Latest Records
Newest first across public DOJ and U.S. Attorney press releases.
17 November 2025
Cape Coral Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for His Role in Firearm Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
Fort Myers, FL – U.S. District Judge Kyle Dudek has sentenced Derick Desir (28, Cape Coral) to 3 years and 10 months in federal prison for his role in a firearm trafficking conspiracy. Desir pleaded guilty on July 23, 2025, to conspiring to make a false statement to a firearms dealer and making false statements to a firearms dealer.
According to court records, in May 2022 Desir joined a conspiracy to “straw purchase” handguns on behalf of others. In June 2022, in coordination with another conspirator, Desir purchased approximately twelve Glock handguns across seven transactions from six different federally licensed firearms dealers in Lee County. While making these firearms purchases, Desir falsely represented to each firearm dealer that he was the “actual buyer or transferee” of the firearms, when he knew that the firearms he was purchasing would be trafficked to Canada by others. At least five of the twelve handguns purchased by Desir during the conspiracy have since been recovered in Canada during various Canadian law enforcement investigations.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Homeland Security Investigations. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Simon Eth.
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).
CVS Pharmacy Inc. Pays $18.2 Million to Resolve Alleged False Claims Act ViolationsRead the Press Release
CVS Pharmacy Inc. has paid a total of $18,282,280 to the United States and the State of California to resolve allegations that the company violated the Federal False Claims Act and the California False Claims Act when it knowingly submitted claims for reimbursement for certain prescribed medications to California’s Medi-Cal program that were not supported by applicable diagnosis and documentation requirements, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced today.
CVS is among the largest pharmacy chains in the United States, with more than 9,000 locations nationwide and more than 1,000 stores in California. CVS submits reimbursement claims for medications dispensed to beneficiaries of the Medi-Cal program—California’s Medicaid health care program administered by the California Department of Health Care Services (DHCS). Medi-Cal relies on both federal and state funding to provide health care to millions of Californians, including those with low incomes and disabilities.
Medi-Cal utilizes a “formulary” list that designates restrictions for certain listed drugs, including restrictions pertaining to diagnoses and required documentation that must be confirmed by the pharmacy before the drug can be prescribed. Drugs listed on the Medi-Cal formulary are commonly referred to as “Code 1” drugs. Medi-Cal will reimburse certain Code 1 drugs only for approved diagnoses, taking into account criteria such as the drug’s safety, efficacy, misuse potential, and cost. Pharmacies such as CVS serve the critical gatekeeping function of confirming and certifying that these Code 1 drugs are dispensed for the approved diagnoses. CVS may bill for drugs prescribed outside of the approved diagnoses, but it must submit a request to DHCS that includes a justification for the nonapproved use.
Today’s settlement resolves allegations that CVS failed to confirm and document the requisite diagnoses, and in some instances dispensed drugs for nonapproved diagnoses, then knowingly billed Medi-Cal for those prescriptions.
“This settlement demonstrates our commitment to protect the integrity of this critically important federal-state program serving low-income and disabled citizens of this District,” said U.S. Attorney Grant. “My office will continue working to ensure that pharmacies comply with important program regulations like those at issue here.”
“Proper billing of federal health care programs is essential and underpins the reliability of our health care system. Oversight is key to ensuring that compliance failures are remedied,” said Acting Chief Counsel to the Inspector General Susan Gillin of the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “Although CVS entered into a health care fraud settlement with the United States, CVS did not agree to compliance-related oversight with HHS-OIG through a corporate integrity agreement.”
This settlement includes the resolution of claims brought by a former CVS pharmacist under the qui tam or whistleblower provisions of the Federal False Claims Act. Under those provisions, a private party can file an action on behalf of the United States and receive a portion of any recovery from that action. The qui tam case is captioned: U.S., et al. ex rel. Zimniski v. CVS Health Corporation, no. 2:19-cv-1118 (E.D. Cal.). As part of the settlement announced today, the whistleblower will receive approximately $3.3 million of the recovery proceeds.
This settlement is the result of a joint effort by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of California and California’s Department of Medicaid Fraud and Elder Abuse, with assistance from HHS OIG and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Catherine Swann handled the case for the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
The claims resolved by this settlement are allegations only, and there has been no determination of liability.
Note: View the settlement agreement here:
cvs_settlement_agreement_-_executed.pdfBrazilian National Pleads Guilty to Selling Nearly a Dozen FirearmsRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Brazilian national unlawfully residing in Marlborough pleaded guilty today in federal court in Boston to trafficking firearms.
Guilherme Fernandes-Tavares, 32, pleaded guilty to one count of dealing firearms without a license. U.S. Senior District Court Judge Patti B. Saris scheduled sentencing for Feb. 26, 2026. Fernandes-Tavares was charged by criminal complaint in March 2025 and subsequently indicted by a federal grand jury in July 2025.
Between December 2023 and May 2024, Fernandes-Tavares sold 11 firearms and ammunition across 10 different dates and offered others for sale. Specifically, the firearms Fernandes-Tavares sold were pistols, some of which were privately manufactured firearms without serial numbers and one of which had an obliterated serial number. One of the firearms was sold with a large capacity magazine that could hold 28 rounds of ammunition. In addition, a package intended for Fernandes-Tavares sent from Florida was intercepted and found to contain an additional firearm.
The charge of engaging in the business of dealing firearms without a license provides for a sentence of up to five years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Thomas Greco, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, Boston Field Division; Michael J. Krol, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England; and Patricia H. Hyde, Field Office Director, Boston, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service; Massachusetts State Police; and the Westborough Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney John J. Reynolds III of the Organized Crime & Gang Unit is prosecuting the case.
Bradley Man Pleads Guilty to Bank Fraud Conspiracy and Aggravated Identity Theft ChargesRead the Press Release
BANGOR, Maine: A Bradley man pleaded guilty on November 6, 2025, in U.S. District Court in Bangor to conspiracy to commit bank fraud and aggravated identity theft.
According to court records, between July and October 2024, Darren Deorsey, 50, conspired with others to fraudulently obtain money by entering banks, impersonating legitimate bank account holders, and using fictitious identification cards to gain access to their bank accounts and withdraw funds. Through fraud, Deorsey was able to obtain funds from the accounts and take out an unauthorized $5,000 home equity line of credit in the name of an account holder.
Deorsey faces up to 30 years in prison, a maximum fine of $1 million, and up to five years of supervised release. For aggravated identity theft, he faces a mandatory prison term of two years, consecutive to any other sentence imposed, a $250,000 fine, and up to one year of supervised release. He will be sentenced after the completion of a presentence investigative report by the U.S. Probation Office. A federal district judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The FBI investigated the case with assistance from the Bangor Police Department, Maine Drug Enforcement Agency, and Maine Bureau of Motor Vehicles – Enforcement Services Division.
Editor’s Note: This matter occurred on the date indicated, but the press release was not published at that time due to the federal government shutdown. The release was posted and made available following the return to normal operations.
###
Brad D. Schimel Appointed as Interim United States Attorney for the Eastern District of WisconsinRead the Press Release
Milwaukee – Brad D. Schimel has been appointed as the Interim United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Wisconsin. United States Attorney Schimel was appointed to the position by United States Attorney General Pamela Bondi. Today, Mr. Schimel has taken the oath of office – administered by Chief U.S. District Court Judge Pamela Pepper.
As Interim United States Attorney, Mr. Schimel is the Chief Federal Law Enforcement Officer for the Eastern District of Wisconsin. He supervises the prosecution of all federal crimes and the litigation of all civil matters for the United States within the district. He leads an office of approximately 82 prosecutors, civil litigators, support personnel and professional staff members.
Mr. Schimel said, "I am deeply honored to be appointed Interim United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Wisconsin. For more than three and a half decades, public service has been my calling - first as a young prosecutor in Waukesha County, then as District Attorney, Attorney General, and most recently as a judge. In every one of those roles, I’ve had the privilege of working alongside dedicated professionals who believe, as I do, that justice isn’t just a system - it’s a promise we make to the people we serve.
I want to thank everyone who has placed their trust in me once again. I am grateful for the opportunity to lead an office filled with exceptional attorneys, investigators, and staff whose work often goes unseen, but whose impact is felt every single day in communities across this district. I am well aware that the word “interim” appears in front of my title. I am optimistic that this will become a longer-term opportunity, but whatever the case, I intend to work hard to support the team here to do great things for the people we serve."Richard G. Frohling, who had served in an acting capacity, will return to his position as First Assistant United States Attorney.
# # #
For further information contact:
Public Affairs Officer Steve Caballero
(414) 297-1700
Follow us on X
Billings man pleads guilty to kidnapping chargesRead the Press Release
BILLINGS - A Billings man accused of kidnapping admitted to charges today, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.
The defendant, Joshua Lawrence Wellington, 34, pleaded guilty to one count of kidnapping. Wellington faces a maximum potential term of life imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and 5 years of supervised release.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Timothy J. Cavan presided. U.S. District Judge Susan P. Watters will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Sentencing will be set for a later date. Wellington was detained pending further proceedings.
The government alleged in court documents that in June 2024, Wellington and Jane Doe were in a dating relationship. Wellington was absconding from Montana Probation & Parole and staying in Miles City. Doe visited Wellington in Miles City on three occasions. Wellington used methamphetamine during those visits. During the final visit, on June 29, 2024, Doe and Wellington got a hotel room. Wellington became aggressive and angry during sex with Doe, threatened to hit her over the head with a liquor bottle, then strangled her until she began to pass out. Doe begged him to stop, and he hit her over the head with the liquor bottle.
Wellington told Doe that Doe had “gone too far,” and they were going to leave Miles City and Montana. Wellington forced Doe into her car and took her cell phone. As soon as Wellington got onto the highway, he began to beat Doe. He hit her with his right hand while he drove with his left. He pulled the rearview mirror and a sun visor off Doe’s car and beat her with those items, stabbed her with a pen, threatened to beat her progressively worse if she did not comply with him, and told her to write a letter to her son telling him good-bye. Doe was terrified and did not feel she could willingly leave.
This continued for several hours until Wellington needed to stop for gas in Lemmon, South Dakota. Wellington placed Doe on the floorboard of the passenger seat and covered her with a blanket. Wellington told Doe not to do anything stupid and stated that if he got caught, he would kill her when he got out of custody. Doe ran out of the car and yelled for help in the parking lot and the gas station. Wellington was ultimately arrested after a high-speed pursuit. Wellington admitted that he hit Doe “quite a bit.”
The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case. The FBI conducted the investigation.
XXX
Bay Area Man Sentenced to Nearly 4 Years in Prison for Stealing Trade Secret Technology Designed for Missile Launch DetectionRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – A San Francisco Bay Area man and former engineer at a Southern California company was sentenced today to 46 months in federal prison for stealing trade secret technologies developed for use by the United States government to detect nuclear missile launches, track ballistic and hypersonic missiles, and to allow U.S. fighter planes to detect and evade heat-seeking missiles.
Chenguang Gong, 59, of San Jose, was sentenced by United States District Judge John F. Walter, who also ordered him to pay $77,408 in restitution and fined him $100,000.
Gong pleaded guilty on July 21 to one count of theft of trade secrets.
A dual citizen of the United States and China, Gong transferred more than 3,600 files from a Los Angeles-area research and development company where he worked – identified in court documents as the victim company – to personal storage devices during his brief tenure with the company in 2023.
The files Gong transferred include blueprints for sophisticated infrared sensors designed for use in space-based systems to detect nuclear missile launches and track ballistic and hypersonic missiles, as well as blueprints for sensors designed to enable U.S. military aircraft to detect incoming heat-seeking missiles and take countermeasures, including by jamming the missiles’ infrared tracking ability. Some of these files were later found on storage devices seized from Gong’s temporary residence in Thousand Oaks.
In January 2023, the victim company hired Gong as an application-specific integrated circuit design manager responsible for the design, development and verification of its infrared sensors. Beginning on approximately March 30, 2023, and continuing until his termination on April 26, 2023, Gong transferred thousands of files from his work laptop to three personal storage devices, including more than 1,800 files after he had accepted a job at one of the victim company’s main competitors.
Many of the files Gong transferred contained proprietary and trade secret information related to the development and design of a readout integrated circuit that allows space-based systems to detect missile launches and track ballistic and hypersonic missiles and a readout integrated circuit that allows aircraft to track incoming threats in low visibility environments.
Gong also transferred files containing trade secrets relating to the development of “next generation” sensors capable of detecting low observable targets while demonstrating increased survivability in space, as well as the blueprints for the mechanical assemblies used to house and cryogenically cool the victim company’s sensors. This information was among the victim company’s most important trade secrets that are worth hundreds of millions of dollars. Many of the files had been marked “[VICTIM COMPANY] PROPRIETARY,” “FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY,” “PROPRIETARY INFORMATION,” and “EXPORT CONTROLLED.”
Law enforcement also discovered that, between approximately 2014 and 2022, while employed at several major technology companies in the United States, Gong submitted numerous applications to ‘Talent Programs’ administered by the People’s Republic of China (PRC) government. The PRC government has established these talent programs to identify individuals who have expert skills, abilities, and knowledge of advanced sciences and technologies in order to access and utilize those skills and knowledge in transforming the PRC’s economy, including its military capabilities.
In 2014, while employed at a U.S. information technology company headquartered in Dallas, Gong sent a business proposal to a contact at a high-tech research institute in China focused on both military and civilian products. In his proposal, translated from Chinese, Gong described a plan to produce high-performance analog-to-digital converters like those produced by his employer.
In another Talent Program application from September 2020, Gong proposed to develop “low light/night vision” image sensors for use in military night vision goggles and civilian applications. Gong’s proposal included a video presentation that contained the model number of a sensor developed by an international defense, aerospace, and security company where Gong worked from 2015 to 2019.
Gong also travelled to China to seek Talent Program funding in order to develop sophisticated analog-to-digital converters. In his Talent Program applications, Gong underscored that the high-performance analog-to-digital converters he proposed to develop in China had military applications, explaining that they “directly determine the accuracy and range of radar systems” and that “[m]issile navigation systems also often use radar front-end systems.” In a 2019 email, translated from Chinese, Gong remarked that he “took a risk” by traveling to China to participate in the Talent Programs “because [he] worked for…an American military industry company” and thought he could “do something” to contribute to China’s “high-end military integrated circuits.”
“[Gong’s] conduct is particularly egregious because his deliberate and systematic theft of [the victim company’s] trade secrets is not an isolated incident; it represents the culmination of a long pattern of stealing proprietary technology from U.S. companies to benefit the [People Republic of China’s] military,” prosecutors argued in a sentencing memorandum.
The FBI’s Los Angeles Field Office through the Counterintelligence Task Force in partnership with the State Department’s Diplomatic Security Service and Homeland Security Investigations investigated this matter. The FBI’s San Francisco Field Office and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of California also provided substantial assistance.
Assistant United States Attorneys David C. Lachman of the National Security Division and Nisha Chandran of the Major Frauds Section prosecuted this case, with valuable assistance from Department of Justice Trial Attorney Brendan P. Geary of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section.
Bath Man Sentenced for Illegally Possessing FirearmsRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Maine: A Bath man was sentenced on October 2, 2025, in U.S. District Court in Portland for being a felon in possession of firearms.
U.S. District Judge Nancy Torresen sentenced Noah Sibole-Little, 29, to 21 months in federal prison to be followed by 2 years of supervised release. Sibole-Little pleaded guilty on June 16, 2025.
According to court records, in October 2024, the Bath Police Department received information that Sibole-Little had potentially threatened an individual at a residence with a firearm. Bath officers and Sagadahoc County Sheriff’s Office personnel responded to the area and established a perimeter. Officers observed Sibole-Little exit a rear door to the residence with a backpack and toss the backpack over a fence into a bush. Police seized the backpack and found three firearms inside, two 9mm pistols and a .380 caliber pistol. Sibole-Little had 2016 convictions for robbery and aggravated assault in Cumberland County and was therefore prohibited from possessing firearms.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case with the assistance of the Bath Police Department and Sagadahoc County Sheriff’s Office.
Project Safe Neighborhoods: This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-me/psn.
Editor’s Note: This matter occurred on the date indicated, but the press release was not published at that time due to the federal government shutdown. The release was posted and made available following the return to normal operations.
###
Baltimore Woman Sentenced for Money Laundering and Wire Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
U.S. District Judge Matthew J. Maddox sentenced Lakeisha Parker, 33, of Baltimore, Maryland, to three years in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, including six months of home detention, for her role in a large, multi-member money laundering conspiracy. Judge Maddox also ordered Parker to pay more than $8 million in restitution.
Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the sentence with Acting Special Agent in Charge Evan Campanella, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Baltimore; Special Agent in Charge Kareem A. Carter, Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) – Washington, D.C. Field Office; and Acting Special Agent in Charge George Golliday, Environmental Protection Agency Office of Inspector General (EPA-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. It gives financial assistance including forgivable loans to small businesses for job retention and other expenses. Established by the CARES Act, the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) — administered through the Small Business Administration (SBA) — along with the Economic Injury Disaster Loan (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.
On July 22, 2025, Parker pled guilty to conspiracy to commit money laundering and conspiracy to commit wire fraud. As part of her plea agreement, Parker admitted that beginning in 2019, and continuing into November 2023, she conspired with Adanegbe Gift Osenmwenkhae, Yahya Sowe, aka “Cash,” Gedeon Agbeyome, Victor Killen, Areal Harris, Bright Boateng, Faizou Gnora, Emily Gil Arias, Fatoumata Boiro, Lawrence Ogunsanwo, Martin Ogisi, Blondel Ndjouandjouaka, Kevin Colon, Lorena Perez Herrera, and others to launder proceeds of a large-scale wire fraud. The co-conspirators engaged in various financial transactions to conceal the nature, location, source, ownership, and control of the wire-fraud proceeds, while carrying out the wire-fraud schemes. Parker also admitted to laundering money obtained from fraudulent loan applications for COVID-19 relief benefits from the EIDL program.
Victims included government agencies, organizations, and companies, including an environmental trust, urban redevelopment program, medical center, transportation and logistics company, school district, college, and county government, among others. Parker personally laundered more than $1 million of fraud proceeds.
According to the plea agreement, Parker created a limited liability company to serve as a shell entity, opening at least five bank accounts in its name, and then used it to receive and launder fraud proceeds. Parker also used and controlled several different encrypted electronic communication accounts to coordinate with co-conspirators.
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 CARES Act was designed to provide emergency financial assistance to Americans suffering the economic effects caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. 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 HSI-led Document and Benefit Fraud/Mid-Atlantic El Dorado Task Force, IRS-CI, and EPA-OIG for their assistance. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Harry M. Gruber, Bijon A. Mostoufi, and Jared M. Beim, who are prosecuting the federal case, and Paralegal Specialist Joanna B.N. Huber, for her assistance.
Bakersfield Tax Return Preparer Sentenced for Role in $25 Million Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
Victor Cruz, 41, of Bakersfield, was sentenced today to 18 months in prison for participating in a scheme to submit fraudulent individual federal income tax returns that claimed $25 million in refunds, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced.
According to court records, between November 2019 and June 2023, Miguel Martinez, 42, a Mexican national residing in the United States illegally, led a scheme to file thousands of fraudulent tax returns that claimed millions of dollars in refunds. Martinez created fake businesses that reported to the IRS phony wages paid and withholding information for supposed employees. Martinez then filed thousands of individual income tax returns in the names of the supposed employees that claimed the employees were owed refunds based on the phony wages paid and withholding information that had been reported for them.
Cruz helped Martinez carry out the scheme by preparing and filing more than 500 of the fraudulent tax returns. This was approximately 10% to 15% of the total fraudulent tax returns for which Martinez was responsible. Cruz received thousands of dollars in fees from Martinez in exchange for his services.
The IRS actually paid out $2.3 million of the $25 million in refunds that were claimed by the fraudulent tax returns.
Martinez pleaded guilty and, in September 2024, was sentenced to six years in prison.
This case was the product of an investigation by the IRS Criminal Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph Barton prosecuted the case.
Attica man charged by criminal complaint with production of child pornographyRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, N.Y.–U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Edward Forrester, 67, of Attica, NY, was charged by criminal complaint with production of child pornography and possession of child pornography following a prior conviction. The charges carry a mandatory minimum penalty of 15 years in prsion and a maximum of 30 years.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Aaron J. Mango and Evan K. Glaberson, who are handling the case, stated that according to the complaint, in April 2022, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) alerted the New York State Police that a Google user identified as “edward forrester,” uploaded files of suspected child pornography to YouTube. One of the uploaded videos was described as “UNFAMILIAR and may depict NEWLY PRODUCED and/or HOMEMADE CONTENT.” Further investigation identified a victim in the video.
On May 5, 2022, a search warrant was executed on a camper and two vehicles that Forrester stored at his brother’s property in Wyoming County. A cell phone and tablet were seized, and Forrester was charged in New York State Court with one count of Sexual Abuse First and Endangering the Welfare of a Child. Investigators also executed a search warrant at Forrester’s residence at the time in Corfu, NY, during which two more cell phones were seized. A subsequent forensic review recovered four images of suspected child pornography, including an image of the victim.
FBI Buffalo is seeking assistance from the public. Members of the public, who have specific information related to this case, are urged to contact the FBI Buffalo Field Office at (716) 617-3250. A photo of Forrester is attached.
The complaint is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Philip Tejera, and the New York State Police, under the direction of Major Amie Feroleto.
The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
# # # #
Altoona Man Sentenced to Nine Years in Prison for Possessing and Distributing Images of Minors Engaged in Sexually Explicit ConductRead the Press Release
This release was issued following the 43-day government shutdown during which the sentencing occurred.
JOHNSTOWN, Pa. – A resident of Altoona, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty in federal court on October 21, 2025, to charges of violating federal sex offense laws and was sentenced to 108 months in prison, to be followed by 10 years of supervised release, First Assistant United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced.
Jonathan Hunt, 44, pleaded guilty before United States District Judge Stephanie L. Haines.
In connection with the guilty plea, the Court was advised that, on or about February 16, 2021, in the Western District of Pennsylvania, Hunt distributed images of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct using materials that were shipped or transported in interstate or foreign commerce. Further, on or about October 19, 2021, Hunt possessed images of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct, which were produced using prepubescent minors.
Assistant United States Attorney Maureen Sheehan-Balchon prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
First Assistant United States Attorney Rivetti commended Homeland Security Investigations for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Hunt.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Akron Man Sentenced for Role in Romance Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
DENVER – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado announces that William Chadwick, 63, of Akron, Colorado, was sentenced to 15 months in federal prison and one year of supervised release after pleading guilty to one count of money laundering. Chadwick was also ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $228,284.09.
According to the plea agreement, from at least May 2020 and through August 2022, Chadwick laundered proceeds obtained from federal COVID-19 relief programs including Unemployment Insurance (UI) benefits, Emergency Rental Assistance proceeds, Paycheck Protection (PPP) loan proceeds and other fraudulent sources on behalf of a woman he met online. Chadwick engaged in numerous financial transactions, including ATM withdrawals and cryptocurrency transactions, involving wire fraud proceeds. In total, he laundered approximately $228,284.09.
“Laundering money which was stolen from the federal government is a crime against every hard-working, tax-paying citizen of the United States,” said United States Attorney Peter McNeilly. “Our office is committed to prosecuting those who look to prosper off fraud against the government.”
“Chadwick laundered fraudulently obtained unemployment insurance funds intended for Americans that were struggling during the pandemic,” said Quentin Heiden, Special Agent-in-Charge, Western Region, U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General. “This sentence highlights our commitment to relentlessly investigate fraud in DOL’s unemployment insurance program. We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to hold accountable bad actors who perpetrate these crimes.”
United States District Judge William J. Martinez presided over the sentencing.
The Department of Homeland Security, Office of Inspector General and Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General conducted the investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Nicole Cassidy handled the prosecution.
The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act was enacted in March 2020 and was designed to provide emergency financial assistance to Americans dealing with the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. The CARES Act created the PPP, a program administered by the SBA that provided loans to small businesses to retain workers, maintain payroll, and pay for certain other expenses consistent with PPP rules. Small businesses could subsequently request forgiveness of the loan after certifying the loan was used to pay for eligible costs.
Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
Case Number: 1:25-cr-00127-WJM
Aesculap Implant Systems Agrees to Pay $38.5M to Resolve False Claims Act Allegations Related to Knee Implant Failures and Enters into a Non-Prosecution Agreement Related to the Introduction of Two Adulterated Medical Devices into Interstate CommerceRead the Press Release
Medical device company Aesculap Implant Systems LLC (Aesculap), based in Center Valley, Pennsylvania, has agreed to pay $38.5 million to resolve allegations under the False Claims Act that the company sold knee replacement devices that it knew would fail prematurely at a higher than acceptable rate, resulting in false claims to Medicare and Medicaid. The settlement further resolves allegations that the company paid unlawful remuneration to a physician to induce him to use the knee implants. Additionally, Aesculap agreed to a non-prosecution agreement with the United States in connection with its distribution of two medical devices without the required clearance from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
“Medical device failures — and their potential to harm patients — are of paramount concern to the Department of Justice,” said Assistant Attorney General Brett A. Shumate of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “The Department will hold accountable medical device companies that knowingly sell products prone to failure that present risks to patients and waste taxpayer dollars.”
“Doctors who implant medical devices need complete and accurate information about those devices to ensure they choose the best and safest options for their patients,” said U.S. Attorney David Metcalf for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. “A company that knows its product has a propensity to prematurely fail must not mislead doctors or government regulators or conceal material information about those known issues. Medicare and other federal programs should not be required to pay charges for devices that are unduly risky, and that may require painful and expensive surgeries to fix.”
“Transparency in medical device marketing is essential to safeguarding patient care,” said Deputy Inspector General for Investigations Christian J. Schrank of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “Undermining this process to increase profits is a serious violation of federal law that flouts the health and safety of patients. HHS-OIG will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to uncover and dismantle illegal arrangements that exploit the Medicare system for financial gain at the expense of patients.”
“Certain medical devices require FDA notification and clearance before distribution to the public,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Ronald Dawkins of the FDA Metro Washington Field Office. “Distributing such medical devices without FDA clearance and in violation of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act can put patients at risk. The FDA’s Office of Criminal Investigations (OCI) worked with the Justice Department and HHS-OIG to ensure a just resolution, and we commend the exceptional work done by the team.”
The civil settlement announced today resolves allegations that, from July 30, 2010, to June 17, 2023, Aesculap sold the VEGA System® Knee System, a line of prosthetic implants used in knee replacement surgeries, while knowing that it would fail prematurely at a higher than acceptable rate and, therefore, was not reasonable and necessary for use during knee replacement surgeries. In such surgeries, physicians remove arthritic bone in the knee and implant a device, which is fixed in place with bone cement. The United States alleged that the Vega was prone to becoming loose from patient’s bone prematurely, often shortly after surgery. Patients experiencing loosening could have pain, instability, and difficulty walking, and such patients required a revision surgery to remove and replace the Vega implant. The United States alleged that Aesculap knew shortly after the Vega was released in the United States that bone cement did not properly adhere to the implant. Despite this knowledge, Aesculap sold the Vega to physicians and hospitals in the United States without disclosing this known problem with the device. The United States also alleged that Aesculap failed to take steps to record, track, or report adverse events for the Vega and did not take adequate steps to remediate the problem. As of April 2024, Aesculap stopped selling all of its knee replacement devices, including the Vega, in the United States.
The settlement also resolves allegations that Aesculap knowingly and willfully made unlawful payments to an orthopedic surgeon located in Georgia who experienced problems with the Vega with the intent to induce him to use and recommend the Vega Knee System, in violation of the Anti-Kickback Statute, 42 U.S.C. 1320a-7b(b). This remuneration took the form of consulting payments, free international travel, and entertainment, among other things.
In addition to the civil settlement, Aesculap agreed to enter into a non-prosecution agreement related to the introduction of two medical devices into interstate commerce in violation of the Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act (FDCA) from March 2017 until August 2017. The two devices at issue are the ELAN-4 Air Drill, a high-speed surgical drill used for bone cutting, sawing, and drilling, and the JS Series SterilContainer S2, a reusable sterilization container for medical instruments. According to the non-prosecution agreement, Aesculap tasked an employee with shepherding both medical devices through the FDA clearance process, but the employee never submitted any documentation to FDA. He then forged multiple documents to reflect both devices were cleared by FDA to be marketed in the United States when FDA had not done so resulting in the illegal introduction of both devices into interstate commerce. The employee previously pleaded guilty to violating the FDCA and was sentenced to prison.
The civil settlement includes the resolution of claims brought under the qui tam or whistleblower provisions of the False Claims Act by John Marien and Michael McGee, who served as third-party distributors for Aesculap. Under those provisions, private parties can file an action on behalf of the United States and receive a portion of any recovery. The qui tam case is captioned United States ex rel. Marien & McGee v. Aesculap Inc., et al., No. 5:19-cv-1618 (E.D. Pa.). Marien and McGee will receive a share totaling $4,475,000 in connection with the settlement.
The resolution obtained in this matter was the result of a coordinated effort between the Justice Department’s Civil Division, Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section; the Civil Division’s Enforcement and Affirmative Litigation Branch; and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania with assistance from HHS-OIG and FDA’s Office of the Chief Counsel and FDA-OCI.
The investigation and resolution of this matter illustrates the government’s emphasis on combating healthcare fraud. One of the most powerful tools in this effort is the False Claims Act. Tips and complaints from all sources about potential fraud, waste, abuse, and mismanagement, can be reported to HHS at 800-HHS-TIPS (800-447-8477).
The civil matter was handled by Senior Trial Counsel Nicholas C. Perros of the Civil Division’s Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Charlene K. Fullmer and Erin E. Lindgren of the Eastern District of Pennsylvania.
The criminal matter was handled by Trial Attorneys Max J. Goldman and Bryson N. Gillard of the Enforcement and Affirmative Litigation Branch.
Except for the facts that Aesculap admitted as part of the non-prosecution agreement, the claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only and there has been no determination of liability.
Aesculap Implant Systems Agrees to Pay $38.5 Million to Resolve False Claims Act Allegations Related to Knee Implant FailuresRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf and the Department of Justice announced today that medical device company Aesculap Implant Systems, LLC (“Aesculap”), based in Center Valley, Pennsylvania, has agreed to pay $38.5 million to resolve allegations under the False Claims Act that the company sold knee replacement devices that it knew would fail prematurely at a higher than acceptable rate, resulting in false claims to Medicare and Medicaid.
The settlement further resolves allegations that the company paid unlawful remuneration to a physician to induce him to use the knee implants. Additionally, Aesculap agreed to a non-prosecution agreement with the United States in connection with its distribution of two medical devices without the required clearance from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
The civil settlement announced today resolves allegations that, from July 30, 2010, to June 17, 2023, Aesculap sold the VEGA System® Knee System, a line of prosthetic implants used in knee replacement surgeries, while knowing that it would fail prematurely at a higher than acceptable rate and, therefore, was not reasonable and necessary for use during knee replacement surgeries. In such surgeries, physicians remove arthritic bone in the knee and implant a device, which is fixed in place with bone cement. The United States alleged that the Vega was prone to becoming loose from patient’s bone prematurely, often shortly after surgery. Patients experiencing loosening could have pain, instability, and difficulty walking, and such patients required a revision surgery to remove and replace the Vega implant. The United States alleged that Aesculap knew shortly after the Vega was released in the United States that bone cement did not properly adhere to the implant. Despite this knowledge, Aesculap sold the Vega to physicians and hospitals in the United States without disclosing this known problem with the device. The United States also alleged that Aesculap failed to take steps to record, track, or report adverse events for the Vega and did not take adequate steps to remediate the problem. As of April 2024, Aesculap stopped selling all of its knee replacement devices, including the Vega, in the United States.
The settlement also resolves allegations that Aesculap knowingly and willfully made unlawful payments to an orthopedic surgeon located in Georgia who experienced problems with the Vega with the intent to induce him to use and recommend the Vega Knee System, in violation of the Anti- Kickback Statute, 42 U.S.C. 1320a-7b(b). This remuneration took the form of consulting payments, free international travel, and entertainment, among other things.
“Doctors who implant medical devices need complete and accurate information about those devices to ensure they choose the best and safest options for their patients,” said U.S. Attorney Metcalf. “A company that knows its product has a propensity to prematurely fail must not mislead doctors or government regulators or conceal material information about those known issues. Medicare and other federal programs should not be required to pay charges for devices that are unduly risky, and that may require painful and expensive surgeries to fix.”
“Medical device failures — and their potential to harm patients — are of paramount concern to the Department of Justice,” said Assistant Attorney General Brett A. Shumate of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “The Department will hold accountable medical device companies that knowingly sell products prone to failure that present risks to patients and waste taxpayer dollars.”
“Transparency in medical device marketing is essential to safeguarding patient care,” said Deputy Inspector General for Investigations Christian J. Schrank of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “Undermining this process to increase profits is a serious violation of federal law that flouts the health and safety of patients. HHS-OIG will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to uncover and dismantle illegal arrangements that exploit the Medicare system for financial gain at the expense of patients.”
In addition to the civil settlement, Aesculap agreed to enter into a non-prosecution agreement related to the introduction of two medical devices into interstate commerce in violation of the Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act (FDCA) from March 2017 until August 2017. The two devices at issue are the ELAN-4 Air Drill, a high-speed surgical drill used for bone cutting, sawing, and drilling, and the JS Series SterilContainer S2, a reusable sterilization container for medical instruments. According to the non-prosecution agreement, Aesculap tasked an employee with shepherding both medical devices through the FDA clearance process, but the employee never submitted any documentation to FDA. He then forged multiple documents to reflect both devices were cleared by FDA to be marketed in the United States when FDA had not done so resulting in the illegal introduction of both devices into interstate commerce. The employee previously pleaded guilty in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania to violating the FDCA and was sentenced to prison.
“Certain medical devices require FDA notification and clearance before distribution to the public,” stated FDA Metro Washington Field Office Acting Special Agent in Charge Ronald Dawkins. “Distributing such medical devices without FDA clearance and in violation of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act can put patients at risk. The FDA’s Office of Criminal Investigations (OCI) worked with the Justice Department and HHS-OIG to ensure a just resolution, and we commend the exceptional work done by the team.”
The civil settlement includes the resolution of claims brought under the qui tam or whistleblower provisions of the False Claims Act by John Marien, Michael McGee, and Brad Stafford. Under those provisions, a private party can file an action on behalf of the United States and receive a portion of any recovery. The qui tam cases are captioned United States ex rel. Marien & McGee v. Aesculap Inc., et al., no. 5:19-cv-1618 (E.D. Pa.) and United States ex rel. Stafford v. B. Braun Medical Inc., et al., no. 4:19-cv-4108 (E.D. Pa.).
The resolution obtained in this matter was the result of a coordinated effort by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania; the Justice Department’s Civil Division, Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section; and the Civil Division’s Enforcement and Affirmative Litigation Branch, with assistance from HHS-OIG, FDA’s Office of the Chief Counsel, and FDA-OCI.
The investigation and resolution of this matter illustrates the government’s emphasis on combating healthcare fraud. One of the most powerful tools in this effort is the False Claims Act. Tips and complaints from all sources about potential fraud, waste, abuse, and mismanagement can be reported to HHS at 800-HHS-TIPS (800-447-8477).
The civil matter was handled by Assistant United States Attorneys Charlene Keller Fullmer and Erin Lindgren of the Eastern District of Pennsylvania and Senior Trial Counsel Nicholas C. Perros of the Civil Division’s Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section.
The criminal matter was handled by Trial Attorneys Max J. Goldman and Bryson N. Gillard of the Enforcement and Affirmative Litigation Branch, former Assistant United States Attorney M. Beth Leahy of the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, FDA-OCI, and HHS-OIG.
Except for the facts that Aesculap admitted as part of the non-prosecution agreement, the claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only and there has been no determination of liability.
14 November 2025
Zuni Man Sentenced for 2023 MurderRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – A Zuni man was sentenced to 72 months prison for voluntary manslaughter.
There is no parole in the federal system.
According to court records, on February 4, 2023, Joey Luarkie, 25, an enrolled member of the Zuni pueblo, Luarkie stabbed John Doe in the neck during an argument at a residence on the Zuni Pueblo. John Doe was found outside the residence by responding officers and died the next day after being transported to the hospital and undergoing emergency surgeries.
Luarkie pled guilty to voluntary manslaughter. Upon his release from prison, Luarkie will be subject to one year 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 FBI’s Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Zuni Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Nicholas J. Marshall is prosecuting the case.
This press release was posted November 14, after the end of the federal government shutdown.
York Man Sentenced to 105 Months in Prison on Firearm ChargeRead the Press Release
HARRISBURG - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Dereese Williams, age 32, of York, Pennsylvania, was sentenced on November 13, 2025, by United States District Judge Keli M. Neary to 105 months in prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm.
According to United States Attorney Brian D. Miller, Williams previously pled guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm after having been convicted of a crime punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding one year. On September 30, 2021, Williams sped away from the Pennsylvania State Police who attempted a traffic stop. Williams eventually crashed his car and fled. Police arrested Williams and searched the car and found a Phoenix Arms .22 caliber pistol and a Masada 9mm pistol.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Pennsylvania State Police. Assistant United States Attorney Michael A. Consiglio prosecuted 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).
# # #
Wise County Man Sentenced to 10 Years on Drug and Gun ChargesRead the Press Release
Editor's Note: This matter occurred on the date indicated but was not published at that time due to a lapse in federal appropriations. Press releases are posted and made available following the return to normal operations
ABINGDON, Va. – A Wise, Virginia man, who conspired to distribute over 500 grams of methamphetamine and illegally possessed a firearm as a convicted felon, was sentenced November 7 to 10 years in federal prison.
Michael Wynn Whitaker Jr., 45, previously pled guilty to conspiracy to distribute over 500 grams of methamphetamine, distribution of methamphetamine, and illegal possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon.
According to court documents, Whitaker was a key distributor of methamphetamine, fentanyl, and cocaine in Wise County, Virginia from January 2023 through September 2024. Whitaker routinely traveled to West Virginia with co-conspirators to purchase two-to-ten ounces of methamphetamine and an ounce of fentanyl at any one time for further distribution in Southwest Virginia.
Further, Whitaker made at least 25 trips to Kentucky to purchase at least two ounces of methamphetamine per trip for further distribution. Despite being a convicted felon, Whitaker kept firearms at his home, where much of his drug distribution behavior took place.
Robert N. Tracci, Acting United States Attorney for the Western District of Virginia, Anthony A. Spotswood, Special Agent in Charge of the Washington Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives made the announcement.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the Wise County Sheriff’s Office, and Southwest Drug Task Force.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Lena Busscher and Danielle Stone prosecuted the case for the United States.
Windsor Man Pleads Guilty to Extortion and ThreatsRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Windsor man pleaded guilty on Oct. 22, 2025 in federal court in Springfield to making online threats and extortionate demands.
Michael Andrew Rodgers, 32, pleaded guilty to one count of threatening interstate communications and one count of extortionate interstate communications before U.S. District Court Judge Mark G. Mastroianni, who scheduled sentencing for Feb. 4, 2026. Rodgers was arrested and charged in September 2024.
On April 5, 2023, Rodgers posted a threat on the Google review page of a Springfield medical practice that stated: “They gonna get what’s coming soon. […] Will be there in the morning to get them myself one way or another. Locked and loaded.” Beneath this text, Rodgers included an image of a hand holding a gun.
On April 6, 2024, Rodgers submitted a threat through a fraud reporting website for the Social Security Administration Office of the Inspector General with the intent to extort Social Security disability benefits. Specifically, Rodgers stated: “I m gonna start taking what I need. By any means nessacary. […] GIVE ME MY MONEY OR IM GONNA START DROPPING PEOPLE. YOULL NEVER FIND MY WEAPONS SO STOP LOOKING AND GIVE ME MY CHECK. […] NEXT TIME I SLICE SOMETHING OPEN. IT WONT BE ME. ITLL BE ONE OF YOUR CHILDREN ILL MERC A WHOLE SCHOOL AND NOT GIVE A F***. […] SO YOULL BE MY FIRST TARGET IF YOU KEEP REFUSING TO HELP ME.”
The charge of threatening interstate communications provides for a sentence of up to five years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. The charge of extortionate interstate communications provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Ted E. Docks, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; and Amy Connelly, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Social Security Administration, Office of the Inspector General, Office of Investigations, Boston Field Division made the announcement today. Valuable assistance in the investigation was provided by the Massachusetts State Police, Springfield Police Department, Windsor Police Department and Federal Protective Service. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney James J. Nagelberg of the Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case.
West Virginia Woman Pleads Guilty to Lying to Obtain U.S. Citizenship After Committing War Crimes in BosniaRead the Press Release
A naturalized U.S. citizen from Bosnia and Herzegovina pleaded guilty on Nov. 10 to criminal charges related to her lying about her prior criminal conduct to obtain U.S. citizenship.
“The defendant obtained the privileges of U.S. citizenship through lies and deceit, concealing the violent crimes she committed in Bosnia and Herzegovina,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew R. Galeotti of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “The Department is fully committed to holding accountable those who exploit our immigration system and pose a threat to public safety.”
“Covering up past human rights abuses to attain U.S. citizenship is an egregious offense, and I thank our law enforcement partners both here in the U.S. and in Bosnia and Herzegovina for investigating this matter to ensure that justice is done,” said U.S. Attorney David X. Sullivan for the District of Connecticut.
“Individuals who lie on their naturalization documents undermine the process for all who justly apply to be a part of our great nation,” said Special Agent in Charge P.J. O’Brien of the FBI New Haven Field Office. “Tomanic’s admissions of fraud are detestable because of her history of targeting people based on their ethnicity and religion. The FBI, along with our partners at the the Department of Homeland Security’s Human Rights Violators and War Crimes Center, and the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services Office of Fraud Detection and National Security will continue to investigate crimes of this nature to ensure the sanctity of the immigration process for all who righteously apply for U.S. Citizenship.”
According to court documents, Nada Radovan Tomanic, 53, served with the Zulfikar Special Unit of the Army of Bosnia and Herzegovina in the 1990s, during the armed conflict in the region. Along with other Zulfikar Special Unit soldiers, Tomanic participated in the physical and psychological abuse of Bosnian Serb civilian prisoners.
When applying for U.S. naturalization in 2012, Tomanic falsely denied having served in a detention facility or in any other situation involving the detention of others. She also falsely denied having committed a crime for which she had not been arrested – specifically, the crime of inflicting serious bodily harm under the Criminal Law of the Socialist Republic of Yugoslavia.
Tomanic’s deception extended beyond her written naturalization application. During her interview with a U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services officer, she was placed under oath and legally obligated to answer questions truthfully. Despite that obligation, she again lied about her service in a detention facility and her past criminal conduct.
Tomanic pleaded guilty to one count of procuring citizenship contrary to law. She is scheduled to be sentenced on Feb. 3, 2026. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. The defendant faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison.
Trial Attorney Elizabeth Nielsen of the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section (HRSP) and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Anastasia King and Angel Krull for the District of Connecticut are prosecuting the case, with assistance from HRSP historians. The Criminal Division’s Office of International Affairs also provided assistance.
The FBI is investigating the case, with coordination provided by the Department of Homeland Security’s Human Rights Violators and War Crimes Center (HRVWCC) and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services’ Office of Fraud Detection and National Security (FDNS), along with the FBI’s International Human Rights Unit (IHRU). The Justice Department thanks authorities from Bosnia and Herzegovina, to include the Ministry of Justice of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Republic of Srpska Ministry of Interior, Serbian authorities, and the United Nations International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals, who were instrumental in providing assistance that aided in furthering the investigation.
Members of the public who have information about human rights violators in the United States are urged to contact the FBI at 1-800-CALLFBI (1-800-225-5324) or through the FBI’s online tip form at www.tips.fbi.gov/, or Homeland Security Investigations at 1-866-DHS-2-ICE (1-866-347-2423) or through ICE’s online tip form at www.ice.gov/webform/ice-tip-form.
West Tennessee Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
Jackson, TN – James Ballew, 74, of Milan, Tennessee, has been sentenced to 10 years in prison for possessing child pornography. D. Michael Dunavant, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Tennessee, announced the sentence today.
Ballew was charged with two counts of possession of child pornography. According to the information presented during the sentencing hearing, on February 10, 2023, Federal Bureau of Investigation agents executed a search warrant on Ballew’s residence in Milan. Agents seized two computers during the execution of the search warrant. Additionally, agents obtained a search warrant to search both computers. As a result of the search of both computers, agents discovered Ballew possessed 143,343 photographs and 7,848 videos depicting child sexual abuse material.
Following his guilty plea for possession of child pornography, United States District Judge S. Thomas Anderson sentenced Ballew to 10 years in prison and 10 years of supervised release. Additionally, Ballew must comply with the conditions of the Sexual Offender Registry upon his release.
There is no parole in the federal system.
U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant said, “Possession of child pornography is an abhorrent and disturbing crime that endangers and harms real child victims forever. And it doesn’t take an economist to know that demand drives supply. By seeking out and possessing thousands of images and videos of young children being sexually abused, Ballew contributed to their past victimization. And by fueling the demand for child pornography, his conduct likely also contributed to the future harm done to children in the name of profit. We will always seek significant and mandatory minimum sentences for such despicable and predatory behavior, and this successful prosecution has incapacitated a real threat to our children and our community in West Tennessee.”
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood (PSC), a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Office and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate and apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit http://www.justice.gov/psc.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Milan Police Department.
Assistant United States Attorney Adam Davis prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
###
For more information, please contact the media relations team at [email protected]. Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office on Facebook or on X at @WDTNNews for office news and updates
Virginia Man Sentenced to Life in Prison for Federal Hate Crime and Firearms ViolationRead the Press Release
Douglas Wayne Cornett of Spotsylvania County, Virginia, was sentenced to life in prison in federal court yesterday after he pleaded guilty to two federal hate crime charges, each involving an attempt to kill, and to discharging a firearm during a federal crime of violence.
“No one in this country should be hunted down and shot at because of who they are or where they come from,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “This sentence reflects the Justice Department’s unwavering commitment to protecting communities from hate-fueled violence and to hold accountable those who attack others based on prejudice.”
“As our nation recovers from recent political violence, today’s verdict is a welcome reminder that terror motivated by hate will not be tolerated,” said U.S. Attorney Lindsey Halligan for the Eastern District of Virginia. “My office will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to investigate and vigorously prosecute those who choose brutality and aggression over civility and reason.”
According to court documents, on the evening of Feb. 28, 2024, Cornett followed a box truck driven by a victim with the initials O.G., an adult Latino male, into the Sheetz gas station along Interstate 95 in Spotsylvania County, Virginia. Cornett then asked a victim with the initials J.M., an adult Latino male and a friend of O.G., how long O.G. had been present in the United States. Upon learning that O.G. had arrived within the last two years, Cornett drew a handgun and fired six rounds, striking O.G. three times and J.M. once. Cornett later confessed to a Spotsylvania County Sheriff’s Deputy to shooting the victims because of his perception of their national origin.
The Richmond Field Office of the FBI investigated the case with substantial assistance from the Spotsylvania County Sheriff’s Office.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas Garnett for the Eastern District of Virginia and Trial Attorney Kyle Boynton of the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section prosecuted the case.
VRA Enterprises Agrees to Pay over $17 Million for Allegedly Billing Medicare for Over-The-Counter COVID-19 Tests That Were Not Provided to Beneficiaries, or That Were Sent to Beneficiaries Months After Being Billed to MedicareRead the Press Release
Tampa, FL – VRA Enterprises, LLC dba Precision Rx (VRA), a pharmacy located in Tampa, Florida, has agreed to pay the United States $17,069,371 to resolve allegations that it violated the False Claims Act (FCA) by knowingly submitting or causing the submission of false claims to Medicare for Over-The-Counter (OTC) Covid-19 tests that were not provided to beneficiaries, or that were sent to beneficiaries months after VRA had billed them to Medicare.
Between April 2022 and May 2023, VRA distributed OTC Covid-19 tests in connection with the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) OTC Covid-19 Test Demonstration Project (Demonstration Project). During the Demonstration Project, Medicare Part B beneficiaries could request OTC Covid-19 tests from participating providers, such as VRA, and CMS would reimburse those providers for up to eight OTC Covid-19 tests per beneficiary per month, at a fixed rate of $12 per test.
The settlement announced today resolves allegations that VRA knowingly submitted or caused the submission of false claims to Medicare for OTC Covid-19 tests in connection with the Demonstration Project. The United States contends that, between August 2022 and May 2023, VRA submitted claims to Medicare for OTC COVID-19 tests that it did not provide to beneficiaries. The United States also contends that, in January 2023, VRA submitted approximately 136,491 claims to Medicare for OTC COVID-19 test it did not ship to beneficiaries until April 2023. VRA received thousands of complaints from beneficiaries during the Demonstration Project about missing OTC COVID-19 tests. VRA also repeatedly acknowledged internally that it had “billed Medicare” for tests it “failed to ship” and should “issue a refund” to Medicare “immediately” for such tests, but did not do so. As a result of this conduct, the United States contends that VRA knowingly submitted or caused to be submitted false claims to the Medicare Program in violation of the False Claims Act.
“The Department of Justice has been vocal in prioritizing the pursuit of civil fraud cases against providers that raided federal health programs during the COVID-19 pandemic,” said U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe. “This settlement is an excellent example of our district’s commitment to meeting this important challenge.”
“When providers bill for services that were never delivered for matters such as COVID-19, they not only squander taxpayer dollars, but they also drain critical resources in our public health response,” said Christian J. Schrank, Deputy Inspector General for Investigations of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “HHS-OIG remains committed to working with our law enforcement partners to stamp out deceptive schemes that violate the False Claims Act and undermine the integrity of our nation’s federal health care programs.”
The resolution obtained in this matter was the result of a coordinated effort between the Justice Department’s Civil Division, Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section, the United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida, and HHS-OIG. This matter was handled by Civil Division Fraud Section Trial Attorney Lindsay DeFrancesco and by AUSA Carolyn Tapie.
The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only and there has been no determination of liability.
United States Extradites Three Alleged Members of Tren de Aragua to Chile to Face Prosecution for Murder, Kidnapping, and other Violent OffensesRead the Press Release
Note: This matter occurred on date indicated, but not published due to government shutdown. Press release posted and made available following the return to normal operations.
On Sept. 30, the United States extradited to Chile three fugitives, all of whom had been in the United States illegally, to face charges of homicide, kidnapping for ransom, and human smuggling in connection with their alleged involvement in Tren de Aragua (TdA). On Jan. 20, Executive Order 14157 designated TdA – a Venezuelan-based transnational criminal organization – to be a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO).
“The three defendants allegedly committed heinous crimes in the name of the foreign terrorist organization, Tren de Aragua, and then sought to escape justice by living in the United States illegally,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew R. Galeotti of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “With today’s extradition, the Department of Justice has made the streets of the United States safer and assisted our Chilean partners in ensuring that these defendants will be held accountable for crimes that they are accused of committing in that country. The United States will no longer be a safe haven for members of TdA who pose a direct threat to our public safety and national security.”
The three extradited fugitives alleged to be associated with TdA are:
- Miguel Oyola Jimenez, 38, a dual Venezuelan and Ecuadorian national, surrendered to Chile to be prosecuted on two counts of kidnapping for ransom and one count of criminal association. Chile alleges that Oyola Jimenez directed and conducted kidnappings for ransom of migrant workers as part of a cell of TdA operating in Northern Chile;
- Jesus Alberto Golding Escalona, 34, a Venezuelan national, surrendered to Chile to be prosecuted on charges of aggravated murder and human smuggling. Chile alleges that Golding Escalona is associated with Tren de Desastre, a Chilean-based affiliate of TdA, and that he killed an individual as part of a large human smuggling operation in Chile; and
- Edgar Javier Benitez Rubio, 37, a Venezuelan national, surrendered to Chile to be prosecuted on charges of kidnapping with homicide, criminal association, and receiving stolen property. Chile alleges that Benitez Rubio was a member of TdA who participated in the kidnapping and killing of a well-known Venezuelan opposition member in Santiago, Chile, by providing the vehicles used to facilitate the kidnapping operation.
Also on Sept. 30, the United States extradited two additional defendants to Chile, both accused of violent crimes. Chile alleges that Gregoris Jose Cortez Fernandez, 35, a Venezuelan national, acted as the hitman for Gallineta, a violent street gang. Chile further alleges that Yonaiker Gabriel Sequera Olivero, 24, a Venezuelan national, shot an individual in connection with a dispute over narcotics.
The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs worked with U.S. Attorney’s Offices in the Central District of Illinois, Southern District of Indiana, Eastern District of Michigan, and Western District of Washington, the U.S. Marshals Service, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and Chilean prosecutors and law enforcement authorities, to facilitate the extraditions.
U.S. Attorney’s Office and Other DOJ Components Provide Update on Increased Federal Prosecutions and Ongoing Strategies to Combat Violent Crime in ChicagoRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — Andrew S. Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, today provided an update on increased federal prosecutions and strategies implemented to combat violent crime in Chicago and the surrounding area. This announcement comes after the government just reopened following the longest government shutdown in U.S. history as well as the largest ever enforcement surge in the Northern District of Illinois—commonly referred to as “Operation Midway Blitz”—a U.S. immigration enforcement operation launched by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
This is a joint statement made with the other Department of Justice law enforcement components, namely, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), and U.S. Marshals Service (USMS).
“Combatting the epidemic of gun crime and violence is a national priority for this Department of Justice, and it is a top priority of mine as U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois,” said U.S. Attorney Boutros. “It is for that reason that I have invested substantial resources into our Violent Crimes Section while demonstrating with action that we will strongly support our law enforcement partners and accept their most significant cases for federal prosecution. The results are not only a deepening of relationships with our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners, but also a dramatic increase in our prosecutions and high-impact matters,” U.S. Attorney Boutros continued.
For example, this year, federal firearm indictments under the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s Project Safe Neighborhoods (“PSN”) program are up 292% in the Northern District of Illinois compared to last year (through Oct. 31, 2025). The number of defendants charged in PSN firearm indictments is up 287% compared to last year (through Oct. 31, 2025). The PSN program is an evidence-based program that focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders while bringing together a broad spectrum of stakeholders to identify the most pressing violent crime problems and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. One such problem is violence in Chicago’s downtown neighborhoods and public rail system. As such, in June of this year, U.S. Attorney Boutros announced an expansion of PSN to include the economic centers in downtown Chicago and the entire rail system operated by the Chicago Transit Authority, including all train lines operating in every neighborhood from every part of the city. The expansion implemented the program in parts of three Chicago Police districts in downtown financial zones that represent the economic engines of the city and region, as well as on the CTA trains that bring residents and visitors to those areas from every neighborhood of Chicago and from the city’s two international airports. The expansion by U.S. Attorney Boutros represented the first time anywhere in the country that the PSN program was deployed on mass transit and the first time in Chicago that the city’s downtown economic corridors were given the federal PSN designation.
In addition, firearm investigations in Chicago have been substantially bolstered by a game-changing resource from ATF—the Crime Gun Intelligence Center of Chicago. The CGIC is a centralized law enforcement hub that focuses exclusively on investigating and preventing gun violence in Chicago and throughout northern Illinois. Every single gun case in the Northern District of Illinois is processed through ATF’s CGIC on a daily basis. This swift and thorough review and intake process is made possible because the CGIC is an interagency collaboration that brings together federal, state, and local law enforcement officers, prosecutors, and intelligence analysts to move quickly to investigate and prosecute violent crimes, and especially gun crimes.
The increase in federal firearm indictments corresponds to increased prosecutions as well as other high-impact cases across the various federal programs. Overall, federal criminal indictments in all program areas in the Northern District of Illinois in 2025 are up 45% (366 versus 252) compared to last year (through Oct. 31, 2025). The number of defendants charged in all program areas in 2025 is up 52% (494 versus 325) compared to last year (through Oct. 31, 2025).
“A fundamental duty of our Office is to tackle crimes across the various federal program areas that we service,” said U.S. Attorney Boutros. “That applies to narco-terrorism and terrorism cases, drug and gun trafficking organizations, public corruption, organized crime, money laundering, child-exploitation and human trafficking cases, cybercrimes, assaults on Postal Employees and other federal officers and personnel, as well as program fraud, healthcare fraud, and otherwise. We are committed to investigating and prosecuting federal criminal cases on behalf of all of our law enforcement partners to disrupt the cycle of ongoing crime in Chicago.”
The increased prosecutions are part of a turnaround that is occurring under U.S. Attorney Boutros, who inherited an Office that was down some 50 prosecutors. The Criminal Division had also dipped below 90 criminal prosecutors for the first time in decades. “The impressive results we have been able to achieve in 2025 as an Office have been accomplished with far fewer prosecutors and resources than the Office has experienced in decades,” said U.S. Attorney Boutros. “This is also true for the caseloads we are handling in our Civil Division. I am proud of the hard work and dedication of our prosecutors in the Civil Division who are handling a heavy docket that is only growing heavier with fewer resources. After an extended government shutdown and many months of a hiring freeze, I am energized by the fact that we are hiring several dozens of new Assistant U.S. Attorneys in the Criminal and Civil Divisions in the coming months. Many of our new hires will come with significant experience, including decades of federal and/or state prosecutorial experience from across the country and locally and will be able to hit the ground running,” said U.S. Attorney Boutros. “I am very much looking forward to onboarding our new tough-on-crime prosecutors who will contribute mightily to the Office in the critically important work we do every day. I am very optimistic about our Office’s future, especially as we add to our already talented roster of attorneys and staff who work diligently every day to make our communities better.”
“Through the Crime Gun Intelligence Center of Chicago (CGIC) partnership, we have made a significant impact on reducing violent crime in Chicago,” said Christopher Amon, Special Agent-in-Charge of the ATF Chicago Field Division. “Increased federal prosecutions under the leadership of U.S. Attorney Boutros have been instrumental in ensuring that violent offenders are swiftly brought to justice. ATF will remain focused on its top priority: tackling violent crime and taking drivers of violence off our streets.”
“The FBI works to ensure that the threat of violent crime does not endanger the livelihood or safety of the hardworking people in this great city,” said Douglas S. DePodesta, Special Agent-in-Charge of the FBI Chicago Field Office. “Thanks to the outstanding collaboration within the network of law enforcement and prosecutorial partners in Project Safe Neighborhoods, our communities are safer and more well-resourced than ever. The FBI remains committed to developing proactive solutions and holding accountable anyone who seeks to compromise the safety of those who live in or visit Chicago.”
“The DEA Chicago Field Division will continue leveraging all resources at our disposal to combat drug-related violent crime,” said Shane R. Catone, Special Agent-in-Charge of the DEA Chicago Field Division. “Disrupting and dismantling violent drug trafficking organizations and their supply chains is crucial to keeping Americans safe. Alongside our federal, state, and local law enforcement and prosecutorial partners, the DEA will continue to relentlessly pursue accountability of violent drug traffickers inflicting harm upon our communities throughout Illinois.”
“Criminal violence of any kind—including assaults and attacks on federal agents and other government personnel—are unacceptable,” said LaDon A. Reynolds, United States Marshal for the Northern District of Illinois. “The U.S. Marshals Service will investigate and seek to hold accountable people who break the law with violence. U.S. Attorney Boutros has been a strong and reliable partner in our efforts, and we look forward to continuing to closely work with him and his team.”
U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of New Mexico Immigration and Border Crimes Report During Government ShutdownRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – Today, the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of New Mexico announced its immigration enforcement statistics for the period of September 29 through November 14, which encompasses the duration of the federal government shutdown. These cases are prosecuted in partnership with the El Paso Sector of the U.S. Border Patrol, along with Homeland Security Investigations El Paso, with assistance from other federal, state, and county agencies.
In the seven-week period, the United States Attorney’s Office brought the following criminal charges in New Mexico:
- 329 individuals were charged with Illegal Reentry After Deportation (8 U.S.C. 1326)
- 38 individuals were charged with Alien Smuggling (8 U.S.C. 1324)
- 240 individuals were charged with Illegal Entry (8 U.S.C. 1325)
- 340 individuals were charged with Illegal Entry (8 U.S.C. 1325), violation of a military security regulation (50 U.S.C. 797) and Entering Military, Naval, or Coast Guard Property (18 U.S.C. 1382), arising from the newly established National Defense Area in New Mexico.
Many of the defendants charged pursuant to 18 U.S.C. 1326 had prior criminal convictions for drug trafficking, child sexual abuse, aggravated kidnapping, DUI, aggravated assault, conspiracy to defraud the United States, larceny, alien smuggling, burglary, participation in organized criminal activity, child endangerment, and prior immigration offenses.
These cases are part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
These statistics represent prosecutions by the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of New Mexico only. The numbers do not include individuals apprehended by immigration enforcement officials and subjected solely to administrative process.
Under current leadership, public safety and a secure border are the top priorities for the District of New Mexico. Enhanced enforcement both at the border and in the interior of the district have yielded aliens engaged in unlawful activity or with serious criminal history, including human trafficking, sexual assault and violence against children.
The District of New Mexico consists of 33 counties and shares 180 miles of international border with Mexico. Assistant U.S. Attorneys from Albuquerque and Las Cruces work directly with our federal, state and local law enforcement partners to prosecute immigration-related and other federal offenses.
U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones Meets with Miami-Dade County Mayor to Discuss Public-Safety PartnershipRead the Press Release
MIAMI — U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones and First Assistant U.S. Attorney Yara Klukas met yesterday with Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava and senior members of her administration to discuss shared public-safety priorities and opportunities for deeper collaboration between the County and the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
The meeting focused on three central issues: enhancing the protection of public officials, supporting the continued improvement of the Miami-Dade County Corrections and Rehabilitation system, and strengthening coordination on future initiatives that safeguard the residents of Miami-Dade County.
Mayor Levine Cava briefed federal leadership on her administration’s progress at the Miami-Dade County Jail, including reforms aimed at improving safety, accountability, and conditions inside the system. The discussion also covered joint efforts to confront threats facing public officials and government institutions, an area where federal and local cooperation remains vital.
“This was a productive conversation about how we can work together to protect our institutions and the people who serve them,” said U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones. “Mayor Levine Cava has made real progress reforming the County’s jail system, and our Office looks forward to building on that work through stronger coordination and shared commitments to public safety.”
U.S. Attorney Reding Quiñones and Mayor Levine Cava also outlined practical areas for expanded partnership in the months ahead, including enhanced information-sharing, coordinated strategies, and future joint opportunities for county and federal personnel.
U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant Appoints Prosecutors to Leadership Roles for the Western District of TennesseeRead the Press Release
Memphis, TN – United States Attorney D. Michael Dunavant is pleased to announce the appointments of four Assistant United States Attorneys (AUSAs) for management and supervisory roles within the U.S. Attorney's Office of the Western District of Tennessee.
United States Attorney D. Michael Dunavant said, “All four of these AUSAs are career prosecutors with unquestioned reputations for effective prosecution and sound legal and ethical judgment. I have full faith and confidence in all of them to help me effectively lead the U.S. Attorney’s Office in West Tennessee, and I am proud to appoint them to these important positions.”
BETH C. BOSWELL
FIRST ASSISTANT UNITED STATES ATTORNEY
Beth Boswell was admitted to practice law in Texas in November 1992 and in Tennessee in September 1998. She started her path as a career prosecutor immediately after law school by working for the Harris County District Attorney’s Office in Houston, Texas, one of the largest District Attorney offices in the country, where she worked from 1992 to 1998.
Prior to joining the Department of Justice in 2014, Boswell served as the Deputy Chief Assistant District Attorney General for Tennessee's 24th Judicial District Attorney General’s office for 16 years. During her service as Deputy Chief, she was the Senior Trial Prosecutor for all violent crimes and major drug cases covering a five-county district. While there, she also worked as a Special Assistant U.S. Attorney (SAUSA) for the U.S. Attorney's Office of the Western District of Tennessee (WDTN) from 2011 to 2014. Boswell then joined the U.S. Attorney's Office as an Assistant U.S. Attorney (AUSA). She was assigned to the Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) Unit in the Jackson, Tennessee branch office, which focused on the prosecutions of long-term drug and gang cases. She served as the Lead AUSA of the unit from 2016 to 2018 and was then appointed as Criminal Chief, where she served until this promotion.
During her career as a prosecutor, Boswell has tried hundreds of felony cases to verdict, including complex gang and long-term narcotic prosecutions, firearms violations, murders, rapes, arsons, robberies, and other violent crimes. She has received the Department of Justice Criminal Division Assistant District Attorney General’s Award for Distinguished Service, as well as United States Attorney Awards for outstanding performance and distinguished service to the Western District of Tennessee.
Beth Boswell is a graduate of Cumberland University in Lebanon, TN, where she received an athletic and academic scholarship. She graduated from Middle Tennessee University in Murfreesboro, Tennessee with a B.S. degree in Pre-Law/Political Science and received her Juris Doctorate degree from South Texas College of Law in Houston, Texas.
Boswell has been a regular speaker and instructor in various areas of public safety and has provided training to prosecutors, law enforcement, correctional officers, medical professionals, and the public.
PATRICK NEAL OLDHAM
CRIMINAL CHIEF
Patrick Neal Oldham is a native Memphian and grew up in the Whitehaven area. He attended St. Paul grade school and Bishop Byrne High School. He attended the University of Memphis and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in History. After college, he worked as a Leadership Consultant for Sigma Chi International Fraternity. Oldham then attended the Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law at the University of Memphis and graduated in 2004.
Oldham began is legal career in 2004 as an Assistant District Attorney for the Tennessee’s 25th Judicial District, serving Tipton, Lauderdale, Fayette, Hardeman, and McNairy counties. In 2009, Oldham joined the 30th Judicial District, serving Shelby County, and worked there for nine years before joining the United States Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Tennessee in 2018 under a DOJ initiative to provide additional prosecutorial resources to target and combat violent crime.
GREGORY D. ALLEN
HOMELAND SECURITY TASK FORCE DEPUTY CHIEF
Gregory D. Allen is a graduate of the University of Memphis and Cecil C. Humphrey’s School of Law. Prior to joining the Department of Justice, Allen practiced criminal law in state and federal courts in Memphis, Tennessee and surrounding areas. He joined the Department of Justice in 2018 as an Assistant United States Attorney for the Western District of Tennessee and was assigned to the Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) Unit.
Allen has spent years in OCDETF collaborating with law enforcement partners on cases, participating in complex and lengthy investigations of narcotics traffickers, and completed numerous jury trials. He has litigated multiple carjackings, child exploitation, inmate escapes, firearms, and organized crime cases.
Allen has served as the Lead Homeland Security Task Force Attorney for the Western District of Tennessee. He also served as the First Step Act point of contact for the U.S. Attorney's Office and is a well-respected mentor to other Assistant U.S. Attorneys in the district.
NAYA BEDINI
APPELLATE CHIEF
Naya Bedini earned a Bachelor of Arts in Computer Science from Harding University where she graduated magna cum laude and received an International Master of Business Administration degree from the University of Memphis Fogelman College of Business. In 2014, she graduated magna cum laude from the University of Memphis Cecil C. Humphrey’s School of Law.
Prior to joining the Department of Justice, Bedini served as a clerk to Chief Magistrate Judge Diane K. Vescovo of the United States District Court for the Western District of Tennessee. In 2018, Bedini joined the Department of Justice as an Assistant United States Attorney in the Appellate Division of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Tennessee. During her time in that role, Bedini wrote over 120 appellate briefs on a multitude of legal issues, argued several times before the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals, managed an extensive post-conviction docket, assisted in decisions regarding government appeals of adverse orders (in tandem with the Criminal Division at Main Justice and the Office of Solicitor General), responded to en banc petitions, and provided guidance to our attorneys regarding legal developments.
While maintaining her appellate caseload and responsibilities, Bedini has also successfully prosecuted several cases in the district court, completed several jury trials, and assisted in complex pretrial litigation cases. She also manages the student externship program for the U.S. Attorney's Office.
###
For more information, please contact the Media Relations Team at [email protected]. Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office on Facebook or on X at @WDTNNews for office news and updates.
Two Sentenced for Pyramid Scheme that Victimized at Least 99 MissouriansRead the Press Release
CAPE GIRARDEAU – Two Missouri men were sentenced to more than 12 years in prison on Friday for operating a long-running Ponzi scheme that cost at least 99 victims $5.7 million.
U.S. District Judge Stephen N. Limbaugh Jr. sentenced James “Jim” Johnson, 78, to 188 months in prison and Darrell Niswonger, 69, to 150 months. Judge Limbaugh also ordered Niswonger and Johnson to repay their victims.
Johnson and Niswonger promised clients of their storefront firm in Perryville, Missouri that their investments were safe and would be placed in municipal bonds earning a moderate, 5% return. But for nearly two decades Johnson and Niswonger instead spent the bulk of clients’ money on lavish lifestyles that included country club memberships, sponsored golf tournaments, hundreds of thousands of dollars in improvements to Johnson’s home, educational expenses for a Niswonger relative and yearly salaries of $195,000. They also used some of the money to make payments to victims to lull them into believing that their investments were secure.
The crime began in 2006, when Johnson & Niswonger Financial Resources LLC began experiencing cash flow problems. Johnson and Niswonger started offering clients what they referred to as tax-free and risk-free “municipal bonds,” knowing they were really going to use the money to keep their business and themselves afloat financially. They discouraged investors from withdrawing their money and urged them to roll over their investments because they lacked the funds to make the investors whole, their plea agreements say.
The pair bilked friends, relatives, neighbors and a fund to preserve and maintain a cemetery in Ste. Genevieve County. In dozens of letters, victims described being devastated by the loss of inheritances, retirement savings and the proceeds of the sale of homes and farms.
In one letter to Judge Limbaugh, a widow wrote that she “can’t believe 2 people pretending to be your friend could do such a horrible thing. In this day and time is there no one you can trust?”
One couple wrote that “Niswonger stole what it took us a lifetime to earn. We gave up comforts and luxuries so we could be prepared for the future, and he treated our sacrifices as if they were his to squander. Even now, he continues to rob us; not just of money, but of our peace in these last years of our lives. We cannot go back and earn it again. At our age, there is no starting over.”
Another victim wrote of the theft of $25,000 that her grandmother left to her to buy a house – the only way her family could afford to buy one.
Yet another victim wrote, “I’d like to state how shaken I have become about dealing with people in a county where many still use a handshake to make a deal.”
An 87-year-old woman who invested the $150,000 proceeds of the sale of her house said she can no longer afford rent.
“Niswonger and Johnson’s scheme victimized teachers, factory workers, truck drivers, farmers, a rancher, a waitress and even one of their own employees,” said U.S. Attorney Thomas C. Albus. “Their victims were not investing to amass luxuries or pay for vacation properties but to provide for their families, buy their first house or pass on a nest egg to their children or grandchildren, and Niswonger and Johnson preyed on that desire for safe and secure investments.”
“Jim Johnson and Darrell Niswonger exploited and defrauded members of their community for personal gain. The irreparable damage they caused has finally ended and justice has prevailed,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Christopher Flowers of the FBI St. Louis Division. “Though the devastating financial impact of their actions will not be forgotten, it is our hope that today’s sentencing brings some closure to their many victims.”
“The U.S. Postal Inspection Service is dedicated to defending the nation’s mail system from criminal activity, preserving the integrity of the U.S. Mail, and protecting United States Postal Service employees. The U.S. Postal Inspection Service values our law enforcement partners for supporting our mission to protect the integrity of the U.S. Mail,” said Ruth M. Mendonça, Inspector in Charge of the Chicago Division of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, which includes the St. Louis Domicile Office.
Johnson and Niswonger pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in Cape Girardeau in August to one count each of wire fraud, securities fraud and investment adviser fraud. Niswonger also pleaded guilty to four additional counts of wire fraud.
Johnson, of Perry County, and Niswonger, of Perryville, agreed to forfeit the $301,749 sales proceeds of Johnson’s home, a 2019 Audi A5 Premium, $61,734 in two bank accounts and $53,588 in brokerage accounts.
The FBI and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Gwendolyn Carroll prosecuted the case.
Two Men Sentenced to Federal Prison for Trafficking Narcotics in Southwestern ConnecticutRead the Press Release
David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that two men involved in a southwestern Connecticut narcotics trafficking ring were sentenced last month by U.S. District Judge Michael P. Shea in Hartford. On October 17, RONALD VINCENT, 30, of Stratford, was sentenced to 84 months of imprisonment and four years of supervised release, and on October 20, MARQUIS JONES, 30, of Derby, was sentenced to 40 months of imprisonment and three years of supervised release.
According to court documents and statements made in court, in 2022, the FBI Bridgeport Safe Streets Task Force, which was investigating gang activity in the South End and West Side of Bridgeport, identified Christian Pichardo as a supplier of various narcotics to gang members and other drug distributors. During the investigation, investigators intercepted calls and text messages over court-authorized wiretaps between Pichardo and his associates, including Vincent and Jones, made controlled purchases of narcotics, and seized drugs from members of the conspiracy and their drug customers. Some of the drugs seized during the investigation had been cut with fentanyl analogues, nitazines, and xylazine. Nitazines are synthetic opioids stronger than fentanyl, and xylazine is a large animal tranquilizer.
Vincent and Jones resided in Bridgeport during the investigation. Vincent was a close associate of Pichardo who primarily trafficked fentanyl. Jones trafficked fentanyl to crack cocaine to gang members and others.
Vincent and Jones were each arrested on August 5, 2024, and subsequently pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances. Released on $100,000 bonds, they are required to report to prison on December 16 and January 7, respectively.
Pichardo pleaded guilty to a related charge and, on July 14, 2025, was sentenced to 12 years of imprisonment.
This matter has been investigated by the FBI’s Bridgeport Safe Streets Task Force, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Bridgeport, Stratford, and Norwalk Police Departments. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Karen L. Peck through the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Program. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
Turtle Creek Man Pleads Guilty to Methamphetamine and Fentanyl ChargesRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, Pa. – A former resident of Turtle Creek, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty in federal court to multiple narcotics offenses related to a six-month Title III wiretap investigation into drug trafficking throughout the Western District of Pennsylvania, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.
Jonathan Toledo, 24, pleaded guilty before United States District Judge Marilyn J. Horan on November 13, 2025, to conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine and a quantity of fentanyl, attempt to possess with intent to distribute a quantity of fentanyl, and attempt to possess with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine.
In connection with the guilty plea, the Court was advised that Toledo was intercepted making phone calls discussing two parcels that had been interdicted by United States Postal Inspection Service agents in late December of 2024. One parcel contained 1,294 grams of pure methamphetamine, while the other contained 12 grams of fentanyl. Toledo was intercepted calling the post office to ask about one of the missing parcels, and also told multiple other individuals that he was missing two parcels that had been shipped from California.
Judge Horan scheduled sentencing for Toledo for March 11, 2026. The law provides for a total maximum sentence of not less than 10 years to life in prison, a fine of up to $10 million, or both. Under the federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
The court ordered that Toledo remain detained pending sentencing.
Assistant United States Attorney Jonathan D. Lusty is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Drug Enforcement Administration led the multi-agency investigation of this case, which also included the United States Postal Inspection Service, Homeland Security Investigations, Internal Revenue Service, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Pittsburgh Bureau of Police, Pennsylvania State Police, Clearfield Regional Police Department, Altoona Police Department, and Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General.
Torreon Man Faces Federal Charges After Series of Shooting IncidentsRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – A previously convicted felon is facing federal weapons charges following four separate shooting incidents on the Navajo Nation over a 14-month period.
According to court documents, between July 2024 and September 2025, Cisco Whitehorse, 43, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, was involved in four separate shooting incidents on the Navajo Nation. First, in July 2024, Whitehorse shot at John Doe 1 from his car as the victim drove by, hitting him three times. John Doe 1 did not report the shooting at the time because he hoped that Whitehorse would leave him alone. When questioned later, Whitehorse admitted to shooting at John Doe 1.
In August 2024, Whitehorse allegedly shot at John Doe 2 from his house as the victim was driving by. When questioned later, Whitehorse denied shooting John Doe 2, however, law enforcement officers located multiple spent shell casings in his driveway.
In August 2025, Whitehorse allegedly again opened fire from his house on a vehicle John Doe 1 was driving. Fortunately, no one was struck.
Finally, in September 2025, Whitehorse fired several shots from his vehicle in the area of a local government building before fleeing at a high rate of speed.
On October 24, 2025, the FBI executed a search warrant at Whitehorse's residence. During the search, three firearms and ammunition were located. As a previously convicted felon, Whitehorse is prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition.
Whitehorse is charged with possession of a firearm and ammunition by a prohibited person and will remain in custody pending trial, which has not been scheduled. If convicted of the current charges, Whitehorse faces 15 years 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 Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Navajo Nation Police Department and the Navajo Department of Criminal Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Amy Mondragon is prosecuting the case.
A criminal complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
This press release was posted November 14, after the end of the federal government shutdown.
Tioga Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for Child EnticementRead the Press Release
WILLIAMSPORT – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that James Casher, age 40, of Tioga, Pennsylvania was sentenced on October 16, 2025, to 10 years in prison by Chief United States District Judge Matthew W. Brann for child enticement.
According to United States Attorney Brian D. Miller, Casher entered a guilty plea in June 2025, to enticing a minor to engage in sexually explicit conduct. Casher had contact with a Minnesota woman in 2023 and attempted to arrange a meeting with the woman’s 12-year-old daughter to have sexual relations with her.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Geoffrey MacArthur prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc.
This matter occurred on date indicated but not issued at that time due to the government shutdown. Press release posted and made available following the return to normal operations.
# # #
Three Men Sentenced to Decades in Prison for Smuggling, Kidnapping, and Extortion of AliensRead the Press Release
Miami – Three men have been sentenced to decades in federal prison for their roles in a violent alien smuggling and kidnapping conspiracy that operated between Cuba, South Florida, and Louisiana.
On Sept. 18, U.S. District Judge Roy K. Altman sentenced Osmel Benitez, 40, of Miami, to 408 months in prison, Victor Manuel Perez Cardenas, 39, of Tampa, to 210 months in prison. On Sept. 25, Judge Altman sentenced Jhonny Walther Izaguirre Lopez, 45, of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, to 346 months in prison.
“This was human smuggling at its most brutal—marked by kidnapping, extortion, and torture,” said U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida. “Those who traffic in human lives and prey upon the desperation of their victims, will find no refuge in our District. We will pursue them relentlessly until justice is done.”
“The violent, inhumane conduct that Benitez, Cardenas, and Lopez doled out to the victims of their illegal alien smuggling and kidnapping operation is almost beyond imagination,” said Brett Skiles, Special Agent in Charge, FBI Miami. “The depths of their depredation included mock hangings, forced labor, and threats to kill or harm – heinous conduct commensurate with their sentences. Let this case serve as a warning to other human smugglers that their illegal actions will not be tolerated.”
Benitez, Perez Cardenas, and Izaguirre Lopez pleaded guilty to conspiracy to kidnap. In addition, Benitez and Izaguirre Lopez pleaded guilty to conspiracy to provide and obtain forced labor, violent crimes in aid of racketeering, conspiracy to possess a firearm, and brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence. Benitez and Perez Cardenas pleaded guilty to conspiracy to smuggle, transport, and harbor aliens in violation of U.S. law, while Izaguirre Lopez pleaded guilty to transporting aliens within the U.S.
According to court papers, in May 2024, Benitez, Perez Cardenas, and Izaguirre Lopez conspired to kidnap aliens who had been smuggled from Cuba to the U.S. On May 18, 2024, Perez Cardenas transported the smuggled aliens by boat to a deserted shoreline on Key Largo. Armed with a firearm, Perez Cardenas escorted the aliens to a nearby road, where Benitez and other members of the enterprise were waiting with vehicles to transport them to Miami.
That same day, several aliens were taken to a farm property in Miami. There, Benitez, Perez Cardenas, Izaguirre Lopez, and other members of the enterprise held the aliens captive while extorting and attempting to extort money from their families and friends.
At the property, Benitez and other members of the enterprise beat the aliens with a stick and a machete and conducted mock hangings of two aliens. In one recorded incident, Benitez and another co-conspirator forced an alien to stand on a chair, placed a noose around his neck, and struck him with the flat side of a machete. The video was sent to the alien’s family to coerce payment. Izaguirre Lopez and other members of the enterprise contacted the aliens’ families and friends, threatening to kill or harm the captives unless money was sent.
When four aliens were unable to pay, Benitez, Izaguirre Lopez, and other members of the enterprise agreed that Izaguirre Lopez would transport them to Louisiana to work for his construction company in order to pay off their debts. On May 20, 2024, law enforcement intercepted Izaguirre Lopez on the Florida Turnpike in Sumter County, as he was transporting the aliens.
Three additional alleged co-conspirators, Victor Rafael Arcia Albeja, Jose Angel Marrero Rodriguez, and Yoelys Prada Ramos are awaiting trial.
Benitez and Perez Cardenas, citizens of Cuba, and Izaguirre Lopez, a citizen of Honduras, are subject to deportation following their sentences.
U.S. Attorney Reding Quiñones and Special Agent in Charge Brett D. Skiles of the FBI, Miami Field Office, made the announcement.
FBI Miami is investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Dwayne E. Williams and Bertila L. Fernandez are prosecuting the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Annika Miranda is handling asset forfeiture.
This prosecution is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF Miami comprises of agents and officers from FBI Miami with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida.
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 24-cr-20397.
###
Three Leaders of Primary Health Network Plead Guilty to Defrauding Non-Profit Medical Organization of Millions of DollarsRead the Press Release
This release was issued following the 43-day government shutdown during which the pleas occurred.
PITTSBURGH, Pa. – Two former Chief Executive Officers and a former facility manager for Primary Health Network (PHN) have pleaded guilty in federal court to charges of agreeing to defraud their former employer, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced.
Drew Pierce, 58, of West Middlesex, Pennsylvania; Jack Laeng, 72, of Lake Milton, Ohio; and Mark Marriott, 58, of Sharpsville, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud and conspiracy to commit money laundering before United States District Judge J. Nicholas Ranjan, with Marriott also pleading guilty to willfully filing a false tax return. Laeng’s plea occurred on September 25, 2025, Marriott’s on October 6, 2025, and Pierce’s on October 31, 2025.
In connection with the guilty pleas, the Court was advised that PHN was a non-profit organization in Sharon, Pennsylvania, that provided medical services to patients in underserved parts of Pennsylvania, regardless of their ability to pay. From approximately July 2015 through January 2019, Pierce served as CEO of PHN, Laeng as former CEO, and Marriott as the company’s facilities manager. The three defendants and others agreed to insert a company called TopCoat, which they owned, between PHN and third parties, with TopCoat paying the third party for providing a service for PHN, then billing PHN a higher amount so that TopCoat could profit. Marriott caused fraudulent invoices to be issued from TopCoat to PHN, purporting that TopCoat had done work when it in fact had not. Pierce, Laeng, Marriott, and others split the profits—the difference between what PHN paid TopCoat and what TopCoat paid the third parties—among themselves, including by issuing checks from the TopCoat bank account to themselves or other entities they controlled. On one deal alone in 2017, TopCoat received more than $200,000 additional from PHN than what it paid the true vendor on a project.
Pierce, Laeng, and others also agreed to defraud PHN through a separate scheme in which the conspirators caused PHN to enter into contracts with a third party in exchange for the third party paying 50% of the fees received to an entity controlled by Pierce, Laeng, and their co-conspirator. In all, Pierce, Laeng and their co-conspirator received more than $1.7 million in kickback payments from the third party between 2013 and 2020, the proceeds of which they split among themselves.
Judge Ranjan scheduled sentencings for March 9, 2026, for Pierce; March 16, 2026, for Laeng; and March 17, 2026, for Marriott. The law provides for a total sentence of up to 20 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000 or twice the gain from the offense, or both on the offense of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, and up to a 10 year sentence of imprisonment, a fine of up to $250,000 or twice the amount involved in the offense on the offense, or both on the money laundering conspiracy offense. Marriott faces a potential additional three years of imprisonment and fine of up to $250,000 for the tax offense.
Under the federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendants.
Assistant United States Attorney William B. Guappone is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation and Internal Revenue Service–Criminal Investigation conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Pierce, Laeng, and Marriott.
Three Charged in Firearms Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, and Thomas Greco, Special Agent in Charge, ATF Boston Field Division, today announced that a federal grand jury in New Haven returned an indictment yesterday charging JULIAN FOSTER, 35, of Hartford; LATEECHA GORDON, 37, of Hartford; and TERRELL BARNES, 43, of New Haven, with offenses related to the illegal trafficking and possession of firearms.
Foster was arrested on a federal criminal complaint on September 30, 2025, and is currently detained. Gordon and Barnes were arrested today, appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Robert M. Spector in New Haven, enter pleas of not guilty, and were released on $100,000 bonds.
As alleged in court documents and statements made in court, an ATF investigation determined that Foster was acquiring firearms from a source in Texas, transporting them to Connecticut, and offering them for sale. The investigation revealed that Gordon and Barnes were assisting Foster. On September 3, 2025, an undercover ATF agent purchased a 9mm pistol, a 12-gauge shotgun, and a 5.56 caliber rifle from Foster in exchange for $6,000 in New Haven. At the meeting, Foster indicated that he intended to acquire additional firearms that he would sell to the undercover agent. On September 11, Foster and Gordon were arrested in Huntsville, Texas, after Huntsville Police stopped Foster’s vehicle and found three firearms concealed in the engine bay of the vehicle, and found Gordon in possession of drug paraphernalia. On September 12, a related search of a storage facility that Gordon rented in Houston revealed five firearms, ammunition, gun magazines, miscellaneous gun parts, and other items.
It is further alleged that on September 19, Foster contacted the undercover agent and offered to sell additional firearms. Foster provided the agent with photos of two firearms and a video of an auto sear conversion device, which, when equipped to a firearm, allows it to shoot at a fully automatic rate.
It is alleged that investigators seized an AM-15 rifle and a 12-gauge shotgun from Foster’s vehicle in New Haven after he was federally arrested on September 30.
The indictment, which was returned yesterday, charges Foster, Gordon, and Barnes, with firearms trafficking conspiracy, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 15 years. The indictment also charges Foster and Barnes with unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon, which carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 15 years.
It is alleged that Foster was previously convicted in Connecticut state court of robbery in the first degree involving the display or threatened use of a firearm, failure to appear in the first degree, and sale of a controlled substance, and that Barnes was previously convicted in Connecticut state court of sale of a narcotic substance and conspiracy to commit larceny in the third degree. It is a violation of federal law for a person previously convicted of a felony offense to possess a firearm or ammunition that has moved in interstate or foreign commerce.
U.S. Attorney Sullivan stressed that an indictment is not evidence of guilt. A charge is only an allegation, and each defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This matter is being investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), with the assistance of the Huntsville (Texas) Police Department and the Arkansas State Police. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Nathan J. Guevremont.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
Thirteen Additional Defendants Sentenced for Roles in Transnational Criminal OperationRead the Press Release
This release was issued following the 43-day government shutdown during which the sentencings occurred.
PITTSBURGH, Pa. – Thirteen individuals from Arizona, Ohio, and Washington, including a Mexico resident illegally living in the United States, were sentenced in federal court this month on charges of violating federal narcotics and money laundering laws in relation to a transnational criminal organization, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced. The defendants were among 35 individuals charged through a Second Superseding Indictment unsealed in January 2024 for their participation in a domestic and international narcotics and money laundering conspiracy involving substantial quantities of fentanyl, methamphetamine, and cocaine.
The sentences, all imposed by United States District Judge J. Nicholas Ranjan, were:
DefendantAge ResidenceSentence DateSentenceJaime Ledesma27Pueblos Unidos, MexicoNovember 3210 months of imprisonment, to be followed by five years of supervised release Jesus Lopez24Phoenix, ArizonaNovember 396 months of imprisonment, to be followed by two years of supervised releaseAdrian Lopez Rivera24Phoenix, ArizonaNovember 436 months of imprisonment, to be followed by two years of supervised releaseLuis Fentanes24Phoenix, ArizonaNovember 496 months of imprisonment, to be followed by four years of supervised releaseDiego Monarrez26Phoenix, ArizonaNovember 446 months of imprisonment, to be followed by two years of supervised releaseCesar Monarrez28Maricopa, ArizonaNovember 4120 months of imprisonment, to be followed by five years of supervised releaseDiamond Williams-Dorsey32Phoenix, ArizonaNovember 5time served, to be followed by two years of supervised releaseSamuel Aguirre24Phoenix, ArizonaNovember 5180 months of imprisonment, to be followed by five years of supervised releaseMohamed Kariye37Kent, WashingtonNovember 560 months of imprisonment, to be followed by four years of supervised releaseDonnell Collins30Cleveland, OhioNovember 5time served, to be followed by two years of supervised releaseJesus Aaron Garcia25Phoenix, ArizonaNovember 684 months of imprisonment, to be followed by four years of supervised releaseErivan Guerrero25Phoenix, ArizonaNovember 684 months of imprisonment, to be followed by five years of supervised releaseRobert Foster28Buckeye, ArizonaNovember 6120 months of imprisonment, to be followed by four years of supervised releaseAccording to information presented to the Court, on various dates from in and around August 2021 to in and around June 2023, in the Western District of Pennsylvania and elsewhere, the defendants conspired with others to distribute and possess with intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine, 400 grams or more of fentanyl, and 500 grams or more of methamphetamine. The defendants were intercepted on a federal wiretap obtaining quantities of the drugs that they distributed to others. Additionally, from in and around May 2022 to in and around March 2023, Guerrero conspired to commit money laundering by using bulk amounts of currency obtained from drug trafficking to conduct financial transactions in order to disguise the nature of the money and promote the drug trafficking conspiracy. Similarly, Guerrero provided money to his suppliers knowing it would be transported to Mexico to further promote the drug trafficking conspiracy, through which the organization imported from Mexico millions of fentanyl pills, kilograms of fentanyl powder, hundreds of pounds of methamphetamine, and dozens of kilograms of cocaine that then were distributed and sold throughout the United States.
To date, 31 of the 35 defendants charged in the Second Superseding Indictment have pleaded guilty or been convicted in this case, with 23 now having been sentenced. Two of the defendants were convicted during a jury trial in September 2025 and are pending sentencing.
Assistant United States Attorneys Arnold P. Bernard Jr. and Katherine C. Jordan prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
Acting United States Attorney Rivetti commended the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Laurel Highlands Resident Agency and Homeland Security Investigations for the investigation that led to the successful prosecution of the defendants. Additional agencies participating in this investigation include the Internal Revenue Service–Criminal Investigation, United States Postal Inspection Service, and other local law enforcement agencies.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations, combat illegal immigration, and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
Texas Man Indicted on Federal Charges for COVID-19 Unemployment Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – A Texas man has been indicted on federal charges for allegedly defrauding the government by obtaining COVID-19 pandemic-related unemployment benefits through false claims.
According to court documents, Mark A. Long, 46, knowingly used the personal information of other individuals, including some who were incarcerated, to file fraudulent applications for federally funded Pandemic Unemployment Assistance and related unemployment benefits through the New Mexico Department of Workforce Solutions and other state agencies between July 2020 and February 2021. Long allegedly caused approximately $420,000 in benefits to be issued, including roughly $160,000 from New Mexico.
Long is charged with one count of conspiracy to commit fraud, nine counts of wire fraud, eight counts of mail fraud, and 11 counts of theft of government property. If convicted, Long faces up to 30 years in prison, significant fines and potential forfeiture of property derived from the alleged offenses.
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 FBI Albuquerque Field Office and Department of Homeland Security’s Office of Inspector General investigated this case. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Mexico is prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
This press release was posted November 14, after the end of the federal government shutdown.
View the Indictment (Long).pdfTexas Man Convicted of Drug Trafficking and Firearms Charges Sentenced to 17 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
MONROE, La. – United States Attorney Zachary A. Keller announces that Texas resident Charles Logwood, 34, has been sentenced to a total of 204 months (17 years) in prison, followed by 5 years of supervised release. In July 2025, a federal jury convicted Logwood of possessing methamphetamine and marijuana with intent to distribute them, as well as possessing a firearm in furtherance of those drug trafficking offenses. Chief United States District Judge Terry A. Doughty sentenced Logwood today.
Evidence at the trial established that in August 2023, agents with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (“DEA”) received information that Logwood was coming to the Monroe area to exchange methamphetamine for cash with another individual. Surveillance teams were established by the Monroe Police Department, Ouachita Parish Sheriff’s Office, and federal agents. After physical surveillance identified the vehicle Logwood was driving, agents conducted a traffic stop of his vehicle. When asked if he had any weapons inside the vehicle, Logwood admitted to having a gun in the car. A search of Logwood’s car revealed a pistol under the seat and a large amount of cash on his person, as well as approximately 4.5 kilograms of nearly pure methamphetamine, Percocet pills with a pill crusher, and 1.5 kilograms of marijuana. Logwood was arrested on scene.
The case was investigated by the DEA, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, the Monroe Police Department, and the Ouachita Parish Sheriff’s Office. Assistant United States Attorneys J. Aaron Crawford and Daniel J. Vermaelen are prosecuting the case.
The investigation and conviction of Logwood was part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF was a program that identified, disrupted, and dismantled the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threatened the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leveraged the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
# # #
Tampa Man Sentenced to Ten Years for Attempted Coercion and Enticement of A Minor to Engage in Sexual ActivityRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Virginia Hernandez Covington has sentenced Yitzchak Reuven Baum (37, Tampa) to 10 years in federal prison for attempted coercion and enticement of a minor to engage in sexual activity, attempted transfer of obscene material, receipt and access with intent to view child sex abuse material (CSAM). Baum pleaded guilty on July 21, 2025.
According to court documents, between August and October 2023, Baum attempted to coerce or entice an individual, whom he believed to be a 14-year-old girl, to engage in sexual activity. Baum also sent obscene material to the purported minor during the conversations. In March 2024, following the execution of a search warrant, law enforcement located numerous conversations on social media sites in which Baum had requested and received CSAM.
This case was investigated by the United States Air Force Office of Special Investigations. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Courtney Derry.
This is another case brought 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 the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify, rescue, and seek justice for child victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
NOTE: This matter occurred on a previous date but not published at that time due to government shutdown. Press release posted and made available following the return to normal operations.
Tampa Man Sentenced to More Than Six Years in Federal Prison for Possessing Firearms as A Convicted FelonRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Charlene Honeywell has sentenced Denzel Ingram (28, Tampa) to six years and three months in federal prison for possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. The court also ordered Ingram to forfeit the firearms used in the commission of the offense. Ingram pleaded guilty on August 6, 2025.
According to court records, an officer with the Tampa Police Department attempted to stop a vehicle Ingram was driving for a traffic violation. Ingram parked the vehicle in front of a nearby residence and went inside, refusing the officer’s commands to stop. Ingram ultimately fled from the residence and was arrested at a later date. Two loaded handguns were recovered from the driver’s side floorboard where Ingram had been seated. Prior to the offense, Ingram had been convicted of multiple felonies including a conviction for aggravated assault with a deadly weapon in 2013. As a convicted felon, Ingram is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition under federal law.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Tampa Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jeff Chang.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN).
NOTE: This matter occurred on a previous date but not published at that time due to government shutdown. Press release posted and made available following the return to normal operations.
Tama Man Who Distributed Child Pornography Sentenced to 210 Months in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
A man who distributed, received, and possessed child pornography was sentenced today to more than 17 years in federal prison.
Jacob Samuel Yang, age 37, from Tama, Iowa, received the prison term after a May 22, 2025 guilty plea to distribution and possession of child pornography.
Evidence in a plea agreement and at sentencing showed that between September 2019 and February 2025, in Tama, Iowa, Yang downloaded child pornography and stored it on a cellular telephone and laptop computer. He also distributed child pornography to multiple people in March 2024. In addition, Yang solicited sex from several children via messaging applications.
Yang was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams. Yang was sentenced to 210 months’ imprisonment and was ordered to make $15,000 in restitution to victims in this case. He must also serve a 5‑year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab “resources.”
Yang is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Devra T. Hake and investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation, the Tama County Sheriff’s Office, the Tama Police Department, and the Marshalltown Police Department.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 25-CR-24.
Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.
Tallahassee Man Returned to Federal Prison for Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA – Dwyone N. Dugan, a/k/a DeWayne Dugan, 59, of Tallahassee, Florida, was sentenced to 15 years in federal prison today for distribution of more than 50 grams of methamphetamine. The sentence was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “I applaud the excellent collaboration between our state and federal law enforcement partners to dismantle this repeat felon’s drug trafficking activities. My office stands ready to aggressively prosecute those who flood our streets with deadly drugs, and will pursue substantial prison sentences like this one to keep our communities safe and drug-free.”
Dugan had been sentenced in 1997 to life in prison for federal drug trafficking charges. Following a change in the law, Dugan’s sentence was reduced, and he was released from federal prison on November 10, 2020. Less than four years later, on November 4, 2024, law enforcement caught Dugan selling a pound of methamphetamine during an undercover operation.
“This joint investigation is a great example of law enforcement partners working toward a shared mission,” said DEA Miami Field Division Special Agent in Charge Deanne L. Reuter. “Bringing a career offender like Mr. Dugan to justice will make North Florida communities safer.”
The case involved a joint investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the North Star Multijurisdictional Task Force, and the Leon County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant United States Attorney James A. McCain prosecuted 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 United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.
St. Petersburg Man Sentenced to More Than Five Years for Bank Fraud and Mail TheftRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Charlene E. Honeywell has sentenced Ah’Jhzae Diamondric Artag Berry (30, St. Petersburg) to five years and five months in federal prison for bank fraud and theft of mail. Berry pleaded guilty on June 4, 2025.
According to court documents, on many occasions, usually at night, between January and June 2024, Berry, aided and abetted by others, broke into U.S. Postal Service receptacles using a stolen Postal Service key. Berry stole the mail and opened it to remove contents of value, including debit cards, credit cards, gift cards, and checks. On at least one occasion, Berry stole election ballots. Berry and his accomplices then altered the payee on the stolen checks and fraudulently deposited them at federally insured banks. In total, they victimized hundreds of individuals with a total intended loss of over $380,000.
This case was investigated by United States Postal Inspection Service. It was prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Joseph Wheeler, III.
NOTE: This matter occurred on a previous date but not published at that time due to government shutdown. Press release posted and made available following the return to normal operations.
St. Augustine Business Owner Pleads Guilty to Attempting to Use A Minor Child for the Production of A Sexual Abuse VideoRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces that Jack Dymond Leach (43, St. Augustine) has pleaded guilty to attempting to use a minor child to produce and send him videos and photos depicting the child being sexually abused by a child sex trafficker in the Philippines. Leach faces a minimum penalty of 15 years, up to 30 years, in federal prison and a potential life term of supervised release. On May 29, 2025, Leach was arrested by federal agents and has been custody since that time. His sentencing hearing is scheduled for January 20, 2026.
According to court documents, in March 2025, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) agents were investigating child sexual exploitation activities involving a particular telecommunications application (“app”). An HSI analyst in Jacksonville discovered certain information associated with a specific app account that was communicating with two other app accounts had been used by individuals in the Philippines in 2023 to traffic children for sexual exploitation. This app account was determined to have accessed the internet in St. Augustine. Further investigation revealed that this account belonged to and was used by Leach.
Between November 19, 2023, and March 20, 2024, Leach’s app account and the other two app accounts used by child traffickers in the Philippines exchanged 1,287 messages and 32 media files. In an app text message that Leach sent to a trafficker on November 21, 2023, Leach stated, “i like 3y, 5y, 8y.” The trafficker responded, “I c[a]n get that age.” On November 22, 2023, Leach texted, “will [the minor child] make dirty pics or vids …,” and “sure, i’ll pay for them.” On December 2, 2023, Leach sent a message offering to pay the trafficker for producing a video depicting a minor child engaging in specific sexually explicit conduct and sending it to Leach. Leach and the trafficker discussed by text message possible methods of payment. On December 5, 2023, Leach sent the trafficker about $160 using an electronic payment system to produce and send the video of the child being sexually abused.
On May 8, 2025, federal search warrants were executed at Leach’s residence and his business. Law enforcement seized numerous electronic devices belonging to and used by Leach. A forensic examination of these devices revealed that several contained visual depictions of prepubescent children being sexually abused.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, the Clay County Sheriff’s Office, the St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office, and the Northeast Florida INTERCEPT Task Force. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney D. Rodney Brown.
It is another case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify, rescue, and seek justice for victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
NOTE: This matter occurred on a previous date but not published at that time due to government shutdown. Press release posted and made available following the return to normal operations.
South Bend Man Sentenced to 82 Months in PrisonRead the Press Release
SOUTH BEND – On Friday, November 14, Armon Shannon, 25 years old, of South Bend, Indiana, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Damon R. Leichty after being found guilty by a jury of being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm following a two-day jury trial in July, announced Acting United States Attorney M. Scott Proctor.
Shannon was sentenced to 82 months in prison followed by 2 years of supervised release.
According to documents in the case, Shannon ran away from police in the parking lot of a gas station in South Bend. After police caught up to him, they found a loaded handgun on the ground along the path that Shannon had run from them. Shannon has multiple prior felony convictions, including two federal convictions for being a felon in possession of a firearm, any one of which prohibit him from possessing the firearm in this case.
“Shannon had already been convicted in federal court twice for illegally possessing a firearm,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Proctor. “Evidently, neither conviction convinced him that he should give up on carrying guns. Thanks to the strong effort of our partner agencies and the excellent work of our trial attorneys, he will have 82 months to learn the lesson that he failed to take on the first two times he went to federal prison. Our office always tirelessly pursues such repeat offenders.”
“ATF is proud to work with the South Bend Police Department to take convicted felons who unlawfully possess firearms off our streets. The sentence handed down in this case reflects the seriousness of the conduct and reinforces that repeat violations of the law will be met with significant prison time” said Special Agent in Charge Christopher Amon.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives with assistance from the South Bend Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Joel Gabrielse and Acting Criminal Division Chief Joseph P. Falvey.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Shiprock Woman Pleads Guilty to StabbingRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – A Shiprock woman admitted to assaulting and stabbing another woman.
According to court documents, on November 21, 2024, Angelia Garcia, 35, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, repeatedly stabbed Jane Doe with the intent to cause bodily harm.
Garcia pleaded guilty to assault with a dangerous weapon. At sentencing, Garcia faces up to ten years in prison. Upon her release from prison, Garcia will be subject to three 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 Farmington Resident Agency of the FBI’s Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Navajo Nation Department of Investigation and Department of Criminal Investigations. Assistant United States Attorney Michael Pahl is prosecuting the case.
This press release was posted November 14, after the end of the federal government shutdown.
Shiprock Man Charged with Sexual Assault of a MinorRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – A Shiprock man has been charged in federal court with sexually assaulting a minor.
According to court documents, on the night of October 31, 2025, and into the early morning hours of November 1, 2025, Tyrel Westley Johnson, 31, allegedly engaged in a sexual act with a minor who is an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation.
Johnson is charged with engaging in a sexual act with an incapacitated person and sexual abuse of a minor. He will remain in custody pending trial, which has not yet been scheduled. If convicted, Johnson faces 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 Farmington Resident Agency of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Navajo Police Department and Navajo Department of Criminal Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicholas Marshall is prosecuting the case.
A criminal complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
This press release was posted November 14, after the end of the federal government shutdown.
Sham Technology Company Operator Sentenced to over Four Years for Defrauding Dozens of Victims, Many of Whom Were VeteransRead the Press Release
SAN FRANCISCO – Ramesh Kris Nathan was sentenced this week to 51 months in federal prison in connection with fraudulently obtaining investors’ money for a company that had no legitimate business activities. U.S. District Judge Vince Chhabria handed down the sentence.
At the conclusion of an eight-day trial in February 2025, a federal jury convicted Nathan, 43, on six counts of wire fraud and two counts of money laundering.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Nathan, 43, a U.S. national, promised investors that their money would fund Relativity Research Fund, Inc., a company for which Nathan set up a bank account in San Francisco. Nathan induced potential investors to provide funds by making false and misleading statements on his company’s website, promotional materials, and in emails to potential investors, including, for example, by representing that the company was involved in the development of advanced robotics and space travel technology. He made false promises of future trading of the company’s shares on the Nasdaq Private Market. Nathan also made false statements that the company had significant capital investments, worldwide offices with over 15,000 employees, and tens of billions of dollars in profits and revenue.
The jury also found that Nathan laundered investor funds through various bank accounts, and then used the funds for his personal expenses or family transfers to his mother and his then-girlfriend. Nathan carried out his fraudulent scheme by recruiting an intermediary to share his lies with investors, who consisted primarily of veterans of the United States military or friends and family of veterans.
United States Attorney Craig H. Missakian and FBI Special Agent in Charge Sanjay Virmani made the announcement.
In addition to the prison term, Judge Chhabria also sentenced the defendant to a period of supervised release and ordered restitution of approximately $300,000. The defendant will begin serving the sentence on March 13, 2026.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Roland Chang and Sara Henderson prosecuted the case, with the assistance of Tina Rosenbaum. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the FBI.
Ruther Glen man sentenced to life in prison for federal hate crime and firearms violationRead the Press Release
RICHMOND, Va. – A Ruther Glen man was sentenced to life in prison in federal court yesterday after pleading guilty to two federal hate crime charges, each involving an attempt to kill, and to discharging a firearm during a federal crime of violence.
“As our nation recovers from recent political violence, today’s verdict is a welcome reminder that terror motivated by hate will not be tolerated,” said Lindsey Halligan, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. “My office will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to investigate and vigorously prosecute those who choose brutality and aggression over civility and reason.”
“No one in this country should be hunted down and shot at because of who they are or where they come from,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “This sentence reflects the Justice Department’s unwavering commitment to protecting communities from hate-fueled violence and to hold accountable those who attack others based on prejudice.”
Douglas Wayne Cornett followed a box truck driven by a victim with the initials O.G., an adult Latino male, into the Sheetz gas station along Interstate 95 in Spotsylvania County. Cornett then asked a victim with the initials J.M., an adult Latino male and a friend of O.G., how long O.G. had been present in the United States. Upon learning that O.G. had arrived within the last two years, Cornett drew a handgun and fired six rounds, striking O.G. three times and J.M. once. Cornett later confessed to a Spotsylvania County Sheriff’s Deputy to shooting the victims because of his perception of their national origin.
The Richmond Field Office of the FBI investigated the case with substantial assistance from the Spotsylvania County Sheriff’s Office.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas Garnett for the Eastern District of Virginia and Trial Attorney Kyle Boynton of the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section prosecuted the case.
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. 3:25-cr-91.