immigration authorities when he completes his sentence of imprisonment, the imposed term of supervision will serve as a deterrent to Yaxcal-Tiul returning to the United States.
Sometime after two unsuccessful attempts to enter the United States illegally in 2022, Yaxcal-Tiul ultimately entered the United States illegally and came to Nebraska. In October 2024, Yaxcal-Tiul used a fake name, fake Social Security Number (SSN), fake Social Security Card, fake Alien Number, and fake Legal Permanent Resident Card to gain employment at an Omaha area restaurant as a dishwasher. Investigators confirmed that both the SSN and Alien Numbers used by Yaxcal-Tiul were invalid and had not been assigned to Yaxcal-Tiul.
Yaxcal-Tiul was encountered by law enforcement at the Omaha area restaurant in June 2025. Despite clear identification by law enforcement as “police” and instruction not to move, Yaxcal-Tiul fled from law enforcement and into a crowded patio, diving into a booth filled with restaurant patrons. Members of the public assisted in securing Yaxcal-Tiul until law enforcement were able to take over. Yaxcal-Tiul continued to resist law enforcement on the ground, pulling his hands away and manipulating his body to avoid being handcuffed. Eventually, Yaxcal-Tiul was successfully secured and transported into custody. A law enforcement officer who assisted in apprehending Yaxcal-Tiul was injured during the pursuit.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security – Homeland Security Investigations and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
Love County Resident Sentenced for Discharging Firearm During A Crime of ViolenceRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Isaiah Lynn Wood, age 22, of Overbrook, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 120 months in prison for one count of Use, Carry, Brandish and Discharge of a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence.
The charge arose from an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Love County Sheriff’s Office.
On May 12, 2025, Wood pleaded guilty to the charge. According to investigators, on the evening of February 17, 2025, Wood parked at a distance from an Overbrook residence, then entered the residence undetected armed with a Glock 45 semi-automatic pistol. Once inside, Wood threatened one resident, assaulted a second, fired the weapon twice striking a third, then barricaded himself inside. A Love County deputy responding to the 911 emergency dispatch call took Wood into custody.
The Honorable John C. Coughenour, U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Western District of Washington, sitting by assignment, presided over the hearing. Wood will remain in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Lewis M. Reagan represented the United States.
Louisville Man Sentenced to over 8 Years in Federal Prison for Illegal Gun and Machine Gun Possession, and Possessing a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking CrimeRead the Press Release
Louisville, KY – A Louisville man was sentenced on October 21, 2025, for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, illegal possession of a machine gun, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
U.S. Attorney Kyle G. Bumgarner of the Western District of Kentucky, Special Agent in Charge John Nokes of the ATF Louisville Field Division, and Chief Paul Humphrey of the Louisville Metro Police Department made the announcement.
According to court documents, Dominique Thompson, 30, was sentenced to 8 years and 10 months in federal prison, followed by 5 years of supervised release, for illegally possessing a Ruger, Model AR-556, 5.56 caliber pistol, a Glock, Model 17 Gen5, 9-millimeter pistol, ammunition, a machine gun, and for possessing the Ruger in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
Thompson was prohibited from possessing a firearm because he had previously been convicted of the following felony offenses.
On May 23, 2023, in Jefferson Circuit Court, Thompson was convicted of possession of a handgun by a convicted felon, illegal possession of a controlled substance in the first degree Schedule I heroin, and illegal possession of a controlled substance in the first degree Schedule II fentanyl (two counts).
On March 18, 2021, in Jefferson Circuit Court, Thompson was convicted of receiving stolen property and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
Thompson has related and pending charges in Jefferson Circuit Court alleging criminal attempt murder of a police officer and wanton endangerment in the first degree.
Mr. Bumgarner stated, “This is an extremely important case for our office and demonstrates our responsibility and commitment to protecting our law enforcement officers that courageously serve our community. This case also demonstrates our commitment to working with the Jefferson County Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office, the Louisville Metro Police Department and ATF to aggressively prosecute firearms crimes.”
“Violent crime targeting members of our community, including law enforcement officers, will not be tolerated. ATF remains committed to eradicating Machinegun Conversion Devices (MCD) from our streets because of the increased threats they pose. This case and the resulting sentence reflect the strength of the partnership between federal and local law enforcement,” said ATF Special Agent in Charge John Nokes of the Louisville Field Division.
"This man’s long criminal history, including charges of attempting to kill an LMPD officer, underscores the serious threat he poses to our community,” said LMPD Police Chief Paul Humphrey. “We remain committed to working with our federal partners to keep dangerous criminals off our streets so families can feel safe."
There is no parole in the federal system.
This case was investigated by the ATF and LMPD.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Alicia P. Gomez prosecuted the case.
This conviction is a part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
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Louisville Man Sentenced as a Career Offender to 15 Years and 10 months in Federal Prison for Distribution of MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
Louisville, KY – A Louisville man was sentenced on October 30, 2025, for possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute it.
U.S. Attorney Kyle G. Bumgarner of the Western District of Kentucky, Special Agent in Charge Jim Scott of the DEA Louisville Field Division, Special Agent in Charge John Nokes of the ATF Louisville Field Division, and Chief Paul Humphrey of the Louisville Metro Police Department made the announcement.
According to court documents, Johnathan Hankins, 35, was sentenced to 15 years and 10 months in federal prison, followed by six years of supervised release, for possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute it.
Hankins’ conviction stems from two instances in which he sold methamphetamine to a confidential informant in Jefferson County. On March 11, 2024, Hankins sold 444 grams of methamphetamine to a confidential informant. Again, on May 22, 2024, Hankins sold 212 grams of methamphetamine to a confidential informant. Each methamphetamine transaction was audio and video recorded. The total amount of methamphetamine from both of the controlled purchases was 656 grams. The methamphetamine was tested at the DEA laboratory, where it was confirmed to be methamphetamine.
Based upon his criminal history, Hankins was sentenced as a Career Offender. A defendant is a career offender if (1) the defendant was at least eighteen years old at the time the defendant committed the instant offense of conviction; (2) the instant offense of conviction is a felony that is either a crime of violence or a controlled substance offense; and (3) the defendant has at least two prior felony convictions of either a crime of violence or a controlled substance offense. Hankins had previously been convicted of the following felony offenses.
On or about October 27, 2010, in Jefferson Circuit Court, under Case Number 09-CR-2427, Hankins was convicted of robbery in the second degree.
On or about October 27, 2010, in Jefferson Circuit Court, under Case Number 09-CR-3555, Hankins was convicted of robbery in the second degree.
There is no parole in the federal system.
This case was investigated by the ATF, with assistance from the DEA Louisville Field Division and the Louisville Metro Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Erwin Roberts prosecuted the case.
This conviction is a part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
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Louisiana Man Sentenced to 84 Months for Cares Act FraudRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS – Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson announced that ERNEST X. TAYLOR, JR. (“TAYLOR”), of Laplace, LA, age 41, was sentenced on October 29, 2025 to 84 months in the Bureau of Prisons, after previously pleading guilty to two counts of making false statements related to the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act), by U.S. District Judge Darrel James Papillion.
On March 27, 2020, The CARES Act became effective and established several new temporary programs and provided for the expansion of others to address the COVID-19 pandemic. Among these programs, the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) authorized forgivable loans backed by the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) to small businesses to retain workers and maintain payroll, make mortgage interest payments, lease payments, and utility payments. The PPP allows the interest and principal on the PPP loan to be forgiven if the business spends the loan proceeds on these expense items within a designated period of time after receiving the proceeds and uses at least a certain percentage of the PPP loan proceeds on payroll expenses.
According to the court documents, TAYLOR made false statements to an approved lender on or about March 2, 2021, for the purpose of fraudulently obtaining a PPP loan. TAYLOR falsely claimed in his PPP application that he had not been convicted of a felony involving “fraud, bribery, embezzlement, or a false statement in a loan application or an application for federal financial assistance” within the last 5 years. In truth, TAYLOR had pleaded guilty on July 15, 2016, in the Eastern District of Virginia, criminal matter no. 16-118, to conspiracy to commit federal student loan fraud and mail fraud in a scheme that involved stolen identities. TAYLOR thereafter received approximately $18,500 based upon the misrepresentations. TAYLOR then made the same false statements to an approved lender on or about April 21, 2021, when he applied for a second draw PPP loan. TAYLOR received approximately $18,500 for the second loan.
In addition to incarceration, TAYLOR was sentenced to (5) five years of supervised release, as well as payment of a $100 mandatory special assessment fee.
For more information on the Department of Justice’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus. Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
Acting U.S. Attorney Simpson praised the work of the United States Secret Service in investigating this matter. Assistant U.S. Attorney Edward J. Rivera of the Financial Crimes Unit was in charge of the prosecution.
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Little Rock Man to Spend Life in Prison Following Conviction for Distributing Fentanyl that Resulted in DeathRead the Press Release
LITTLE ROCK—After hearing four days of testimony, a federal jury found that Arthur Joyner distributed fentanyl pills to a man who died after ingesting those pills two days later. That transaction, which resulted in a conviction for distribution of fentanyl resulting in death, will keep Joyner, 43, of Little Rock, in prison for the rest of his life. On Thursday, following the four-day trial, the jury convicted Joyner of the charge after 45 minutes of deliberation.
On March 5, 2024, a federal grand jury indicted Joyner on the single count of distribution of fentanyl resulting in death. The jury returned the verdict to United States District Judge Brian S. Miller, who will sentence Joyner at a later date. Due to Joyner’s prior criminal record, which includes a serious felony drug conviction among other violent felony convictions, Joyner is facing a mandatory sentence of life imprisonment. Joyner will remain in federal custody while awaiting sentencing.
The evidence presented at trial showed that on October 13, 2023, an acquaintance of Joyner’s requested oxycodone pills from Joyner because this person had injured his back while working. The acquaintance specifically told Joyner to make sure the pills were real oxycodone, and not fake pills. Along with the request, the individual sent Joyner articles describing how fentanyl is being pressed and produced to look like oxycodone pills. Joyner responded, “they are real” and proceeded to send a picture of numerous blue pills with an “M” on one side and a “30” on the other, which purported to be oxycodone pills.
Joyner then sold the individual three of those blue pills the next day, October 14, from a residence in Little Rock. The pills in fact contained fentanyl, and not oxycodone. According to testimony at trial, the individual took one of those pills at a hotel in Searcy sometime late in the evening on October 15, and then another one in the hotel between 8 and 9 a.m. on October 16. He stopped breathing within minutes of snorting the second fentanyl pill, and was pronounced dead at the scene at 10:23 a.m.
The evidence at trial indicated that Joyner sold the three fentanyl pills for $30 and had been selling cocaine to the victim and others in the weeks prior to selling the fentanyl pills.
In addition to the mandatory life sentence, the drug charge carries a fine penalty of up to $1,000,000. There is no parole in the federal system.
The investigation was led by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Central Arkansas Drug Task Force, with assistance from the Searcy Police Department and the White County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant United States Attorneys Kristin Bryant and Chris Givens prosecuted the case.
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Additional information about the office of the
United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas, is available online at
https://www.justice.gov/edar
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@USAO_EDAR
Lawrence County meth dealer sentenced to 15+ years’ imprisonmentRead the Press Release
BENTON, Ill. – A district judge sentenced a Lawrenceville, Illinois, man to 188 months’ imprisonment for distributing meth in Lawrence County.
Jeffrey S. Metz, 49, pleaded guilty to four counts of distribution of meth. Following imprisonment, he will serve four years of supervised release. He was sentenced Nov. 6.
“Trafficking drugs in any county of southern Illinois will earn dealers a federal prison sentence,” said U.S. Attorney Steven D. Weinhoeft.
According to court documents, Metz admitted to distributing more than 25 grams of meth in Lawrence County in October and November 2024.
"The Illinois State Police is committed to stopping illegal drug trafficking and keeping dangerous drugs from flooding and hurting our communities," said ISP Director Brendan F. Kelly. " ISP is targeting drug traffickers and will continue to work with the U.S. Attorney's Office to put them behind bars."
The Southeastern Illinois Drug Task Force of the Illinois State Police, the Lawrence County Sheriff’s Office and DEA contributed to the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney David Sanders prosecuted the case.
Las Vegas Resident Charged with Cyberstalking and Sexual Exploitation of a MinorRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, Pa. – A former resident of Las Vegas, Nevada, has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh on charges of cyberstalking and sexual exploitation of a minor, First Assistant United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.
The four-count Indictment named Renad Bautista, 36, as the sole defendant.
According to the Indictment, from May 2022 through August 2025, Bautista intimidated and harassed an individual in the Western District of Pennsylvania when she was a minor and into adulthood by repeatedly attempting to contact and contacting her over social media and by repeatedly sending letters to her through the mail. All of the contact was unwanted and harassing and caused substantial emotional distress to Bautista’s victim and her immediate family members.
The law provides for a maximum total sentence of up to life in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, or a combination thereof. Under the federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Bautista remains detained following his arrest in Las Vegas and arraignment in the Western District of Pennsylvania earlier this week.
Assistant United States Attorney Heidi M. Grogan is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.The Federal Bureau of Investigation-Pittsburgh conducted the investigation leading to the Indictment.
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.
An indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.