Latest Records
Newest first across public DOJ and U.S. Attorney press releases.
20 November 2025
Three Accused of Armed Robbery of St. Louis Fast Food RestaurantRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – Three men were indicted Wednesday and accused of participating in the armed robbery of a St. Louis fast food restaurant in September.
Reuel Clower, 43, and Michael Upchurch, 41, both of St. Louis, and Carlos D. Nelson, 23, of Belleville, Ill., now face one count of robbery and one count of brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence. Clower and Upchurch were also indicted on one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm.
The indictment alleges that the men robbed a restaurant in the 600 block of North Kingshighway Boulevard on September 24. A motion seeking to have Nelson held in jail until trial says the robbers searched restaurant employees for items of value and then forced them to the ground before stealing cash from the register.
All three have been in custody since November 5.
Charges set forth in an indictment are merely accusations and do not constitute proof of guilt. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty.
The St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department and the FBI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicholas Lake 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 Justice Department Files Complaint Challenging California Laws Providing In-State Tuition, Scholarships, and Subsidized Loans for Illegal AliensRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Today, The United States is challenging California laws providing in-state tuition, scholarships, and subsidized loans for illegal aliens. These laws unconstitutionally discriminate against U.S. citizens who are not afforded the same reduced tuition rates, scholarships, or subsidies, create incentives for illegal immigration, and reward illegal immigrants with benefits that U.S. citizens are not eligible for, all in direct conflict with federal law.
“California is illegally discriminating against American students and families by offering exclusive tuition benefits for non-citizens,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “This marks our third lawsuit against California in one week — we will continue bringing litigation against California until the state ceases its flagrant disregard for federal law.”
The Department of Justice’s complaint is filed in the Eastern District of California against the State of California, Governor Newsom, the State Attorney General, and the Regents of the University of California, the Board of Trustees of the California State University, and the Board of Governors of the California Community Colleges seeking to enjoin the State from enforcing the California laws and bring them into compliance with federal requirements.
In the complaint, the United States seeks to enjoin enforcement of California laws that requires colleges and universities to provide in-state tuition rates for all aliens who maintain California residency, regardless of whether those aliens are lawfully present in the United States. Additionally, the complaint seeks to enjoin California from enforcing its so-called “California Dream Act” which affords scholarships and subsidized loans to illegal aliens.
This lawsuit follows two executive orders signed by President Trump that seek to ensure illegal aliens are not obtaining taxpayer benefits or preferential treatment: “Ending Taxpayer Subsidization of Open Borders” and “Protecting American Communities From Criminal Aliens.” This lawsuit also follows similar tuition lawsuits in Texas, Kentucky, Illinois, Oklahoma, and Minnesota.
Texas Man Sentenced for Traveling for Sex with a MinorRead the Press Release
LEXINGTON, Ky. – A Tomball, Texas, man, Emre Nathaniel Baluken, 24, was sentenced on October 6 by U.S. District Judge Gregory Van Tatenhove to 240 months in prison, for online enticement of a minor to engage in unlawful sexual activity and traveling for sex with a minor.
According to court documents, on November 13, 2024, Baluken drove from Tomball, Texas, to Winchester, Ky., to pick up a minor, with whom he had been communicating online for several months using X and Instagram, intending to return with the minor to Texas. After eventually being detained by law enforcement, Baluken admitted that for several months he had exchanged sexually explicit videos and photos of the victim over X and Instagram.
Under federal law, Baluken must serve 85 percent of his prison sentence. Upon his release from prison, he will be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for 10 years.
Paul McCaffrey, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; and Olivia Olson, Special Agent in Charge, FBI, Louisville Field Office, jointly announced the sentence.
The investigation was conducted by the FBI. Assistant U.S. Attorney James Chapman is prosecuting the case on behalf of the United States.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted this case as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
– END –
Texas Man Arrested for Allegedly Trafficking More than 20 Pounds of Fentanyl-Cocaine MixtureRead the Press Release
WACO, Texas – A Brownsville man was arrested in Waco on criminal charges related to his alleged possession with intent to distribute a mixture or substance containing fentanyl.
According to court documents, Jaime Vanegas, 28, was the driver and sole occupant of a vehicle that was pulled over in a traffic stop by a Texas Department of Public Safety (TX DPS) trooper on Nov. 11. After a canine alerted to the presence of narcotics and during a probable cause search of the vehicle, the TX DPS trooper allegedly located a trap door under the center console of the vehicle and recovered 10 plastic wrapped brick-shaped packages containing a white powdery substance. A criminal complaint alleges that the total weight of the substance and packaging was approximately 24 pounds, and that the substance tested positive for a mixture for fentanyl and cocaine. An additional search of Vanegas’s electronic devices allegedly revealed images of bundled bulk cash, the interior and exterior of the hidden trap door discovered by the DPS trooper, narcotics, and packages consistent with the plastic wrapped packages the trooper found inside the compartment.
Vanegas made his initial appearance in federal court on Nov. 19 and is charged with one count of possession with intent to distribute a mixture or substance containing fentanyl. If convicted, he faces 10 years to life in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
U.S. Attorney Justin R. Simmons for the Western District of Texas the announcement.
TX DPS is investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Chris Blanton is prosecuting the case.
A criminal complaint is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
###
Texas Businessman Admits $1.9 Million COVID Test Kit FraudRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – A Texas businessman on Thursday admitted fraudulently obtaining $1.9 million from Medicare for COVID-19 test kits.
Companies owned by Rashid Naqvi, 52, of the Houston area, obtained $1,974,479 through the scheme, which lasted from roughly March 2023 to at least October of 2023. As part of his guilty plea in U.S. District Court in St. Louis to one count of wire fraud, Naqvi admitted fraudulently submitting thousands of claims to Medicare for the kits.
Naqvi operated two laboratories that he used to submit claims to Medicare: Elite Diagnostics Inc. in the Eastern District of Missouri and Astro Diagnostics Inc. in Texas. Naqvi obtained patients’ Medicare numbers and identifiers without their knowledge or consent by paying $488,435 in kickbacks to co-conspirators. He used that information to submit claims to Medicare for test kits that were then sent to patients who had not requested them. Naqvi’s labs billed Medicare a total of 22,898 times for the kits during the scheme. Neither Naqvi nor his labs had any direct contact or relationship with the Medicare patients who were the subject of the claims. Some of the reimbursement claims were for patients who had died before receiving the kits.
Naqvi continued his scheme even after patients called to say that they had not requested the test kits. During subsequent audits by Medicare investigators, Naqvi tried to conceal his scheme by producing false records to investigators, including documents which falsely represented that the Medicare patients authorized the kits. He also hid the kickbacks from investigators.
Naqvi is scheduled to be sentenced on April 7, 2026. Wire fraud is punishable by up to 20 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000 or both prison and a fine.
The FBI and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Derek Wiseman is prosecuting the case.
Tennessee Man Convicted by Federal Jury of Transporting a Minor Across State Lines to Engage in SexRead the Press Release
Greenville, MS – A federal jury convicted a Tennessee man this week of three counts of transporting a minor across state lines to engage in sex.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Terry Dewayne Macon met a Mississippi teen online in July of 2024. Over the next month, Macon drove from Tennessee to Mississippi on three occasions where he picked up the minor and returned with her to Tennessee. Macon later admitted that he had engaged in sex acts with the minor. At the time of the transport and sex acts, Macon was 27 years old, and the female was 14 years old.
On August 28, 2024, members of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Child Abduction Response Team located the minor with Macon at a residence in Grand Junction, Tennessee and returned her safely home. The jury considered the testimony of the minor and her mother, as well as two Task Force Officers with the FBI. Macon was found guilty on all counts of transporting a minor in interstate commerce with the intent to engage in unlawful sexual activity. He will be sentenced for these offenses by Chief United States District Judge Debra M. Brown on a later date.
Macon was serving a term of federal supervised release at the time of the offenses. At a revocation proceeding held following the verdict, Judge Brown sentenced Macon to 24 months for the violations of release, which will run concurrent to the future sentence imposed in the sex offense case.
U.S. Attorney Scott F. Leary of the Northern District of Mississippi and FBI Special Agent in Charge Robert Eikhoff of the FBI Jackson Field Office made the announcement concerning the jury’s guilty verdict.
The FBI Jackson Field Office and the Corinth Police Department investigated the case with assistance from the FBI Nashville, Jackson Resident Agency and other local investigative agencies in the State of Tennessee.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Julie Addison and Parker King are prosecuting the case.
This case was prosecuted as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
Tampa Man Sentenced to Six Years in Federal Prison for Distributing Cocaine and MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Thomas P. Barber today sentenced Torrey Taylor (45, Tampa) to six years in federal prison for conspiracy to distribute and distribution of cocaine and 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. Taylor pleaded guilty on August 28, 2025.
According to court records, Taylor conspired with his co-defendant, Temeko Evans, to distribute methamphetamine and cocaine. Between February 11 and March 26, 2025, detectives from the Tampa Police Department conducted a series of controlled purchases from Evans and Taylor to include approximately two ounces of crack cocaine and two ounces of methamphetamine.
Evans pleaded guilty on October 2, 2025, and her case is scheduled for sentencing on December 18, 2025.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Tampa Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jeff Chang.
Stamford Man Indicted for Child Exploitation OffensesRead the Press Release
David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, Michael J. Krol, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), New England, and Stamford Police Chief Timothy Shaw today announced that RICK MARRO, 44, most recently residing in Stamford, has been charged by indictment with child exploitation offenses.
As alleged in the indictment and other court documents, law enforcement began investigating Marro in August 2023 after a 16-year-old male victim reported that he had been sexually exploited by Marro. The victim reported that he met Marro on a dating application, and they then began communicating on Snapchat in April 2023. The victim indicated that they met in person at Marro’s house on multiple occasions, and two of the encounters were sexual in nature. The victim reported that Marro gave him “poppers,” that Marro was “into” asphyxiation, and, on one occasion, Marro strangled him and he passed out “for a minute or two.” A law enforcement review of the victim’s Snapchat account showed that Marro sent him videos that Marro had recorded of them engaged in sexual activity. He also sent the victim a video depicting Marro choking him.
It is further alleged that law enforcement subsequently seized and searched Marro’s cell phone. During the examination of Marro’s phone, law enforcement located the same videos that he recorded and sent the victim showing them engaged in sexual activity. Investigators also located text messages that Marro had sent to another individual in which Marro stated that he “choked [the victim] all the way to unconscious today by accident.”
Marro was arrested on a federal criminal complaint on January 18, 2024. On October 15, 2025, a federal grand jury in New Haven returned an indictment charging Marro with production of child pornography, an offense that carries a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of 15 years and a maximum term of imprisonment of 30 years; receipt and distribution of child pornography, an offense that carries a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of five years and a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years; and possession of child pornography, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 10 years.
Marro was arraigned on November 6, 2025, and pleaded not guilty. He has been detained since his arrest, and a trial in this matter is scheduled for August 2026.
U.S. Attorney Sullivan stressed that an indictment is not evidence of guilt. Charges are only allegations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This matter is being investigated by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the Stamford Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Neeraj N. Patel.
This prosecution is part of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Project Safe Childhood Initiative, which is aimed at protecting children from sexual abuse and exploitation. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
To report cases of child exploitation, please visit www.cybertipline.com
South Carolina Man and Trucking Business Plead Guilty to Contamination of Paint Creek Resulting from 2022 West Virginia Turnpike CrashRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – 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.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on August 24, 2022, West was driving a tractor trailer in the northbound lane of Interstate 77 when he crashed while crossing Skitter Creek Bridge in Fayette County. Numerous totes containing alkyl dimethylamine that West was hauling ruptured as a result of the crash, and the pollutants spilled onto the bridge and ultimately discharged into Paint Creek. The discharge of the pollutants into Paint Creek, a tributary of the Kanawha River, continued until August 25, 2025, and caused adverse impacts on the aquatic life of the creek including the killing of several species of fish.
As part of his guilty plea, West admitted that he operated the tractor trailer under the influence of alcohol at the time of the crash. Law enforcement determined that West’s Blood Alcohol Content (BAC) was more an 0.08 percent. West Virginia law prohibits any person from operating a commercial motor vehicle with a BAC of 0.04 percent or more. West further admitted that did not have a permit issued pursuant to the federal Clean Water Act to discharge pollutants, including alkyl dimethylamine, into Paint Creek or any other water in West Virginia.
West and Gadsden, Gaillard and West LLC are scheduled to be sentenced on January 29, 2026. West faces a maximum penalty of one year in prison, up to one year of supervised release, and a $100,000 fine. Gadsden, Gaillard and West LLC faces a maximum penalty of up to five years of federal probation and a $200,000 fine. West and Gadsden, Gaillard and West LLC also owe restitution of up to $1,654,654.01
United States Attorney Moore Capito made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency-Criminal Investigation Division, the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection (WVDEP), and the West Virginia State Police.
United States District Judge Irene C. Berger presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Erik S. Goes and Special Assistant United States Attorney David Lastra are prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:25-cr-175.
###
Sioux Falls Man Sentenced to 2 Years in Federal Prison for Possessing a Firearm as a FelonRead the Press Release
SIOUX FALLS - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced today that U.S. District Judge Karen E. Schreier has sentenced a Sioux Falls, South Dakota, man convicted of Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person. The sentencing took place on November 3, 2025.
John Michael Law, age 42, was sentenced to two years in federal prison, three years of supervised release, and a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund in the amount of $100.
Law was indicted by a federal grand jury in October 2024. He pleaded guilty on August 19, 2025.
On April 3, 2023, Sioux Falls police officers encountered Law during a traffic stop. Officers discovered that Law was in possession of a .380 pistol and approximately two grams of methamphetamine. Law was previously convicted of a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence and was not lawfully permitted to possess a firearm because of that conviction and because he was an illegal user of methamphetamine.
This case was investigated by the Sioux Falls Police Department and Homeland Security Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Hodges prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN). Through PSN, the District of South Dakota seeks to bring together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce gun violence and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone.
Law was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Sioux City Man Pleads Guilty to Meth ConspiracyRead the Press Release
Todd Babb, 62, from Sioux City, Iowa, pled guilty November 19, 2025, in federal court in Sioux City to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine.
Evidence at the plea hearing showed that Babb was previously convicted of two prior felony drug offenses, one in Iowa District Court and another in Federal Court. Babb admitted that between 2018 and August 2024, he and others conspired to distribute more than 1500 grams of methamphetamine in the Sioux City area. During a search of Babb’s residence, law enforcement seized over $3,000 and ¼ pound of methamphetamine which Babb intended to distribute to others. Approximately one pound of methamphetamine was also seized from a vehicle outside Babb’s residence.
Sentencing before United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Babb remains in custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing. Babb faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years’ imprisonment and a possible maximum sentence of life imprisonment, a $20,000,000 fine, and at least ten years of supervised release following any imprisonment.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Shawn S. Wehde and was investigated by Tri-State Drug Task Force based in Sioux City, Iowa, that consists of law enforcement personnel from the Drug Enforcement Administration; Sioux City, Iowa, Police Department; Homeland Security Investigations; Woodbury County Sheriff’s Office; South Sioux City, Nebraska, Police Department; Nebraska State Patrol; Iowa National Guard; Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement; United States Marshals Service; South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation; and Woodbury County Attorney’s Office.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 24-4068. Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.
Sharon Felon Sentenced to Prison for Possession of Grenade Detonating FusesRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, Pa. – A resident of Sharon, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty in federal court to violating federal explosives laws and has been sentenced to 12 months of imprisonment, First Assistant United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.
United States District Judge Cathy Bissoon imposed the sentence on Paul Lyn Graves, 47.
Graves, a convicted felon, admitted to illegally possessing explosive materials. According to information presented to the Court, in January 2022, Graves began working at a manufacturer of military equipment despite his previous felony conviction. In April 2022, he was tasked with assembling the detonators on M213 grenade detonating fuses. These fuses contained Royal Demolition eXplosives, which are explosive materials under federal law.
On April 14, 2022, members of the Pennsylvania State Police executed a search warrant at Graves’ residence and recovered three M213 grenade detonating fuses that were between the detonator assembly step and the sealing step, the same assembly state that Graves was tasked with completing.
In imposing the sentence, Judge Bissoon referenced the inherently dangerous nature of the offense and Graves’ prior conviction.
Assistant United States Attorney Mark V. Gurzo prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.First Assistant United States Attorney Rivetti commended the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Pennsylvania State Police for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Graves.
Seattle man convicted of trafficking fentanyl while armedRead the Press Release
Seattle – A jury in U.S. District Court in Seattle today convicted 34-year-old Seattle resident Leon Henderson of three counts of possession of controlled substances with intent to distribute, two counts of possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and two counts of unlawful possession of a firearm, announced U.S. Attorney Charles Neil Floyd. Leon Henderson was arrested by Seattle Police in January, May, and September 2023. Each time Henderson had more than a thousand fentanyl pills, and on two of the arrests he had loaded firearms. The jury deliberated about five hours before reaching the guilty verdict following a three-day trial. U.S. District Judge Jamal N. Whitehead has not yet scheduled a sentencing date.
In the trial’s opening statement Assistant United States Attorney Jin Kim described how “Leon Henderson on the streets in his car was essentially a mobile office, from which he was selling drugs.”
According to records filed in the case and testimony at trial, on January 25, 2023, Henderson was contacted at his car, parked outside the Park Plaza Motel on Aurora. He had $2770 cash in his pocket. When the car was searched, law enforcement found around 600 grams methamphetamine, 1,700 fentanyl pills, 200 grams of fentanyl powder, and a loaded pistol under the driver’s seat. Henderson’s DNA was on the pistol and on a second gun found in a bag with the narcotics.
On May 5, 2023, in the Capitol Hill neighborhood, Henderson was contacted by Seattle Police and was found to have about 7,000 fentanyl pills, a firearm, and cash.
And finally on September 13, 2023, Henderson was arrested in Ballard near a homeless encampment. Henderson possessed a backpack with nearly 10,000 fentanyl pills.
In closing argument Assistant United States Attorney Jessica Manca noted that in the Ballard arrest police observed people coming and going to Henderson’s car window to purchase fentanyl pills “like he was selling coffee out of a drive-through.”
Henderson faces a mandatory minimum 20 years for the crimes of conviction. Ten years for the drug possession counts and a consecutive five years for each of the drug-related firearm counts.
Henderson was also found to illegally possess the firearms due to his previous felony convictions for promoting prostitution and felony harassment.
The case was investigated by the Seattle Police and the FBI as part of an emphasis on crime in the North Aurora area. The Drug Enforcement Administration and the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives provided key assistance.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Jessica Manca, Jin Kim, and Carolyn Forstein.
Sarasota Man Indicted for Perpetrating an Investment Fraud Scheme in Southwest FloridaRead the Press Release
Fort Myers, Florida – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces the unsealing of an indictment charging Brent Adam Seaman (51, Sarasota) with five counts of wire fraud, four counts of money laundering, and two counts of making a false tax return. If convicted, Seaman faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison on each wire fraud count, up to 10 years’ imprisonment on each money laundering count, and a maximum penalty of 3 years for each count of making a false tax return.
According to the indictment, from approximately June 2019 to November 2022, Seaman was a resident of Naples, Florida and operated multiple Florida LLCs collectively referred to as “Accanito.” Seaman falsely perpetrated an investment fraud scheme representing himself as a successful investor, currency trader, and entrepreneur. As a part of the scheme, the indictment alleges that he falsely promised guaranteed rates of return on investments to investors, caused investors to lose substantial portions of their investments, and used investor funds to repay other investors.
The indictment further alleges that Seaman used investor funds for luxury and personal items. He is charged with laundering money to pay personal rent, purchase a Ferrari, buy jewelry, and charter a private jet. Seaman is also charged with underreporting his income on his 2019 and 2020 federal tax returns.
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Mark Morgan and Trial Attorney Timothy J. Coley of the Department of Justice’s Criminal Division’s Fraud Section.
IndictmentSan Antonio Woman Sentenced to Federal Prison for Defrauding COVID Relief ProgramRead the Press Release
SAN ANTONIO – A San Antonio woman was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Xavier Rodriguez to 12 months and one day in prison and ordered to pay $492,841.78 in restitution for wire fraud.
According to court documents, Leticia Arceneaux, 48, worked full time from home as a human resources supervisor for an agency within the Department of Energy. Beginning in or around August 2020 and continuing through on or around April 2022, Arceneaux unlawfully enriched herself by applying for and receiving Covid relief loans in the amount to $480,100 and converting the funds to her own personal use.
In August 2020, Arceneaux submitted an Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) application on behalf of a volleyball club, claiming she needed the EIDL proceeds to continue operating the volleyball club. Later that month, the Small Business Administration funded an EIDL in the amount of $149,900 to Arceneaux. Instead of using the EIDL funds for volleyball related expenses, Arceneaux utilized the funds for her own personal expenses, including a golf cart and the installation of a swimming pool at her primary residence.
In May 2021, Arceneaux submitted a loan modification request to the SBA seeking additional funds for the volleyball club. Relying on Arceneaux’s false representations, the SBA disbursed $91,000 on or about Aug. 9, 2021. On Aug. 11, 2021, Arceneaux transferred approximately $31,000 of the EIDL funds from the volleyball club’s business account to her personal account.
In April 2022, Arceneaux applied for a second loan modification seeking additional funds to operate the volleyball club. Relying again on the false representations, the SBA disbursed $239,100 to Arceneaux on or about April 29, 2022. Arceneaux converted the funds for personal use, using approximately $72,000 of EIDL funds to pay down personal credit card debt.
U.S. Attorney Justin R. Simmons for the Western District of Texas made the announcement.
The Department of Energy Office of Inspector General investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Christina Playton prosecuted the case.
###
Ryan Raybould Named United States Attorney for the Northern District of TexasRead the Press Release
Dallas, Texas – Ryan R. Raybould was named the United States Attorney for the Northern District of Texas on November 17, 2025, by United States Attorney General Pam Bondi. His appointment this week follows President Donald Trump’s nomination of Mr. Raybould on October 21, 2025, to serve a four-year term in this role. The President’s nomination of Mr. Raybould is currently pending United States Senate confirmation.
Mr. Raybould is now the chief federal law enforcement officer for the district, which covers 96,000 square miles and a population of approximately eight million, including those in Dallas, Fort Worth, Amarillo, Lubbock, Abilene, San Angelo, Wichita Falls, and surrounding areas. Mr. Raybould oversees roughly 220 attorneys and staff across five division offices and is responsible for all federal criminal prosecutions and civil litigation involving the United States government in the region.
“The opportunity to serve in this role is an honor and a privilege,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan Raybould. “I look forward to continuing the tremendous work of those in my Office, partnered with our Federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies, in pursuing justice and restoring safety to our communities in the Northern District of Texas.”
Before his tenure as U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas, Mr. Raybould was a litigation partner at Kirkland & Ellis in the Government, Regulatory, and Internal Investigations Practice Group.
Mr. Raybould previously served as a federal prosecutor with the Department of Justice for almost seven years, including as Deputy Chief of the White Collar and Public Corruption Unit in the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Texas. As a federal prosecutor, Mr. Raybould investigated and tried cases involving public corruption, tax fraud, securities fraud, cybercrime, national security, violent crime, money laundering and other white-collar crimes.
Mr. Raybould also served as Chief Counsel to former Assistant Majority Leader and U.S. Senator John Cornyn. As Chief Counsel to Senator Cornyn, Mr. Raybould helped draft and negotiate numerous pieces of legislation that became law on national security, government accountability and drug diversion control. Mr. Raybould also advised Sen. Cornyn’s work on the Judiciary Committee and the Senate Caucus on International Narcotics Control.
After receiving his J.D. from Notre Dame Law School, Mr. Raybould clerked for Chief United States District Judge Reed O'Connor of the Northern District of Texas. Mr. Raybould is a graduate of Yale University.
Registered Sex Offender Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for Child Sexual Exploitation OffensesRead the Press Release
A Colorado man was sentenced today to ten years in prison and lifetime supervised release for his role in an online forum that worked to sexually exploit dozens of minor victims.
According to court documents, Steven Glenn Christiansen, 69, of Fort Collins, Colorado used a mobile messaging application with end-to-end encryption to access “invite only” group chats in which users exchanged images and videos of child sexual abuse material (CSAM). The members used these groups to share livestreams and save files on third party platforms, typically of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct at the members’ behest. Christiansen communicated directly with other users to request and exchange CSAM. After executing a residential search warrant at his residence, several digital devices were seized containing images and videos of CSAM, and the defendant admitted to possessing thousands of images.
Christiansen pleaded guilty in August 2025 to one count of possession of child pornography. He was previously convicted in the state of Colorado in March 2000 for sexually assaulting a child.
Trial Attorney Kaylynn Foulon of the Justice Department’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS) and Assistant U.S. Attorney Melissa Hindman for the District of Colorado prosecuted the case.
Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew R. Galeotti of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Peter McNeilly for the District of Colorado, and Acting Special Agent in Charge Marvin Massey of the FBI Denver Field Office made the announcement.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Registered Sex Offender Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for Child Sexual Exploitation OffensesRead the Press Release
A Colorado man was sentenced today to 10 years in prison and lifetime supervised release for his role in an online forum that worked to sexually exploit dozens of minor victims.
According to court documents, Steven Glenn Christiansen, 69, of Fort Collins, Colorado used a mobile messaging application with end-to-end encryption to access “invite only” group chats in which users exchanged images and videos of child sexual abuse material (CSAM). The members used these groups to share livestreams and save files on third party platforms, typically of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct at the members’ behest. Christiansen communicated directly with other users to request and exchange CSAM. After executing a residential search warrant at the defendant’s residence, several digital devices were seized containing images and videos of CSAM, and the defendant admitted to possessing thousands of images.
Christiansen pleaded guilty in August 2025 to one count of possession of child pornography. He was previously convicted in the state of Colorado in March 2000 for sexually assaulting a child.
Trial Attorney Kaylynn Foulon of the Justice Department’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS) and Assistant U.S. Attorney Melissa Hindman for the District of Colorado prosecuted the case.
Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew R. Galeotti of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Peter McNeilly for the District of Colorado, and Acting Special Agent in Charge Marvin Massey of the FBI Denver Field Office made the announcement.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Rapid City Man Sentenced to over 24 Years in Federal Prison for Conspiracy to Distribute Methamphetamine in Rapid City and on the Pine Ridge ReservationRead the Press Release
RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced today that District Court Judge Camela C. Theeler has sentenced a man from Rapid City, South Dakota, for Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance. The sentencing took place on October 27, 2025.
Demitre Ecoffey, 31, was sentenced to 24 years and four months in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Ecoffey was indicted for Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance by a federal grand jury in April 2025. He pleaded guilty on August 13, 2025.
Throughout 2024 and 2025, Ecoffey was purchasing pound quantities of methamphetamine and selling it to others throughout Rapid City and the Pine Ridge reservation. During his involvement in the drug conspiracy, Ecoffey engaged in dangerous conduct such as high-speed chases through Rapid City and the Pine Ridge reservation, destruction of evidence, and possessing multiple firearms.
“Strong detective work and collaboration by all levels of law enforcement in the state have ensured that our citizens in western South Dakota will be protected from this dangerous individual for the next quarter century or so,” said U.S. Attorney Parsons.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Indian Affairs – Division of Drug Enforcement (BIA), the FBI, Rapid City Police Department and the Unified Narcotics Enforcement Team (UNET). UNET is comprised of law enforcement from the Pennington County Sheriff’s Office, the Rapid City Police Department, the South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation, the South Dakota Highway Patrol, and the South Dakota National Guard. Assistant U.S. Attorney Paige Petersen prosecuted the case.
Ecoffey was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Ramah Man Pleads Guilty to Shooting into Vehicle Occupied by Three VictimsRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – A Ramah man pleaded guilty to firing multiple rifle shots into a vehicle occupied by three people after a near-collision.
According to court documents, on March 18, 2025, a vehicle driven by John Doe swerved to avoid a collision with a blue Jeep driven by Leon Garcia, 42, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation. After the near-miss, John Doe followed Garcia to a residence on the Ramah Navajo Reservation in Cibola County. When the vehicles stopped, Garcia exited his Jeep armed with a rifle, brandished and pointed the firearm at John Doe, Jane Doe 1, and Jane Doe 2, and fired multiple shots into the vehicle with intent to do bodily harm. Garcia continued shooting as the victims attempted to turn around and again as they drove away.
Garcia pleaded guilty to three counts of assault with a dangerous weapon and one count of using and carrying a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence. At sentencing, Garcia faces not less than seven years and up to life in prison. Upon his release from prison, Garcia will be subject to five years of supervised release.
Acting U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison and Justin A. Garris, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today.
The Gallup Resident Agency of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Ramah-Navajo Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron O. Jordan is prosecuting the case.
Pseudo-job seeker caught with over 40 kilograms of methamphetamineRead the Press Release
CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – A U.S. citizen residing in Reynosa, Mexico, has pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
On April 25, Marco Antonio Rodriguez, 20, approached the Falfurrias Border Patrol checkpoint driving a Ford Escape. He claimed he was heading to Corpus Christi to look for work. However, law enforcement noticed he did not have any personal items or tools in the vehicle.
An x-ray scan then revealed anomalies in the rear quarter panels. Authorities discovered aftermarket compartments on both sides of the vehicle that held 90 black bundles of methamphetamine wrapped in clear cellophane.
The drugs weighed 47.5 kilograms with a 99% purity level.
As part of his plea, Rodriguez admitted he had picked up the vehicle from a residence in Reynosa the day before traveling to the port of entry. Rodriguez knew he was transporting the drugs and planned to drop the vehicle off for unloading in Corpus Christi.
U.S. District Judge Ramos will impose sentencing Feb. 11, 2026. At that time, Rodriguez faces up to life in federal prison and a possible $250,000 maximum fine.
He has been and will remain in custody pending that hearing.
Border Patrol and the Drug Enforcement Administration conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph Griffith prosecuted the case.
Previously Removed Illegal Alien Pleads Guilty to Trafficking Kilogram Quantities of Methamphetamine and Illegal ReentryRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Hector Hernandez Orozco, 30, of Mexico, appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge David C. Keesler today and pleaded guilty to trafficking methamphetamine and illegal reentry charges, announced Russ Ferguson, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina.
Cardell T. Morant, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) in North Carolina and South Carolina, joins U.S. Attorney Ferguson in making today’s announcement.
According to filed court documents and the plea hearing, on April 3, 2025, Hernandez Orozco sold approximately two pounds of methamphetamine to an undercover law enforcement officer. Court records also show that Hernandez Orozco had been previously removed from the United States on November 20, 2016, near Del Rio, Texas, and again on November 30, 2016, near Hidalgo, Texas.
Hernandez Orozco pleaded guilty to distribution and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, which carries a minimum penalty of 10 years in prison and a maximum of life in prison. The illegal reentry offense carries a maximum term of two years in prison. A sentencing date has not been set.
In making today’s announcement, U.S. Attorney Ferguson commended HSI for their investigation of the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney William Bozin of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte is prosecuting the case.
Portsmouth men sentenced to prison for federal firearms chargesRead the Press Release
NORFOLK, Va. – Two Portsmouth men have been sentenced to prison for their roles in trafficking firearms.
According to court documents, from June 2024 through September 2024, law enforcement conducted six controlled purchases of firearms and heroin from Rolondo Lavar Moody, 45. During the controlled buy of a rifle on Aug. 9, 2024, Kievon Anthony Whitehurst, 30, transferred the rifle to Moody, who then sold it.
Whitehurst had been convicted previously of reckless handling of a firearm, carrying a concealed weapon, and discharging a firearm within 1,000 feet of a school. Moody had been convicted previously of possession with intent to distribute cocaine, possession with intent to distribute heroin, assault, assault and battery, assault and battery of a family member, attempted malicious wounding, possession of a controlled substance, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. As previously convicted felons, Whitehurst and Moody cannot legally possess firearms or ammunition.
On April 8, Moody pled guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm and trafficking in firearms. On Sept. 4, he was sentenced to 10 years in prison.
On July 29, Whitehurst pled guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm. He was sentenced today to two years and six months in prison.
Lindsey Halligan, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Anthony A. Spotswood, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Washington Field Division; Jason S. Miyares, Attorney General of Virginia; and Stephen Jenkins, Chief of Portsmouth Police, made the announcement.
Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Marc W. West, an Assistant Attorney General with the Virginia Attorney General’s Office 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 protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:25-cr-50.
Pocahontas County Man Pleads Guilty to Violating the Federal Sex Offender Registration and Notification ActRead the Press Release
BECKLEY, W.Va. – 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.
According to court documents and statements made in court, from on or about March 8, 2024, through in or around December 2024, Clement resided in the Ronceverte area of Greenbrier County, West Virginia, after relocating from Virginia. Clement knew he was required to comply with the provisions of SORNA because of his conviction on two felony counts of carnal knowledge of a child 13 to 15 years old in Botetourt County, Virginia, Circuit Court on December 2, 2002.
Clement is scheduled to be sentenced on March 5, 2026, and faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison, at least five years and up to a lifetime of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000.
United States Attorney Moore Capito made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the United States Marshals Service (USMS) and the West Virginia State Police.
United States Magistrate Judge Omar J. Aboulhosn presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Jonathan T. Storage is prosecuting the case.
SORNA is part of the Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act of 2006 and provides a comprehensive set of minimum standards for sex offender registration and notification in the United States. SORNA seeks to strengthen the nationwide network of sex offender registration and notification programs, in part by requiring registered sex offenders to register and keep their registration current in each jurisdiction in which they reside, work, or go to school.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:25-cr-89.
###
Pinehill Man Charged with Sexually Abusing MinorsRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – A Pinehill man has been indicted on federal charges for sexually abusing two minors over a seven-year period.
According to court documents, between February 2017, and February 2023, TJ James, 41, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, engaged in sexual acts with two minor victims.
James is charged with four counts of sexual abuse, one count of abusive sexual contact and two counts of aggravated sexual abuse and will remain in custody pending trial, which has not yet been scheduled. If convicted, James faces no less than 30 years and up to life in prison.
Acting U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison and Justin A. Garris, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today.
The Gallup Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with the assistance of the Ramah-Navajo Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Amy Mondragon is prosecuting the case as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit Justice.gov/PSC.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Pinedale Woman Charged with Murder in Fatal ShootingRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – A Pinedale woman has been indicted on federal charges for allegedly shooting and killing a man.
According to court documents, on June 30, 2025, Mabelene Grey, 45, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, intentionally shot and killed John Doe.
Grey is charged with second degree murder and using and carrying a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence and will remain on conditions of release until trial, which has not yet been scheduled. If convicted, Grey faces a minimum of 10 years and up to life in prison.
Acting U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison and Justin A. Garris, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today.
The Gallup Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with the assistance of the Navajo Nation Police Department and the Navajo Department of Criminal Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Amy Mondragon 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.
Pike County Man Indicted for Firearm OffenseRead the Press Release
SCRANTON - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Jonny Contreras, age 36, of Pike County, Pennsylvania, was indicted by a federal grand jury on a charge of possession of an unregistered firearm.
According to United States Attorney Brian D. Miller, the indictment alleges that on or about January 14, 2025, Contreras possessed an AR-15 style rifle with a barrel of less than 16 inches in length that was not registered to him in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record as required by law.
The charges stem from an investigation conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (“ATF”) and the Pike County District Attorney’s Office. Assistant United States Attorney Tatum Wilson is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America (https://www.justice.gov/dag/media/1393746/dl?inline), a nationwide 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 maximum penalty under federal law for this offense is 10 years’ imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
Indictments are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.
# # #
Physician Convicted of Conspiracy to Defraud MedicareRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS – Acting United States Attorney Michael M. Simpson announced that DR. MARION LEE (“LEE”), age 62, of Cordele, Georgia, pled guilty on October 8, 2025 to conspiracy to defraud the United States, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 371, in connection with a scheme to bill Medicare approximately $24 million for medically unnecessary genetic testing, and to pay and receive kickbacks.
According to court documents, LEE, co-owner of and medical advisor to Luminus Diagnostics, a diagnostic laboratory located in Tifton, Georgia, conspired with others to procure orders for genetic testing in exchange for kickbacks, including orders acquired through purported telemedicine. To ensure the false and fraudulent claims would be paid, LEE and his co-conspirators designed the genetic testing order forms to be “dummy proof”—with prepopulated diagnosis codes and check-the-box panels—and frequently billed the tests through another laboratory in the Eastern District of Louisiana where co-conspirators thought the claims were more likely to be approved. The co-conspirators concealed these claims via a sham contract, among other deceptive means. LEE and his co-conspirators caused the submission of over $24 million in false and fraudulent claims to Medicare for genetic testing, and Medicare paid approximately $4 million based on those claims. Under the terms of LEE’s plea agreement, LEE agreed to over $4 million in restitution owed to Medicare.
The Honorable Lance M. Africk set sentencing for March 18, 2026.
At sentencing, the maximum penalty LEE may receive is five years of imprisonment, followed by up to three years of supervised release. He also faces a fine of up to $250,000, and payment of a mandatory special assessment fee of $100.
Acting U.S. Attorney Simpson praised the work of the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General and the Federal Bureau of Investigation in investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Nicholas D. Moses, of the Financial Crimes Unit and Health Care Fraud Coordinator, and Trial Attorney Kelly Z. Walters, of the Department of Justice’s Criminal Division’s Fraud Section, are in charge of the prosecution.
***
Physician Convicted of Conspiracy to Defraud MedicareRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS – Acting United States Attorney Michael M. Simpson announced that DR. MARION LEE (“LEE”), age 62, of Cordele, Georgia, pled guilty on October 8, 2025 to conspiracy to defraud the United States, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 371, in connection with a scheme to bill Medicare approximately $24 million for medically unnecessary genetic testing, and to pay and receive kickbacks.
According to court documents, LEE, co-owner of and medical advisor to Luminus Diagnostics, a diagnostic laboratory located in Tifton, Georgia, conspired with others to procure orders for genetic testing in exchange for kickbacks, including orders acquired through purported telemedicine. To ensure the false and fraudulent claims would be paid, LEE and his co-conspirators designed the genetic testing order forms to be “dummy proof”—with prepopulated diagnosis codes and check-the-box panels—and frequently billed the tests through another laboratory in the Eastern District of Louisiana where co-conspirators thought the claims were more likely to be approved. The co-conspirators concealed these claims via a sham contract, among other deceptive means. LEE and his co-conspirators caused the submission of over $24 million in false and fraudulent claims to Medicare for genetic testing, and Medicare paid approximately $4 million based on those claims. Under the terms of LEE’s plea agreement, LEE agreed to over $4 million in restitution owed to Medicare.
The Honorable Lance M. Africk set sentencing for March 18, 2026.
At sentencing, the maximum penalty LEE may receive is five years of imprisonment, followed by up to three years of supervised release. He also faces a fine of up to $250,000, and payment of a mandatory special assessment fee of $100.
Acting U.S. Attorney Simpson praised the work of the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General and the Federal Bureau of Investigation in investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Nicholas D. Moses, of the Financial Crimes Unit and Health Care Fraud Coordinator, and Trial Attorney Kelly Z. Walters, of the Department of Justice’s Criminal Division’s Fraud Section, are in charge of the prosecution.
***
Perry Man Returned to Federal Prison for Possession of Firearm by a Convicted FelonRead the Press Release
TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA – David Alan Miles, 31, of Perry, Florida, was sentenced to 30 months in federal prison for possession of a firearm by 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 deserve recognition and gratitude for their tireless commitment to keeping serial offenders like this defendant off our streets. My office will continue to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with our law enforcement partners to aggressively prosecute these crimes in fulfillment of the promise made by President Donald J. Trump and Attorney General Pam Bondi to Take Back America from the violent criminals who have victimized our communities for far too long.”
Court documents reflect that the defendant was arrested on February 7, 2025, after initially fleeing from law enforcement in a high-speed pursuit, eluding law enforcement on foot, and then pretending to have been the victim of a carjacking. A canine team from Taylor Correctional Institution responded to help track the “carjacker,” leading law enforcement to the defendant’s mothers’ house. The defendant eventually admitted to law enforcement that he had fled from the traffic stop because he had a rifle in the vehicle with him and knew he was not allowed to possess firearms. The defendant is a seven-time convicted felon, who had previously served federal prison time for possession of an unregistered short-barreled shotgun and sale of a firearm to a convicted felon.
The defendant’s prison sentence will be followed by two years of supervised release.
“This case is a perfect example of how reckless decisions and poor choices have real consequences,” said Taylor County Sheriff Wayne Padgett. “If you play stupid games, you win stupid prizes. Thanks to the quick action of our investigator and the teamwork between local and federal law enforcement, along with our DOC K-9 partners, a convicted felon with a firearm was safely apprehended and is now facing the consequences of his actions.”
The case involved an investigation by the Taylor County Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, with assistance from the Perry Police Department and the Florida Department of Corrections. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney James A. McCain.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
As part of its PSN strategy, the United States Attorney’s Office is encouraging everyone to lock their car doors, particularly at night. Burglaries from unlocked automobiles are a significant source of guns for criminals in the Northern District of Florida. Please do your part and protect yourself by locking your car doors.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.
Pensacola Woman Pleads Guilty to Preparing False Tax Returns and Identity Theft ChargesRead the Press Release
PENSACOLA, FLORIDA – Khristine N. Harper, 42, of Pensacola, pled guilty in federal court to twenty counts of aiding and assisting the preparation of false tax returns and one count of identity theft. The guilty plea was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “I applaud the excellent investigative work by our federal law enforcement partners to identify and dismantle this offender’s sophisticated fraud scheme. Defrauding the federal government victimizes every taxpaying citizen, and my office will aggressively pursue criminal prosecutions of fraudsters to ensure they are held accountable to the full extent of the law for their crimes.”
Court documents reflect that between 2018 and 2024, Harper routinely prepared and filed fraudulent income tax returns for her clients by listing false amounts for various deductions, credits, and other items that were never provided to her by those clients. After Harper became aware in July 2023 that the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation was investigating her, she changed the name of her tax preparation business from Kings Tax Service to Echelon Tax. She also obtained a Preparer Tax Identification Number (PTIN) in another person’s name without permission and filed her clients’ 2023 returns using that fraudulently obtained PTIN. For just the twenty specific returns listed in the indictment that were the basis of the counts to which Harper pled guilty, Harper caused over $103,000 in tax loss to the Internal Revenue Service.
Sentencing is currently set for December 17, 2025, at 1:00 p.m. at the United States Courthouse in Pensacola before United States District Judge M. Casey Rodgers.
The conviction was the result of a joint investigation by the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Alicia H. Forbes.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.
Orange County Staffing Company Owner Arrested on Federal Indictment Charging Her with Masterminding $90 Million Tax FraudRead the Press Release
SANTA ANA, California – An Orange County staffing company owner and three other defendants were arrested today on an eight-count federal indictment alleging they cheated the IRS out of more than $90 million and defrauded numerous clients by failing to pay employment taxes withheld from the wages of temporary workers – many of them illegal immigrants – and used the unpaid taxes to fund their luxurious lifestyles. Some of the defendants documented their extravagant lifestyles on Instagram and other social media.
Lorena Padilla, 49, of Villa Park, the case’s lead defendant, is charged with one count of wire fraud conspiracy, one count of money laundering conspiracy, and six counts of failure to account for and pay over employment taxes. She is expected to make her initial appearance and be arraigned this afternoon in United States District Court in Santa Ana.
Also arrested and scheduled for arraignment today in U.S. District Court in Los Angeles are:
- Selina Medina Preciado, 30, of Whittier, Padilla’s daughter;
- Carlos Padilla, 40, of Chino, Lorena Padilla’s brother; and
- Pablo Araque, 55, of Downey.
Two other defendants charged – Melanie Medina, 31, of Yorba Linda, who also is Lorena Padilla’s daughter; and Susana Cardenas, 45, of Long Beach – are expected to appear in federal court in the coming weeks. Law enforcement is looking for defendant Janine J. Garcia, 39, a.k.a. “Janette Ortega,” of Seal Beach.
Lorena Padilla controlled several businesses based in Los Angeles and Riverside counties: Platinum Staffing in Montebello, Payroll Staffing Solutions Inc. in Industry, Three Star Global Inc. in Corona, and Next Level Staffing in Maywood. These companies provided workers and human resources services to client businesses in various industries in the Los Angeles area. For all temporary workers staffed with clients, the companies claimed to provide payroll tracking, paycheck preparation and distribution, the withholding and payment of payroll taxes to federal and state authorities, the preparation and filing of quarterly federal employment tax returns, and the maintenance of valid workers’ compensation insurance.
According to the indictment that a federal grand jury returned on November 13, from January 2012 to September 2024, the defendants defrauded the staffing companies’ customers, the IRS, and California’s Employment Development Department (EDD), the California state agency responsible for collecting California employment taxes.
To secure business for the companies, the defendants lied to potential customers that the companies would handle all employment taxes and workers’ compensation insurance on all temporary workers that the companies provided. In fact, the defendants caused the staffing companies to continuously fail to pay all applicable federal and state employment taxes. From January 2018 to 2023, the defendants paid workers’ compensation insurance premiums on only a small percentage of the staffing companies’ payroll.
To conceal their failure to report employee wages and taxes and pay employment taxes, Padilla, Garcia, Medina, and Preciado caused Next Level Staffing to hire large numbers of illegal aliens as temporary workers. The defendants anticipated the illegal immigrants would be less likely to file federal income tax returns and be less likely to alert the IRS to Next Level’s ongoing failure to account for and pay over employment taxes.
From 2020 to 2025 alone, the defendants collectively understated the staffing companies’ federal employment taxes by more than $44 million. Total losses to the United States Treasury from this scheme exceed $90 million.
Lorena Padilla and several other defendants used the ill-gotten gains for personal expenses and purchases, including a $3 million ranch in Riverside; a $2.5 million home in Whittier; a $3.5 million home in Yorba Linda; rental properties in Ontario and Corona; luxury family vacations in Hawaii, Tokyo, Paris, Dubai, Italy, and Aspen, Colorado; musical acts to perform at a joint birthday party for Preciado and Medina in October 2021; and luxury cars, such as Lamborghinis and Rolls-Royces.
An indictment contains allegations that a defendant has committed a crime. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent until and unless proven guilty in court.
If convicted, the defendants would face a statutory maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison for the wire fraud conspiracy count, up to 10 years in federal prison for the money laundering conspiracy, and up to five years in federal prison for each failure to pay employment tax count.
IRS Criminal Investigation is investigating this matter.
Assistant United States Attorneys James C. Hughes of the Major Frauds Section and Alexander Su of the Asset Forfeiture and Recovery Section, and Trial Attorney Dominick Giovanniello of the Tax Division are prosecuting this case.
Oklahoma City Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Causing Fatal Collision While Under the Influence of Alcohol and Marijuana in Indian CountryRead the Press Release
OKLAHOMA CITY – ALIAS BAH DE ZA LAWRENCE SOUDRY, 21, of Oklahoma City, has been sentenced to serve 60 months in federal prison for involuntary manslaughter in Indian Country, announced U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester.
According to public records, on June 14, 2024, law enforcement officers with the Blanchard Police Department and the Oklahoma Highway Patrol (OHP) responded to a fatal car collision on Highway 76. While driving southbound on the highway, Soudry drifted into oncoming traffic, sideswiping one vehicle and colliding with a second. The driver of the second vehicle, Raquel Anderson, died on scene, and a passenger was transported to a nearby hospital with injuries, where they were later released. Soudry was administered a blood test, which showed evidence of alcohol and marijuana in his system, and was subsequently arrested. On September 17, 2024, a federal Grand Jury charged Soudry with involuntary manslaughter.
This case is in federal court because Soudry is a member of the Ponca Tribe of Oklahoma and the crime took place within the boundaries of the Chickasaw Nation.
On June 4, 2025, Soudry pleaded guilty and admitted he knowingly drove a motor vehicle while under the influence of alcohol and marijuana and thereby caused the death of another person.
At the sentencing hearing on November 18, 2025, U.S. District Judge Jodi W. Dishman sentenced Soudry to serve 60 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release. In announcing her sentence, Judge Dishman noted the nature and circumstances of the offense, highlighting the extent of Soudry’s intoxication and the number of individuals injured or killed during the collision.
This case is the result of an investigation by the FBI Oklahoma City Field Office, the Oklahoma Highway Patrol, and the Blanchard Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Tiffany Edgmon prosecuted the case.
Reference is made to public filings for additional information.
North Texas men indicted in the Eastern District of Texas for an international murder/kidnapping schemeRead the Press Release
PLANO, Texas – Two north Texas men have been charged in relation to a plot that included invading an island off Haiti, murdering the men on the island, and using the women and children as sex slaves, announced U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs.
Gavin Rivers Weisenburg, 21, of Allen, and Tanner Christopher Thomas, 20, of Argyle were named in a two-count indictment returned by a federal grand jury in the Eastern District of Texas charging them with conspiracy to murder, maim, or kidnap in a foreign country and production of child pornography.
Information presented in court indicates that between August 2024 and July 2025, Weisenburg and Thomas are alleged to have conspired to recruit and lead an unlawful expeditionary force to the Island of Gonave, which is part of the Republic of Haiti, for the purpose of carrying out their rape fantasies. Weisenburg and Thomas planned to purchase a sailboat, firearms, and ammunition, then recruit members of the District of Columbia-area homeless population to serve as a mercenary force as they invaded Gonave Island and staged a coup d'etat. Weisenburg and Thomas intended to murder all of the men on the island so that they could then turn all of the women and children into their sex slaves.
Weisenburg and Thomas undertook numerous overt acts in furtherance of their invasion plan, including making operational and logistical plans, learning Haitian Creole language, recruiting others to join the invasion plan, and researching and enrolling in schools to acquire skills relevant to the invasion plan. Thomas even enlisted in the U.S. Air Force to acquire military skills relevant to the invasion plan.
Weisenburg and Thomas are also charged with production of child pornography in a related count in the indictment.
If convicted of the federal conspiracy to commit murder in a foreign country, Weisenburg and Thomas face up to life in federal prison. If convicted of the federal production of child pornography charges, both face at least 15 years and up to 30 years in federal prison.
This case is being investigated by the FBI, U.S. Air Force Office of Special Investigations, and Celina Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Locker.
A grand jury indictment is not evidence of guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
###
Nigerian Citizen Sentenced for Unemployment Insurance Benefits ScamRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Stephanie A. Gallagher sentenced Temitope Bashua, 29, a citizen of Nigeria, to 30 months in prison, followed by two years of supervised release, for his role in a conspiracy and scheme to fraudulently obtain unemployment insurance (UI) benefits and Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL).
Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the sentence with Special Agent in Charge Troy W. Springer, National Capital Region, U.S. Department of Labor – Office of Inspector General (DOL-OIG), Acting Special Agent in Charge Evan Campanella, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) – Baltimore, and Joseph V. Cuffari Ph.D., Inspector General, Department of Homeland Security (DHS-OIG).
The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act — a federal law enacted in March 2020 — provided emergency financial assistance to Americans suffering from the economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. Established by the CARES Act, the Paycheck Protection Program — administered through the Small Business Administration (SBA) — along with the EIDL, helped businesses meet their financial obligations. An EIDL advance does not have to be repaid, and small businesses can receive an advance, even if they are not approved for an EIDL loan. The maximum advance amount is $10,000.
According to his plea agreement, and other court documents, from May 2020 through September 2022, Bashua and others conspired to impersonate victims to obtain money by submitting fraudulent UI benefits claims. Bashua and his co-conspirators used the personally identifiable information (PII) without the victims’ knowledge or consent, to submit fraudulent applications for UI benefits in Maryland and California.
Additionally, in October 2020, as a part of the conspiracy, co-conspirators submitted two fraudulent EIDL applications to the SBA for fictitious businesses using the PII of identity victims. As a result of the fraudulent EIDL applications, Bashua received more than $290,000 in U.S. Treasury funds from the SBA. Bashua also admitted his involvement in other schemes, including cyber intrusion, romance fraud, and business email compromise fraud schemes.
The District of Maryland Strike Force is one of five strike forces established throughout the United States by the U.S. Department of Justice to investigate and prosecute COVID-19 fraud, including fraud relating to the CARES Act. The strike forces focus on large-scale, multi-state pandemic relief fraud perpetrated by criminal organizations and transnational actors. The strike forces are interagency law enforcement efforts, using prosecutor-led and data analyst-driven teams designed to identify and bring to justice those who stole pandemic relief funds.
For more information on the Department’s response to the pandemic, please visit justice.gov/coronavirus. Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the DOL-OIG, HSI Baltimore, and DHS-OIG for their work in the investigation. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Philip Motsay and Bijon Mostoufi who prosecuted the federal case.
For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to report fraud, visit justice.gov/usao-md and justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.
# # #
New Orleans Man Sentenced for Distributing Fentanyl and MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS – Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson announced that ALTON TUMBLIN (“TUMBLIN”), age 44, of New Orleans, was sentenced on November 19, 2025, by U.S. District Judge Jane Milazzo to 175 months in prison, followed by five years of supervised release, along with a $400 mandatory special assessment fee, after previously pleading guilty to three counts of distributing fifty (50) grams or more of methamphetamine, a Schedule II controlled substance, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1) and 841(b)(1)(A), and one count of distributing a quantity of fentanyl, a Schedule II controlled substance, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1) and 841(b)(1)(C).
According to court documents, TUMBLIN distributed over 50 grams of methamphetamine during controlled purchases to undercover agents on three separate occasions, including August 7, 2023, August 9, 2023, and August 16, 2023. Also, on August 7, 2023, TUMBLIN distributed a quantity of fentanyl to an undercover agent.
This case was part of Operation Big Easy. Operation Big Easy was a National Integrated Ballistics Information Network (NIBIN) enforcement initiative of collected firearm casings for the time period of August 1, 2023 to January 31, 2023 that produced data points of high-density shootings and homicides in seven areas of New Orleans related to individuals engaged in criminal activity.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the New Orleans Police Department, and the Louisiana State Police. This case is being prosecuted by Rachal Cassagne of the Narcotics Unit.
* * *
New Mexico Man Sentenced to over 21 Years in Federal Prison for Fentanyl TraffickingRead the Press Release
EL PASO, Texas – A New Mexico man was sentenced in a federal court in El Paso on Wednesday to 262 months in prison for trafficking approximately 1.5 kilograms of fentanyl.
According to court documents, Edgar Omar Martinez, 43, of Anthony, was arrested on March 14 after FBI agents seized approximately 17,000 fentanyl pills from his vehicle. Further investigation revealed Martinez received the pills from a co-conspirator two weeks prior to the seizure and expected to be paid $3,200 for his participation in the drug trafficking conspiracy.
Martinez was indicted on April 9 for one count of possession with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl and one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl. He pleaded guilty to both charges on Aug. 26. U.S. District Judge Leon Schydlower presided over the case.
U.S. Attorney Justin R. Simmons for the Western District of Texas made the announcement.
The FBI investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kyle Myers and Michael Williams prosecuted the case.
###
New Jersey man sentenced to more than 8 months in prison for sexual assault on airplaneRead the Press Release
MISSOULA – A New Jersey man who sexually assaulted another passenger while flying from Bozeman, Montana to Dallas, Texas was sentenced today to more than 8 months in prison to be followed by 5 years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.
Bhaveshkumar Dahyabhai Shukla, 40, pleaded guilty in July 2025 to one count of abusive sexual contact in the special aircraft jurisdiction of the United States. Shukla, an Indian citizen, likely will be deported to India following his release from custody.
U.S. District Judge Dana L. Christensen presided.
The government alleged in court documents that on January 26, 2025, Shukla was flying from Bozeman to Dallas on American Airlines. He was seated next to Jane Doe and Doe’s daughter. Jane Doe had a coat on her lap because she was cold. Shukla also placed his coat on his lap and initially acted as if he was sleeping but began using his right hand to rub Jane Doe’s left leg near her pocket on her hip. Jane Doe initially thought Shukla was trying to pick her pocket, so she and her daughter got up and went to the restroom to diffuse the situation.
Shukla continued rubbing Jane Doe’s inner and outer thigh throughout the flight. Doe was scared and firmly told him to “stop touching me.” Shukla said he was sorry and attempted to offer her something out of his bag. He also tried to talk to Jane Doe’s daughter, and Doe responded, “she’s fine. Don’t talk to my daughter.” As the flight continued, the plane hit some turbulence, and the flight crew remained seated. Shukla continued to rub Jane Doe’s thigh and, frightened, she turned her back to him, at which point he started rubbing her lower back and buttocks.
A witness seated in the row behind Shukla and Jane Doe confirmed that Shukla inappropriately touched Jane Doe for a large portion of the flight.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Zeno Baucus and Brian Lowney prosecuted the case. The FBI, ICE, and Dallas Fort Worth International Airport Police conducted the investigation.
New Hampshire Man Indicted for Fraud Scheme that Stole over $700,000 in California Unemployment Insurance BenefitsRead the Press Release
A federal grand jury returned a 10-count indictment today against Anthony Mark Silva, 40, of Manchester, New Hampshire, charging him with nine counts of bank fraud and one count of aggravated identity theft, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced.
According to court documents, between July 2020 and June 2021, Silva executed a scheme to defraud the California Employment Development Department (EDD) by filing fraudulent unemployment insurance claims with EDD, seeking Pandemic Unemployment Assistance and other benefits under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. During the scheme, Silva collected personally identifiable information of numerous individuals—including names, birth dates, and Social Security numbers—which were used to file fraudulent unemployment insurance claims. The filings represented, among other things, that the claimants had recently lost employment or were unable to find employment due to the COVID-19 pandemic. These unemployment insurance claims were fraudulent because, for example, the claimants were not unemployed, they were not eligible for California unemployment insurance benefits, or Silva did not have authority to file claims on their behalf.
EDD approved dozens of the fraudulent claims and authorized Bank of America to mail out debit cards containing unemployment insurance benefits. Silva then activated the debit cards and spent the benefits on himself. The scheme sought and caused EDD and the United States to incur actual losses exceeding $700,000.
This case is the product of an investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor Office of Inspector General and EDD’s Investigation Division. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Nchekube Onyima and Assistant U.S. Attorney Shea J. Kenny are prosecuting the case.
If convicted, Silva faces a maximum statutory penalty of 30 years in prison and a $1 million fine on each of the bank fraud counts. Silva also faces a two-year mandatory prison sentence if convicted of aggravated identity theft, which must run consecutive to any sentence received on the other counts. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Moore Man Charged with Failing to Register as a Sex Offender After Staging Crime Scene, Fleeing State in 2012Read the Press Release
United States Marshals Service Located Man in Upstate New York After More Than a Decade on the Run
OKLAHOMA CITY – A federal Grand Jury has charged ANTHONY MICHAEL LENNON, 44, of Moore, with failure to register as a sex offender, announced U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester.
According to court documents, on March 12, 2012, officers with the Moore Police Department (MPD) contacted the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS) for assistance in locating Lennon. MPD learned that Lennon disappeared from a local hotel, where authorities found evidence of a violent struggle. However, after consulting with crime scene experts, the USMS determined the crime scene was staged.
At the time of his disappearance, Lennon, a registered sex offender, faced child pornography charges in Cleveland County District Court, as well as potential prison time for violating the terms of his suspended sentence from a prior child pornography conviction. USMS learned that Lennon had emptied his bank accounts shortly before vanishing and believed he had fled the state of Oklahoma.
Recently discovered information determined that Lennon lived in the State of New York, had failed to register as a sex offender, and had attempted multiple times to obtain a United States passport under an alias. Lennon was arrested on October 30, 2025, in Canton, New York. On November 18, 2025, a federal Grand Jury sitting in the Western District of Oklahoma charged Lennon with failure to register as a sex offender.
If convicted, Lennon faces up to 10 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000.
The public is reminded this charge is merely an allegation, and that Lennon is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This case is the result of an investigation by the United States Marshals Service, the Moore Police Department, and the Diplomatic Security Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Tiffany Edgmon is prosecuting the case.
Reference is made to public filings for additional information.
Mississippi Businessman Pleads Guilty to $19M Health Care Fraud ConspiracyRead the Press Release
A Mississippi businessman pleaded guilty today to participating in a scheme to defraud Medicare by paying kickbacks for fraudulent doctors’ orders and then using those orders to bill the government insurer over $19 million through seven different durable medical equipment (DME) supply companies.
According to court documents, Willie De Gibbs, 53, of Toomsuba, Mississippi, and Cutler Bay, Florida, was the sole owner of three DME supply companies and was the beneficial owner of and controlled, sometimes through straw owners, four other DME supply companies. He sought to defraud Medicare by submitting fraudulent claims for medically unnecessary orthotic braces for beneficiaries that did not request or need them.
Gibbs pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit health care fraud. He is scheduled to be sentenced on Feb. 25, 2026, and faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew R. Galeotti of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; Acting U.S. Attorney Patrick Lemon for the Southern District of Mississippi; Special Agent in Charge Robert Eikhoff of the FBI Jackson Field Office; and Deputy Inspector General for Investigations Christian J. Schrank of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG).
FBI and HHS-OIG are investigating the case.
Trial Attorney Sara E. Porter of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Kimberly T. Purdie for the Southern District of Mississippi are prosecuting the case.
The Fraud Section leads the Criminal Division’s efforts to combat health care fraud through the Health Care Fraud Strike Force Program. Since March 2007, this program, currently comprised of nine strike forces operating in 27 federal districts, has charged more than 5,800 defendants who collectively have billed federal health care programs and private insurers more than $30 billion. In addition, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, working in conjunction with the Office of the Inspector General for the Department of Health and Human Services, are taking steps to hold providers accountable for their involvement in health care fraud schemes. More information can be found at www.justice.gov/criminal-fraud/health-care-fraud-unit.
Middletown man who pretended to be teenage boy sentenced to 26 years in prison for coercing, exploiting minor girls onlineRead the Press Release
CINCINNATI – A Middletown man was sentenced in federal court here today 312 months in prison for coercing minor victims online into creating nude images and videos that involved sexual conduct.
William Scott Elam, 53, pleaded guilty in July to 10 counts of coercion and enticement and one count of sexual exploitation of children.
“There are real-life consequences to actions taken online,” said U.S. Attorney Dominick S. Gerace II. “Predators like Elam hide behind a computer screen while preying on vulnerable children. But the harm they cause is real, and so is the significant amount of time they will spend in federal prison to account for those actions.”
According to court documents, for approximately four years, Elam began online relationships with numerous minor females in at least seven states, particularly with vulnerable minors who had previously engaged in self-harm, had body issues or other social issues. He connected with girls between the ages of 10 and 16 on various online chatting apps and pretended to be a 14-year-old male.
Elam coerced victims into masturbating on live video calls with him. For example, he manipulated at least one victim into complying by threatening to harm himself if she did not do as he asked. He instructed another victim to self-harm via cutting on live video after learning the victim had a history of self-harm. Elam also coerced victims into sending him live sexual material by threatening to leak naked images he obtained of them. Law enforcement officers have identified at least 10 victims.
The defendant was arrested in October 2023.
Dominick S. Gerace II, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, and Adam Lawson, Acting Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division, announced the sentence imposed today by U.S. District Judge Jeffery P. Hopkins. Assistant United States Attorney Kyle J. Healey is representing the United States in this case.
# # #
Miami Man Sentenced to More Than 19 Years in Prison for $40 Million Investment Ponzi SchemeRead the Press Release
MIAMI – A Miami man was sentenced on Oct. 2 to 230 months in federal prison and ordered to pay more than $16 million in restitution for operating an investment Ponzi scheme disguised as a merchant cash advance (MCA) business.
Chief U.S. District Judge Cecilia M. Altonaga imposed the sentence on Pablo Silverio Rebollido, 48, of Miami, who previously pleaded guilty to wire fraud.
“This defendant built his fortune on lies while leaving investors in ruin,” said U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida. “We will continue to protect investors, safeguard our markets, and ensure that criminals who commit financial crimes face justice.”
According to court documents, Rebollido owned and founded two Miami-based companies, E-Card Lending LLC and E-Card Merchant LLC (collectively E-Card). E-Card purported to engage in the business of providing MCAs—a type of short-term financing typically used by small and medium-sized businesses.
E-Card claimed to loan money at high interest rates to its clients in the form of lump-sum cash advances in exchange for a percentage of future credit card sales or daily bank deposits. From August 2019 through February 2024, Rebollido fraudulently solicited money from investors under the false pretense that their funds would be used to finance E-Card’s MCAs, promising them regular monthly returns based on company profits. In reality, E-Card had no legitimate clients. Rebollido used new investor funds to make payments to earlier investors and to finance his lavish personal lifestyle. More than 70 investors were defrauded, resulting in losses exceeding $40 million.
U.S. Attorney Reding Quiñones and Special Agent in Charge Brett D. Skiles of the FBI, Miami Field Office, made the announcement.
FBI Miami investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Robert F. Moore and Jon Juenger prosecuted the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicole Grosnoff is handling asset forfeiture.
You may find a copy of this press release (and any updates) on the website of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida at https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdfl.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov, under case number 25-cr-20127.
###
Mexican national, illegally living in Milford, indicted for unlawfully returning to the United StatesRead the Press Release
TYLER, Texas – A Mexican national, illegally living in Milford, has been charged with unlawfully returning to the United States, announced Eastern District of Texas U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs.
Pedro Campuzano-Orozco, 51, was named in an indictment returned by a federal grand jury this week in the Eastern District of Texas charging him with illegal reentry by a previously deported alien.
The indictment alleges that Campuzano-Orozco was found in the Eastern District of Texas after having been previously deported.
If convicted, Campuzano-Orozco faces up to two years in federal prison and deportation.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
This case is being investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the U.S. Forest Service and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Chris Jackson.
A federal indictment is not evidence of guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
###
Mexican national, illegally living in Henderson, indicted for unlawfully returning to the United StatesRead the Press Release
TYLER, Texas – A Mexican national, illegally living in Henderson, has been charged with unlawfully returning to the United States, announced Eastern District of Texas U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs.
Antonio Oliveros-Montero, 45, was named in an indictment returned by a federal grand jury this week in the Eastern District of Texas charging him with illegal reentry by a previously deported alien.
The indictment alleges that Oliveros-Montes was in the Rusk County Jail when it was determined that he is a citizen of Mexico and is in the United States illegally after having been previously deported.
If convicted, Oliveros-Montes faces up to 10 years in federal prison and deportation.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
This case is being investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jim Noble.
A federal indictment is not evidence of guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
###
Mexican national, illegally living in Athens, indicted for unlawfully returning to the United StatesRead the Press Release
TYLER, Texas – A Mexican national, illegally living in Athens, has been charged with unlawfully returning to the United States, announced Eastern District of Texas U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs.
Juan Saucedo-Espinoza, 53, was named in an indictment returned by a federal grand jury this week in the Eastern District of Texas charging him with illegal reentry by a previously deported alien.
The indictment alleges that Saucedo-Espinoza was in the Henderson County Jail when it was determined that he was a citizen of Mexico and in the United States illegally after having been previously deported to Mexico at least twice.
If convicted, Saucedo-Espinoza faces up to 10 years in federal prison and deportation.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
This case is being investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jim Noble.
A federal indictment is not evidence of guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
###
Mexican National Sentenced to Prison for Federal Drug CrimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Israel Chaires-Villa, 23, a Mexican national, was sentenced today to three years and 10 months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for possession with intent to distribute a quantity of methamphetamine. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has an administrative detainer on Chaires-Villa so deportation proceedings can occur once Chaires-Villa serves the sentence imposed in this case.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on October 6, 2024, Chaires-Villa drove to Cross Lanes, West Virginia, from Houston, Texas, with approximately 22 lbs. of methamphetamine in his possession that he intended to deliver to another person in Cross Lanes. Chaires-Villa was arrested as part of a joint investigation by federal and local law enforcement into a conspiracy that was responsible for delivering large quantities of methamphetamine to West Virginia and elsewhere from Houston.
The joint investigation also resulted in the indictment of three additional Mexican nationals, on charges alleging they conspired to distribute quantities of methamphetamine in the Charleston area from in or about March 2024 to in or about October 2024. Defendants Braulio Villa-Chairez, also known as “Raul,” 32, and Silvester Barcenas, 23, each pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute a quantity of methamphetamine and are scheduled to be sentenced on January 21, 2026. The indictment remains pending against German Francisco Diaz, also known as “Trulio,” 41. An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
United States Attorney Moore Capito made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and the Metropolitan Drug Enforcement Network Team (MDENT), which is composed of the Charleston Police Department, the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office, the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office, the Nitro Police Department, the St. Albans Police Department, and the South Charleston Police Department.
Chief United States District Judge Frank W. Volk imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Jeremy B. Wolfe prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:24-cr-175.
###
Mexican National Residing Illegally in Kanawha County Pleads Guilty and is Sentenced for Immigration CrimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Bruno Lisandro Pastrano Lopez, 39, a Mexican national living illegally in Nitro, pleaded guilty on October 9, 2025, to fraud and misuse of visas, permits, and other documents and was sentenced to time served. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has an immigration detainer on Lopez and he was transferred to ICE administrative custody for removal proceedings.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on December 10, 2024, Lopez presented a counterfeit Social Security Card to a Dunbar employer for the purpose of verifying his employment eligibility. Lopez also signed a U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services Form I-9, Employment Eligibility Verification, knowing it contained materially false information about his legal status in the United States and about whether the Social Security Administration had issued an account number and card to him.
United States Attorney Moore Capito made the announcement and commended the investigative work of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement-Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE-ERO), and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security-Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).
United States District Judge Joseph R. Goodwin presided over the hearing and imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Jonathan T. Storage prosecuted the case, as part of a special unit within the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia focused on the immigration enforcement objectives of Operation Take Back America.
Operation Take Back America is a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:25-cr-131.
###
Mexican National Living Illegally in Charleston Sentenced for Immigration CrimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Federico Montalvo Salas, 22, a Mexican national living illegally in Charleston, was sentenced on October 23, 2025, to time served for reentry of a removed alien. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has an immigration detainer on Salas and he was transferred to ICE administrative custody for removal proceedings.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on March 28, 2025, Salas was arrested by law enforcement in the South Charleston area. ICE agents confirmed that Salas was a citizen of Mexico in the United States illegally and that he had previously been deported from the United States. Salas had no identification documents permitting him legal status in the United States.
Salas was removed from the United States to Mexico on June 28, 2024, after being found that day near Douglas, Arizona. Salas never obtained the express consent of the Secretary of U.S. Homeland Security to reapply for admission to the United States for either of the prior removals, nor did he seek to reenter the United States through other legal means.
United States Attorney Moore Capito made the announcement and commended the investigative work of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement-Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE-ERO), and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security-Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).
ICE agents encountered two brothers of Salas living illegally in Charleston. Maximino Montalvo Salas, 20, was deported after pleading guilty on July 24, 2025, to the felony offense of knowingly possessing a fraudulent Permanent Resident Card (“Green Card”). Bernabe Montalvo Salas, 24, pleaded guilty on Wednesday, September 10, 2025, to reentry of a removed alien, was sentenced to time served, and transferred to ICE administrative custody for removal proceedings.
United States District Judge Thomas E. Johnston imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Jonathan T. Storage prosecuted the case, as part of a special unit within the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia focused on the immigration enforcement objectives of Operation Take Back America.
Operation Take Back America is a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:25-cr-82.
###
Mexican Citizen Sentenced to Five Months for Illegal ReentryRead the Press Release
Burlington, Vermont – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Vermont stated that on November 13, 2025, Artemio Cordova Mendez, age 36, a Mexican citizen, was sentenced by Chief United States District Judge Christina Reiss to a term of 5 months’ imprisonment, with credit for time served. Cordova Mendez previously pleaded guilty to illegal reentry.
According to court records, Cordova Mendez illegally entered the United States near Lukeville, Arizona in 2010. He was convicted of illegal entry in the U.S. District Court for the District of Arizona, and removed from the United States. Approximately six months later, he illegally reentered the United States near Antelope Wells, New Mexico. He was convicted of illegal reentry in the U.S. District Court for the District of Arizona, and again removed from the United States. In August 2025, Cordova Mendez was encountered by law enforcement in Vermont. Following his earlier removals from the United States, he had not obtained permission to reenter the United States.
First Assistant United States Attorney Michael P. Drescher commended the investigatory efforts of Homeland Security Investigations.
The case was prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Katherine Flynn. Cordova Mendez was represented by Christina E. Nolan, Esq.
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.