Latest Records
Newest first across public DOJ and U.S. Attorney press releases.
21 November 2025
Lackawanna County Woman Sentenced to 36 Months’ Imprisonment for Drug OffenseRead the Press Release
SCRANTON – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Jazmyn Warshawsky, age 26, of Olyphant, Pennsylvania, was sentenced on November 19, 2025, to 36 months’ imprisonment and a term of supervised release by United States District Judge Karoline Mehalchick, for attempted Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine.
According to United States Attorney Brian D. Miller, Warshawsky had earlier pled guilty to attempting to possess with the intent to distribute 500 grams and more of a mixture or substance containing methamphetamine. As part of her guilty plea, Warshawsky admitted that on or about May 26, 2023, in Lackawanna County, Warshawsky received and possessed a United States Postal Service mail package that she believed contained a large quantity of controlled substances. Investigators observed the defendant take possession of the package, bring the package to her co-defendant’s home in Luzerne County, where investigators later seized the package, among other controlled substances. As part of that seizure, investigators recovered over 2 kilograms of methamphetamine and nearly 4 kilograms of marihuana.
The matter was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Pennsylvania State Police, and the Lackawanna County District Attorney’s Office. Assistant United States Attorney Gerard Donahue prosecuted the case.
This case is being prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
# # #
Jury Convicts Owyhee Man of Witness TamperingRead the Press Release
RENO – A federal jury yesterday convicted a resident of the Duck Valley Indian Reservation in Owyhee, Nevada, of witness tampering.
As proven at trial, from March 11, 2025, to March 16, 2025, R.C. Crutcher made attempts to persuade a victim from testifying at a federal trial. Crutcher made multiple phone calls from jail to his mother, asking his mother to locate and persuade a victim not to show up for trial so his case would be dismissed.
Following a four-day trial, Crutcher was found guilty of one count of tampering with a witness.
Crutcher is scheduled for sentencing on February 24, 2026, before United States District Judge Anne R. Traum. He faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence based on the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
First Assistant United States Attorney Sigal Chattah for the District of Nevada made the announcement.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Indian Affairs. Assistant United States Attorney Penelope Brady and Andrew Keenan are prosecuting the case.
###
Jamaican Man Sentenced to 10 Years for Defrauding Elderly VictimsRead the Press Release
MOBILE, AL – Xavian Brown, a Jamaican-born man living in Baldwin County, Alabama, was sentenced today to 10 years’ imprisonment for defrauding elderly victims using a Publishers’ Clearing House scheme.
According to court documents, Brown and his co-defendants targeted over 130 individuals across the United States by notifying them that they had either won the lottery or the Publishers Clearing House sweepstakes, but in order to obtain their winnings, the targets would have to pay taxes in advance. Testimony at sentencing showed that many of the victims liquidated their life savings and suffered substantial financial harm because of the fraud.
United States District Judge Kristi DuBose sentenced Brown to serve 10 years in prison followed by three years of supervised release. The Court set a hearing in early December to determine the amount of restitution Brown will owe his victims.
Brown’s co-defendant, Romario Nembhard, was previously sentenced to serve one year and a day in prison followed by three years of supervised release and was ordered to pay $441,281.21 in restitution. Jermaine Smith was also sentenced today to serve one year and a day in prison, three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay $447,591.21 in restitution. Co-defendant Britney James, who has been in custody since February 2025, was sentenced to time-served, followed by three years of supervised release, and was also ordered to pay $447,591.21 in restitution. The remaining co-defendants are scheduled to be sentenced in December 2025.
“Today’s sentence sends a clear message” said U.S. Attorney Sean P. Costello. “Exploiting Americans through this type of scheme is a cruel and calculated crime, aimed at a vulnerable community. Protecting Americans from financial exploitation is one of our top priorities. This sentence demonstrates that those who abuse trust for personal gain will be held accountable.”
“The FBI is committed to investigating those who exploit the American people for financial gain and seeing through the prosecution of those individuals” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Sara Jones. “The hard work of our agents and professional staff, along with a dedicated United States Attorney’s Office, assures that these criminals will not go unpunished for their actions. Today’s sentence is another example of our collective efforts to combat criminal activity in the Gulf Coast Region in conjunction with our partner agencies.”
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation – Mobile Division. Baldwin County Sheriff’s Office, the Foley Police Department, and the Gulf Shores Police Department also provided support.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kasee Heisterhagen and Mike Anderson prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
For more information about elder fraud scams, visit: https://www.fbi.gov/how-we-can-help-you/scams-and-safety/common-frauds-and-scams/elder-fraud.
- Jackson County Probation Officer Sentenced for Extorting State Probationers and Witness Tampering
Indian National Indicted for Assault Aboard AircraftRead the Press Release
BOSTON – An Indian national was indicted by a federal grand jury yesterday for allegedly stabbing two minor victims with a metal fork while on board a Lufthansa flight from Chicago to Germany on Oct. 25, 2025. The defendant was previously admitted to the United States on a student visa and was enrolled in a master’s program in biblical studies. At the time of the alleged incident, the defendant did not have lawful status in the United States.
Praneeth Kumar Usiripalli, 28, was indicted on two counts of assault with a dangerous weapon with intent to do bodily harm while traveling on an aircraft in the special aircraft jurisdiction of the United States. Usiripalli was apprehended immediately following the incident and charged by complaint on Oct. 27, 2025. He remains detained pending trial and will be arraigned in federal court in Boston at a later date.
According to the charging documents, on Oct. 25, 2025, while on board Lufthansa flight 431 enroute from Chicago to Frankfurt, Germany, Usiripalli allegedly stabbed a 17-year-old male passenger (Minor A) in the shoulder area with a metal fork. Usiripalli then allegedly stabbed a second 17-year-old male passenger (Minor B) in the back of the head with the same metal fork.
Specifically, following meal service, Minor A was sleeping lightly in a middle seat when he allegedly awoke to see Usiripalli standing over him. It is alleged that Usiripalli used his right hand to strike Minor A in the left clavicle area with a metal fork. Usiripalli then allegedly lunged toward Minor B – who was seated to Minor A’s right in a middle seat in the center row of the aircraft – and struck Minor B in the back of his head with the fork. Minor B suffered a laceration to the rear of his head.
When flight crew members attempted to subdue Usiripalli, he allegedly raised his hand, formed a gun with his fingers, put it in his mouth and pulled an imaginary trigger. Immediately afterwards, Usiripalli allegedly turned toward a female passenger and slapped her with his hand. Usiripalli also allegedly attempted to slap a flight crew member.
As a result of the disturbance, the flight was diverted to Boston Logan International Airport, where Usiripalli was immediately taken into custody.
Usiripalli was previously admitted to the United States on a student visa. Most recently, he was enrolled in a master’s program in biblical studies. Usiripalli presently does not have lawful status in the United States.
The charge of assault with a dangerous weapon with intent to do bodily harm while traveling on an aircraft in the special aircraft jurisdiction of the United States provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, up to three of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes that govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Ted E. Docks, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; and Colonel Geoffrey D. Noble, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations in Boston and U.S. Customs and Border Protection. Assistant U.S. Attorney Allegra Flamm of the Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case.The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Illegal alien arrested for impersonating U.S. citizen for over 14 yearsRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – A 56-year-old Columbian national illegally residing in Houston has been charged for theft of government funds, false representation of a U.S. citizen and aggravated identity theft, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
The individual’s true identity is unknown, but he was most recently known under alias Johnny Mina Rodriguez. He is set to make his initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Dena Hanovice Palermo at 2 p.m.
The now unsealed indictment, returned Nov. 5, alleges this individual fraudulently applied for and obtained Social Security Administration disability benefits in June 2011 by impersonating a U.S. citizen.
According to the charges, they continued receiving SSA disability until his arrest, resulting in a total theft of government funds exceeding $150,000.
If convicted, he faces up to 10 years imprisonment as well as a possible $250,000 maximum fine for each of the charges. He also faces an additional two years in prison for aggravated identity theft which must be served consecutively to any other prison term imposed.
SSA-Office of the Inspector General conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Karen M. Lansden is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
An indictment is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence. A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.
Guatemalan National Charged with Illegally Reentering U.S. and Making False Statements on Immigration ApplicationsRead the Press Release
David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, and Michael J. Krol, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), New England, today announced that MARCOS ISMALEJ IXPANCOC, also known as Marcos Hernandez Lopez and Jose Ernandez, 39, a citizen of Guatemala residing in Stamford, has been charged by federal criminal complaint with illegally reentering the United States after being deported and making false statements on applications for immigration benefits.
Ixpancoc was arrested today. He appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge S. Dave Vatti in Bridgeport and was ordered detained.
As alleged in court documents and statements made in court, in October 2006, Ixpancoc was apprehended by U.S. Border Patrol in Arizona. He identified himself to U.S. Border Patrol as Marcos Hernandez Lopez, claimed to be a citizen of Mexico, and was issued a voluntary return to Mexico. In August 2012, Ixpancoc was again apprehended by U.S. Border Patrol in Texas. He identified himself as Jose Ernandez and claimed to be a citizen of Guatemala. He was removed to Guatemala in September 2012. In June 2023, Ixpancoc submitted to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) an application for legal permanent residency and work authorization under his true name and listed a home address in Stamford. The fingerprints that USCIS collected in connection with those applications matched those collected when he was apprehended and removed under the names Marcos Hernandez Lopez and Jose Ernandez in 2006 and 2012.
It is further alleged that in Ixpancoc’s applications to USCIS, Ixpancoc falsely denied ever using any names other than Ixpancoc, falsely denied ever having been issued a final order of removal, and falsely denied ever having been removed from the U.S. In addition, in connection with his application for legal permanent residency, Ixpancoc submitted a petition under the Violence Against Women Act claiming that he was the victim of abuse by a U.S. citizen spouse or child, and that his abuser was his son. However, his son was two years old at the time he filed the petition. Ixpancoc signed each of these applications under penalty of perjury.
If convicted of the charge of unlawful reentry, Ixpancoc faces a maximum term of imprisonment of two years. If convicted of the charge of making false statements on applications for immigration benefits, he faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 10 years.
U.S. Attorney Sullivan stressed that a complaint is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. Charges are only allegations and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This matter is being investigated by Homeland Security Investigations with the assistance of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Neeraj N. Patel.
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.
Gainesville Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Possession of a MacHinegunRead the Press Release
GAINESVILLE, FLORIDA – Jaquan Tyrell Calhoun, 21, of Gainesville, Florida, was sentenced in federal court to 5 years and 10 months imprisonment for possession of a machinegun. The sentence was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “With yet another successful prosecution, my office continues to deliver on the promise made by President Donald J. Trump and Attorney General Pam Bondi to Take Back America from the violent criminals who have threatened the safety of our communities for far too long. I deeply appreciate the excellent investigative work by our state and federal law enforcement partners to identify and remove this offender from the streets, and my office will continue to aggressively prosecute these crimes with the full force of our federal laws.”
Court records reflect that Calhoun, who is a member of a gang, would routinely post images and videos of himself with firearms on social media, including multiple videos of himself shooting machineguns. On April 21, 2024, Calhoun and codefendant Lagarius Johnson live-streamed a video of themselves posing with cash and firearms. Calhoun is seen on video flashing a Glock pistol that had been modified with a machinegun conversion device. Johnson was arrested later that night carrying that same illegally modified Glock pistol which was confirmed to be a machinegun.
“Calhoun’s decision to flaunt a machine gun on social media highlighted the recklessness that endangers our communities,” said FBI Jacksonville Special Agent in Charge Jason Carley. “This sentencing demonstrates our commitment to working side by side with our federal and local partners to stop violent and organized criminal activity in our communities.”
“The Alachua County Sheriff’s Office remains steadfast in our commitment to combat gun violence in our community by working closely with our state and federal partners to locate and apprehend criminals like Jaquan Calhoun — individuals who have no business possessing a firearm, let alone one illegally modified into a deadly automatic weapon,” stated Sheriff Chad Scott, Alachua County Sheriff’s Office.
The case involved an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Safe Streets Task Force and the Alachua County Sheriff’s Office, with assistance from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Gainesville Police Department. Assistant United States Attorneys James A. McCain and Eric W. Welch 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.
Fraud and Financial-Crime Prosecutions Continue During Federal Funding LapseRead the Press Release
OKLAHOMA CITY – During the lapse in government funding, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Oklahoma continued to work to protect Oklahomans from financial harm. The cases below represent a portion of the sentencings finalized during this period in separate and unrelated cases involving bank fraud, forged checks, and theft of mail.
AARON D. JOHNSON, 43, of Oklahoma City, was sentenced to serve six months in federal prison, followed by 12 months of home confinement and 24 months of supervised release, and ordered to pay $102,069.44 in restitution and a $100,000 fine for bank fraud. According to public records, from September 2017 through at least November 6, 2018, Johnson, who was President and CEO of Farmers Bank, used the bank’s operating account to pay for personal expenses, causing an overdraft in the bank’s operating account of approximately $200,000. Johnson then approved a modification to a loan, without approval from the bank’s board of directors, advancing $200,000 on the loan which he used to repay the overdraft he caused.
DEONTE MONTRELL HORNSBY, 28, of Oklahoma City, was sentenced to serve 21 months in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, for conspiracy to commit bank fraud and possession of stolen mail. According to public records, between December 2024 and April 2025, Hornsby used a stolen United States Postal Service key to steal mail from mail deposit boxes in Oklahoma City. Hornsby then fraudulently altered checks found in the stolen mail and deposited the altered checks into bank accounts owned by co-conspirators to obtain cash from banks. In all, Hornsby and the co-conspirators were responsible for $72,727.96 in losses.
RAHBIN JOSEPH WARD, 27, of Oklahoma City, was sentenced to serve 12 months and one day in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay $53,960 in restitution for conspiracy to commit bank fraud. According to public records, between May 2023 and June 2023, Ward and other co-conspirators obtained checks from stolen mail, fraudulently altered the information on the checks, and deposited the forged checks into Ward’s personal bank account.
These cases are the result of investigations by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation Office of the Inspector General (FDIC-OIG) and the United States Postal Inspection Service. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Julia E. Barry and Jackson D. Eldridge prosecuted the cases.
Reference is made to public filings for additional information.
Fourteen Defendants Indicted for Drug Conspiracy and Related ChargesRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that the following individuals were each indicted for Drug Conspiracy, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 846, 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(A), and 841(b)(1)(B), punishable by not less than 10 years’ imprisonment and up to a $10,000,000 fine:
- JERRY LEE GRIST, age 66, of Atoka, Oklahoma;
- TOMMY BLAKE McCARY, age 74, of Wright City, Oklahoma;
- MEAGON RASHEL BOX, age 39, of Atoka, Oklahoma;
- LESLIE GALE BELLETTINI, age 67, of Coalgate, Oklahoma;
- SHAWNDA LA DAWN RUSSELL, age 55, of Ada, Oklahoma;
- GLENN ROGER HYDE, age 65, of Ada, Oklahoma;
- JEFFERY LANCE DEAVER, age 56, of Tishomingo, Oklahoma;
- JESUS MARTIN OLIVARES VASQUEZ, SR., age 58, of Mexico;
- DEAN DEWAYNE HENSLEE, age 52, of Idabel, Oklahoma;
- ANGIE EULALIA NUNEZ a/k/a Angie Farrell, age 51, of Durant, Oklahoma;
- DAVID GEORGE NUNEZ, age 56, of Durant, Oklahoma;
- RAYMOND ERWIN WELCH, age 57, of Dallas, Texas;
- WILLA MARGARETTE WEAR, age 47, of Atoka, Oklahoma; and
- CLIFFORD EUGENE BERRY, age 61, of Atoka, Oklahoma.
In addition to federal Drug Conspiracy charges, JERRY LEE GRIST and DEAN DEWAYNE HENSLEE each face additional charges for Distribution of Methamphetamine, punishable by not less than 10 years’ imprisonment and up to a $10,000,000 fine; LESLIE GALE BELLETTINI faces additional charges for Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine, punishable by not less than 10 years’ imprisonment and up to a $10,000,000 fine, and for Possession with Intent to Distribute Cocaine, punishable by up to 20 years’ imprisonment and up to a $1,000,000 fine; and ANGIE EULALIA NUNEZ and DAVID GEORGE NUNEZ each face an additional charge for Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine, punishable by up to 20 years’ imprisonment and up to a $1,000,000 fine.
The Indictment alleges that beginning in or about June 2024 and continuing until on or about the date of the indictment, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma and elsewhere, the defendants willfully and knowingly combined, conspired, confederated, and agreed together, and with others known and unknown to the Grand Jury, to commit offenses against the United States, namely the possession with intent to distribute and distribution of cocaine and methamphetamine.
The charges arose from a joint investigation led by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Bureau of Indian Affairs, the Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics, the Quapaw Nation Marshals, the Miami, Oklahoma Police Department, the Wyandotte Nation Police Department, the Oklahoma Highway Patrol, the LeFlore County Sheriff’s Department, the Atoka County Sheriff’s Department, the McCurtain County Sheriff’s Department, the Oklahoma District 16 Drug Task Force, the Oklahoma District 18 Drug Task Force, the Oklahoma District 22 Drug Task Force, the Durant Police Department, the Internal Revenue Service—Criminal Investigations Division, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
A grand jury Indictment does not constitute evidence of guilt. A grand jury Indictment is a method of bringing formal charges against the defendant. All defendants are presumed innocent of the charges and may not be found guilty unless evidence establishes guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
These charges are 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 Oklahoma City comprises agents and officers from the DEA and FBI, with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jordan Howanitz is prosecuting this case on behalf of the United States.
Fourteen Defendants Indicted for Drug Conspiracy and Related ChargesRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that the following individuals were each indicted for Drug Conspiracy, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 846, 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(A), and 841(b)(1)(B), punishable by not less than 10 years’ imprisonment and up to a $10,000,000 fine:
- JERRY LEE GRIST, age 66, of Atoka, Oklahoma;
- TOMMY BLAKE McCARY, age 74, of Wright City, Oklahoma;
- MEAGON RASHEL BOX, age 39, of Atoka, Oklahoma;
- LESLIE GALE BELLETTINI, age 67, of Coalgate, Oklahoma;
- SHAWNDA LA DAWN RUSSELL, age 55, of Ada, Oklahoma;
- GLENN ROGER HYDE, age 65, of Ada, Oklahoma;
- JEFFERY LANCE DEAVER, age 56, of Tishomingo, Oklahoma;
- JESUS MARTIN OLIVARES VASQUEZ, SR., age 58, of Mexico;
- DEAN DEWAYNE HENSLEE, age 52, of Idabel, Oklahoma;
- ANGIE EULALIA NUNEZ a/k/a Angie Farrell, age 51, of Durant, Oklahoma;
- DAVID GEORGE NUNEZ, age 56, of Durant, Oklahoma;
- RAYMOND ERWIN WELCH, age 57, of Dallas, Texas;
- WILLA MARGARETTE WEAR, age 47, of Atoka, Oklahoma; and
- CLIFFORD EUGENE BERRY, age 61, of Atoka, Oklahoma.
In addition to federal Drug Conspiracy charges, JERRY LEE GRIST and DEAN DEWAYNE HENSLEE each face additional charges for Distribution of Methamphetamine, punishable by not less than 10 years’ imprisonment and up to a $10,000,000 fine; LESLIE GALE BELLETTINI faces additional charges for Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine, punishable by not less than 10 years’ imprisonment and up to a $10,000,000 fine, and for Possession with Intent to Distribute Cocaine, punishable by up to 20 years’ imprisonment and up to a $1,000,000 fine; and ANGIE EULALIA NUNEZ and DAVID GEORGE NUNEZ each face an additional charge for Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine, punishable by up to 20 years’ imprisonment and up to a $1,000,000 fine.
The Indictment alleges that beginning in or about June 2024 and continuing until on or about the date of the indictment, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma and elsewhere, the defendants willfully and knowingly combined, conspired, confederated, and agreed together, and with others known and unknown to the Grand Jury, to commit offenses against the United States, namely the possession with intent to distribute and distribution of cocaine and methamphetamine.
The charges arose from a joint investigation led by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Bureau of Indian Affairs, the Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics, the Quapaw Nation Marshals, the Miami, Oklahoma Police Department, the Wyandotte Nation Police Department, the Oklahoma Highway Patrol, the LeFlore County Sheriff’s Department, the Atoka County Sheriff’s Department, the McCurtain County Sheriff’s Department, the Oklahoma District 16 Drug Task Force, the Oklahoma District 18 Drug Task Force, the Oklahoma District 22 Drug Task Force, the Durant Police Department, the Internal Revenue Service—Criminal Investigations Division, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
A grand jury Indictment does not constitute evidence of guilt. A grand jury Indictment is a method of bringing formal charges against the defendant. All defendants are presumed innocent of the charges and may not be found guilty unless evidence establishes guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
These charges are 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 Oklahoma City comprises agents and officers from the DEA and FBI, with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jordan Howanitz is prosecuting this case on behalf of the United States.
Four Hartford Men Charged with Trafficking Firearms and NarcoticsRead the Press Release
David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, and Thomas Greco, Special Agent in Charge, ATF Boston Field Division, today announced that ANTONIO BAEZ, also known as “Fat Boy,” 26; CORY LEWIS, also known as “City,” 36; JAVON HUTLEY, 33; and ROGER MOODY, 42, all of Hartford, have been charged by indictment with offenses related to the illegal trafficking of firearms and narcotics.
As alleged in court documents and statements made in court, in June 2025, ATF began an investigation of Baez and other armed drug traffickers who were operating in the area of Evergreen Avenue in Hartford, where Baez and Moody resided. Between June and October 2025, ATF undercover agents made multiple controlled purchases of fentanyl, which included carfentanil or other additives including xylazine and tramadol, from Baez, Lewis, and Moody, and a total of seven firearms from Baez, Lewis, and Hutley.
“The trafficking of guns and drugs, especially when the drugs are fentanyl mixed with extremely toxic additives, are a dangerous combination,” said U.S. Attorney Sullivan. “We remain committed to using federal resources to thwart this criminal behavior and prosecute those involved. I commend ATF for this effective undercover operation. It has made our capital city safer.”
“This investigation targeted members of a criminal organization that endangered the community by trafficking firearms and distributing fentanyl,” said ATF Special Agent in Charge Greco. “ATF enforcement operations will continue to focus on disrupting shooters and those who enable them by providing firearms.”
Baez, Lewis, Hutley, and Moody were arrested on federal criminal complaints on October 15, 2025. On that date, a search of Hutley’s residence on Sisson Avenue revealed two gun magazines and ammunition. A search of Lewis’s residence on New Britain Avenue revealed a .357 magnum revolver.
On October 28, 2028, a federal grand jury in New Haven returned a 16-count indictment charging the four defendants. Baez, Lewis, and Moody are charged with conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances. If convicted of this charge, based on the type and quantity of drug attributed to each defendant, an a defendant’s criminal history, Baez faces a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of five years and a maximum term of 40 years, Lewis faces a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of 10 years and a maximum term of imprisonment of life, and Moody faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years. Baez, Lewis, and Moody are also charged with one or more counts of possession with intent to distribute, and distribution of controlled substances.
The indictment also charges Baez, Lewis, and Hutley with firearms trafficking conspiracy and firearms trafficking, and Lewis and Hutley with unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon. These charges carry a maximum term of imprisonment of 15 years on each count.
Baez, Lewis, Hutley, and Moody, who have been detained since their arrests, appeared yesterday in Hartford federal court and entered pleas of not guilty to the charges in the indictment.
U.S. Attorney Sullivan stressed that an indictment is not evidence of guilt. A charge is only an allegation, and each defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This matter is being investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), with the assistance of the Connecticut State Police. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Geoffrey M. Stone.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
Founder of “Leadership Training” Company and Co-Conspirator Found Guilty of Defrauding COVID Relief ProgramsRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces that a federal jury found Shawn Michael Simmerer (49, Florida) and Seth Downes (30, Michigan) guilty of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and wire fraud in connection with a scheme to defraud the Paycheck Protection Program (“PPP”). Simmerer was also found guilty of four counts of submitting false claims to the IRS, related to fraudulent Employee Retention Credits and Sick and Family Leave Credits. Simmerer and Downes face a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison on each wire fraud count, and Simmerer faces a maximum penalty of 5 years on each false claim count. Their sentencing hearing is scheduled for February 17, 2026.
Simmerer and Downes were indicted on February 28, 2024. A superseding indictment was later returned on January 29, 2025.
According to the testimony and evidence presented at trial, starting in April 2020, the defendants participated in a scheme to fraudulently obtain PPP proceeds and to then live off the proceeds. The scheme involved the submission of PPP loan applications on behalf of multiple companies, including two applications on behalf of “Your 10 Life Foundation,” a “leadership training” company founded by Simmerer. These applications falsely claimed employees and payroll that did not exist. The applications also attached phony payroll records and tax returns that were either never filed, or differed from the versions filed, with the IRS. Through these applications, the defendants were able to obtain over $344,000 in PPP loans. They were later able to have the loans forgiven through a series of loan forgiveness applications, which also included false and fraudulent information.
In addition, Simmerer prepared and submitted tax returns on behalf of Your 10 Life Foundation, which claimed hundreds of thousands of dollars of COVID-related tax credits. The evidence at trial showed that these tax credits, Employee Retention Credits and Sick and Family Leave Credits, were fraudulent. Based on these fraudulent credits, Simmerer was ultimately able to obtain over $680,000 in refunds from the IRS.
“These defendants didn’t just cheat the system—they stole from the American people,” said Ron Loecker, Special Agent in Charge of IRS Criminal Investigation, Florida Field Office. “Their scheme was built on lies, but thanks to the relentless work of IRS Criminal Investigation and our law enforcement partners justice caught up with them. We will continue to follow the money and hold fraudsters accountable—no matter how complex the scheme.”
“These two individuals engineered a multi-pronged fraud scheme that included exploiting the Paycheck Protection Program to steal valuable funds meant for small businesses that depended on them,” said Caroline O’Brien-Buster, the Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Secret Service’s Orlando Field Office. “The U.S. Secret Service and our partners remain steadfast in our commitment to ensuring fraudsters like Mr. Simmerer and Mr. Downes are held accountable for their crimes.”
This case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation and the United States Secret Service. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Robert D. Sowell and Noah P. Dorman.
Former southern Illinois pastor sentenced to prison for fraudulently obtaining COVID-19 relief money in church’s nameRead the Press Release
BENTON, Ill. – A district judge sentenced a former church pastor in Hamilton County to 21 months’ imprisonment for obtaining COVID-19 money from the SBA by fraudulently representing to the SBA that the money would be used for his church.
Terry L. Hall, 58, of McLeansboro, pleaded guilty to two counts of wire fraud and three counts of making false statements. Following imprisonment, he will serve two years of supervised release. Hall was ordered to pay $199,900 plus the accrued interest back to the Small Business Administration.
“The vast majority of pastors across southern Illinois answered the pandemic with selfless service,” said U.S. Attorney Steven D. Weinhoeft. “Terry Hall chose a different path: he requested federal relief on behalf of his congregation, then used nearly $200,000 for purely personal expenses. Conduct that far from the calling of ministry demands accountability, and accountability arrived in the form of a 21-month federal prison sentence.”
Enacted in March 2020, the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act provided emergency financial assistance to Americans suffering from impacts by the pandemic.
Under the CARES Act and administered by the SBA, the Economic Injury Disaster Loan program provided low-interest funding to small businesses, renters and homeowners. As appropriated, EIDL funds could be used for payroll, sick leave, production costs and other general business expenses.
"FBI Springfield is committed to exposing those who abuse positions of trust in southern Illinois" said Special Agent in Charge of FBI Springfield Field Office, Christopher J. S. Johnson. "Our communities deserve honesty, and we remain steadfast in holding accountable anyone who violates that trust."
According to the indictment, Hall was the lead pastor of a religious congregation in McLeansboro. As pastor, Hall applied for economic relief on behalf of the church and received two EIDL disbursements totaling approximately $199,900 to his personal bank account in 2020. To ensure he received the loan, Hall created fake documents, contacted elected representatives and intimidated fellow church members.
Hall admitted to using the EIDL funds to pay off his mortgage, the construction of a pole barn, various travel and other personal expenses like clothing, gas and food. The church did not receive any assistance to alleviate the economic hardships during the pandemic.
The FBI Springfield Field Office led the investigation, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Kathleen Howard prosecuted the case.
Former police captain charged for offenses against childrenRead the Press Release
GALVESTON, Texas - A 59-year-old resident of League City has been indicted on multiple counts to include coercion and enticement of a minor, and possession and production of child sexual abuse material, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
Authorities have now arrested Daryn Edwards. He is now making his initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Dena Hanovice Palermo.
A federal grand jury in Galveston returned the five-count indictment Nov. 18.
Edwards is charged with two counts of coercion and enticement of a minor and faces up to life in prison, if convicted. He is also facing two counts of sexual exploitation of children and one count of possession of child pornography which carries terms of 20 and 10 years, respectively. He could also be ordered to pay a $250,000 fine.
FBI Texas City conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lauren M. Valenti is prosecuting the case, which was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative the Department of Justice launched in May 2006 to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section leads PSC, which marshals federal, state and local resources to locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children and identifies and rescues victims. For more information about PSC, please visit DOJ’s PSC page. For more information about internet safety education, please visit the resources tab on that page.
An indictment is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence. A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.
Former Virginia Beach Man Sentenced for Making Threats Against Former President Joe Biden, Vice President HarrisRead the Press Release
ROANOKE, Va. – A former Virginia Beach man, who repeatedly threatened the lives of former President Joe Biden and former Vice President Kamala Harris through a series of phone calls to local government offices, was sentenced today to 60 months in federal prison.
Kevin Butler, 47, was found guilty of seven counts of knowingly and willfully making various threats against the president and vice president of the United States following a two-day bench trial in December 2024.
“Threats of violence against elected officials affront the political process and the rule of law,” Acting United States Attorney Robert N. Tracci said today. “This office will seek clear accountability against those who threaten public officials with acts of violence.”
According to evidence presented at that trial and other court records, in early December 2022, Butler made a series of phone calls to a Virginia Probation and Parole office in which he threatened the lives of then-President Joe Biden and then-Vice President Kamala Harris.
Butler left several voicemails vocalizing his threats. For example, he threatened to get a MAK 90 (a semiautomatic firearm), “jump over the fence” outside the White House and “kill the President.”
This is the second time Butler has been convicted of making threats against the president and vice president. In 2014, Butler was convicted in the Eastern District of Virginia for making threats against then-President Barack Obama and then-Vice President Joe Biden.
Robert N. Tracci, Acting United States Attorney for the Western District of Virginia made the announcement.
The case was investigated by the United States Secret Service.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jason Scheff and Keith Parrella prosecuted the case for the United States.
Federal Jury Finds Markita Barnes Guilty of Healthcare Fraud, Aggravated Identity Theft, Providing Unlawful Kickbacks, Obstruction, and Money LaunderingRead the Press Release
Brad D. Schimel, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, announced that on November 21, 2025, Markita Barnes, the owner and operator of a now-defunct Prenatal Care Coordination Company called Here for You, was convicted of twenty federal charges, including Healthcare Fraud, False Statements related to Healthcare Matters, Anti-Kickback Statute violations, Aggravated Identity Theft, Obstruction of a Healthcare Fraud Investigation, and Money Laundering.
The evidence presented at trial established that Barnes and her employees exploited vulnerable pregnant women and young mothers by luring them into the company’s prenatal care coordination program with kickbacks in the form of cash enrollment bonuses and free baby items such as car seats, pack ‘n plays, diapers, and wipes. Once enrolled, Barnes’s company unlawfully used the women’s personal information to submit claims to Medicaid for services that were never provided, often backdating the claims to months before anyone at the company had met or enrolled the client. In reality, participants often received only occasional deliveries of diapers and wipes, and in some cases, nothing at all. The evidence also demonstrated that Barnes used her fraud proceeds to finance a lavish lifestyle, including luxury travel, designer clothing, and even a $75,000 Mercedes.
The defendant is scheduled to be sentenced on March 17, 2026, by United States District Court Chief Judge Pamela Pepper. Markita Barnes faces a mandatory minimum 2-year sentence on the aggravated identity theft charges, and a maximum 20 years’ imprisonment for each of the healthcare fraud charges.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation along with the Medicaid Fraud and Elder Abuse Control Unit investigated the case. Assistant United States Attorneys Julie F. Stewart and Kate M. Biebel prosecuted the case.
# # # #Federal Grand Jury Indicts 7 Louisville Men for Firearm Related OffensesRead the Press Release
Louisville, KY – A federal grand jury in Louisville returned an indictment on November 4, 2025, charging several individuals with firearm related offenses.
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 the indictment, Anthony Adams, Jr., 21, of Louisville, was charged with stealing 52 firearms, trafficking 46 firearms, and possessing an additional stolen firearm. If convicted, he faces a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison.
Roeneil Jones, 22, of Louisville, was charged with possessing two stolen firearms, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, and firearms trafficking of two firearms. If convicted, he faces a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison. Jones was prohibited from possessing a firearm because he had previously been convicted of the following felony offenses.
On March 12, 2024, in Jefferson Circuit Court, in Case Number 23-CR-0607, Jones was convicted of complicity to receiving stolen property over $1,000 under $10,000, complicity to wanton endangerment in the first degree (four counts), complicity to fleeing or evading police in the first degree (motor vehicle), complicity to fleeing or evading police in the first degree (pedestrian), and complicity to receiving stolen firearm.
Christopher White, 26, of Louisville, was charged with possessing a stolen firearm, and firearms trafficking. If convicted, he faces a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison.
Dillon Sutherland, 34, of Louisville, was charged with possessing five stolen firearms, and firearms trafficking of four firearms. If convicted, he faces a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison.
Terry Sutherland, 37, of Louisville, was charged with possessing four stolen firearms, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. If convicted, he faces a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison. T. Sutherland was prohibited from possessing a firearm because he had previously been convicted of the following felony offense.
On July 13, 2010, in Jefferson Circuit Court, in Case Number 09-CR-3249, T. Sutherland was convicted of robbery in the first degree.
Robert Malone, 33, of Louisville, was charged with possessing a stolen firearm, illegal possession of a machine gun, and firearms trafficking. If convicted, he faces a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison.
Gary White, Sr., 54, of Louisville, was charged with possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. If convicted, he faces a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison. White, Sr. was prohibited from possessing a firearm because he had previously been convicted of the following felony offense.
On September 19, 2012, in Jefferson Circuit Court, in Case Number 10-CR-3865, White, Sr. was convicted of burglary in the third degree.
Defendants Adams, Jr., Jones, White, Malone and White, Sr. have made their initial court appearances before a U.S. Magistrate Judge of the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Kentucky. Defendants D. Sutherland and T. Sutherland are in custody at the Louisville Metro Department of Corrections awaiting resolution of charges in Jefferson County. Upon the resolution of their charges, D. Sutherland and T. Sutherland will make their initial court appearances before a U.S. Magistrate Judge of the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Kentucky.
If convicted, a federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors.
There is no parole in the federal system.
Mr. Bumgarner advised that this case is being investigated by the ATF and LMPD and congratulates both agencies for their strong cooperation and dedication to investigating and prosecuting firearms trafficking in Louisville.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Alicia P. Gomez is prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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).
###
Federal Court Terminates Newark Police Department’s Consent Decree After Successful ReformsRead the Press Release
NEWARK - Today, the U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey terminated the consent decree in United States v. City of Newark, marking the completion of a nine-year reform effort of the Newark Police Department (NPD). Through the consent decree, NPD resolved prior Department of Justice findings by implementing constitutional policing requirements for stops, searches, arrests, and use of force. Based on completion of those and other requirements, Newark moved to dismiss the decree; the Justice Department supported the City’s motion.
“Over the last decade, the Newark Police Division has made tremendous improvements to ensure constitutional policing and to increase community trust. NPD remains a valuable law enforcement partner, and we will continue to work with it to reduce gun crimes, drug trafficking, and gang violence. The men and women of NPD should be proud of what they accomplished, and we appreciate the hard work they do every day to keep the people of Newark safe.”
- Acting U.S. Attorney and Special Attorney Alina Habba
“We are proud to stand by the men and woman of NPD as federal oversight ends, and the court returns control of local law enforcement to the City of Newark,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “We look forward to the continued, effective policing of the City—in a constitutional manner—to protect all Americans from crime.”
In 2011, the Justice Department and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey jointly initiated an investigation into the NPD under the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994, Title VI of the Civil Rights act of 1964, and the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968. After concluding the investigation, in 2016 the United States and the City of Newark entered into a consent decree to address the investigation’s findings that NPD engaged in a pattern or practice of conducting stops and using unjustified and excessive force in violation of the Fourth Amendment; allegations of biased policing; retaliating against individuals who questioned police action in violation of the First Amendment; and subjecting individuals to theft by NPD officers in violation of the Fourth and Fourteenth Amendments. NPD has been implementing the decree since its entry. In 2024, the Court granted the parties’ joint motion to terminate several of the consent decree’s requirements that NPD completed by that time.
The Special Litigation Section of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division and the District of New Jersey U.S. Attorney’s Office’s Civil Division and jointly handled the investigation and litigation.
###
Federal Court Terminates Newark Police Department’s Consent Decree After Successful ReformsRead the Press Release
Yesterday, the U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey terminated the consent decree in United States v. City of Newark, marking the completion of a nine-year reform effort of the Newark Police Department (NPD). Through the consent decree, NPD resolved prior Department of Justice findings by implementing constitutional policing requirements for stops, searches, arrests, and use of force. Based on completion of those and other requirements, Newark moved to dismiss the decree; the Justice Department supported the City’s motion.
“We are proud to stand by the men and woman of NPD as federal oversight ends, and the court returns control of local law enforcement to the City of Newark,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “We look forward to the continued, effective policing of the City — in a constitutional manner — to protect all Americans from crime.”
“Over the last decade, the Newark Police Division has made tremendous improvements to ensure constitutional policing and to increase community trust,” said Acting U.S. Attorney and Special Attorney Alina Habba for the District of New Jersey. “NPD remains a valuable law enforcement partner, and we will continue to work with it to reduce gun crimes, drug trafficking, and gang violence. The men and women of NPD should be proud of what they accomplished, and we appreciate the hard work they do every day to keep the people of Newark safe.”
In 2011, the Justice Department and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey jointly initiated an investigation into the NPD under the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994, Title VI of the Civil Rights act of 1964, and the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968. After concluding the investigation, in 2016 the United States and the City of Newark entered into a consent decree to address the investigation’s findings that NPD engaged in a pattern or practice of conducting stops and using unjustified and excessive force in violation of the Fourth Amendment; allegations of biased policing; retaliating against individuals who questioned police action in violation of the First Amendment; and subjecting individuals to theft by NPD officers in violation of the Fourth and Fourteenth Amendments. NPD has been implementing the decree since its entry. In 2024, the Court granted the parties’ joint motion to terminate several of the consent decree’s requirements that NPD completed by that time.
The Special Litigation Section of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division and the District of New Jersey U.S. Attorney’s Office’s Civil Division and jointly handled the investigation and litigation.
Former Panama City Resident Sentenced to Prison for Production and Distribution of Obscene MaterialRead the Press Release
PANAMA CITY, FLORIDA – John Robert Burchett, 31, formerly of Panama City, Florida, was sentenced to two and a half years in federal prison for production and transportation of obscene material for distribution. The sentence was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “This successful federal prosecution is the result of close collaboration with our state law enforcement partners, and ensures this defendant will be held fully accountable for his criminal exploitation of vulnerable victims. I appreciate the outstanding work of the Bay County Sheriff’s Office, the 14th Circuit State Attorney’s Office, and our federal law enforcement partners in helping to bring this offender to justice.”
Court documents reflect that in February 2024, the Bay County Sheriff’s Office received information that the defendant had used his cell phone to surreptitiously record women while they were changing their clothes in a private dressing room at a Panama City gym. Between September 2023 and January 2024, the defendant shared thirteen different videos to a public website where they were viewed thousands of times.
Initially, the defendant was arrested by the Bay County Sheriff’s Office and state charges followed. Following collaboration with the State Attorney’s Office for the 14th Judicial Circuit, the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations and the U.S. Attorney’s Office sought a federal indictment.
“This was a deliberate and predatory invasion of the victims’ privacy, and it won’t be tolerated in Bay County,” said Sheriff Tommy Ford, Bay County Sheriff’s Office. “Investigators worked tirelessly to uncover the full scope of the defendant’s actions, and I’m grateful for the outstanding teamwork with our state and federal partners in holding the defendant accountable.”
State Attorney Larry Basford stated, "The defendant violated the privacy of these innocent female victims and has been held accountable. By working with the U.S. Attorney, we were able to get a longer sentence for this defendant than was possible in state court for these crimes. I thank the Bay County Sheriff's Office and the U.S. Attorney's Office for their role in pursuing justice for these victims."
The defendant’s imprisonment will be followed by two years of supervised release, meaning if he violates any of the conditions of his supervision, he will potentially face an additional period of incarceration. Additionally, the defendant was ordered to pay restitution.
The case was investigated by the Bay County Sheriff’s Office, with assistance from the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Jordane New and Meredith L. Steer.
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.
Former Local Firefighter Pleads Guilty to Federal Charges of Production and Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
PENSACOLA, FLORIDA – Garey A. Buscaino, 48, of Pensacola, Florida, has pleaded guilty in federal court on charges related to a decade long pattern of producing and possessing child pornography. John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida announced the charges.
U.S. Attorney Heekin said, “Protecting our children from exploitation and the predations of sick individuals like this offender remains one of my office’s highest priorities, and I deeply appreciate the outstanding investigative work of our state and federal law enforcement partners who helped bring him to justice. My office will continue to relentlessly pursue offenders who victimize our children and prosecute them to the fullest extent of the law.”
Court documents reveal that the Florida Department of Law Enforcement received a tip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children that an online user in Northwest Florida possessed what appeared to be child pornography in a cloud account. Upon looking into the account and obtaining a search warrant for it, law enforcement determined that it not only contained child pornography from the internet but also what appeared to be hidden camera produced pornographic videos of unsuspecting minor females.
Based upon the content of the cloud account, and further investigation, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement linked the account to the defendant and obtained a search warrant for his local residence and firehouse. Located within, the Internet Crimes Against Children Task force seized dozens of electronic devices from the defendant. Contained within these devices were hidden camera-produced pornography videos of five minor females in various states of undressing in bedrooms and bathrooms, as well as thousands of graphic images and videos of sexual child abuse from the internet. Some of these images and videos captured victims as young as toddlers being sexually abused.
Sentencing is scheduled for January 15, 2026, before United States District Judge T. Kent Wetherell II. Buscaino faces up to 30 years’ imprisonment as to each minor victim for the Production of Child Pornography and up to 20 years’ imprisonment as to the Possession of Child Pornography Involving Minors Under the Age of 12 Years Old.
The case is being jointly investigated by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney David L. Goldberg.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice and led by the U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Divisions Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), it marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.
Eight-Time Felon Guilty of Illegally Possessing a FirearmRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – GERARD CARR (“CARR”), age 27, a resident of New Orleans, pleaded guilty on September 30, 2025 before U.S. District Judge Susie Morgan to 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 April of 2025, CARR was involved in a shootout in front of a convenience store on North Galvez Street in New Orleans. One week later, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at a residence associated with CARR and found the gun he used during the shootout. Prior to possessing the firearm, CARR had been convicted in Orleans Parish of several felony offenses, including conspiracy to distribute heroin, possession with intent to distribute heroin, conspiracy to possess a firearm while in possession of a controlled dangerous substance, possession of a firearm while in possession of a controlled dangerous substance, being a felon in possession of a firearm, and illegally possessing a stolen firearm.
CARR faces up to 15 years in prison, up to a $250,000 fine, up to three years of supervised release, and a mandatory special assessment fee of $100.
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 the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the New Orleans Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney David Berman of the Violent Crime Unit is in charge of the prosecution.
Dominican National Indicted for Fentanyl DistributionRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Dominican national unlawfully residing in Worcester has been indicted by a federal grand jury for distributing fentanyl pills.
Miguel Gonzalez Duarte, 37, has been indicted on one count of distribution of and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl; two counts of distribution of and possession with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl; and one count of distribution of and possession with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl. Gonzalez Duarte was arrested and charged by criminal complaint on Oct. 29, 2025 and remains in federal custody.
According to the charging documents, on Aug. 21, 2025, Gonzalez Duarte distributed approximately 191 counterfeit pills that contained fentanyl, methamphetamine and xylazine, with a total approximate weight of 21.9 grams, in a store parking lot on Main Street in Worcester. On Sept. 3, 2025, Gonzalez Duarte allegedly distributed approximately 482 pills, weighing approximately 54.9 grams, containing the same mixture in the same parking lot. It is further alleged that, in the store parking lot on Sept. 24, 2025, Gonzalez Duarte distributed approximately 2,000 suspected fentanyl pills with an approximate weight of 226 grams.
On Oct. 15, Gonzalez Duarte also allegedly distributed approximately 20,000 suspected fentanyl pills in the parking lot of a restaurant in Worcester. It is alleged that, when approached by law enforcement shortly after the transaction, Gonzalez Duarte dropped the bag of pills and attempted to flee before being apprehended.
At the time of the alleged offenses, Gonzalez Duarte was on probation for an April 2025 conviction of possession with intent to distribute Class A and B drugs in Worcester District Court.
The charge of distribution of and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, at least three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $1 million. The charges of distribution of and possession with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl each provide for a sentence of at least five years and up to 40 years in prison, at least four years of supervised release and a fine of up to $5 million. The charge of distribution of and possession with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl provides for a sentence of at least 10 years and up to life in prison, at least five years of supervised release and a fine of up to $10 million. The defendant is subject to deportation upon completion of any sentence imposed. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based on the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Jarod A. Forget, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Division made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brendan O’Shea and Kristen Noto of the Worcester Branch Office are prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
District of Arizona Charges 174 Individuals for Immigration-Related Criminal Conduct this WeekRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – During the week of enforcement operations from November 15, 2025, through November 21, 2025, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona brought immigration-related criminal charges against 174 individuals. Specifically, the United States filed 102 cases in which aliens illegally re-entered the United States, and the United States also charged 52 aliens for illegally entering the United States. In its ongoing effort to deter unlawful immigration, the United States filed 17 cases against 19 individuals responsible for smuggling illegal aliens into and within the District of Arizona. Protecting law enforcement officers is a key part of border vigilance, and federal prosecutors also charged one defendant for assaulting a Border Patrol agent.
These cases were referred or supported by federal law enforcement partners, including Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE ERO), ICE Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), U.S. Border Patrol, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS), and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).
Recent matters of interest include:
United States v. Juan Francisco Gutierrez: On November 17, 2025, Juan Francisco Gutierrez was charged by complaint with Transportation of Illegal Aliens for Profit. Gutierrez was observed driving a Chevrolet Suburban on a remote road approximately one mile north of the border. When agents attempted a vehicle stop on Gutierrez's vehicle, he fled from agents for 20 miles before agents used a vehicle immobilization device to stop his Suburban. When the Suburban came to a stop, multiple subjects fled from the vehicle. In total, nine aliens from the Suburban were apprehended. Gutierrez is a citizen of El Salvador and was in the United States with a temporary work visa. Case Number: 25-MJ-03294-TUC-MAA
United States v. John Michael Sparks: On November 14, 2025, John Michael Sparks was charged by complaint with Transportation of an Illegal Alien. Sparks drove to the Ajo Border Patrol Checkpoint on State Route 85, where he encountered a Border Patrol Agent conducting inspections. The Border Patrol Agent observed Sparks and one front-seat passenger who was wearing camouflage. Upon request, Sparks provided an Arizona driver’s license, and the passenger provided a Mexican voter registration card. The Border Patrol Agent suspected a human smuggling event and referred Sparks to secondary inspection. At the secondary inspection, immigration checks confirmed that the passenger is a citizen of Mexico, illegally present in the United States. Case Number: 25-MJ-06479-PHX-ASB
United States v. Eliver Gonzalez-Gomez: On November 20, 2025, Eliver Enrique Gonzalez-Gomez was charged by complaint with Transportation of an Illegal Alien. Homeland Security Investigations agents observed Gonzalez-Gomez driving a vehicle that appeared weighed down on Interstate Highway 17 Northbound. Agents suspected the vehicle was involved in human smuggling and initiated a vehicle stop. Gonzalez-Gomez first attempted to flee in the car and then later attempted to flee on foot into active highway traffic before he was ultimately apprehended. After apprehending Gonzalez-Gomez, agents removed ten passengers, including two unaccompanied minors, from the vehicle. None of the passengers were wearing seatbelts. Immigration checks confirmed that Gonzalez-Gomez and eight of the passengers are citizens of Mexico and two of the passengers are citizens of Guatemala, all unlawfully present in the United States. Case Number: 25-MJ-05525-PHX-DMF
A criminal complaint is a formal accusation of criminal conduct. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
RELEASE NUMBER: 2025-166_November 21 Immigration Enforcement
# # #
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on X @USAO_AZ for the latest news.
Dilkon Defendants Charged with the Murders of Three Victims and Shooting Others in Teesto, ArizonaRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – On September 30, 2025, a federal grand jury in Phoenix returned a 23-count superseding indictment against Ryan Adelbert Johnson, Alexandra Johnson, Charles Lyle Truax, Mike Duffy, III, and Sherry Duffy all of Dilkon, Arizona for crimes related to a shooting and tampering case that occurred in March, 2022, in Teesto on the Navajo Nation, resulting in the deaths of three victims and the injury of others.
Charges against Ryan Adelbert Johnson, Alexandra Johnson, Charles Lyle Truax, and Mike Duffy, III include First Degree Murder, Kidnapping Resulting in Death, Felony Murder, Conspiracy to Commit Assault with a Dangerous Weapon and Robbery, and Discharge of a Firearm During a Crime of Violence. Mike Duffy, III, Alexandra Johnson, Charles Lyle Truax, and Sherry Duffy were also charged with offenses relating to Tampering with an Official Proceeding and/or False Statement to a Government Agency.
Convictions for First Degree Murder and Kidnapping Resulting in Death carry mandatory life sentences.
An indictment is simply a method by which a person is charged with criminal activity and raises no inference of guilt. An individual is presumed innocent until evidence is presented to a jury that establishes guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
The FBI Phoenix office in Flagstaff conducted the investigation in this case. The United States Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, Phoenix, is handling the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-25-08032-PCT-DLR
RELEASE NUMBER: 2025-165_Johnson
Co-Founder of Paycheck Protection Program Lender Service Provider Sentenced for $63M COVID-19 Relief Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
A co-founder of a lender service provider was sentenced to 10 years in prison for participating in a scheme to fraudulently obtain over $63 million in Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans guaranteed by the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. The defendant was also ordered to pay over $63 million in restitution.
According to evidence presented at trial, Stephanie Hockridge, also known as Stephanie Reis, 42, of Rio Grande, Puerto Rico, and previously of Arizona, co-founded Blueacorn in April 2020, purportedly to assist small businesses and individuals in obtaining PPP loans. To get larger loans for certain PPP applicants, Hockridge and her co-conspirators fabricated documents, including payroll records, tax documentation and bank statements. Hockridge and her co-conspirators charged borrowers kickbacks based on a percentage of the funds received.
As part of the scheme, Hockridge and others offered a personalized service to their clients called “VIPPP” to help potential borrowers complete PPP loan applications. Hockridge recruited co-conspirators to work as VIPPP referral agents and coach borrowers on how to submit false PPP loan applications. To get more kickbacks from borrowers and a higher percentage of lender fees from the SBA, Hockridge and her co-conspirators submitted PPP loan applications that they knew contained materially false information. In total, Hockridge and her coconspirators processed over $63 million in fraudulent PPP loans.
On June 20, a jury found Hockridge guilty of one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud.
Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew R. Galeotti of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; U.S. Attorney Ryan Raybould for the Northern District of Texas; Acting Assistant Special Agent in Charge Don Daley of the Office of Inspector General for the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System and Consumer Financial Protection Bureau Western Region; and Special Agent in Charge Christopher J. Altemus Jr. of the IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) Dallas Field Office made the announcement.
IRS-CI, Special Inspector General for Pandemic Recovery, Federal Reserve Board-CFPB Office of Inspector General, and SBA OIG investigated the case.
Acting Assistant Chief Philip Trout of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section; Trial Attorneys Elizabeth Carr and Ryan McLaren of the Criminal Division’s Money Laundering, Narcotics and Forfeiture Section; and Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Weybrecht for the Northern District of Texas prosecuted the case.
The Fraud Section leads the Criminal Division’s prosecution of fraud schemes that exploit the PPP. Since the enactment of the CARES Act, the Fraud Section has prosecuted over 200 defendants in more than 130 criminal cases and has seized over $78 million in cash proceeds derived from fraudulently obtained PPP funds, as well as numerous real estate properties and luxury items purchased with such proceeds.
The Money Laundering, Narcotics and Forfeiture Section’s Bank Integrity Unit investigates and prosecutes banks and other financial institutions, including their officers, managers and employees whose actions threaten the integrity of the individual institution or the wider financial system.
Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Justice Department’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
Clay County Man Found Guilty of “Stolen Valor” and $140,000 in Benefits FraudRead the Press Release
SAINT PAUL – Today a federal jury convicted Mikhail Robin Wicker, also known as Michael Robin Wicker, 39, of Clay County, of wire fraud, mail fraud, using a false military discharge certificate, and fraudulent use of military medals, announced U.S. Attorney Daniel N. Rosen.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Wicker spent years posing as a decorated U.S. Marine. He falsely claimed to have been deployed to Iraq in 2005 as part of Lima Company, 3rd Battalion, 25th Marine Regiment, and falsely claimed to be a recipient of the Purple Heart Medal and the Prisoner of War Medal. For years, he relied on these claims to obtain benefits from the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). All of Wicker’s claims were untrue. He never served in any branch of the armed services.
Wicker supported his fraud scheme using forged documents, including a counterfeit DD-214 and fake medal certificates, which he submitted to the Department of Veterans Affairs. Relying on those materials, the VA provided him more than $140,000 in healthcare, disability, and education benefits.
Wicker was convicted following a one-week jury trial. At trial, Marine veterans from Lima Company testified Wicker never served with them. Agents testified that federal searches across Marine Corps, and Department of Defense databases confirmed there was no record of Wicker ever serving in the military. Employment, pay, and state court records placed Wicker in Michigan during the years he claimed to be deployed to Iraq. The government also demonstrated at trial that Wicker used his false claims and forged certificates to exploit and defraud several VA programs out of monetary benefits and free healthcare.
After a few hours of deliberations, the jury found Wicker guilty on all counts. A sentencing hearing in front of United States District Judge Jeffrey M. Bryan will be set at a later date.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the Department of Veterans Affairs, Officer of the Inspector General; the Defense Criminal Investigative Service; and the Social Security Administration, Office of the Inspector General; with assistance from Homeland Security Investigations and the Dilworth Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys William C. Mattessich and Bradley M. Endicott prosecuted the case.
Checotah Resident Sentenced for Distributing MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Latisha Marie McCarter, age 43, of Checotah, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 24 months in prison for one count of Distribution of Methamphetamine.
The charge arose from an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics.
On August 13, 2025, McCarter pleaded guilty to the charge. According to investigators, on June 17, 2023, McCarter sold a baggie of white crystalline methamphetamine, a Schedule II controlled substance, in the parking lot of a store in Checotah, Oklahoma.
The Honorable John C. Coughenour, U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Western District of Washington, serving by designation, presided over the hearing. McCarter 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 Jordan Howanitz represented the United States.
Carroll Iowa Man Pleads Guilty to Meth ConspiracyRead the Press Release
Paul Diamond Sanchez, 52, from Carroll, Iowa pled guilty on November 20, 2025, to one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, in federal court in Sioux City.
At the plea hearing, Sanchez admitted that from July 2024 through May 2025 he and others distributed methamphetamine in the Carroll, Iowa area. On two occasions in the summer of 2024, defendant distributed a total of over 25 grams of pure methamphetamine to an individual cooperating with law enforcement. During a traffic stop in October 2024, Sanchez had over 9 grams of pure methamphetamine in his pants pocket which he admitted he planned to sell to another person.
Sentencing before United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Sanchez remains in custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing. Sanchez faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 5 years’ imprisonment and a possible maximum sentence of 40 years’ imprisonment, a $5,000,000 fine, and at least four years of supervised release following any imprisonment.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Shawn S. Wehde and was investigated by the Carroll County Sheriff’s Office, Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, Crawford County Sheriff’s Office, Manning Police Department, Iowa State Patrol, and Iowa DCI Laboratory.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 25-3022. Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.
California and Missouri Men Charged in Danbury Kidnapping ConspiracyRead the Press Release
David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, P.J. O’Brien, Special Agent in Charge of the New Haven Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and Danbury Police Chief Patrick Ridenhour today announced that a federal grand jury in New Haven has returned a superseding indictment charging three men for their alleged involvement in a kidnapping in Danbury in August 2024.
On February 25, 2025, JAMES SCHWAB, 22, of Peachtree Corners, Georgia, was charged by indictment with one count of conspiracy to commit kidnapping. The superseding indictment, which was returned on October 28, 2025, and unsealed yesterday, charges Schwab, ADAM IZA, 25, of California, and SAIF FAIQ, 22, of St. Louis, Missouri, each with the same offense, and an additional charge of conspiracy to interfere with commerce by robbery.
As alleged in court documents and statements made in court, on August 25, 2024, Danbury Police arrested six Florida men who were involved in a violent carjacking of a Lamborghini Urus and the kidnapping of two occupants of the vehicle on that date. The investigation revealed that the kidnapping victims are the parents of an individual who is suspected of participating in the theft of hundreds of millions of dollars in cryptocurrency.
It is alleged that Schwab, Iza, and Faiq planned and coordinated the kidnapping. Schwab, who had an altercation with the victims’ son in a Miami nightclub in July 2024, was in regular communication with certain of the kidnappers in the days before the crime, provided funding for it, and helped arrange the participants’ transportation and lodging. Iza communicated via cellphone and encrypted messaging applications with certain of the kidnappers and directed them as to the logistics of the scheme. Iza also provided funding for the criminal conspiracies. Faiq recruited participants for the crime, traveled to Connecticut for the planned home invasion and kidnapping, coordinated with Iza, and helped conduct surveillance on the victims.
Schwab was arrested on a federal criminal complaint on January 29, 2025, and is currently released on a $1.5 million secured bond pending trial.
Faiq was arrested on November 12, 2025, and is detained pending his arraignment in Connecticut, which is not scheduled.
Iza has been detained since September 24, 2024, after he was charged in the Central District of California with unrelated federal offenses.
The charge of conspiracy to commit kidnapping carries a maximum term of imprisonment of life, and the charge of conspiracy to interfere with commerce by robbery carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years.
Six other individuals were charged with offenses related to the carjacking and kidnapping. All have pleaded guilty.
U.S. Attorney Sullivan stressed that an indictment is not evidence of guilt. Charges are only allegations, and each defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This matter is being investigated by the FBI New Haven Violent Crimes Task Force, FBI Los Angeles, FBI St. Louis, and the Danbury Police Department. The FBI Task Force includes members from the Connecticut State Police and several local police departments. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Karen L. Peck.
U.S. Attorney Sullivan thanked the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Missouri, and the State’s Attorney’s Office for the Judicial District of Danbury for their assistance in the investigation and prosecution of this matter.
California Man Sentenced to Nearly 20 Years’ Imprisonment for Methamphetamine ChargeRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Lesley A. Woods announced that Felix Cruz, 35, of Fresno, California, was sentenced on November 20, 2025, in federal court in Omaha, for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. Chief United States District Court Judge Robert F. Rossiter, Jr. sentenced Cruz to 235 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After Cruz’s release from prison, he will begin a 5-year term of supervised release. Cruz also forfeited $6,000 in U.S. currency seized at the time of his arrest.
On April 2, 2024, law enforcement utilized a cooperating witness who purchased approximately one pound of methamphetamine from Cruz at an Omaha location. The following day surveillance officers approached Cruz after observing him engage in a suspected drug transaction. Cruz attempted to flee and after a short foot pursuit was taken into custody. A box containing approximately two pounds of methamphetamine was recovered along with $6,000 in United States currency. A subsequent search warrant was executed on his Bellevue, Nebraska, residence where law enforcement recovered another 6.5 pounds of methamphetamine.
Cruz gave a post-arrest statement and admitted to trafficking several pounds of methamphetamine for a Mexican drug trafficking organization since March of 2024. Cruz also admitted the money found in his possession was proceeds from drug trafficking sales.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Omaha Police Department.
CNMI Men Sentenced to Federal Prison for Human Smuggling Operation between Saipan and GuamRead the Press Release
Saipan, M.P. – SHAWN N. ANDERSON, United States Attorney for the Districts of Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands, announced that the following individuals were sentenced this week by Chief Judge Ramona V. Manglona in the District Court for the Northern Mariana Islands for Conspiracy to Transport Illegal Aliens, in violation of 8 U.S.C. §1324(a)(1)(A)(v)(I):
Steven Villagomez Pangelinan – age 58, sentenced on November 20, 2025, to 30 months incarceration, two years of supervised release, 100 hours community service, and a $100 mandatory assessment fee;
William J. Cabrera, Jr. – age 44, sentenced on November 19, 2025, to 21 months imprisonment, three years of supervised release, 100 hours community service, and a $100 mandatory assessment fee;
Steven Chris Tomokane – age 55, Sentenced on November 19, 2025, to six months imprisonment, six months home detention, 3 years of supervised release, 100 hours community service, and a $100 mandatory assessment fee; and
Kenneth Hocog Pangelinan – age 39, sentenced on November 19, 2025, to 37 days incarceration, three years of supervised release, 100 hours of community service, and $100 assessment fee.
On June 22, 2023, Steven Pangelinan led two boats—a 25-foot Boston Whaler and an 18-foot McKee Craft—on a 120-mile, overnight trip from Saipan to Guam to smuggle 21 Chinese nationals, each of whom paid about $4,500 to avoid airport immigration checks by Customs and Border Protection. Guam authorities spotted the vessels dropping off the passengers and alerted CNMI law enforcement, which intercepted the boats and their four-person crew on their return.
Pangelinan led an organized human-smuggling operation responsible for numerous prior trips. He owned the boats, captained one during the voyage, and earned at least $80,000 from this single run. A third vessel, a 31-foot Fountain, was also linked to his smuggling activities, and all three boats will be forfeited to the federal government.
William Cabrera served as Pangelinan’s primary accomplice and captained the second boat in this and previous smuggling trips. Steven Tomokane and Kenneth Pangelinan were crew members on each boat. Tomokane, a mechanic, also stored Pangelinan’s vessels at his home. Steven Tomokane is a boat mechanic who allowed Steven Pangelinan to store vessels used for human smuggling at his residence. Steven Tomokane and Kenneth Pangelinan both served as crew members for Steven Pangelinan and William Cabrera on the June 22, 2023, voyage to transport 21 Chinese nationals to Guam.
“The defendants facilitated illegal migration and risked the lives of many for their own financial gain,” stated United States Attorney Anderson. “Their conduct was part of a concerning trend involving the abuse of the CNMI visa waiver program, among other provisions of our immigration laws. We will combat this activity at every opportunity. I applaud the work of Guam and CNMI law enforcement in support of federal immigration enforcement.”
“This sentencing underscores Homeland Security Investigations’ unwavering commitment to dismantling criminal networks that exploit vulnerable individuals for profit while undermining the integrity of our immigration system,” said Lucia Cabral-DeArmas, HSI Honolulu. “The defendants in this case endangered lives and violated the law in their attempt to smuggle individuals into Guam. HSI will continue to work tirelessly with our law enforcement partners to protect our borders and hold those who engage in human smuggling accountable.”
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations with the assistance from the Guam Customs and Quarantine Agency, U.S. Fish and Wildlife, and the CNMI Department of Public Safety.
Assistant United States Attorney Albert S. Flores, Jr. prosecuted the case in the District of the Northern Mariana Islands.
Bronson Felon Sentenced to Federal Prison for Possessing a FirearmRead the Press Release
GAINESVILLE, FLORIDA – Kashone Demetrious Bing, 21, of Bronson, Florida, was sentenced to 71 months in prison after previously pleading guilty to possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. The sentence was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “Our brave state and federal law enforcement partners work hard every day to keep our communities safe. Thanks to this successful prosecution, we are able to keep another dangerous, violent felon off our streets and take another step toward fulfilling the promise made by President Donald J. Trump and Attorney General Pam Bondi to Take Back America from the perpetrators of violent crime.”
Court documents reflect that the defendant had a loaded firearm in his lap when law enforcement executed an arrest warrant at his residence. The defendant is prohibited from possessing a firearm because he was previously convicted of two felonies, including aggravated battery causing great bodily harm, permanent disability or permanent disfigurement.
The case involved a joint investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the U.S. Marshals Fugitive Task Force, and the Levy County Sheriff’s Office. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Adam Hapner.
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.
Arizona CEO Sentenced to 14 years in Prison for Embezzling $33-Million Dollars from Tribal Healthcare ProviderRead the Press Release
TUCSON, Ariz. – Kevin Lamorris McKenzie, 49, of Tucson, was sentenced on October 16, 2025, by United States District Judge Scott H. Rash to 14 years in prison, to be served concurrently with an additional 5-year prison sentence. McKenzie previously pleaded guilty to Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud and Embezzlement from an Indian Tribal Organization.
From 2015 through 2023, McKenzie, first as Chief Operating Officer and then as CEO of Apache Behavioral Health Services (ABHS), engaged in a scheme to defraud millions of dollars from ABHS and the White Mountain Apache Tribe. McKenzie used two contracts as a front to funnel money from ABHS to himself. Under the first contract, ABHS paid over $35 million to Helping Everyday Youth (HEDY). Thereafter, based on a secret agreement with McKenzie, HEDY funneled approximately $16 million in fraudulent proceeds to a shell company McKenzie controlled. McKenzie concealed this backdoor financial arrangement from ABHS. McKenzie conducted significant efforts to hide his scheme through financial transactions conducted through his shell company. He also attempted to corruptly persuade a witness to lie to investigators.
From 2018 through 2023, McKenzie, also as CEO for ABHS, entered phony referral contracts with his co-defendant Corina Martinez. These contracts were used to fraudulently funnel ABHS money through Evolved Health Care Inc. (EHI), a company controlled by Martinez. Under the contracts, EHI would refer qualified employees to ABHS in exchange for compensation. However, EHI never referred any employees to ABHS. Using the phony agreements, McKenzie caused ABHS to pay approximately $16.5 million to EHI. Portions of the fraudulent proceeds were split amongst McKenzie and Martinez. Martinez gave McKenzie large sums of cash, paid $800,000 of his personal credit card bills, and purchased other luxury items: including a $128,000 Rolls Royce Ghost and a $928,000 home for McKenzie’s family. EHI did not perform any services for ABHS.
As part of his sentence, McKenzie was ordered to pay $33,155,701 in restitution to ABHS. He was also ordered to forfeit various real estate properties; 2013 Rolls Royce; 1966 Ford Galaxie; 2018 Land Rover Range Rover; 2018 Utility Trailer; a 2021 Cadillac Escalade and $55,000 in U.S. currency. McKenzie also agreed to apply over $364,447 that had been seized in a related case toward the restitution judgment.
The FBI Phoenix Division’s Tucson office conducted the investigation in this case. The U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, Tucson, Financial Crimes and Public Corruption Unit, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-23-02258-SHR-MAA
RELEASE NUMBER: 2025-164_McKenzie# # #
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.
20 November 2025
Woodbury Man Sentenced to 30 Years in Prison for “Deliberate, Persistent Sextortion Scheme"Read the Press Release
ST. PAUL, MINN. – Timothy Lennard Gebhart, age 38, was sentenced in U.S. District Court to 360 months imprisonment followed by 10 years of supervised release for production and attempted production of child pornography, distribution of child pornography, and interstate communications with intent to extort, announced U.S. Attorney Daniel N. Rosen.
For more than two years, from July 2021 until September 2023, Gebhart executed a massive “sextortion” scheme designed to victimize minor children. Gebhart used online platforms including Instagram and Snapchat to target minor children as young as twelve years old. Gebhart used aliases—including 66 different Snapchat aliases—to pose as a teenager or someone much younger than his true age. Gebhart befriended his victims. Gebhart then convinced his victims to send him sexually explicit videos and photos. He also sought out sexual encounters with his victims.
After Gebhart obtained the sexually explicit materials from the children, he would threaten to distribute those photos and videos to the classmates, friends, and family members of his victims unless his victims provided him with more sexually explicit materials. Gebhart would also send his child victims disturbing videos depicting gruesome and violent deaths to shock them into compliance. Gebhart’s threats to the children often included hateful language.
In sentencing Gebhart to a term of 30 years in prison, U.S. District Judge Jerry W. Blackwell called this a “deliberate, persistent sextortion scheme.”
The case is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Woodbury Police Department, and the Indiana State Police.
Assistant U.S. Attorney David M. Classen prosecuted the case.
Wister Resident Sentenced to Life for 2023 MurderRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Kendall Lee Forrester, age 36, of Wister, Oklahoma, was sentenced to a term of life in prison for one count of First Degree Murder in Indian Country, and 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 sentences were ordered to run consecutively.
The charges arose from an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Choctaw Nation Lighthorse Police, and the Heavener Police.
On February 27, 2025, a federal jury found Forrester guilty of the charges at trial. According to investigators, on October 31, 2023, Forrester shot and killed the victim with a single gunshot to the head at a LeFlore County residence within the boundaries of the Choctaw Nation Reservation. Family members reported the victim missing after a receiving a suspicious text message from the victim’s cell phone and discovering the victim’s wallet, keys, and cell phone left behind at home after Forrester had told family members that he and the victim were out hunting. The victim’s body was discovered hours later, wrapped in plastic sheeting, stored in a chest that had been loaded into the victim’s SUV. Officers conducting a traffic stop on Forrester discovered a 9mm handgun, a magazine containing 9 rounds of ammunition, and a trash bag of freshly laundered clothes and towels in his car. A latent print on the plastic sheeting from the chest was a match to prints taken from Forrester.
The Honorable Ronald A. White, Chief U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over the hearing. Forrester 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. Attorneys Jordan Howanitz and Dean Burris represented the United States.
Watertown Man Sentenced to 40 Years in Federal Prison for Sexually Assaulting a ChildRead the Press Release
ABERDEEN - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced today that U.S. District Judge Charles B. Kornmann has sentenced a Watertown, South Dakota, man convicted of Aggravated Sexual Abuse and Sexual Abuse of a Minor. The sentencing took place on November 3, 2025.
Gokoh Frank Brown, age 29, was sentenced to 40 years in federal prison, 20 years of supervised release, and a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund in the amount of $200. Brown must register as a sex offender once released from federal prison.
Brown was indicted by a federal grand jury in August 2024. He was found guilty following a jury trial on May 21, 2025.
From January to August 2023, Brown, 27 years old at the time, repeatedly sexually assaulted a 12-year-old household member while living on the Lake Traverse Reservation.
This case was investigated by the FBI, Sisseton-Wahpeton Oyate Law Enforcement, and the DCI. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth Ebert-Webb prosecuted the case.
This matter was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office because the Major Crimes Act, a federal statute, mandates that certain violent crimes alleged to have occurred in Indian Country be prosecuted in federal court as opposed to State court.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
Brown was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Wapato Man Sentenced to 405 Months Incarceration for Second Degree MurderRead the Press Release
Yakima, Washington – United States Attorney Pete Serrano announced that on November 18, 2025, Jason Alexander Logie, age 36, of Wapato, Washington, was sentenced to 405 months in prison to be followed by 5 years of supervised release by Chief United States District Judge Stanley A. Bastian in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Washington. Logie was convicted of Second Degree Murder following a jury trial and guilty verdict August 20, 2025.
According to court documents and information presented at trial, while driving under the influence of alcohol, Logie crossed the center line on North Track Road within the Yakama Nation Indian Reservation on the afternoon of September 9, 2023, striking an on-coming vehicle in its own lane of travel. The driver of the vehicle died as a result of the collision. At the time of the collision, Logie was subject to a deferred sentence for driving under the influence of alcohol from the Yakama Nation Tribal Court based upon a December 2022 arrest and was on conditions of release issued by Yakima County District Court for another DUI charge from a September 2022 incident. Logie had several previous convictions for alcohol-related driving as well as completing two separate deferred sentences for similar crimes. He was also subject to an arrest warrant for DUI, Second Offense, issued in 2018 by the city of Lawrence, Kansas.
At sentencing, Logie requested a sentence of 66 months in prison. Prosecutors requested a sentence of 405 months in prison. In pronouncing a sentence of 405 months, Chief Judge Bastian noted Logie’s history of DUI prosecutions and that he had over twenty-one failures to appear and several failures to comply before multiple courts.
United States Attorney Pete Serrano stated, “One of my top priorities as U.S. Attorney is to continue to strengthen our relationship with state, local, and Tribal law enforcement. Partnering with these agencies strengthens our prosecution of cases like this, where a repeat offender will be held accountable for his careless actions that cost an innocent victim their life. Repeat offenders like this are a direct threat to our communities and I am thankful for the efforts of our Tribal, state and federal partners to bring justice to this victim and their family.”
This case was investigated and presented for prosecution by the Yakama Nation Police Department and the investigation was assisted by the Yakima County Sheriff’s Department and the Washington State Patrol. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Michael D. Murphy and Courtney R. Pratten.
1:24-cr-02059-SABViolent Extremist Network “764” Member Facing Federal Indictment for Sexual Exploitation, Coercion and Enticement of Minors, CyberstalkingRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – Today, a federal grand jury returned an indictment, charging Erik Lee Madison, 20, of Halethorpe, Maryland, with three counts of sexual exploitation of a child, three counts of coercion and enticement of a child, and one count of cyberstalking. Law enforcement arrested Madison pursuant to a criminal complaint on November 6, 2025.
Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the indictment with Special Agent in Charge Jimmy Paul, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) – Baltimore Field Office; Chief Amal E. Awad, Anne Arundel County Police Department (AACOPD); and Chief Robert McCullough, Baltimore County Police Department (BCPD).
According to the indictment, and the affidavit filed in support of the previous criminal complaint, Madison was a member and associate of “764,” a criminal organization of Nihilistic Violent Extremists. Members of “764” use known online social media communications platforms as mediums to support the possession, production, and sharing of extreme gore media and child sex abuse material with vulnerable, juvenile populations. These individuals often conduct coordinated extortions of teenagers, blackmailing the victims to comply with the group’s demands. The indictment alleges that between November 2024 and September 2025, Madison persuaded, induced, enticed, and coerced three minor females to engage in sexually explicit conduct. Madison illegally interacted the minors to produce and transmit a visual depiction of the sexually explicit conduct and to engage in prohibited sexual conduct. Additionally, the indictment alleges Madison committed cyberstalking against one of the minor victims.
If convicted, Madison faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years and a maximum sentence of 30 years in federal prison for each of the three counts of sexual exploitation of a minor. He also faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years and a maximum of life imprisonment for each of the three counts of coercion and enticement of a child, and a maximum of 10 years in federal prison for cyberstalking.
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. U.S. Magistrate Judge Erin Aslan previously ordered Madison to be detained pending trial.
An indictment is not a finding of guilt. An individual charged by indictment is 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, please visit justice.gov/psc and click on the “Resources” tab on the left of the page.
The Justice Department remains vigilant against the threat of Nihilistic Violent Extremist (NVE) networks, like 764, that operate within the United States and around the globe. NVEs often target vulnerable individuals, including minors, using social media platforms to share child sexual abuse material (CSAM) and gore material, and groom victims toward committing acts of violence. Victims are often extorted, coerced, compelled, and blackmailed into complying with NVE demands, including self-mutilation, online and in-person sexual acts, harm to animals, sexual exploitation of siblings and others, acts of violence, threats of violence, suicide, and murder. For more information on how to protect children and others, read about the online risks here: Parents, Caregivers, Teachers — FBI and the FBI’s March 2025 public service announcement.
U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the FBI, AACOPD, and the BCPD for their work in the investigation.
For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, visit justice.gov/usao-md and justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.
# # #
U.S. Citizens and Chinese Nationals Arrested for Exporting Artificial Intelligence Technology to ChinaRead the Press Release
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, announced Assistant Attorney General John A. Eisenberg for the Justice Department’s National Security Division and U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe for the Middle District of Florida.
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.
“The indictment unsealed yesterday alleges a deliberate and deceptive effort to transship controlled NVIDIA GPUs to China by falsifying paperwork, creating fake contracts, and misleading U.S. authorities,” said John A. Eisenberg, Assistant Attorney General for National Security. “The National Security Division is committed to disrupting these kinds of black markets of sensitive U.S. technologies and holding accountable those who participate in this illicit trade.”
“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 NationalityAge and ResidenceChargesMax. Term of ImprisonmentHon 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 countThis 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 U.S. 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.
An indictment is merely an allegation and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty in a court of law.
U.S. Attorney’s Office Highlights Immigration Sentencings During Lapse in Federal AppropriationsRead the Press Release
LEXINGTON, Ky. – Throughout the 43-day lapse in government funding, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Kentucky continued to advance the Department of Justice’s mission in priority enforcement areas, including immigration enforcement. Below are highlights of sentencings that the U.S. Attorney’s Office secured in connection with several immigration-related cases prosecuted during the recent lapse in federal appropriations.
Tuesday, October 7
A Mexican national, David Gomez-Rodriguez, 44, illegally residing in Pulaski County, was sentenced to 14 months for illegal reentry into the United States. According to his plea agreement, he was removed from the U.S. on August 19, 2022, and on December 6, 2024, he was encountered again in [location] without having sought or received permission to return to the United States. Prior to his first removal in August 2022, Gomez-Rodriguez had a felony conviction for rape in Nelson County, Kentucky.
Thursday, October 9
A Guatemalan national, Juan Esteban Mejia-Ajpop, illegally residing in Newport, Ky., was sentenced to 26 months for aggravated identity theft and use of false identification documents to obtain employment. According to his plea agreement, on two occasions in October 2023 and April 2024, the defendant presented a fraudulent California identification card and a forged Social Security card to secure employment. The information on the forged cards corresponded to another person who is a United States citizen.
A Guatemalan national, Bernabe Domingo-Aguilar, illegally residing in Newport, Ky., was sentenced to 60 months for illegal reentry into the United States after having been convicted of a felony. Domingo-Aguilar had been removed from the United States four prior times, most recently in 2019. Three of the previous removals followed criminal charges. In 2022, Domingo-Aguilar was unlawfully present in the U.S. when he committed rape on a minor in Kentucky.
Tuesday, October 14
A Mexican national, Antonio Balderas-Arellano, 25,, was sentenced to 21 months for illegal reentry into the United States. According to court documents, the defendant was found on February 21, 2025, in Scott County after previously being deported to Mexico in November 2023 from Atlanta.
Monday, October 20
A Mexican national, Javier Perez-Ruiz, 37, illegally residing in Louisville, Ky., was sentenced to time served (approximately 124 days) for illegal reentry into the United States after being found in Scott County. According to his plea agreement, Perez-Ruiz was previously convicted of conspiracy to distribute cocaine in August 2012 in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Kentucky, was sentenced to 13 months, and was deported on March 5, 2013.
Tuesday, October 28
A Honduran national, Jose Hernandez Garcia, 25, illegally residing in Corbin, Ky., was sentenced for possession of a firearm by an illegal alien. According to his plea agreement, the defendant was traffic-stopped for operating a vehicle under the influence of alcohol. A search of the vehicle uncovered a loaded firearm in the backseat next to an open beer bottle. Garcia did not have legal status to be in the United States.
Thursday, October 30
A Mexican national, Miguel Ruiz Sanchez, illegally residing in Shelby County, Ky., was sentenced to 12 months for illegal reentry into the United States. According to court documents, Sanchez had previously been deported from the U.S. on four different occasions - March 2011, April 2012, April 2014, and February 2017 – and had a felony conviction prior to those removals.
Tuesday, November 4
A Mexican national, Esain Benitez Alcantara, 36, was sentenced to 30 months for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and possession of a firearm by an illegal alien. According to his plea agreement, on June 14, 2024, Lexington Police Department officers responded to a shots fired call and found Benitez Alcantara in possession of a loaded firearm, 13 live rounds of ammunition, and a quantity of cash indicative of drug trafficking. A search of the vehicle found 32 grams of methamphetamine. Benitez Alcantara admitted that he was an undocumented alien, prohibited from possessing a firearm and that he possessed the methamphetamine with intent to distribute.
– END –
U.S. Attorney’s Office Filed 94 Border-Related Cases This WeekRead the Press Release
SAN DIEGO – Federal prosecutors in the Southern District of California filed 94 border-related cases this week, including charges of assault on a federal officer, bringing in aliens for financial gain, reentering the U.S. after deportation, and importation of controlled substances.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of California is the fourth-busiest federal district, largely due to a high volume of border-related crimes. This district, encompassing San Diego and Imperial counties, shares a 140-mile border with Mexico. It includes the San Ysidro Port of Entry, the world’s busiest land border crossing, connecting San Diego (America’s eighth largest city) and Tijuana (Mexico’s second largest city).
In addition to reactive border-related crimes, the Southern District of California also prosecutes a significant number of proactive cases related to terrorism, organized crime, drugs, white-collar fraud, violent crime, cybercrime, human trafficking and national security. Recent developments in those and other significant areas of prosecution can be found here.
A sample of border-related arrests this week:
- On November 17, Yuvitza ORDONEZ-MARTINEZ and Alexa GARCIA-VALENZUELA, both United States citizens, were arrested and charged with Importation of a Controlled Substance. According to a complaint, ORDONEZ-MARTINEZ and GARCIA-VALENZUELA, arrived in a vehicle at the Interstate 8 Border Patrol Checkpoint in Pine Valley, California. At pre-primary inspection, a K9 Border Patrol Agent alerted that the vehicle’s occupants may have been involved in alien or controlled substances smuggling. Following Border Patrol Agent’s search of the vehicle, agents discovered 23 bundles of white crystalline substance (weighting 71.80 kilograms total).
- On November 18, Viviana SERRANO, a United States citizen, was arrested for bringing an illegal alien to the United States for the purpose of financial gain. According to a complaint, SERRANO applied for admission into the United States from Mexico via the Tecate, California Port of entry as the sole visible occupant of her vehicle. Upon inspection of the vehicle, Customs and Border Protection Officers discovered one adult male and one minor male concealed within the trunk of the vehicle. Both male occupants were citizens of Mexico without legal authorization to lawfully enter the United States. SERRANO admitted to knowledge of the smuggling attempt and stated she was going to receive $2,000 USD for her smuggling services.
- On November 19, Abraham Francisco LOPEZ Guitimea was arrested and charged with attempting to bring in illegal aliens for financial gain. According to a complaint, the San Diego U.S. Border Patrol Marine Unit was conducting a pro-active patrol, when they observed a suspicious vessel. After intercepting the suspicious vessel, U.S. Border Patrol Agents conducted an immigration inspection on the vessel’s driver and 16 passengers, who were later identified as non-U.S. citizens. LOPEZ admitted to being captain of the vessel and stated that he was going to earn $1,000 USD per individual successfully smuggled into the United States. The other individuals were arrested and charged with various immigration related offenses.
Also recently, a number of defendants with criminal records were convicted by a jury or sentenced for border-related crimes such as illegally re-entering the U.S. after previous deportation. Here are a few of those cases:
- On November 18, Ahumada Alcaraz, a Mexican national who was previously deported 16 times, was convicted by a jury of Attempted Reentry of Removed Alien. Alcaraz first administrative deportation was from August 27, 2008.
- On November 19, Mikah Alexandria DOTY, who was convicted of knowingly transporting aliens without legal status within the United States, was sentenced in federal court to 12 months in custody.
Pursuant to the Department’s Operation Take Back America priorities, federal law enforcement has focused immigration prosecutions on undocumented aliens who are engaged in criminal activity in the U.S., including those who commit drug and firearms crimes, who have serious criminal records, or who have active warrants for their arrest. Federal authorities have also been prioritizing investigations and prosecutions against drug, firearm, and human smugglers and those who endanger and threaten the safety of our communities and the law enforcement officers who protect the community.
The immigration cases were referred or supported by federal law enforcement partners, including Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE ERO), Customs and Border Protection, U.S. Border Patrol, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS), and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), with the support and assistance of state and local law enforcement partners.
Indictments and criminal complaints are merely allegations and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
U.S. Attorney: 73 Defendants Sentenced During Government ShutdownRead the Press Release
WHEELING, WEST VIRGINIA – United States Attorney Matthew L. Harvey is applauding the work of his office during the government shutdown in the Northern District of West Virginia.
“The U.S. Attorney’s Office and our law enforcement partners continued the important work of Operation Take Back America, removing drug dealers, firearms offenders, and those who commit crimes against children, from our communities,” said U.S. Attorney Harvey.
During the 43-day lapse in government appropriations, the U.S. Attorney’s Office facilitated more than 70 sentences, secured dozens of guilty pleas, indicted 17 matters, and successfully litigated a trial.
Notable sentences involving drug trafficking include:
- Desmond Davis, 35, of Martinsburg, West Virginia, was sentenced to 327 months in federal prison.
- Lenin Erasmo Luna Mota, 53, of Hagerstown, Maryland, was sentenced to 280 months.
- Malik Summers, 51, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, was sentenced to 240 months.
- Odell Epps, 48, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, was sentenced to 130 months in prison.
- Frank Brown, 36, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, was sentenced to 120 months in prison.
- Gary Duane Cool, 41, of Monterville, West Virginia, was sentenced to 188 months.
- Emmanuel Gibson, 34, of Fairmont, West Virginia, was sentenced to 151 months in prison.
- Theresa Lipkey, 44, of Petersburg, West Virginia, was sentenced to 84 months in prison.
- Corey Coffman Kneeland, 35, of Wardensville, West Virginia, was sentenced to 121 months.
- Jennifer Ann Howell, 46, of Moorefield, West Virginia, was sentenced to 90 months.
- Matthew David Viands, 33, of Summit Point, West Virginia, was sentenced to 78 months.
- Mauricio Alvarado-Flores, 39, of El Salvador, was sentenced to 71 months in prison.
- Alexis Alvarado, 38, of Ranson, West Virginia, was sentenced to 60 months.
- Rahim Duncan, 31, of Cleveland, Ohio, was sentenced to 63 months in federal prison.
- Crystal Lynn Blakenship, 40, of Buckhannon, West Virginia, was sentenced to 97 months.
- Randy Jones, 42, of Clarksburg, West Virginia, was sentenced to 136 months in prison.
- Kimberly Goins, 44, of Clarksburg, West Virginia, was sentenced to 78 months.
- Rebecca Keiper, 38, of Clarksburg, West Virginia, was sentenced to 78 months in prison.
Prison sentences were secured for those violating firearms laws, to include:
- Bryan Davis, 39, of Williamsport, Maryland, was sentenced to 188 months in prison.
- Alexander Dignazio, 23, of Martinsburg, West Virginia, was sentenced to 120 months in federal prison.
- Garrett Deberry, 28, of Morgantown, West Virginia, was sentenced to 160 months in prison.
The office also secured sentences for those who violated child pornography laws:
- Oliver Matheny, age 51, of Maidsville, West Virginia, was sentenced to 300 months in prison.
- David Cicalese, 44, of Buckhannon, West Virginia, was sentenced to 120 months.
- Joshua Michael Humphrey, 43, of Buckhannon, West Virginia, was sentenced to 88 months in prison.
- Elliot Stache, 37, of Fairmont, West Virginia, was sentenced to 180 months in federal prison.
The sentences were presided by Chief U.S. District Judge Thomas S. Kleeh, U.S. District Judge Gina M. Groh, and U.S. District Judge John Preston Bailey.
The cases were 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.
U.S. Attorney's Office Details Criminal Sentencings Amid Government ShutdownRead the Press Release
SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF INDIANA- During the lapse in appropriations between October 1 and November 12, 2025, the United States Department of Justice and the United States Attorney’s Office remained committed to ensuring that our fellow Hoosiers were safe, and our law enforcement capacity remained fully active. U.S. Attorney Tom Wheeler is pleased to publicly acknowledge the efforts made and the outstanding work done notwithstanding the burdens of the longest government shutdown in history.
U.S. Attorney Wheeler also wishes to specifically acknowledge the dedication of the Federal Judges of the Southern District of Indiana, their staff, the Clerk and her staff, as well as the Marshalls Service during this time as well.
During this period, the U.S. Attorney’s Office continued essential public safety operations, resulting in charges against 41 defendants across multiple categories of criminal conduct.
The criminal case summaries below highlight this commitment to justice and accountability, representing just a portion of the 30 total criminal sentencings secured during the 43‑day shutdown. Although these sentencings occurred during the lapse, they were not published at the time due to the government shutdown. They are now being released following the resumption of normal operations.
For more information on individual cases, full press releases are available through the links below or on our website at Justice.gov/usao-sdin/news-and-press-releases.
INDIANAPOLIS DIVISION:
U.S. v. Kimberly Dumes. Dumes, 43, of Indianapolis, was sentenced to three years of probation after pleading guilty to wire fraud for submitting three fraudulent CARES Act loan applications between 2020 and 2021, which netted her $51,664. She falsely claimed to own businesses to secure EIDL and PPP funds, despite having no employees or actual operations. During this time, Dumes was employed with the U.S. Postal Service.
- U.S. v. Mitchell Gibson. Gibson, 40, an inmate at the Terre Haute Federal Correctional Complex, was sentenced to an additional 25 years in prison after pleading guilty to second-degree murder for fatally torturing his cellmate in 2020. Already serving 45 years for brutally assaulting his pregnant wife, Gibson’s history of violent abuse extended to multiple victims, reflecting a long-standing pattern of cruelty.
- U.S. v. Desha Morris. Morris, 39, of Indianapolis, was sentenced to five years in federal prison and ordered to pay $335,589 in restitution after pleading guilty to mail and benefits fraud. Between 2020 and 2022, she used fake identities and forged documents to steal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits, continuing a long history of forgery and identity theft. Morris carried out her scheme by creating fake identities with forged documents, impersonating applicants, and renting multiple addresses to receive EBT cards, which she then sold for cash or used herself.
- U.S. v. Michael Martinez. Martinez, 30, of Camby, was sentenced to 15 years in federal prison and 20 years of supervised release after pleading guilty to distributing child sexual abuse material. In May 2024, investigators linked him to the Kik account “the_goose_boi,” which had uploaded 28 illicit files and contained disturbing messages expressing sexual interest in minors. Martinez was already on probation for a 2020 conviction involving child sexual abuse material and exploitation when he committed the new offenses.
EVANSVILLE DIVISION:
U.S. v. Samuel Kirkwood. Kirkwood, 36, of Evansville, was sentenced to 15 years in federal prison and lifetime supervised release after pleading guilty to producing and possessing child sexual abuse material. Investigators found explicit images on his cell phones, including one he admitted to creating by photographing a 10‑year‑old girl in his care.
- U.S. v. Anita Perez. Perez, 51, of Sellersburg, Indiana, was sentenced to 18 months in federal prison and ordered to pay nearly $2 million in restitution after pleading guilty to preparing fraudulent tax returns. From 2021 to 2023, she operated her business, ChuliTodo, where she filed 463 false returns on behalf of clients. These returns included fabricated business losses and inflated deductions, leading taxpayers to receive refunds they weren’t entitled to. Her schemes caused a tax loss of more than $1.5 million to the IRS.
U.S. v. Uchechukwu Gideon Eze. Eze, 46, of Nigeria, was sentenced to 21 months in federal prison and ordered to pay over $182,000 in restitution after pleading guilty to wire fraud. In 2023, Eze and overseas co-conspirators carried out a business email compromise scheme that tricked a Clark County, Indiana company into sending payments to a fraudulent account he controlled. He quickly drained the funds for personal purchases, fled the country, and was later arrested while attempting to re-enter the U.S. The fraud devastated the victim business, forcing its owners to refinance property, extend credit, and delay retirement plans.
- U.S. v. Dennis Carter and Kyle Wade Owens. Carter, 47, and Owens, 36, of Evansville, were sentenced to 20 months and 13 months in federal prison, respectively, after pleading guilty to producing counterfeit U.S. currency. Between January and March 2025, the pair created at least 30 fake $100 bills by altering genuine $10 notes with printing equipment and chemicals. They used the counterfeit bills at numerous businesses in Indiana and Kentucky, receiving real currency as change.
U.S. Attorney Capito Commends Office and Law Enforcement Partners for Many Successes During Government ShutdownRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – The criminal justice mission of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia was undeterred during the recent federal government shutdown, with the office securing 25 guilty pleas, nine grand jury indictments, and 31 sentencings during that time, United States Attorney Moore Capito said.
“The Assistant United States Attorneys and the staff in this office did not skip a beat,” Capito said. “They were coming to work without being paid and ensured that justice was done and that the people of West Virginia were safe.”
The U.S. Attorney’s Office continued to prosecute criminal cases during the shutdown. More than a dozen criminal cases were brought under Operation Take Back America and involve drug trafficking, firearms, and immigration crimes. Other cases were brought under the Project Safe Childhood initiative and the Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act of 2006.
Criminal cases that proceeded during the shutdown include:
- On November 6, 2025, Timothy Ray Gravley, 42, of Logan County, was sentenced to 15 years in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release, for possession with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing fentanyl and his brother Jessie Joe Gravley II, 43, of Logan County, was sentenced to 13 years in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release, for possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine and quantities of fentanyl and heroin.
- Michael David Barker, 48, of Foster, was sentenced on November 10, 2025, to two years and nine months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay $3,448,571.85 in restitution for conspiracy to commit mail fraud. Barker admitted to a scheme to defraud the Boone County Schools system by more than $3.4 million while employed as the maintenance director.
- Gregory Neal Hager, 40, of Madison, pleaded guilty on October 7, 2025, to possession of child pornography.
- Paul Charles Clement, 43, of Hillsboro, pleaded guilty on October 28, 2025, to failure to register as a sex offender, as required by the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA), after relocating from Virginia to West Virginia.
- Dennis Eugene West, 57, of Moncks Corner, South Carolina, pleaded guilty on October 9, 2025, as an individual and on behalf of his trucking business Gadsden, Gaillard and West LLC, each for negligent discharge of pollutants into United States waters. West was hauling alkyl dimethylamine in a tractor trailer on August 24, 2022, when he crashed onthe West Virginia Turnpike while crossing Skitter Creek Bridge in Fayette County. The crash spilled the pollutants onto the bridge and into Paint Creek.
- Three Mexican citizens living illegally in West Virginia pleaded guilty to immigration crimes: Alfredo Galaviz-Galaviz, also known as “Alfredo Galaviz”, 28, Bruno Lisandro Pastrano Lopez, 39, and Lazaro Morales-Lauro, 52. They and a fourth Mexican citizen who pleaded guilty earlier to an immigration crime, Federico Montalvo Salas, 22, were sentenced to time served and transferred to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) administrative custody for removal proceedings.
- Timothy Lane Crowder, 44, of Huntington, was sentenced on November 3, 2025, to five months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay $24,525.33 in restitution for unlawful receipt of gratuities. Crowder admitted to receiving approximately $24,525.33 from disability benefits awarded to veterans while he was a salaried employee of the Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA) at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Press releases for hearings that occurred during the shutdown are also being posted on the website as they become available.
###
Two Individuals Charged with Arson Inside a Local BusinessRead the Press Release
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – A federal grand jury has indicted two individuals for starting a fire inside a business, announced U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona.
A two-count indictment filed in U.S. District Court charges Lillian Jayne Colburn, 26, and Mercutio Terrell Southall, 41, both of Birmingham, Alabama, with arson and conspiring to provide material support to terrorists in connection with the arson. The arson occurred at the Walmart Supercenter located on Lakeshore Parkway in Homewood, Alabama on August 25, 2025.
The FBI investigated the case along with the Homewood Police Department and the Irondale Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney W. Lee Gilmer is prosecuting the case.
An indictment contains only charges. Defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty
Tulsa Resident Sentenced for Illegally Possessing Firearm and AmmunitionRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Demarrio Lee Hannah, aka Demario Hannah, aka Mario Hannah, age 37, of Tulsa, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 33 months in prison for one count of Felon in Possession of Firearm and Ammunition.
The charge arose from an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Choctaw Nation Lighthorse Police.
On May 13, 2025, Hannah pleaded guilty to the charge. According to investigators, on June 22, 2024, law enforcement conducting a routine traffic stop on an SUV traveling north on Highway 69 near Atoka, Oklahoma, discovered Hannah in possession of a loaded Taurus G3 semi-automatic pistol. At the time of the stop, Hannah had been previously convicted of a crime punishable by more than one year imprisonment.
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 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. Hannah 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.
Three Indicted in Connection with Seizure of 99 Kilograms of Cocaine in Massachusetts, New York and Puerto RicoRead the Press Release
BOSTON – Three Massachusetts men have been indicted by a federal grand jury in Boston in connection with the seizure of approximately 99 kilograms of cocaine in Revere, Mass.; Colton, N.Y.; and San Juan, P.R.
Joel Betances, 43, of Revere; Noel Betances, 42, of Chelsea; and Reylin Segura, 31, of Boston, were indicted on one count each of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances. Joel Betances and Noel Betances were also charged with possession with intent to distribute 5 kilograms or more of cocaine. Noel Betances was charged with distribution of 500 grams or more of cocaine. Segura was also charged with possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine. The defendants will be arraigned in federal court in Boston at a later date.
Noel Betances and Segura were previously arrested and charged by complaint in August 2025. Joel Betances was arrested in the Dominican Republic on Nov. 19, 2025.
According to court records, in 2023, an investigation began into packages sent from Puerto Rico to Massachusetts that were suspected to contain narcotics. One such package intercepted in Puerto Rico in June 2023, allegedly contained five kilograms of cocaine. Between June 2023 and September 2023, it is alleged that Noel Betances and Joel Betances were observed picking up additional suspected cocaine packages from locations in Chelsea, Revere and Boston, and delivering them to different location – including a residence in Revere.
It is further alleged that approximately two years later, on July 26, 2025, Joel Betances supplied an individual with 25 kilograms of cocaine to be transported to New York. The cocaine was subsequently seized from a vehicle in Colton, N.Y.
Additionally, it is alleged that on Aug. 12, 2025, Betances was observed exiting a residence in Revere with a box, which he transferred to Segura in exchange for a plastic bag. The box was allegedly later found to contain four kilograms of cocaine and the bag allegedly contained approximately $58,000 in bundled cash. A subsequent search of the Revere residence resulted in the seizure of an additional 65 kilograms of cocaine and approximately $341,780 cash.
The value of the cocaine seized in the case is estimated to be at least $1.4 million.
The charges of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances (involving five kilograms or more of cocaine) and possession with intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine provide for a sentence of at least 10 years and up to life in prison, at least five years of supervised release and up to life and a fine of $10 million. The charges of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances (involving 500 grams or more of cocaine), distribution of 500 grams or more of cocaine, and possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine, provide for a sentence of at least five years and up to 40 years in prison, at least four years of supervised release and up to life and a fine of $5 million. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Ted E. Docks, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; Jarod A. Forget, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Division; Colonel Geoffrey D. Noble, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police; and Ketty Larco-Ward, Inspector in Charge of the Boston Division of the United States Postal Inspection Service made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Revere Police Department, the Boston Police Department and the Worcester Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Samuel R. Feldman of the Narcotics & Money Laundering Unit is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces and Project Safe Neighborhood.
The details contained in the charging document are allegations. The defendants are presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Three Convicted and Deported Felons Charged with Illegally Reentering U.S.Read the Press Release
David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that three foreign nationals have been recently charged with illegally reentering the U.S. after being previously deported.
On November 10, 2025, FREDDY ALEXANDER MORALES TEJADA, 24, a citizen of El Salvador residing in Vernon, waived his right to be indicted and pleaded guilty in New Haven federal court to illegally reentering the U.S. after being deported. According to court documents and statements made in court, in October 2023, Morales Tejada was convicted and sentenced in Connecticut Superior Court of carrying a pistol without a permit and failure to appear in the first degree. In February 2024, he was deported to El Salvador. Morales Tejada unlawfully reentered the U.S. and was found in South Windsor on May 19, 2025, when he was arrested for engaging in a police pursuit, reckless driving, operating motor vehicle without license, and illegal operation of motor vehicle under suspension. He is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Victor A. Bolden in New Haven on February 25, 2026, at which time he faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 10 years. He has been detained since his federal arrest on October 23, 2025.
On November 3, 2025, IOAN ALIN ZELE, also known as Ioan Kanalos and Filippo Gaudenzi, 24, a citizen of Romania, waived his right to be indicted and pleaded guilty in New Haven federal court to illegally reentering the U.S. after being deported. According to court documents and statements made in court, in September 2023, Zele was convicted in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California of bank fraud and unlawful use of unauthorized access devices for his involvement in a scheme to fraudulently obtain food stamp benefits by using skimming devices to clone other people’s food stamp (electronic benefits transfer) cards and then using those cloned cards to withdraw food stamp benefits. He was sentenced to 16 months of imprisonment for the offense, and was removed to Romania in June 2024. Zele unlawfully reentered the U.S. and, in December 2024, was arrested by Connecticut State Police under the name Ioan Kanalos and charged with computer crime third degree, fraudulent use of auto teller (ATM) card, larceny fourth degree, identity theft third degree, and illegal use of scanning device. Zele pleaded guilty in Connecticut Superior Court and, after completing his state sentence, was arrested on October 2, 2025, on a federal criminal complaint charging him with illegally reentering the U.S. He has been detained since his arrest and is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Victor A. Bolden on February 24, 2026, at which time he faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years.
On October 15, 2025, a federal grand jury in New Haven returned an indictment charging CARLOS CABRERA-ZARUMA, 45, a citizen of Ecuador residing in Danbury, with illegally reentering the U.S. after being deported. According to court documents and statements made in court, in 2008, Cabrera-Zaruma was convicted and sentenced in Connecticut Superior Court of sexual assault in the second degree against a victim under the age of 16, and operating a motor vehicle under the influence of alcohol or drugs. He was deported to Ecuador in September 2010. Cabrera-Zaruma subsequently unlawfully reentered the U.S. and returned to Connecticut. He has been detained since his arrest on October 7, 2025. U.S. Attorney Sullivan stressed that an indictment is not evidence of guilt. Charges are only allegations, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
These matters are being investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations. The cases against Morales Tejada and Cabrera-Zaruma are being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Neeraj. N. Patel, and the case against Zele is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexis L. Beyerlein.
These cases are part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
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.