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Thursday 4 September 2025
Armed Drug Trafficker Pleads Guilty to Possessing Firearms and NarcoticsRead the Press Release
PENSACOLA, FLORIDA – Terrance Josiah Fasold, 31, of Pensacola, Florida, pleaded guilty in federal court to possession with intent to distribute more than 40 grams of fentanyl, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. The plea was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “I deeply appreciate the hard work by our state and federal law enforcement partners to get this violent drug trafficker off our streets. My office remains fully committed to fulfilling the promise made by President Donald J. Trump and Attorney General Pam Bondi to Take Back America by targeting drug traffickers like this defendant with the full force of the law, and this successful prosecution is yet another win in our fight to keep our communities safe.”
Court documents reflect that law enforcement was investigating Fasold regarding a stolen firearm. Law enforcement located Fasold at the Red Roof Inn in Pensacola, Florida. Fasold fled from law enforcement and discarded a bag containing more than 40 grams of fentanyl. A search of Fasold’s hotel room was conducted and law enforcement located more fentanyl, as well as cocaine, methamphetamine, marijuana, and several loaded firearms. Fasold is a convicted felon and has multiple prior felony convictions for drug related offenses.
Fasold faces up to life imprisonment, and a lifetime of supervision upon release.
The case involved a joint investigation by the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jessica S. Etherton.
Sentencing is scheduled for November 19, 2025, at 3:00pm at the United States Courthouse in Pensacola before United States District Judge T. Kent Wetherell, II.
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.
75th Defendant Charged in Feeding Our Future Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – Muna Wais Fidhin, 44, has been charged in a ten-count indictment with three counts of Wire Fraud, four counts of Federal Programs Bribery, and three counts of Money Laundering for her role in the Feeding Our Future fraud scheme, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Joseph H. Thompson. Fidhin is the 75th defendant charged in this scheme, the largest Covid fraud case in the country. She was arrested this morning.
“With the 75th defendant charged in the Feeding Our Future scandal, the message could not be clearer,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Joseph H. Thompson. “Feeding Our Future is only one of the many frauds against the state we are pursuing. If you touched these frauds in any way, pick up the phone and call the FBI today. You will still be held accountable, but it will be far better for you than if you wait until we come knocking.”
Fidhim participated in a scheme to defraud the Federal Child Nutrition Program by exploiting changes in the program intended to ensure that underserved children received adequate nutrition during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Feeding Our Future was a non-profit organization purportedly in the business of helping community partners participate in the Federal Child Nutrition Program. Aimee Bock, convicted at trial and pending sentencing, was the founder and executive director of Feeding Our Future. Prior to the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic, Feeding Our Future was a small non-profit that sponsored the participation of daycares and after-school programs in the Federal Child Nutrition Program. Beginning in approximately April 2020, Feeding Our Future dramatically increased the number of sites under its sponsorship as well as the amount of Federal Child Nutrition Program funds received by those sites. Feeding Our Future went from receiving and disbursing approximately $3.4 million in federal funds to sites under its sponsorship in 2019 to nearly $200 million in 2021.
In 2020, Fidhin enrolled her company, M5 Café, in the Federal Child Nutrition Program under the sponsorship of Feeding Our Future. Fidhin later created a nonprofit organization called M5 Care, which, in 2021, she also enrolled in the program under another sponsor. Fidhin fraudulently claimed to be serving meals to 500 children a day, seven days a week, at her sites. In reality, Fidhin served few, if any, children at her sites. Fidhin submitted fake invoices purporting to document the purchase of food for use in feeding these children.
In all, Fidhin fraudulently claimed to have served more than 300,000 meals at her two food sites, for which she claimed to be entitled to approximately $1 million in Federal Child Nutrition Program funds.
Fidhin did not use these funds to purchase food to feed children. Instead, she used the money to pay off her home mortgage, to purchase a car, and to fund her lifestyle. Fidhin also wired tens of thousands of dollars out of the country. She paid approximately $27,000 in kickbacks to a Feeding Our Future employee in exchange for his sponsorship and submission of her fraudulent claims.
“Today’s arrest of Muna Wais Fidhin represents yet another major milestone in this investigation: the 75th indictment in this massive fraud scheme,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Alvin M. Winston, Sr. “As alleged in the indictment, Fidhin, using fraudulent documents, stole more than $1 million in Federal Child Nutrition Program. Fidhin, and all of those charged in connection with this scheme, may have underestimated the FBI’s ability to identify, investigate and prosecute individuals who steal from taxpayers with funds intended for hungry children. Rest assured; the FBI will work tirelessly with our law enforcement partners, together with the U.S. Attorney’s Office, until every culpable person is held responsible.”
“The Feeding Our Future fraud investigation ignited an awareness of the pervasive fraud that exists in government-funded programs in this state,” said Adam Jobes, Special Agent in Charge, IRS Criminal Investigation, Chicago Field Office. “Well-intentioned assistance programs will always be targeted for fraud and when the system fails to protect federal funds, IRS Criminal Investigation will work with the United States Attorney’s Office and partner agencies to expose those who use deception and fraud to enrich themselves at the expense of those who truly need help. While we take a moment to reflect on the great investigative work performed by talented and devoted investigators and attorneys resulting in charges filed against seventy-five individuals, there is still more work to be done on this and other fraud schemes targeting government funded programs. Our agents will continue to provide their investigative and financial expertise to these fraud investigations.”
United States Postal Inspection Service Denver Division Inspector in Charge Bryan Musgrove said, “The arrest of the 75th defendant in this case demonstrates the Postal Inspection Service’s steadfast pursuit of justice for anyone who uses the mail in a scheme to divert emergency funds intended to help those most in need. The US Postal Inspection Service is proud to work with its law enforcement partners to bring this kind of greed to an end.”
These cases result from an investigation conducted by the FBI, IRS – Criminal Investigations, and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service.
Acting U.S. Attorney Joseph H. Thompson and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Harry M. Jacobs and Daniel W. Bobier are prosecuting these cases. Assistant U.S. Attorney Craig Baune is handling the seizure and forfeiture of assets.
An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Wednesday 3 September 2025
Youngstown Drug Dealer Sentenced to 23 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio – A Mahoning County man has been sentenced to prison for his role in selling controlled substances including fentanyl, methamphetamine and cocaine, throughout the Youngstown-area region.
Rayshawn Hall, 24, of Youngstown, Ohio, was sentenced to 276 months (23 years) in prison by U.S. District Judge Christopher A. Boyko after pleading guilty in April to the following charges as outlined in the indictment:
- One count of Distribution of Fentanyl
- Three counts of Distribution of Methamphetamine
- One count of Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine
- One count of Possession with Intent to Distribute Cocaine
- One count of Attempted Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine
- One count of Attempted Possession with Intent to Distribute Fentanyl
Hall was also ordered to serve three years of supervised release after imprisonment. The sentence was imposed by Judge Boyko Sept. 3, 2025.
According to court documents, from about Aug. 11 to Oct. 17, 2023, investigators conducted multiple controlled drug buys from Hall that included fentanyl, methamphetamine, and cocaine. Upon obtaining a search warrant for his residence, agents seized more than $56,000 in cash and other items consistent with illegal drug activity. Federal agents also discovered a box with a FedEx shipping label from Spring Valley, California, in a black Chrysler vehicle that was located on the premises. The box was suspected to contain controlled substances. A forensic laboratory analysis later confirmed that the box contained 9,810.8 grams (Approximately 21 pounds) of 90.4% pure methamphetamine, and 989.7 grams (approximately two pounds) of fentanyl. In total, at least 90,000 kilograms of converted drug weight were attributable to Hall’s actions.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security Investigations and the Mahoning County Law Enforcement Task Force.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Yasmine Makridis for the Northern District of Ohio.
Virginia Trucker Admits to Transporting a Minor with Intent to Engage in SexRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE – A Virginia truck driver admitted to a federal judge today that he had sexual contact in multiple states with a minor female who traveled with him in his tractor-trailer truck, announced Acting United States Attorney Sara Miron Bloom.
David Romero Reyes, 55, of Stafford, Virginia, pleaded guilty as charged by way of indictment with transportation of a minor with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity. No plea agreement was filed in this matter. He is scheduled to be sentenced on December 2, 2025. The sentence imposed will be determined by a federal district judge after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
In April 2021, Romero Reyes was detained by Naval Station Newport Police when a routine background check conducted prior to his being allowed to enter the Navy base to make a delivery determined that he was wanted in Texas on a charge of felony assault of a child. The young girl was located inside the sleeping compartment of the truck during a routine inspection. The girl, determined through a medical examination at Hasbro Children’s Hospital to be approximately five months pregnant, was reported missing from her Virginia home in July 2020, when she was 14 years old. An investigation determined that Romero Reyes was known to the girl and to her family prior to her disappearance.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Ronald R. Gendron and John P. McAdams.
The matter was investigated by the Naval Station Newport Police, FBI, and Rhode Island State Police.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc
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U.S. Seizes 300,000 Kilos of Meth Precursor Chemicals Sent from China Destined for Mexico’s Sinaloa Drug CartelRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – More than 300,000 kilograms of chemicals used to produce methamphetamine and intended for clandistine labs controlled by the Sinaloa Drug Cartel in Mexico were seized this week by agents with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) at the Port of Houston, announced U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia Jeanine Ferris Pirro and Acting Director Todd Lyons of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
“This is the largest seizure of precursor chemicals used to manufacture methamphetamine in U.S. history,” said U.S. Attorney Pirro. “China was sending over 700,000 pounds on the high seas to the Sinaloa Cartel before my office seized them. Because President Trump and Secretary Rubio declared the Sinaloa Cartel a Foreign Terrorist Organization, we can now strike faster and hit harder.”
“This marks the first time a seizure warrant was issued for material support for terrorism,” said Acting Director Todd M Lyons of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. “After seizing these two shipments, Homeland Security Investigations International worked closely with foreign law enforcement partners to consolidate the shipments in Panama and bring them here to the Port of Houston. I can’t thank all of our partners enough."
“These many barrels of precursor chemicals are directly linked to one of the most dangerous and deadly terrorist networks, the Sinaloa Cartel. It’s one of the most violent and brutal terrorist organizations in the world. They are responsible for countless deaths, devastation, and destruction of communities in the U.S. and abroad,” said Director of Field Operations Jud Murdock of Customs and Border Protection, Houston. “This represents one of the largest interdictions of its kind in history and highlights the critical role of collaboration and intel sharing in combating threats posed by drug trafficking organization and terrorist groups.”
The chemicals, which originated in and were sent from China, could have been used to produce nearly 190,000 kilos of methamphetamine – worth about $569 million if they had reached their intended destination. Instead, agents seized six shipping containers of benzyl alcohol, a solvent used in the manufacture of pharmaceuticals, weighing 164,880 kilos and six shipping containers of N-methyl formamide, another liquid organic solvent, weighing 151,560 kilos.
To put in perspective the impact of this seizure, in Fiscal Year 2024, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CPB) seized a total 78,925 kilos of methamphetamine along the entire southwest border. In order to transport the chemicals from port to a secure HSI storage facility, it took twenty-four, 18-wheeler trucks to transport the sheer volume of precursor chemicals.
In 2023, more than 34,800 Americans died of overdoses from psychostimulants, primarily methamphetamine.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia obtained the seizure warrant that provided the legal authority to seize the chemicals. Because the Administration designated the Sinaloa Cartel as a Foreign Terrorist Organization on January 20, 2025, the designation provided federal prosecutors in the District the authority to execute the seizure under the terrorism forfeiture provision.
Joining in today’s announcement were Special Agent in Charge Chad Plantz of Homeland Security Investigations, Houston; Director of Field Operations Jud Murdock of Customs and Border Protection, Houston; Acting Special Agent in Charge William Kimbell of the Drug Enforcement Administration, Houston; and FBI Special Agent in Charge Douglas Williams of the Houston Field Office.
The matter is being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia as part of its Cartel Elimination effort, a collaboartion between the office’s National Security section’s Threat Finance Unit (TFU) and Violent Crime and Narcotics Trafficking (VCNT) section.
The effort is also a part of the Attorney General’s February 5, 2025 directive, calling for the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations by harnessing the resources of the Department of Justice and empowering federal prosecutors throughout the country to work urgently with the Department of Homeland Security and other parts of the government toward the goal of eliminating these threats to U.S. sovereignty.
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U.S. Attorney’s Office Obtains Settlement in Housing Discrimination MatterRead the Press Release
Richard G. Frohling, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, announced that on August 22, 2025, the United States entered into a settlement agreement in United States v. Estrada (E.D. Wis.). The complaint, which was filed on November 19, 2024, alleged that defendants Tammy Estrada and Ramiro Estrada—the owners and managers of a rental property in Appleton, Wisconsin—discriminated on the basis of disability in violation of the Fair Housing Act (FHA).
In particular, the complaint alleged that the Estradas denied tenants’ reasonable accommodation requests related to emotional support animals and retaliated against the tenants when they attempted to exercise their rights under the FHA, among other violations. The case was referred to the Department of Justice after the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) received a complaint, conducted an investigation, and issued a charge of discrimination. Under the settlement, the tenants will be paid $20,000 and the defendants are required to adopt a reasonable accommodation policy and attend fair housing training.
The Fair Housing Act prohibits discrimination in housing based on race, color, religion, national origin, sex, disability and familial status. More information about the Civil Rights Division and the laws it enforces is available at www.justice.gov/crt.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Nia Schmaltz for the Eastern District of Wisconsin handled the matter.
The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only. There has been no determination of liability.
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For further information contact:
Public Affairs Officer Steve Caballero
(414) 297-1700
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Two Foreign Nationals Sentenced in Burglary Ring That Targeted Individuals of Asian DescentRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE – Two foreign nationals who participated in a sweeping, multi-state burglary ring that targeted individuals of Asian descent, including in Rhode Island, were sentenced Wednesday in U.S. District Court in Providence, announced Acting United States Attorney Sara Miron Bloom.
Jorge Andres Cardenas Murillo, 32, a Columbian national, identified in court documents as a central figure of the conspiracy, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Melissa R. DuBose to 48 months of incarceration to be followed by three years of supervised release. He previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit interstate transportation of stolen property and two counts of attempt to commit interstate transportation of stolen property. An immigration detainer has been issued against Cardenas Murillo.
Mohammed Islam, 30, a Bangladesh national, was sentenced by District Court Judge DuBose to 33 months of incarceration to be followed by three years of supervised release. Islam previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit interstate transportation of stolen property, interstate transportation of property taken by fraud, and two counts of attempt to commit interstate transportation of stolen property.
From July 2022 to December 2022, members of the conspiracy targeted residences in various states to burglarize, including at least two properties in Rhode Island, with the intent to steal large sums of money, valuable jewelry, and other items, and then transport the stolen goods in interstate for the financial benefit of members of the conspiracy.
Court documents reflect that members of the conspiracy targeted and surveilled individuals, businesses, and residences and then burglarized or attempted to burglarize homes in Rhode Island, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Wisconsin, and Florida.
Members of the conspiracy used sophisticated means to carry out their scheme. In addition to surveilling individuals, the conspirators used drones and GPS trackers placed on vehicles to monitor potential victims’ movement and identify times when they were away from their residences. They also used drones and lookouts to monitor law enforcement activity, and had getaway cars and drivers at the ready while other conspirators broke into and burglarized residences.
According to court documents, members of the conspiracy are known to have stolen at least $717,735 worth of property and cash.
The cases were prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Julianne Klein and Ly T. Chin.
The matter was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, with the assistance of the Warwick and Smithfield, RI Police Departments; Shrewsbury and Framingham, MA Police Departments; Gorham, NH Police Department; Stamford, Wallingford, and Westport, CT Police Departments; West Allis, WI Police Department; New Castle County, DE Police Department; Manalapan, NJ Police Department; New York City Police Department; Jacksonville and Flagler County Police Departments; Massachusetts State Police; Pennsylvania State Police; and the United States Postal Inspection Service.
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Three Foreign Nationals Indicted for Illegal ReentryRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces the return of indictments charging Francisco Juarez-Hernandez (25, Mexico), Javier Melendez-Serrano (29, Honduras), and Israel Godinez-Carrillo (27, Guatemala) with illegal reentry by a previously deported alien. If convicted, each faces a maximum penalty of two years in federal prison.
According to the indictments, Juarez-Hernandez was found voluntarily present in the United States on August 3, 2025, after having been previously deported on November 10, 2020. Melendez-Serrano was found voluntarily present in the United States on March 7, 2025, after having been previously deported on October 11, 2019. Godinez-Carrillo was found voluntarily present in the United States on August 2, 2025, after having been previously deported on June 25, 2019. None of these individuals had received the consent of the Attorney General or the Secretary of Homeland Security to reapply for admission to the United States.
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
The cases are being investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) and the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office. They are being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney David B. Mesrobian.
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.
The Department of Justice Proposes Legislation to Protect Children from Gender MutilationRead the Press Release
Yesterday the U.S. Department of Justice transmitted a legislative proposal to Congress that protects and defends children from chemical and surgical mutilation under the guise of “gender-affirming care,” in line with Executive Order 14187.
The Victims of Chemical or Surgical Mutilation Act (VCSMA), led by Representative Bob Onder (R, MO-03) and Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), prohibits healthcare professionals, physicians, hospitals, or clinics from participating in the chemical or surgical mutilation of a child and creates a private right of action for children and the parents of children whose healthy body parts have been damaged by medical professionals practicing chemical and surgical mutilation.
“The Department of Justice has heard from far too many families who have been devastated by mutilative medical procedures that fly in the face of basic biology,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “While we continue our ongoing legal battle to protect children, we appreciate our colleagues in Congress who are working diligently alongside us to end these abusive procedures once and for all.”
Read The Victims of Chemical or Surgical Mutilation Act HERE.
Sully County Farmers Ordered to Pay over $4 Million in Civil Judgment for Crop Insurance FraudRead the Press Release
SIOUX FALLS - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that Chief U.S. District Judge Roberto A. Lange has entered a judgment against James and Levi Garrett and ordered them to pay a combined total of $4,019,820 to resolve violations of the False Claims Act arising out of their 2018 and 2019 crop insurance fraud.
The civil judgment follows the defendants’ 2022 criminal convictions for the same conduct. The defendants operated a family farm and ranch in Sully County. In 2018, the defendants falsely certified to a crop insurance company that they planted 2,200 total acres of sunflowers. In fact, the defendants did not plant any sunflowers, and they wrongfully received indemnity from the insurance company as if their entire crop failed. In 2019, James Garrett falsely certified he planted 47.5 acres of corn as part of a larger claim. In fact, no corn was planted, and he wrongfully received indemnity from the insurance company that year. The defendants fraudulently obtained over $1.3 million in total benefits from their crimes.
“Protecting taxpayer-funded programs from fraud and abuse remains a top priority for our office,” said U.S. Attorney Ramsdell, “and we won’t stop at criminal convictions. As this case demonstrates, those who attempt to cheat federal programs face serious consequences—both criminal and civil.”
The False Claims Act allows the government to seek treble damages and civil penalties against individuals and companies that knowingly submit false or fraudulent claims for payment to federal programs. In this case, the defendants were held liable for civil damages in addition to their criminal convictions.
The case was investigated by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Office of Inspector General, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Risk Management Agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexis A. Warner prosecuted the case.
St. Louis Man Admits Moderating Child Pornography Chat RoomRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – A St. Louis man on Wednesday admitted acting as one of the moderators of an online chat group that shared child sexual abuse material.
David Korte Daues, 37, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in St. Louis to one count of possession of child pornography.
The investigation began with a Cyber Tipline report from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children about child sexual abuse material (CSAM) on the messaging app Kik. The account was traced to Daues, and FBI special agents interviewed him at work. Daues admitted operating the account that triggered the tip. He also told the FBI that he was the moderator of a group on the Wire platform which regularly posted child sexual abuse material (CSAM). Daues said he began viewing CSAM about four years earlier and was in about 25 Kik groups and five Wire groups that shared CSAM. Daues admitted distributing CSAM in these groups. He also had images and videos containing CSAM on two cell phones.
Daues is scheduled to be sentenced on December 1. The charge carries a penalty of up to 20 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, or both prison and a fine.
The FBI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jillian Anderson is prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Department of Justice 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 exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Sitka Woman Sentenced to 15 Years for Role in Drug Trafficking RingRead the Press Release
ANCHORAGE, Alaska – Karly Fuller, 31, of Sitka, was sentenced today to 15 years in prison and, upon release, will serve three years on supervised release for her leading role in the southeast arm of an Alaska drug trafficking ring.
According to court documents, Fuller met a co-conspirator while incarcerated at Hiland Mountain Correctional Center in 2022. That co-conspirator allegedly recruited Fuller to distribute drugs upon her release from incarceration for a drug trafficking organization directed by an inmate in a California prison.
Fuller returned to Sitka in July 2022 and recruited at least five other individuals to work for the drug trafficking enterprise and distribute drugs in Southeast Alaska. One of those individuals was co-defendant Stormy Cleveland, 39, of Ketchikan. Cleveland distributed drugs on behalf of Fuller and at Fuller’s direction. Between November and December 2022, federal agents intercepted three drug parcels shipped by members of the drug enterprise to Cleveland in Sitka. Those parcels contained over 15,500 illicit fentanyl pills.
Fuller’s role also included laundering money for the drug enterprise. Between April 25, 2023, and July 15, 2023, Fuller participated in at least 95 monetary transactions totaling over $99,500.
Co-defendants in this case are as follows:
- Larry Marsden, 43, of Ketchikan, pleaded guilty on December 9, 2024, to a conspiracy to distribute and to possession with intent to distribute controlled substances and a money laundering conspiracy. On March 12, 2025, Marsden was sentenced to 66 months’ imprisonment and will serve three years on supervised release after his release from prison.
- Cleveland pleaded guilty on November 15, 2024, to a conspiracy to distribute and to possession with intent to distribute controlled substances and a money laundering conspiracy. On March 25, 2025, Cleveland was sentenced to 135 months’ imprisonment and will serve five years on supervised release after her release from prison.
- Mario Klanott, 38, of Sitka, pleaded guilty on June 13, 2025, to a conspiracy to distribute and to possession with intent to distribute controlled substances. Klanott faces up to 20 years in prison.
- Douglas Vanmeter, 44, of Sitka, pleaded guilty on May 8, 2025, to a conspiracy to distribute and to possession with intent to distribute controlled substances. On September 3, 2025, Vanmeter was sentenced to 40 months’ of imprisonment and will serve three years on supervised release after her release from prison.
- Sara Orr, 34, of Ketchikan, pleaded guilty on June 6, 2025, to a conspiracy to distribute and to possession with intent to distribute controlled substances. Orr is scheduled to be sentenced on September 9, 2025, and faces up to 20 years in prison.
- Patricia Seal-Uttke, 32, of Ketchikan, pleaded guilty on June 25, 2025, to a conspiracy to distribute and to possession with intent to distribute controlled substances and a money laundering conspiracy. Seal-Uttke is scheduled to be sentenced on October 29, 2025, and faces up to 20 years in prison.
- Julia Brusell, 43, of Ketchikan, pleaded guilty on November 15, 2024, to a money laundering conspiracy. On March 17, 2025, Brusell was sentenced to time served and will serve two years on supervised release.
U.S. Attorney Scott E. Bradford for the District of Oregon made the announcement. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Alaska has been recused from this case with the exception of certain personnel. Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven D. Clymer from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of New York has been appointed as Special Attorney to the United States Attorney General to assist with this and other recused cases. He reports to and acts under the direction of the Deputy Attorney General, or his delegee, or U.S. Attorney Bradford in these cases. Special Attorney Clymer supervises personnel from the District of Alaska who have been exempted from the recusal.
The Drug Enforcement Administration Seattle Field Division and Anchorage District Office, Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation Seattle Field Office, U.S. Postal Inspection Service Seattle Division and Anchorage Domicile, Federal Bureau Investigation Anchorage Field Office and Alaska State Troopers, with significant law enforcement support from the U.S. Marshals Service, are investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Alana Weber, Stephan Collins, and Chris Schroeder prosecuted the case.
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Six Illegal Aliens Convicted in the Month of August for Illegally Reentering the Country After Prior RemovalsRead the Press Release
GAINESVILLE & PENSACOLA – United States Attorney John P. Heekin announced today that six previously deported aliens were recently convicted for illegal reentry into the United States.
According to court records, the defendants had each been previously removed due to being unlawfully present in the country and thereafter illegally reentered without seeking the necessary permission or approval from the United States. The illegal aliens convicted in August include:
- Wilson Omar Hernandez-Ramos, a citizen of Honduras, who was previously removed in August 2018. He was encountered in Escambia County on April 19, 2025.
- Noe Flores Vasquez, a citizen of Honduras, who was previously removed in November 2013, November 2017, and May 2022. He was encountered in Alachua County on July 17, 2025.
- Juan Martinez-Hernandez, a Mexican national, who was previously removed in October 2017 and November 2022. He was encountered in Santa Rosa County on April 11, 2025.
- Maximo Solis-Xec, a citizen of Guatemala, who was previously removed in August 2018. He was encountered in Santa Rosa County on May 21, 2025.
- Joel Coto-Mendoza, a citizen of Honduras, who was previously removed in May 2023. He was encountered in Escambia County on May 20, 2025.
- Francis Cantor-Garcia, a citizen of Honduras, who was previously removed in June 2014, November 2014, and January 2015. She was encountered in Escambia County on July 19, 2025.
U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “Each of these offenders had been previously deported for illegally entering our country – some, multiple times – and each knowingly and intentionally violated our national immigration laws yet again because they thought they could get away with it. Wrong. My office is committed to aggressively prosecuting these crimes in fulfillment of the promise made by President Donald J. Trump and Attorney General Pam Bondi to Take Back America by making the enforcement of our nation’s immigration laws a top priority.”
The cases were investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations, with assistance from several state and local partners. Assistant United States Attorneys Adam Hapner, Jenna H. Callahan, Walter Narramore, Jeffrey M. Tharp, and Brooke DiSalvo prosecuted the cases.
The cases are 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.
Romanian Man Guilty of Access Device FraudRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – Acting United States Attorney Michael M. Simpson announced that on August 19, 2025, Romanian national, ANDREI FAGARAS (“FAGARAS”), age 35, pled guilty to the three-count indictment, charging him with access device fraud, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1029(a)(4).
According to court documents, on November 13, 2024 and November 14, 2024, FAGARAS and two other individuals possessed device-making equipment, namely credit/debit card skimmers, at three retail locations in the Eastern District of Louisiana and installed those skimmers on point-of-sale machines. FAGARAS faces a maximum term of imprisonment of fifteen (15) years, a fine of up to $250,000, up to three (3) years of supervised release following any term of imprisonment, and a mandatory special assessment fee of $100 per count.
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).
Acting U.S. Attorney Simpson praised the work of the United States Department of Agriculture – Office of Inspector General; the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office; the St. Bernard Parish Sheriff’s Office; and the New Orleans Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Christine M. Calogero of the General Crimes Unit is handling the prosecution.
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Previously convicted felon sentenced to over 9 years in prison for illegally possessing firearmsRead the Press Release
MISSOULA – An Auburn, Washington man who illegally possessed several firearms was sentenced today to 115 months in prison to be followed by 3 years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.
Mallory Nehemiah Brown, 44, pleaded guilty in January 2025 to one count of prohibited person in possession of a firearm.
U.S. District Judge Dana L. Christensen presided.
The government alleged in court documents that on June 9, 2004, Brown was convicted of bank robbery in the Eastern District of California. Brown was sentenced to 51 months in prison to be followed by 36 months of supervised release. The conditions of his supervision included that Brown was not allowed to own, possess, or have access to a firearm or ammunition.
On January 8, 2024, Brown boarded an Amtrak train in Seattle, WA, with a black duffel bag and several long boxes. Brown placed his bags and boxes on the luggage rack. The train was bound for Washington D.C., with a stop in Chicago, IL.
On January 9, 2024, the train stopped in Libby, MT, based on a complaint by other passengers about Brown. Law enforcement contacted Brown and removed him from the train. The train conductor located Brown’s bag and boxes on the luggage rack. Inside, he discovered four firearms, ammunition, magazines, a suppressor, eight firearms receivers, night vision googles, a tactical vest, and other assorted accessories. Law enforcement took custody of the bags and inventoried their contents.
Brown denied the bags belong to him. However, several Amtrak employees identified Brown as the person who loaded the bags on the train. Further, one of the boxes had a shipping label on it addressed to “Mallory Brown”.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian Lowney prosecuted the case. The investigation was conducted by the ATF, FBI, Libby Police Department, Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office, and Montana Probation and Parole.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN.
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Ohio County Man Admits to Federal Drug ChargesRead the Press Release
WHEELING, WEST VIRGINIA – Joshua Carney, 32, of Wheeling, West Virginia, has admitted to heroin, fentanyl, cocaine, and methamphetamine charges.
Carney pled guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute cocaine base, fentanyl, and heroin, and one count of distribution of 5 grams or more of methamphetamine within 1,000 feet of a protected location. According to court documents, Carney worked with others to sell illicit drugs in Ohio County and sold more than five grams of methamphetamine near Ritchie Elementary School in June 2024.
Carney faces up to 20 years for the conspiracy charge and at least 5 years and up to 80 years in federal prison for the distribution charge. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Carly Nogay is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government.
Investigative agencies include the Ohio Valley Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative; the Drug Enforcement Administration; and the Wheeling Police Department.
U.S. Magistrate Judge James P. Mazzone presided.
Nineteen Members and Associates of Jersey City Gang Charged for Drug Trafficking ActivitiesRead the Press Release
Newark, N.J. – Nineteen members and associates of the Jersey City gang associated with the Salem Lafayette Housing Complex were charged by Complaint for their roles in an expansive drug trafficking conspiracy, Acting U.S. Attorney and Special Attorney Alina Habba announced today.
The Complaint charges Isaiah West, a/k/a “Snoop,” a/k/a “Bandz,” 22, of Jersey City, Jamantay Gaines, a/k/a “D-Rose,” 28, of Jersey City, Curtis Felder, a/k/a “Cee Grizzley,” 26, of Jersey City, Dorian Garrett, a/k/a “Nero,” 21, of New York City, William Washington, a/k/a “OnSight,” 23, of Jersey City, Aamir Thomas, a/k/a “Mir,” 23, of Jersey City, Nareef Frimpong, a/k/a “Huncho,” 24, of Jersey City, Reakwon Harvey, 28, of Jersey City, Pedro Torres, 21, of Jersey City, Najon Pettiford, a/k/a “Na,” 23, of Jersey City, Desmar Rivers, a/k/a “Pacman,” 26 of Jersey City, Stephon Turner, 26, of Jersey City, Tyler Thornton, 30, of Jersey City, Christopher Maldonado, a/k/a “G Chris,” 18, of Jersey City, Keiyan Golden, a/k/a “Kevin Council,” 48, of Jersey City, Cornell Bell, 49 of Jersey City, Serge Rodriguez, 29, of Jersey City, Gerard Crawford, a/k/a “Jason Reed,” 51, of Jersey City, and Alfred Reaves, 56, of Jersey City.
Today’s charges and arrests are the result of a long-running wiretap investigation led by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office, the Jersey City Police Department, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office. The charges include conspiracy to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl, 28 grams or more of cocaine base, and quantities of heroin, cocaine, PCP, and other narcotics including various prescription pills.
The 16 defendants arrested today are scheduled to have their initial court appearances this afternoon before U.S. Magistrate Judge José R. Almonte in Newark federal court. One defendant was already in custody on state charges, and 2 defendants remain at large.
“These defendants are charged with operating a drug trafficking organization that poisoned the community of Jersey City with their distribution of fentanyl, crack cocaine, PCP, and several other narcotics. Today’s arrests and charges mark another strike in our relentless war against the deadly narcotics and ruthless street gangs that infest and terrorize our communities. We will not rest until every drug trafficker and violent offender is held accountable and removed from our streets.”
- Acting U.S. Attorney and Special Attorney Alina Habba
“This investigation and charges are a testament to the combined efforts of law enforcement and underscores the resolve of ATF and our federal, state, and local partners. Drug trafficking and the heinous criminal acts associated with violent criminal organizations have an insidious impact on the public and tear apart the fabric of our communities. We will continue to use all the tools at our disposal, throughout the state of New Jersey and across the U.S., to combat violence, drug distribution, and the illegal possession of firearms to safeguard the safety and well-being of all,” stated ATF Special Agent in Charge L.C. Cheeks.
“DEA New Jersey continues to work with our federal, state and local law enforcement partners in targeting those drug trafficking organizations and their members who are responsible for the trafficking of cocaine, heroin, fentanyl, methamphetamine, and firearms in our communities” stated DEA New Jersey Special Agent in Charge Cheryl Ortiz. “As we have seen, many of these individuals use violence to conduct their illicit drug and gun trafficking business which often has senseless and deadly consequences. The DEA remains committed to protecting our communities and saving lives.”
“Today’s arrests are a testament to the collaborative work of law enforcement. Every illegal drug removed from the streets helps ensure the safety of our community,” stated Acting Prosecutor Wayne Mello. “The Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office is committed to continuing this joint effort to rid our community of dangerous drugs.”
“Today, as part of our Violent Crime Initiative with the U.S. Attorney’s Office, a coordinated operation with the Jersey City Police Department, ATF, and federal partners resulted in multiple arrests along with the recovery of suspected CDS and illegal guns. Over the past 12 years, we have driven down violent crime across Jersey City to historic lows by investing in smart policing strategies, stronger community partnerships, and unprecedented public safety resources, and today’s arrests are yet another example of our dedication to keeping residents safe,” Mayor Steven M. Fulop, City of Jersey City said.
“Our priority has always been to protect the people of Jersey City, and today’s operation shows that commitment in action. By arresting these violent offenders and removing illegal guns and drugs from our streets, we are protecting residents today and reinforcing the long-term safety gains we’ve made under this administration’s leadership,” stated Public Safety Director James Shea.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
West, Gaines, Felder, Garrett, Washington, Thomas, Frimpong, Harvey, Torres, Pettiford, Rivers, Turner, Thorton, and Maldonado are all members and associates of the neighborhood street gang associated with the Salem Lafayette Housing Complex, which is known as “SaLaf.”
The gang’s drug trafficking activities were extensive, with federal, state, and local investigators observing and documenting hundreds of narcotics transactions that occurred within and around the Salem Lafayette Housing Complex during the months-long investigation.
The investigation likewise revealed that Bell, Rodriguez, Crawford, and Reaves were suppliers of narcotics to the SaLaf drug trafficking organization.
Law enforcement used investigative techniques including, but not limited to, wiretaps, controlled purchases of narcotics by confidential informants, telephone record analysis, and physical and fixed surveillance, among other lawful means of investigation. The investigation revealed that the SaLaf DTO distributes large quantities of fentanyl, cocaine base, PCP, various prescription pills, and other narcotics in this public housing community as well as the surrounding area.
The charged offense carries a mandatory minimum prison sentence of 5 years and a maximum potential prison sentence of 40 years, and a maximum fine of $5,000,000.
Acting U.S. Attorney and Special Attorney Habba credited special agents and task force officers of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), under the direction of Special Agent in Charge L.C. Cheeks Jr., Newark Field Division; special agents and task force officers with the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), New Jersey Division, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Cheryl Ortiz; investigators of the Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Acting Prosecutor Wayne Mello; and investigators of the Jersey City Police Department, under the direction of Director James Shea, for the investigation leading to the charges.
This investigation was conducted as part of the Jersey City Violent Crime Initiative (VCI). The VCI was formed in 2018 by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey, the Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office, and the Jersey City Police Department, for the sole purpose of combatting violent crime in and around Jersey City. As part of this partnership, federal, state, county, and city agencies collaborate to strategize and prioritize the prosecution of violent offenders who endanger the safety of the community. The VCI is composed of the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the FBI, the ATF, the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) New Jersey Division, the U.S. Marshals, the Department of Homeland Security – Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Jersey City Police Department, the Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office, the Hudson County Sheriff’s Office, New Jersey State Parole, the Hudson County Jail, and the New Jersey State Police Regional Operations and Intelligence Center/Real Time Crime Center.
This investigation is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
The case was investigated under the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF). OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. For more information about Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces, please visit Justice.gov/OCDETF.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Lauren Kober of the Office’s Organized Crime and Gangs Unit and Trial Attorney Justin Bish of the Department of Justice Criminal Division’s Violent Crime and Racketeering Section.
The charges and allegations contained in the complaint are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
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west.complaint.pdfNicaraguan National Sentenced to Five Years in Federal Prison for Illegal Reentry After RemovalRead the Press Release
MIAMI – A Nicaraguan national has been sentenced to five years in federal prison for illegally reentering the United States after being removed.
On August 26, Senior U.S. District Judge Paul C. Huck sentenced Marco Orlando Vado, 66, to 60 months in federal prison after he pleaded guilty to illegal reentry. The sentence will run consecutive to a 72-month term Vado received in June 2024 in Broward County for violating his probation in a drug trafficking case, following his guilty plea in Miami-Dade County to attempted sexual battery of a minor under 12.
According to court records, Vado was initially encountered by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in November 2009 after learning he had been convicted in Broward County of trafficking more than 400 grams of cocaine and sentenced to six years of probation. On December 23, 2009, Vado was deported to Nicaragua.
Despite his removal, on April 22, 2022, Vado was again encountered in the United States after being arrested by the North Miami Beach Police Department for attempted sexual battery of a minor under 12.
U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida and Field Officer Director Garrett Ripa of the ICE Enforcement Removal Operations (ERO), Miami Field Office, made the announcement.
ICE/ERO Miami Field Office investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph A. Cooley prosecuted the case.
You may find a copy of this press release (and any updates) on the website of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida at www.justice.gov/usao-sdfl.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov, under case number 23-cr-60244.
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New Orleans Man Sentenced for Methamphetamine Distribution and Being Felon in Possession of FirearmRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – Acting United States Attorney Michael M. Simpson announced that DAYSHAWN BROWN (“BROWN”), age 40, a resident of New Orleans, was sentenced on August 28, 2025, by United States District Judge Carl J. Barbier, after previously pleading guilty to Counts 3 and 4 of the indictment pending against him. Count 3 charged BROWN with distribution of 50 or more grams of methamphetamine, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1) and (b)(1)(B). Count 4 charged BROWN with being a felon in possession of a firearm, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 922(g)(1) and 924(a)(8).
BROWN was sentenced to 144 months as to Counts Three and Four, to be served concurrently. Judge Barbier also ordered that BROWN be placed on supervised release for four (4) years upon release from incarceration and pay a mandatory special assessment fee of $200.00.
Court documents reveal that on September 13, 2023, BROWN met with an individual he believed was a legitimate buyer at a gas station in New Orleans, to sell narcotics and a firearm. During the transaction, BROWN sold the agent a Beretta Pietro S.P.A. Model 70S, .380 caliber pistol with an obliterated serial number, and approximately 54 grams of methamphetamine.
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.
Acting United States Attorney Michael M. Simpson praised the work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the New Orleans Police Department. This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Troy Bell of the Violent Crime Unit.
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New Orleans Man Sentenced for Federal Drug and Gun ChargesRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – Acting United States Attorney Michael M. Simpson announced that, BRANDON TURNER (“TURNER”), age 39, was sentenced on August 26, 2025, by United States District Judge Susie Morgan, after previously pleading guilty to Counts One, Two, and Three of the indictment pending against him. Count One charged TURNER with possession with the intent to distribute controlled substances, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(B), and 841(b)(1)(C). Count Two charged TURNER with possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 924(c)(1)(A)(i). Count Three charged TURNER with being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 922(g)(1) and 924(a)(8).
TURNER was sentenced to two hundred and ten (210) months as to counts One, Two and Three of the Superseding Bill of Information. This term consists of 150 months as to Counts One and Three, to be served concurrently to each other, and a term of 60 months as to Count Two, to be served consecutively to the terms imposed on Counts One and Three. Upon release from imprisonment, TURNER will be placed on supervised release for four (4) years as to Counts One, Two and Three, to be served concurrently with each other. TURNER also faces payment of a $300 mandatory special assessment fee.
According to court documents, on January 30, 2024, TURNER was arrested for suspected narcotics trafficking. Law enforcement officers searched TURNER’s apartment and found a detectable amount of fentanyl, ammunition, and a Glock, Model 43, nine-millimeter caliber pistol. TURNER knew he was a convicted felon and prohibited from possessing the firearm and ammunition.
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.
Acting United States Attorney Simpson praised the work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the New Orleans Police Department, and the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Troy Bell of the Violent Crime Unit.
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Montgomery County Man Pleads Guilty to Insider Trading Linked to CVS’s 2023 Acquisition of Oak Street HealthRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that Carlos Sacanell, 59, of Willow Grove, Pennsylvania, entered a plea of guilty today before United States District Judge Wendy Beetlestone on one count of securities fraud (insider trading) and one count of making a false statement to a federal agency.
The defendant was charged by indictment with those offenses in October 2024.
As detailed in the indictment and admitted to by the defendant, Sacanell obtained material nonpublic information from his domestic partner, who was an executive at Oak Street Health, about CVS Health Corporation’s acquisition of Oak Street Health in 2023. At all times relevant to the indictment, both CVS and Oak Street Health were publicly traded companies on the New York Stock Exchange, with ticker symbols CVS and OSH, respectively.
Sacanell used the material nonpublic information obtained from his domestic partner to trade stock and options in Oak Street Health before the transaction was publicly announced on February 8, 2023, resulting in him obtaining profits of approximately $617,000.
As further detailed in court filings, when the defendant was interviewed by the FBI in April 2024, he falsely told agents that he did not obtain from his domestic partner information regarding CVS’s planned acquisition of Oak Street Health before the acquisition was publicly announced on February 8, 2023.
This case was investigated by the FBI and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Francis A. Weber. The Securities and Exchange Commission also charged Sacanell, in a parallel matter.
Mexican National Sentenced to Four Months in Prison for Unlawful ReentryRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Mexican national unlawfully residing in New Bedford was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for illegally reentering the United States after deportation.
Bernardo Lorenzo-Guatemala, 38, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Nathaniel M. Gorton to four months in prison to be followed by two years of supervised release. The defendant is subject to deportation upon completion of the imposed sentence. In June 2025, Lorenzo-Guatemala pleaded guilty to one count of unlawful reentry of a deported alien. He was arrested and charged by criminal complaint in May 2025.
Lorenzo-Guatemala was deported from the United States on June 4, 2019. Sometime after his removal, Lorenzo-Guatemala unlawfully reentered the United States. Immigration officials became aware of Lorenzo-Guatemala’s unlawful presence in the United States following his arrest on July 2, 2024 for operating a motor vehicle with a suspended license.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Patricia H. Hyde, Acting Field Office Director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations in Boston made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian Sullivan of the Criminal Division prosecuted the case.
Mexican National Arrested in Meriden Charged with Illegally Reentering U.S.Read the Press Release
David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that JUAN JOSE CARRASCO CARDENAS, 39, a citizen of Mexico, has been charged by federal criminal complaint with illegally reentering the United States after being deported.
As alleged in court documents and statements made in court, in January 2002, Carrasco was encountered by U.S. Border Patrol and was issued a voluntary return to Mexico. In May 2009, U.S. Border Patrol encountered Carrasco illegally entering the country in Arizona. He was charged in the District of Arizona with improper entry of an alien, sentenced to five days of imprisonment and, in June 2009, was issued a voluntary return to Mexico. In January 2018, Carrasco was arrested in Saline County, Kansas, and charged with various offenses related to the trafficking of marijuana. He was convicted of a state marijuana distribution offense and sentenced to 30 months in jail. He was removed to Mexico in October 2019.
Carrasco was arrested by ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations on August 27, 2025, in Meriden. He appeared today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Thomas O. Farrish in Hartford and was ordered detained.
If convicted of the charge of unlawful reentry, Carrasco faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 10 years.
U.S. Attorney Sullivan stressed that a complaint is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. Charges are only allegations and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This matter is being investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Enforcement and Removal Operations. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Neeraj N. Patel.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
Man Ordered to Serve 30 Years in Prison for Second Degree Murder After Killing a Woman Found Near a Bus StopRead the Press Release
TULSA, Okla. – A Sand Springs man was sentenced today for Second Degree Murder in Indian Country, announced U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.
U.S. District Judge John D. Russell sentenced Anthony Clay Russell, 32, of Sand Springs, to 360 months imprisonment, followed by five years of supervised release.
According to court documents, on October 22, 2024, first responders were dispatched in response to a call about a woman lying on a sidewalk with blood coming from her head. Medical personnel told responding officers that the woman, later identified as Tasha Shepard, was deceased from a gunshot wound to the back of the head.
Surveillance footage from the area showed a BMW pulling into a nearby parking lot. The surveillance showed Tasha getting out of the passenger side of the BMW and walking away from the car. The BMW is seen following Tasha as she walked out of the parking lot and then sped away from the area where first responders found Tasha’s body.
Detectives discovered a cellphone on Tasha and retrieved text messages with Anthony Russell from the evening of the shooting. Russell texted Tasha about paying for sex and coordinating where he could pick her up.
When detectives interviewed Russell, he initially lied about being with Tasha. When confronted with evidence, Russell eventually admitted that he picked up Tasha to have sex for money. Russell admitted he did not have money to pay Tasha, so she got out of the BMW and walked away. Eventually, Russell admitted to shooting at Tasha, claiming he was only trying to scare her.
The investigation further revealed additional surveillance footage of Russell and Tasha together in the BMW several minutes before Tasha was killed. During a search of Russell’s home, detectives found the BMW and the firearm used to shoot Tasha.
Russell is a citizen of the Osage Nation, and he will remain in custody pending transfer to the U.S. Bureau of Prisons.
The Tulsa Police Department and the FBI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Adam D. McConney and John Brasher prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN.
Los Angeles Man Pleads Guilty to Kern Valley Prison-Based Drug ConspiracyRead the Press Release
Justin Damonte Mitchell, 32, of Los Angeles, pleaded guilty Tuesday to conspiring to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl, two counts of distributing methamphetamine, and one count of distributing fentanyl, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced.
According to court documents, Mitchell was recruited by his brother, co-defendant Kristopher Thomas, 37, who is serving a gang-related murder sentence at the Kern Valley State Prison in Delano, to assist in drug transactions outside of prison. In September 2022, Mitchell agreed to and did deliver one-half pound of fentanyl to co-defendant Natasha Michelle Bailey, 46, of Bakersfield, to smuggle into the prison for another inmate, co-defendant Derrick D. Charles, 43. Later that month, Mitchell assisted Thomas in the shipment of packages containing approximately 48 pounds of methamphetamine intended for delivery in Oklahoma and Alabama. The fentanyl and methamphetamine seizures followed wire intercepts of Thomas’s contraband cellphone.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration with assistance from the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the IRS Criminal Investigation, and the U.S. Marshals Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Karen A. Escobar is prosecuting the case.
Mitchell is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Jennifer L. Thurston on Dec. 1, 2025. Mitchell faces a maximum statutory penalty of life in prison and a $10 million fine. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.
The case was investigated under the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF). OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest‑level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor‑led, intelligence‑driven, multi‑agency approach. Learn more at Justice.gov/OCDETF.
Leader of Akron Drug Trafficking Conspiracy Sentenced to 35 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
CLEVELAND – An Akron man has been sentenced to 35 years in prison for leading and conspiring with others to traffic methamphetamine, fentanyl, and other illegal substances throughout Northeast Ohio.
Terrance D.N. McCormick, aka TNasty, 41, of Akron, was sentenced to 420 months (35 years) in prison by U.S. District Judge Donald C. Nugent after pleading guilty in May to the following charges as outlined in the indictment:
- Conspiracy to Distribute and to Possess with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine and Fentanyl.
- Possession with Intent to Distribute Fentanyl.
- Felon in Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition; previous convictions for aggravated burglary in 2003; domestic violence in 2009 and 2013; and aggravated trafficking in drugs in 2018.
- Possession of Firearms in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Offense.
McCormick was also ordered to serve five years of supervised release after imprisonment and to forfeit $8,560 in cash, a Rolex watch, a Chevrolet Corvette, and all firearms seized by federal agents.
According to court documents, McCormick was the leader of an Akron-area drug trafficking organization dealing methamphetamine, fentanyl, and cocaine in 2023-2024. He admitted to his involvement with several co-conspirators to distribute methamphetamine, fentanyl, and cocaine to customers throughout Northeast Ohio. The conspiracy maintained and used residences and commercial buildings in Akron to store and distribute controlled substances. Members of the conspiracy also allegedly possessed firearms to further their drug enterprise and protect their illegal inventory.
Investigators recovered methamphetamine, fentanyl, cocaine, and three loaded firearms during the execution of federal search warrants at McCormick’s homes in 2023 and 2024.
This wiretap case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Cleveland Field Office.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Peter E. Daly for the Northern District of Ohio.
Lancaster County Man Indicted in Connection with Massive Investment Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – At a news conference this afternoon, United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that Daryl F. Heller, 55, of Lititz, Pennsylvania, was arrested and charged by indictment with one count of securities fraud and four counts of wire fraud, arising from a fraudulent investment scheme that resulted in significant investor losses of approximately $402 million.
As detailed in the indictment, the defendant controlled and was the majority owner of several companies based in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, including Paramount Management Group, LLC (“Paramount”), which purchased, installed, operated, maintained, and processed transactions for automatic teller machines (“ATMs”) in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania and throughout the country.
Heller also controlled and was the majority owner of Heller Capital Group LLC (“HCG”) and Prestige Investment Group, LLC (“Prestige”). Further, Prestige was the majority owner of four companies, collectively, the “Prestige Management Companies.” The Prestige Management Companies, in turn, managed the operations of more than two dozen companies, collectively, the “Prestige ATM Funds” and the “WF Velocity ATM Funds.”
The indictment alleges that, from about January 2017 to December 2024, Heller solicited, and caused others to solicit, approximately $770 million from investors in the Prestige ATM Funds and WF Velocity ATM Funds investors, based on materially false and fraudulent pretenses, representations, and promises, including that the money they invested would be used by Paramount to purchase and operate ATMs on behalf of the investors, and that investors would receive a fixed amount every month from the revenues derived from the operation of the ATMs allegedly purchased by Paramount on the investors’ behalf.
The indictment further alleges that a substantial amount of the funds obtained from the Prestige and WF Velocity ATM Fund investors was not used by Paramount to purchase ATMs as promised, but used instead to pay the monthly payments owed to earlier investors in the Prestige and WF Velocity ATM Funds, other Paramount investors, Heller’s own personal expenses, and business debts incurred by Paramount and other companies that the defendant owned and controlled. The indictment further alleges that a substantial amount of the ATMs that were purportedly purchased by Paramount on behalf of the Prestige and WF Velocity ATM Fund investors either did not exist or were not in operation and, thus, were not capable of generating any revenues.
According to the indictment, to carry out and conceal the scheme, Heller created false and fraudulent records, which grossly misrepresented the number of ATMs in Paramount’s network and grossly overstated the revenues being generated by those ATMs. Heller used these documents to satisfy existing investors, solicit new investors, and deceive others by falsely representing that the ATM investments were legitimate, and the ATMs were generating sufficient revenues to make investor payments.
In or about April 2024, Heller caused Paramount to stop making monthly payments to investors after the Prestige and WF Velocity ATM Funds stopped providing substantial amounts of new investor money to Paramount. Investors have not received any payments since April 2024, despite Heller’s promises from April 2024 to December 2024 to make payments to and buyout the investors.
Paramount went out of business in or about December 2024, and investors in the Prestige and WF Velocity ATM Funds have unpaid principal amounts totaling approximately $402 million.
“The magnitude of the offense alleged by this indictment is enormous,” said U.S. Attorney Metcalf. “Daryl Heller allegedly piled lie upon lie, in order to bilk thousands of victims of their hard-earned money. This case is a prime example of the diligent and detailed work done by FBI Philadelphia’s white-collar crime branch, and the economic crimes section in our office.”
“Complex financial fraud cases like this demand close coordination, because no single agency can see the entire picture alone,” said Wayne A. Jacobs, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI's Philadelphia Field Office. “Together, we brought the combined resources of federal, state, and local law enforcement—pairing the FBI’s investigative reach, the SEC’s regulatory expertise, and the insights of our local partners on the ground. That collective effort, strengthened by persistence and information-sharing, allowed us to peel back the layers of deception and uncover the full scope of this alleged scheme.”
If convicted, the defendant faces a maximum possible sentence of 100 years’ imprisonment.
The case was investigated by the FBI and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Francis Weber and J. Andrew Jenemann. The Lancaster County Police Department, Lancaster County District Attorney’s Office, East Hempfield Township Police Department, and Pequea Township Police Department provided investigative assistance.
In a parallel matter, the Securities and Exchange Commission also announced charges against Heller today.
The charges and allegations contained in the indictment are merely accusations. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty in court.
Justice Department Seeks to Denaturalize War Criminal Who Beat, Tortured, and Sexually Assaulted Civilians in the Bosnian War in 1992Read the Press Release
The United States filed a denaturalization action in the Western District of Virginia yesterday against Slobodan Letic, a native of Croatia, who, according to the Department of Justice’s complaint, concealed and misrepresented his involvement in the beating, torture, and sexual assault of civilians in the Bosnian War in 1992, when he was an officer in the Bosnian Serb army. Letic took two women detainees out of a camp before driving them to an apartment where he beat and raped them. After the women were released from the camp, Letic later found one of them walking in the streets and again took her to an abandoned house and forcefully raped her. Letic also invaded the homes of other civilians in Bosnia and inflicted severe beatings, torture, and mock executions on them.
Letic concealed his involvement in war crimes and acts of persecution throughout his immigration and naturalization proceedings after entering the United States by claiming to be a refugee in 2000. Additionally, the civil complaint alleges that Letic concealed his Bosnian criminal convictions for corruption-related acts he performed as a police officer after the war. Letic naturalized as a U.S. citizen on Sept. 22, 2006.
“The United States is not a safe haven for war criminals and human rights violators,” said Assistant Attorney General Brett A. Shumate of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “Letic entered our country posing as a victim of persecution when in fact he had committed horrendous acts as a persecutor of others. He took advantage of our generous system for refugee admissions and should not have been granted U.S. citizenship. This action seeks to redress that wrong, and we are committed to upholding the integrity of the naturalization process against fraud and misrepresentation.”
Under the Immigration and Nationality Act, a naturalized U.S. citizen’s citizenship may be revoked, and his certificate of naturalization canceled, if the naturalization was illegally procured or procured by concealment of a material fact or by willful misrepresentation.
This case was investigated by the Civil Division’s Office of Immigration Litigation, with assistance from the FBI, Homeland Security Investigations Historian William Tomljanovich and Attaché John Christoforo of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and the government of Bosnia. The litigation is being handled by Trial Attorney Christopher Lyerla and reviewed by Max Weintraub of the Office of Immigration Litigation, General Litigation and Appeals Section, Affirmative Litigation Unit.
The claims made in the complaint are allegations only, and there has been no determination of liability.
Justice Department Returns Full Control of Police Practices to the City of SeattleRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON — Today, the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington recognized the successful completion of the consent decree in United States v. City of Seattle, returning complete control of the Seattle Police Department (SPD) to the City. The 13-year consent decree effort addressed use of force, crisis intervention, stops and detentions, supervision and accountability.
“We congratulate the Seattle Police Department on its achievement of sustained substantial compliance with this consent decree,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “We are proud to stand by the men and women of the Seattle Police Department as federal oversight ends and the court returns full control of local law enforcement to the city.”
“The Seattle Police Department has worked over many years to develop and implement policies and procedures that have transformed the department into an example for other police forces,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Teal Luthy Miller for the Western District of Washington. “Multiple Police Chiefs, city leaders, community stakeholders, and U.S. Attorneys have supported that effort. I commend the hard work that has led to the end of the consent decree.”
In 2011, the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Washington jointly initiated an investigation into the SPD under the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994 and the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968. After concluding the investigation, in 2012 the United States and the City of Seattle entered into a consent decree to address the investigation’s findings that SPD engaged in a pattern or practice of unnecessary or excessive force in violation of the Fourth Amendment to the United States Constitution. In 2023, the Court granted the parties’ joint motion to terminate most of the consent decree’s requirements. The City and the Department worked collaboratively toward completion of the last remaining requirements, leading to today’s termination of the consent decree and final dismissal of the lawsuit.
Justice Department Returns Full Control of Police Practices to the City of SeattleRead the Press Release
Today, the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington recognized the successful completion of the consent decree in United States v. City of Seattle, returning complete control of the Seattle Police Department (SPD) to the City. The 13-year consent decree effort addressed use of force, crisis intervention, stops and detentions, supervision and accountability.
“We congratulate the Seattle Police Department on its achievement of sustained substantial compliance with this consent decree,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “We are proud to stand by the men and women of the Seattle Police Department as federal oversight ends and the court returns full control of local law enforcement to the city.”
“The Seattle Police Department has worked over many years to develop and implement policies and procedures that have transformed the department into an example for other police forces,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Teal Luthy Miller for the Western District of Washington. “Multiple Police Chiefs, city leaders, community stakeholders, and U.S. Attorneys have supported that effort. I commend the hard work that has led to the end of the consent decree.”
In 2011, the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Washington jointly initiated an investigation into the SPD under the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994 and the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968. After concluding the investigation, in 2012 the United States and the City of Seattle entered into a consent decree to address the investigation’s findings that SPD engaged in a pattern or practice of unnecessary or excessive force in violation of the Fourth Amendment to the United States Constitution. In 2023, the Court granted the parties’ joint motion to terminate most of the consent decree’s requirements. The City and the Department worked collaboratively toward completion of the last remaining requirements, leading to today’s termination of the consent decree and final dismissal of the lawsuit.
Justice Department Files Lawsuit for Mississippi Woman Terminated for Alleging Sexual HarassmentRead the Press Release
The Justice Department announced today that it has filed a lawsuit against the city of Hattiesburg, Mississippi for violating Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 by terminating a former employee who opposed and complained about sexual harassment in the workplace.
Title VII prohibits employment discrimination based on race, color, national origin, sex and religion and prohibits retaliation against employees for opposing discriminatory employment practices. According to the Department’s complaint, filed today in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Mississippi, the city terminated former employee, Hope Chatman, after she reported sexual harassment and refused to sit near her harasser after reporting his conduct to management. The complaint seeks damages, back pay, and revisions to the City’s policies, practices, and procedures to prevent and remedy retaliation that violates Title VII.
“No one who speaks up against workplace sexual harassment should face retaliation for doing so. The Department is committed to fully enforcing our federal employment discrimination laws, including through banning sexual harassment and retaliation,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division.
This case stems from a charge of discrimination filed with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) and investigated by the EEOC’s Jackson Area office. The EEOC investigated the charge and found reasonable cause to believe the city violated Title VII. After unsuccessful conciliation efforts, the EEOC referred the charge to the Justice Department.
You can view the complaint here.
Employees with complaints of sexual harassment can report them to their local EEOC office or their respective state or local fair employment practices agencies. The contact information for each local EEOC office can be found at www.eeoc.gov/field-office.
Illegal Alien Sentenced for Unlawful ReentryRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Jeffry Gabriel Zamora-Pineda, age 33, a Honduran national unlawfully present in Oklahoma, was sentenced to time served for one count of Unlawful Reentry of Removed Alien.
The charge arose from an investigation by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Immigration and Customs Enforcement Division and the Environmental Protection Agency.
On April 22, 2025, Zamora-Pineda pleaded guilty to the charge. According to investigators, on March 19, 2025, Zamora-Pineda, an alien, was found in the United States after having been previously removed in 2019 without obtaining the express consent of the Secretary of Homeland Security to reapply for admission to the United States.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. 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 Honorable Ronald A. White, Chief U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over the hearing.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jordan W. Howanitz and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Olivia Staubus represented the United States.
Idaho woman sentenced to 11 years in prison for trafficking drugs on the Flathead Indian ReservationRead the Press Release
MISSOULA – An Idaho woman who possessed methamphetamine and fentanyl with the intention of selling on the Flathead Indian Reservation was sentenced today to 132 months in prison to be followed by 7 years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.
Nicole Lynn Shain, 40, pleaded guilty in April 2025 to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl.
U.S. District Judge Donald W. Molloy presided.
The government alleged in court documents that on July 1, 2024, law enforcement officers were patrolling in Pablo, MT, when they observed a black SUV with an Idaho license parked near an area frequented by persons actively addicted to controlled substances. Investigators circled the block to surveil the vehicle, but upon returning to the area where they’d seen the SUV, it was no longer there.
Several hours later, investigators again saw the SUV parked in Ronan, MT. The SUV had a single occupant, Nicole Shain. Investigators learned Shain had been previously convicted of distributing dangerous drugs in Idaho. Investigators stopped Shain after observing her dispose of a piece of tin foil with drug residue on it. Investigators applied for a search warrant for Shain’s vehicle, and found inside 26.8 grams of methamphetamine, several grams of fentanyl powder and 1,092 pills containing fentanyl. These quantities of drugs significantly exceeded a user amount.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian Lowney prosecuted the case. Homeland Security Investigations and Flathead Tribal Police conducted the investigation.
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Honduran and Colombian drug traffickers sentenced to prison for conspiring to transport cocaine into the United StatesRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – The last of three foreign nationals was sentenced to prison yesterday for his role in a conspiracy to traffic cocaine from Colombia through Honduras and ultimately into the United States.
According to court documents, Colombian national Humberto Cantillo Duran, aka Niño or Juan Carlos, 37; Honduran national Mario Rodolfo Mejia-Cubillas, aka Yofo, 54; and Honduran national Edgardo Rene Velasquez Navarro, aka Burro, 54, led a large drug trafficking conspiracy based in Colón, Honduras, responsible for the distribution of thousands of kilograms of cocaine valued at millions of dollars into the United States. The conspiracy operated from eastern Honduras where they received shipments of cocaine from South America before forwarding them through Central America and ultimately into the United States.
Cantillo Duran, based in Colombia and Honduras, was responsible for coordinating the shipment of large amounts of cocaine from Colombia to Honduras. Cantillo Duran also assisted in finding buyers, including Mejia-Cubillas and Velasquez Navarro. After the cocaine arrived in Honduras, it was unloaded, broken-down, and prepared for transport across Honduras, supervised by Mejia Cubillas, Velasquez Navarro, and Cantillo Duran. For years, Honduran law enforcement captured communications between the conspirators in which they discussed cocaine shipments, payments, acts of violence towards suspected rival narcotraffickers, South American sources of supply, the U.S. market for cocaine, and the United States being the ultimate destination for their cocaine. On several occasions, Honduran law enforcement seized large shipments of cocaine moved by the co-conspirators.
All three defendants pled guilty to conspiracy to distribute cocaine with the intent of unlawful importation into the United States.
On March 11, Velasquez Navarro was sentenced to 12 years in prison. On April 1, Mejia-Cubillas was sentenced to 13 years and four months in prison. Cantillo Duran was sentenced yesterday to 15 years in prison.
Erik S. Siebert, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Christopher C. Goumenis, Special Agent in Charge for the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) Washington Division, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Leonie M. Brinkema.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kristin S. Starr, Anthony T. Aminoff, and Philip Alito prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs). Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs).
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. 1:23-cr-142.
Honduran National Sentenced for Illegal Reentry into the United StatesRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson announced that WILMER ANTONIO GARCIA-AQUINO (“GARCIA-AQUINO”),age 43, a citizen of Honduras, was sentenced on August 21, 2025, for illegal reentry of a removed alien, in violation of Title 8, United States Code, Sections1326(a) and 1326(b)(1).
GARCIA-AQUINO was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Lance M. Africk to 3 months imprisonment, 3 years of supervised release upon release from imprisonment, and payment of a mandatory $100 special assessment fee. At the completion of his imprisonment, he will be surrendered to the custody of the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement for removal proceedings consistent with the Immigration and Nationality Act.
Acting U.S. Attorney Simpson praised the work of the United States Bureau of Customs and Border Protection investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Irene González of the General Crimes Unit is in charge of the prosecution.
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Honduran National Sentenced for Illegal ReentryRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – Acting United States Attorney Michael M. Simpson announced that, JORGE LUIS VILLANUEVA (“VILLANUEVA”), age 35, was sentenced on August 14, 2025, by United States District Judge Carl J. Barbier, after previously pleading guilty to illegal reentry of a removed alien, in violation of Title 8, United States Code, Section 1326(a) and Title 8, United States Code, Section 1326(b)(1).
VILLANUEVA was sentenced to time served, one year of supervised release, and a mandatory $100 special assessment fee.
According to the bill of information, VILLANUEVA, reentered the United States after being previously deported on September 11, 2013.
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).
Acting United States Attorney Michael M. Simpson praised the work of the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office in investigating this matter. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Mary Katherine Kaufman of the General Crimes Unit.
Honduran Man Guilty of Illegal Reentry of a Removed AlienRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – Acting United States Attorney Michael M. Simpson announced that PEDRO TAILOR CASTILLO-BONILLA (“CASTILLO”), age 43, plead guilty on August 20, 2025, to illegal reentry of a previously removed alien, in violation of Title 8, United States Code, Section 1326(a).
According to the charging document, CASTILLO was found in the United States on June 18, 2025, having reentered the United States, without authorization from the Attorney General of the United States, after being previously deported on August 15, 2012.
CASTILLO faces a maximum term of imprisonment of two (2) years, followed by up to one (1) year of supervised release, a fine of up to $250,000.00, and a mandatory special assessment fee of $100.00.
CASTILLO’s sentencing is set for November 19, 2025, before United States District Judge Lance M. Africk.
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).
Acting U.S. Attorney Simpson praised the work of the United States Coast Guard and the United States Customs and Border Protection in investigating this case. Special Assistant United States Attorney Rick Veters of the General Crimes Unit is in charge of the prosecution.
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Hinesville Man Convicted at Trial for Threatening to Kill Federal Employees and AmericansRead the Press Release
SAVANNAH, GA: A Hinesville man has been found guilty at trial for making threatening phone calls to the Department of Veterans Affairs in December 2024.
Alexis Beatles, 44, of Hinesville, was convicted after a two-day jury trial in U.S. District Court on charges of Interstate Communications with Threats to Injure Another, said Margaret E. Heap, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. The convictions subject the Defendant to up to a total of 10 years of imprisonment, followed by a period of supervised release upon completion of any prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
Beatles was arrested on a criminal complaint in January and was later formally indicted by a federal grand jury. Savannah Police Department SWAT and EOD Teams assisted the FBI with making the arrest. As described at trial, on December 18, 2024, Beatles called a Department of Veterans Affairs hotline and made demands to the phone operator wherein he threatened to kill federal employees and others if his demands were not met. Beatles made numerous threats, including threatening to crash his car into the Savannah VA Clinic, to “destroy” U.S. citizens, to rig his home with explosives to kill any police officers that came to his home, and to kill the children of any officers who attempted to arrest him.
“Those who make threats against members of our community in violation of federal law will be held accountable, as we continue to work with our law enforcement partners to identify and bring to justice those who seek to intimidate and instill fear in our citizens,” said U.S. Attorney Heap.
“VA personnel and the veterans they serve should feel safe while working and receiving care within VA facilities,” said Special Agent in Charge David Spilker with the Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General’s Southeast Field Office. “The VA OIG and our law enforcement partners are committed to identifying and stopping threats of terrorism and violence against VA personnel and operations.”
“Threats of violence against federal employees and our communities will never be tolerated,” said Paul Brown, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. “This conviction demonstrates the FBI’s commitment to working with our partners to protect those who serve the public and to hold accountable anyone who seeks to cause fear and harm through threats.”
The case was being investigated by the FBI, with assistance from the Savannah Police Department and prosecuted for the United States by Assistant United States Attorneys L. Alexander Hamner and Darron Hubbard.
High Springs Man Sentenced for Distribution of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
GAINESVILLE, FLORIDA – Jon Walter Crawford, 36, of High Springs, Florida, was sentenced to ten years in prison after previously pleading guilty to distribution of child pornography. The sentence was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “I commend the hard work done by our state and federal law enforcement partners to investigate, identify, and bring this offender to justice for peddling child sexual abuse material. It is one of my office’s highest duties to protect the most vulnerable members of our community – our children – from exploitation and victimization, and we will not hesitate to prosecute to the fullest extent of the law the sick individuals who commit these crimes.”
Court documents reflect the Alachua County Sheriff’s Office began an investigation based on a cyber tip received from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. Sheriff deputies identified Crawford and confirmed his possession and distribution of child sex abuse material. Homeland Security Investigations determined that Crawford possessed over one thousand files of videos and images depicting the sexual abuse of children.
Sheriff Chad D. Scott said: “I commend the relentless work of our Detectives whose dedication and expertise were critical to this investigation. Their efforts, in conjunction with our federal partners, demonstrate our unwavering commitment to protecting the most vulnerable among us—our children. Let this serve as a clear message: anyone who seeks to exploit or harm children will be found, held accountable, and delivered into the arms of justice. The Alachua County Sheriff’s Office will continue to use every available resource to ensure these predators are stopped and that our community’s children are safe.”
“Child predators who collect this type of horrific imagery are directly contributing to the ongoing and lifetime abuse of children,” said Homeland Security Investigations Tallahassee Assistant Special Agent in Charge Nicholas Ingegno. “HSI, alongside our law enforcement partners, will continue to work relentlessly with our partners to protect the most vulnerable and ensure those who exploit them are brought to justice.”
The conviction and sentence were the result of a joint investigation by the Alachua County Sheriff’s Office and the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jason R. Coody.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice and led by the U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Divisions Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), it marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.
Groton Man Sentenced to 30 Years in Federal Prison for Making and Possessing Child Sex Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that MICHAEL W. LANDON, 39, of Groton, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Kari A. Dooley in Bridgeport to 360 months of imprisonment and 15 years of supervised release for producing and possessing child sex abuse material.
According to court documents and statements made in court, in March 2023, the FBI began investigating an individual, subsequently identified as Landon, who was distributing child pornography on Wickr, a secure messaging and collaboration service that provides end-to-end encryption for messages, calls, and file sharing. Landon was trading videos in a Wickr chat room dedicated to spy cameras and voyeurism. The videos Landon shared depicted surreptitious videos of a minor girl in a bathroom and bedroom.
On April 4, 2023, investigators seized Landon’s iPhone. Forensic analysis of the phone revealed a video of Landon sexually assaulting a minor boy, and additional videos and images depicting child sexual abuse. The phone also contained messages using the Telegram application with links to “CP (‘child pornography’) And Rape Mega Drive Collection” and “Forced Teen Sex.”
Landon has been detained since his arrest on related state charges on June 28, 2023. On April 8, 2025, he pleaded guilty in federal court to one count of production of child pornography and one count of possessing and accessing with intent to view child pornography. The state charges against Landon are pending.
This matter was investigated by the FBI and the Town of Groton Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sean P. Mahard and Nancy V. Gifford through the U.S. Department of Justice’s Project Safe Childhood Initiative, which is aimed at protecting children from sexual abuse and exploitation. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
U.S. Attorney Sullivan thanked the New London State Attorney’s Office for its cooperation in the investigation and prosecution of this case.
To report cases of child exploitation, please visit www.cybertipline.com.
Greenwich Investment Group Operator Sentenced to 54 Months in Prison for Stealing more than $3.4 Million in Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that JUSTIN C. MURPHY, 50, of Stamford, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Victor A. Bolden in New Haven to 54 months of imprisonment and three years of supervised release for operating an investment fraud scheme.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Murphy owned and operated Greenwich-based Mara Investment Group, LLC, also known as Mara Investment Management LP and Mara Investments Global Management LLC (“Mara”), which Murphy purported to be a hedge fund that solicited and accepted investments and used a quantitative strategy that balanced long and short positions in securities. Between approximately 2016 and September 2022, Murphy defrauded investors by pursuing a much riskier investment strategy than he told investors; diverting substantial investor funds for his own personal use and benefit; representing to investors that their invested funds were performing more favorably than was, in fact, the case, including providing investors with account statements that falsely representing their account balances; and providing investors with federal tax forms that falsely reported business income upon which investors would be required to pay tax.
Murphy stole approximately $3,465,812 in investor funds through this scheme and used the funds to pay for personal expenses, to purchase a personal stake in his relative’s startup company, and then to fund nearly a year of living in luxury hotels in Brazil while avoiding investor complaints and lawsuits.
Judge Bolden ordered Murphy to pay restitution of $3,782,154, which includes losses to an additional investor who had placed money with Murphy prior to the beginning of the charged scheme.
Murphy was arrested in Brazil on December 6, 2023, and was detained for nearly 11 months while awaiting extradition to the U.S. On April 29, 2025, he pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud and one count of money laundering.
Murphy, who was released on a $250,000 bond on November 1, 2024, is required to report to prison on October 15.
This investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation Division. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs and Brazilian authorities provided assistance. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney David E. Novick.
Grand jury indicts 3 U.S. citizens, 22 Chinese nationals, 4 Chinese pharmaceutical companies in international drug trafficking, money laundering conspiraciesRead the Press Release
CINCINNATI – FBI Director Kash Patel, United States Attorney Dominick S. Gerace II, FBI Cincinnati Special Agent in Charge Elena Iatarola and DEA Detroit Acting Special Agent in Charge Andrew Lawton announced today that a federal grand jury in Dayton returned charges against dozens of defendants, including Chinese nationals and companies, in narcotics and money laundering conspiracies involving illegal cutting agents.
“Protecting Americans from fentanyl is one of this Department’s most important missions — and it starts with dismantling the international pipelines that bring deadly drugs and precursor to our shores," said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “We will not rest until we stop Chinese companies from shipping poison to our citizens and bring everyone involved in this lethal trade to swift, complete justice.”
“Our indictment alleges that Chinese companies and affiliated foreign nationals intentionally and openly marketed, delivered, and exported to the United States controlled substances and other compounds that they knew would be used by domestic drug dealers to increase the yield and potency of fentanyl distributed in this country,” said U.S. Attorney Dominick S. Gerace II. “As explained in court documents, these deadly drug mixtures were then sold directly into our communities here in southern Ohio.”
“Today’s announcement marks a first-of-its-kind international operation for the FBI targeting the fentanyl plague that has killed tens of thousands of Americans and indicting the companies and individuals in mainland China that manufacture the precursor chemicals fueling the destruction of our communities,” said FBI Director Kash Patel. “This operation has already seized enough fentanyl powder to kill 70 million Americans and enough fentanyl pills to kill another 270,000. And we have now indicted the Chinese precursor companies and exposed the funding streams that facilitate this deadly trade.”
“The FBI is using an aggressive investigative strategy to target businesses in China which are sending lethal drugs to the streets of our cities,” stated FBI Cincinnati Special Agent in Charge Elena Iatarola. “The FBI will continue to relentlessly pursue these companies and drug distributors as we work to crush violent crime and keep people safe from the dangers of illicit narcotics.”
According to charging documents, from at least 2022 until present, Eric Michael Payne, 39, of Tipp City, Ohio, served as a main supplier of illegal cutting agents to fentanyl traffickers operating in southern Ohio. Payne allegedly purchased several kilogram shipments of the cutting agents from multiple Chinese companies purporting to be online pharmacies and legitimate chemical companies.
It is believed that the U.S. defendants purchased from the Chinese companies at least 10 kilograms of fentanyl cutting agents, which, in turn, could yield more than 150 kilograms of fentanyl mixture bound for street-level sales in southern Ohio. The cutting agents included animal tranquilizers up to 200 times more powerful than morphine.
The companies allegedly used a series of Chinese foreign nationals located overseas to solicit, negotiate, and secure payments for illegal cutting agents from U.S. customers. It is alleged the foreign nationals generally directed U.S. customers to pay for the cutting agents using cryptocurrency transferred to crypto wallets under the foreign national’s control for ultimate deposit into financial institutions located overseas.
Payne’s significant other, Auriyon Tresan Rayford, 24, also of Tipp City, Ohio, and Ciandrea Bryne Davis, 39, of Atlanta, allegedly assisted Payne in transferring more than $60,000 in cryptocurrency to Chinese foreign nationals associated with the Chinese companies since 2022. Rayford also allegedly allowed illegal substances to be stored at her residence in Ohio.
All the defendants are charged with conspiring with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl mixture and conspiring to launder money internationally. Payne is also charged with possessing with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl mixture and tampering with evidence. Rayford is charged with maintaining a drug-involved premises.
The Chinese companies and nationals charged include:
- Guangzhou Tengyue Chemical Company, Ltd.,
- Guanghzou Wanjiang Biotechnology Co., Ltd.,
- Hebei Hongjun New Material Technology Co., Ltd.,
- Hebei Feilaimi Technology Co., Ltd.,
- Lihui Zhao,
- FNU LNU a/k/a “Anna Sofia,”
- Shanhong Jiang,
- Yan Yang,
- Fengdi Zhang,
- Dehui Xia,
- Xing Wu Chen,
- Qing Lin Wang,
- Xiaojun Huang,
- Meixiang Yao,
- Zhanpeng Huang,
- Yuqing Feng,
- Dongjing Sun,
- Chengqi Nong,
- Tiduo Wei,
- Zhisong Nie,
- Jichao Zhu,
- Zhengzhe Yin,
- Changgen Du,
- Hongfei Wang,
- Huatao Yao, and
- Xuening Gao.
Concurrent with the charges brought against this network, the U.S. Department of the Treasury today has imposed sanctions on one of these Chinese companies, Guangzhou Tengyue, and two of its representatives, Zhanpeng Huang and Xiaojun Huang, targeting them pursuant to Treasury’s counternarcotics authorities.
Deputy Criminal Chief Brent G. Tabacchi and Assistant United States Attorney Elizabeth McCormick are representing the United States in this case.
An indictment merely contains allegations, and defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.
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Grand Jury Indicts Three U.S. Citizens, 22 Chinese Nationals, Four Chinese Pharmaceutical Companies in International Drug Trafficking, Money Laundering ConspiraciesRead the Press Release
The Justice Department announced today that a federal grand jury in Dayton, Ohio, returned charges against dozens of defendants, including Chinese nationals and companies, in narcotics and money laundering conspiracies involving illegal cutting agents.
“Protecting Americans from fentanyl is one of this Department’s most important missions — and it starts with dismantling the international pipelines that bring deadly drugs and precursor to our shores,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “We will not rest until we stop Chinese companies from shipping poison to our citizens and bring everyone involved in this lethal trade to swift, complete justice.”
“Our indictment alleges that Chinese companies and affiliated foreign nationals intentionally and openly marketed, delivered, and exported to the United States controlled substances and other compounds that they knew would be used by domestic drug dealers to increase the yield and potency of fentanyl distributed in this country,” said U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio Dominick S. Gerace II. “As explained in court documents, these deadly drug mixtures were then sold directly into our communities here in southern Ohio.”
“Today’s announcement marks a first-of-its-kind international operation for the FBI targeting the fentanyl plague that has killed tens of thousands of Americans and indicting the companies and individuals in mainland China that manufacture the precursor chemicals fueling the destruction of our communities,” said FBI Director Kash Patel. “This operation has already seized enough fentanyl powder to kill 70 million Americans and enough fentanyl pills to kill another 270,000. And we have now indicted the Chinese precursor companies and exposed the funding streams that facilitate this deadly trade.”
According to charging documents, from at least 2022 until present, Eric Michael Payne, 39, of Tipp City, Ohio, served as a main supplier of illegal cutting agents to fentanyl traffickers operating in southern Ohio. Payne allegedly purchased several kilogram shipments of the cutting agents from multiple Chinese companies purporting to be online pharmacies and legitimate chemical companies.
It is believed that the U.S. defendants purchased from the Chinese companies at least 10 kilograms of fentanyl cutting agents, which, in turn, could yield more than 150 kilograms of fentanyl mixture bound for street-level sales in southern Ohio. The cutting agents included animal tranquilizers up to 200 times more powerful than morphine.
The companies allegedly used a series of Chinese foreign nationals located overseas to solicit, negotiate, and secure payments for illegal cutting agents from U.S. customers. It is alleged the foreign nationals generally directed U.S. customers to pay for the cutting agents using cryptocurrency transferred to crypto wallets under the foreign national’s control for ultimate deposit into financial institutions located overseas.
Payne’s significant other, Auriyon Tresan Rayford, 24, also of Tipp City, Ohio, and Ciandrea Bryne Davis, 39, of Atlanta, allegedly assisted Payne in transferring more than $60,000 in cryptocurrency to Chinese foreign nationals associated with the Chinese companies since 2022. Rayford also allegedly allowed illegal substances to be stored at her residence in Ohio.
All the defendants are charged with conspiring with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl mixture and conspiring to launder money internationally. Payne is also charged with possessing with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl mixture and tampering with evidence. Rayford is charged with maintaining a drug-involved premises.
The Chinese companies and nationals charged include:
Guangzhou Tengyue Chemical Company, Ltd.,
Guanghzou Wanjiang Biotechnology Co., Ltd.,
Hebei Hongjun New Material Technology Co., Ltd.,
Hebei Feilaimi Technology Co., Ltd.,
Lihui Zhao,
FNU LNU a/k/a “Anna Sofia,”
Shanhong Jiang,
Yan Yang,
Fengdi Zhang,
Dehui Xia,
Xing Wu Chen,
Qing Lin Wang,
Xiaojun Huang,
Meixiang Yao,
Zhanpeng Huang,
Yuqing Feng,
Dongjing Sun,
Chengqi Nong,
Tiduo Wei,
Zhisong Nie,
Jichao Zhu,
Zhengzhe Yin,
Changgen Du,
Hongfei Wang,
Huatao Yao, and
Xuening Gao.
Concurrent with the charges brought against this network, the U.S. Department of the Treasury today has imposed sanctions on one of these Chinese companies, Guangzhou Tengyue, and two of its representatives, Zhanpeng Huang and Xiaojun Huang, targeting them pursuant to Treasury’s counternarcotics authorities.
Deputy Criminal Chief Brent G. Tabacchi and Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth McCormick are representing the United States in this case.
An indictment merely contains allegations, and defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.
Georgia Woman Admits Defrauding Missouri, Kansas Victims with Law Enforcement Spoofing ScamRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – A woman from the Atlanta area on Wednesday admitted aiding scammers pretending to be law enforcement officers.
Ariel Burden, 33, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in St. Louis to one count of wire fraud. She admitted being part of a group that called victims from phone numbers that appeared to be associated with local law enforcement. The “spoofers” claimed to be law enforcement officers or affiliated with law enforcement and told victims that they had outstanding warrants for missing court appearances. They also falsely claimed that victims needed to pay thousands of dollars to a bondswoman to avoid being arrested. The scammers stayed in contact with the victims until they met with the supposed bondswoman, Burden. Burden, who called herself “Jennifer Davis,” collected the money and provided victims with a receipt that contained fake citation numbers and other false information.
In one example in Burden’s plea agreement, a scammer called a Jefferson County, Missouri victim on Feb. 28, 2024, while pretending to be with the Crystal City Police Department. The victim arrived at Crystal City’s City Hall and paid Burden $12,000 for “bond.” Burden then handed over a receipt with the bogus citation number “ft9 CV 1892 COC CV 1893,” a line noting that the payment had been made to the “Crystal City Court” and a line indicating that
The payment had been accepted by “Jennifer Davis.”In all, Burden admitted defrauding three victims, including two in Kansas, out of a total of $28,000.
Burden is scheduled to be sentenced on Jan. 14, 2026. The wire fraud charge carries potential penalty of up to 20 years, a fine of up to $250,000 or both prison and a fine. Burden will also be ordered to repay the money.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations, in conjunction with the Jefferson County, Missouri Sheriff’s Office and the McPherson, Kansas Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin Ladendorf is prosecuting the case.
Former St. Louis County Man Indicted and Accused of Lottery Scam 6 Years Ago Has Been ArrestedRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – A man indicted nearly six years ago and accused of participating in a Jamaican lottery scam has been arrested, U.S. Attorney Thomas C. Albus announced Wednesday.
Christopher Gibbon, 54, was initially charged by complaint in U.S. District Court in St. Louis on July 26, 2018, and later indicted in December 2019 with one count of conspiracy to commit mail fraud, wire fraud and bank fraud, four counts of mail fraud and one count of bank fraud.
The indictment says that between Dec. 1, 2016, and July of 2018, Gibbon participated in a scheme in which victims were contacted by phone and email and falsely told that they had won the lottery. Victims were then told that they needed to send money to pay the taxes on their winnings. Gibbon received payments from at least four victims and then forwarded some of that money to co-conspirators in Jamaica, the indictment says. In one example listed in the indictment, a North Carolina resident sent $50,000 to Gibbon's address.
A motion seeking to have Gibbon held in jail until trial says that on July 20, 2018, less than two days after he was interviewed by U.S. Postal Inspectors, Gibbon told his wife that he was going to work but did not show up there and did not return home.
The motion says he was living with a girlfriend in Springfield, Mass. under the name Raseqhenre Heedram but wore a name tag reading Amos Johnson when he was arrested by Postal Inspectors in Connecticut on Aug. 28, 2025.
Gibbon will be detained in jail until trial. On Wednesday, a judge in U.S. District Court in Hartford ordered him sent to St. Louis.
Charges set forth in an indictment or a criminal complaint are merely accusations and do not constitute proof of guilt. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty.
“This arrest proves the resolve and relentless pursuit Postal Inspectors have in bringing those who defraud victims to justice,” stated Inspector in Charge, Ruth Mendonça, who leads the Chicago Division of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, which includes the St. Louis Field Office. “I commend our local, state, and federal partners who assisted in this case and arrest.”
The U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the U.S. Marshals Service Jamaica Foreign Field Office and the Connecticut Organized Financial Fraud Task Force investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Tracy Berry is prosecuting the case.
Former Quincy Man Pleads Guilty to Possession with Intent to Distribute Nearly 10 Pounds of MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A former Quincy man currently residing in Las Vegas pleaded guilty in federal court in Boston to distribution of methamphetamine.
Samuel Jean-Baptiste, a/k/a “Jett Black,” 39, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances and one count of possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. U.S. Senior District Court Judge William G. Young scheduled sentencing for Nov. 24, 2025. Jean-Baptiste was arrested in May 2024 and was subsequently indicted by a federal grand jury in July 2024.
In early July 2023, Jean-Baptiste was identified as a significant distributor of controlled substances in the Boston area. A confidential source made three controlled purchases totaling over 680 grams of fentanyl from Jean-Baptiste. In the subsequent months, Jean-Baptiste communicated with a second confidential source to set up a sale of approximately 10 pounds of methamphetamine. On May 29, 2024, Jean-Baptiste arrived at an agreed-upon location for the sale of methamphetamine and was subsequently arrested. At the time of his arrest Jean-Baptiste was carrying a backpack that contained approximately 10 pounds of suspected methamphetamine.
The charges of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances and possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine each carry a mandatory minimum of 10 years and maximum sentence of life in prison, at least five years of supervised release and a maximum fine of $10 million. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Ted E. Docks, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian J. Sullivan of the Narcotics & Money Laundering Unit is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/ocdetf.
Former Postal Worker Stripped of Citizenship, Sentenced to 66-Months in Prison, for Stealing $1.6 Million from the U.S. MailRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Hachikosela Muchimba, 45, a former letter carrier for the U.S. Postal Service and resident of the District of Columbia, was stripped of his U.S. citizenship and sentenced to 66 months in federal prison today in connection with mail theft and bank fraud scheme that illegally netted him $1.6 million, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
A federal jury found Muchimba guilty on March 14, 2025, of conspiracy to commit theft of mail and bank fraud; theft of mail; bank fraud; engaging in a monetary transaction in property derived from specified unlawful activity, and unlawful procurement of citizenship or naturalization.
In addition to the 66-year prison sentence, U.S. District Court Judge Rudolph Contreras ordered Muchimbato to pay $651,068.35 in restitution to victims and to forfeit his ill-gotten gains of $1,273,403.36. Muchimba also will be subject to deportation.
Muchimba, originally of the Republic of Zambia, was naturalized as an American citizen on May 26, 2022. The mail theft and bank fraud scheme ran from December 2020 until March 2023. On his application for citizenship he falsely claimed to United States Citizenship and Immigration Services that he had not previously committed any criminal activity, all the while he was actively conducting his theft of mail and scheme to defraud. Because it was unlawfully procured, the Court revoked Muchimba’s citizenship.
Joining in the announcement of the sentencing was Special Agent in Charge Kathleen Woodson, of the U.S. Postal Service-Office of the Inspector General.
According to court documents, between December 2020 and March 2023, Muchimba was a letter carrier based in Friendship Heights, when he executed a scheme to steal U.S. Treasury checks and private party checks from the U.S. mail. The stolen checks were intended for District postal customers living on over 30 different mail routes. Muchimba deposited the checks, sometimes while wearing his U.S. Postal uniform, into bank accounts under his control. Bank surveillance footage captured images of him making deposits and withdrawals of the funds.
The total amount of the U.S. Treasury checks fraudulently deposited into Muchimba’s various bank accounts was over $1.6 million. Muchimba used the money to fund a lavish lifestyle that included international travel, stays at luxury hotels, and $100,000 spent at gentlemen’s clubs.
Muchimba was arrested on Sept. 20, 2023, at Dulles International Airport as he attempted to board a flight to Zambia. At the time of his arrest, Muchimba had $2,000 in cash in his luggage.
The investigation was conducted by the U.S. Postal Service-Office of the Inspector General, the Department of Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration, and Homeland Security Investigations.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S Attorneys John Borchert and Diane Lucas of the Fraud, Public Corruption, and Civil Rights Section.
23cr393
Former Chief Financial Officer Sentenced to Federal Prison for Theft in Connection with Health CareRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Ore.— Today, Pamela J. Kahut, 68, of Wilsonville, Oregon, was sentenced to eight months in federal prison and three years of supervised release for stealing money from the Pacific States Marine Fisheries Commission (PSMFC) health benefit trust account. At the time of the offense, Kahut was PSMFC’s Chief Financial Officer. PSMFC is an interstate agency that conserves, develops, and manages Pacific Ocean fishery resources.
Kahut was also ordered to pay $211,083.27 in restitution to PSMFC and to pay a $10,000 fine.
According to court documents, Kahut, as Chief Financial Officer of PSMFC, had access to and controlled PSMFC’s health benefit trust account that was created to pay benefits, fees, and other charges for PSMFC employees covered under its self-funded health care benefit program. The health benefit trust account was funded, in part, through federal grant money issued to the PSMFC.
Between about October 2014 and September 2020, Kahut stole $211,083.27 from the health benefit trust account. Kahut used the funds to pay for her spouse’s long-term care annual premiums, pay off her pension loans, and to pay her credit card bills.
On April 8, 2025, Kahut was charged by information with Theft in Connection with Health Care.
On June 5, 2025, Kahut pleaded guilty to Theft in Connection with Health Care.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, U.S. Department of Commerce Office of Inspector General, and U.S. Department of Energy Office of Inspector General. It was prosecuted by Robert Trisotto, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon.
Foreign-owned companies to pay $2.3 million to resolve False Claims Act allegations related to improper receipt of Paycheck Protection Program loansRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, N.Y. – U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Immco Diagnostic LLC (Immco) and Primus Corporation (Primus) have agreed to pay $2.375 million to resolve False Claims Act allegations that they improperly obtained Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans from the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) for which they were not eligible.
In March of 2020 Congress created the PPP to provide emergency financial assistance to American businesses suffering from the economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. A PPP loan was both forgivable and guaranteed by the SBA. One of the requirements for a business to obtain a second draw PPP loan, was the business had to have 300 or fewer employees.
In 2021, both Immco and Primus obtained second draw PPP loans. When Immco and Primus made their loan applications and again when they sought loan forgiveness, they were owned and controlled by Trinity Biotech plc (Trinity), a company based in Ireland with multiple subsidiaries worldwide. Trinity and its affiliates, which included Immco and Primus, had over 300 employees when they applied for the loans and corresponding forgiveness. The United States therefore contends that Immco and Primus were ineligible for these loans because, together with their affiliates, they had more than 300 employees, in violation of the PPP rules.
“PPP was designed to support small business during the COVID-19 pandemic, but these companies failed to disclose accurate information about their size and eligibility thereby obtaining $1.8 million in forgiven loans that they were not entitled to,” said U.S. Attorney DiGiacomo. “This office is committed to recovering taxpayer dollars that were improperly obtained by through the PPP.”
This matter was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorneys David M. Coriell and Jonathan W. Ferris, and Investigator Margaret McFarland, with assistance from the SBA’s Office of General Counsel.
Individuals with information about allegations of fraud involving COVID-19 are encouraged to report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only; there has been no determination of liability.
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Foreign Nationals Sentenced for Illegally Reentering the United States and Transferred to Immigration Officials for Deportation ProceedingsRead the Press Release
MOBILE, AL – Two foreign nationals were sentenced this week for illegally reentering the United States after previously having been deported. These felony cases were prosecuted as 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.
According to court documents, Hermes Castillo, 44, and Miguel Alvarado-Villanueva, 36, both of Honduras, were encountered by the Elberta, Alabama Police Department during a traffic stop on May 29, 2025. Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) was notified of the encounter. HSI arrested Castillo and Alvarado after determining that they were illegally in the United States.
Castillo had previously been deported from the United States three times. Castillo had also been convicted of Possession of Cocaine in violation of Florida state law and illegal reentry in 2012. Alvarado had been previously deported from the United States three times. At sentencing, Castillo and Alvarado were each sentenced to time-served and a 1-year term of supervised release upon their release if not deported. Castillo and Alvarado had been in custody since their arrests on May 29, 2025. Both defendants were ordered to be transferred to immigration officials for deportation proceedings upon their release from prison.
Several other defendants were recently prosecuted as part of Operation Take Back America’s ongoing collaboration between federal agencies with the assistance of state and local law enforcement and sentenced in federal court.
In July, Miguel Castro-Gonzales, 48 of Mexico, and Albert Marel Padilla-Castro, 43, of Honduras were sentenced for illegal reentry. The Summerdale Police Department arrested Castro-Gonzales for public intoxication and resisting arrest on May 18, 2025. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) - Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) was notified of the arrest and determined that Castro-Gonzales was previously deported on three occasions. The Saraland Police Department encountered Padilla-Castro during a traffic stop on May 6, 2025. United States Border Patrol (USBP) responded to the stop. USBP arrested Padilla-Castro after determining that he was illegally present in the United States and had been previously removed on two occasions.
In August, Antonio Flores, 41, of Mexico, Ali Torres-Barahona, 34, of Honduras, and Jorge Magana-Cartagena, 31, of El Salvador were sentenced for illegal reentry. The Foley Police Department arrested Flores for DUI in September 2023, but he was later released on bond under a false alias. ICE/ERO determined Flores’ true identity and concluded that he was illegally in the United States and had been deported twice. He was charged by a federal grand jury with illegal reentry and arrested in June 2025 by federal agents. The Mobile Police Department arrested Torres-Barahona for organized retail theft on June 8, 2025. ICE/ERO was notified of the arrest and determined that Torres-Barahona was illegally in the United States and had been deported three times. Federal agents encountered Magana during a worksite enforcement operation in Foley, Alabama on June 16, 2025. HSI agents arrested Magana after determining he was illegally in the United States and had been deported twice.
These defendants were all sentenced to time-served and had been in custody since their respective arrests on federal charges. Upon their releases from prison, all defendants were ordered to be transferred to immigration officials for deportation proceedings. All defendants were ordered to pay $100.00 each in special assessments.
U.S. Attorney Sean P. Costello of the Southern District of Alabama made the announcement.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO), Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), U.S. Border Patrol (USBP), U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA), Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) investigated the cases with the assistance of state and local law enforcement partners, including, the Elberta Police Department, Summerdale Police Department, Saraland Police Department, Foley Police Department, and Mobile Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin D. Kopf prosecuted the cases on behalf of the United States.
In addition to repelling the invasion of illegal immigration, Operation Take Back America aim includes the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs) and protecting our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
In addition to repelling the invasion of illegal immigration, the Operation Take Bank America initiative is committed to leveraging Department of Justice resources to achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and to protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.