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29 October 2025
Federal Grand Jury in Chicago Indicts Six Individuals on Charges of Impeding Federal Agent Engaged in Immigration Enforcement OperationsRead the Press Release
CHICAGO – A federal grand jury in Chicago has indicted six individuals for allegedly forcibly impeding and interfering with a federal agent who was engaged in immigration enforcement operations in a Chicago suburb last month. The indictment includes a conspiracy charge against all of the defendants arising out of the incident.
According to an indictment unsealed today in U.S. District Court in Chicago, the defendants were among a crowd of people who surrounded a government vehicle with the intent to hinder and impede the driver—a federal agent—from proceeding to a United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility in Broadview, Ill., on Sept. 26, 2025. The defendants and others allegedly crowded together in the front and side of the government vehicle, stood in its path, banged on the car and windows, and pushed against it to hinder and impede its movement. The conspirators broke one of the vehicle’s side mirrors and the rear windshield wiper and etched a derogatory message into the body of the vehicle, the indictment states.
“No one is above the law and no one has the right to obstruct it,” said Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche. “Federal agents perform dangerous, essential work every single day to enforce our immigration laws and keep our communities safe. When individuals resort to force or intimidation to interfere with that mission, they attack not only the agents themselves but the rule of law they represent. The Department of Justice will never tolerate such conduct and will continue to hold accountable anyone who seeks to impede lawful federal operations.”
“All federal officials must be able to discharge the duties of their office without confronting force, intimidation, or threats,” said Andrew S. Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois. “As we have warned repeatedly, we will seek to hold accountable those who cross the line from peaceful protests to unlawful actions or conspiracies that interrupt, hinder, or impede the due administration of Justice. The rule of law must always be upheld.”
Charged with conspiracy to impede a U.S. law enforcement officer and individual counts of impeding a U.S. law enforcement officer are MICHAEL RABBITT, 62, of Chicago; KATHERINE MARIE ABUGHAZALEH, 26, of Chicago; ANDRE MARTIN, 27, of Providence, R.I.; CATHERINE SHARP, 29, of Chicago; BRIAN STRAW, 38, of Oak Park, Ill.; and JOSELYN WALSH, 31, of Chicago. Arraignments are scheduled for Nov. 5, 2025, at 3:00 p.m., before U.S. Magistrate Judge Heather K. McShain.
Deputy Attorney General Blanche and U.S. Attorney Boutros announced the charges along with Douglas S. DePodesta, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI.
“The FBI has zero tolerance for forcible criminal conduct against law enforcement officers engaged in their lawful functions,” said FBI SAC DePodesta. “Impeding federal officers performing their duties or conspiring to do so are criminal offenses. The people of Chicagoland deserve safe communities and peaceful streets and the FBI and our partners will continue to investigate and hold accountable those who undermine the rule of law through criminal activity.”
The public is reminded that an indictment contains only charges and is not evidence of guilt. The defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
A video recording of the incident can be viewed here. If you recognize other individuals in the video who may be impeding law enforcement, you are encouraged to contact the FBI Chicago Field Office by logging on to https://tips.fbi.gov/home.
rabbitt_et_al_indictment.pdfCity Man Pleads Guilty to 2024 Carjacking in West PhiladelphiaRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that Kristian Jackson, 19, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, entered a plea of guilty today before United States District Court Judge Juan R. Sánchez to one count of carjacking and one count of carrying, using, and brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence.
Jackson and co-defendant Legend Hall were charged with these offenses by superseding indictment in April of this year, in connection with a September 2024 carjacking in West Philadelphia. In addition, Hall, 19, also of Philadelphia, was charged separately via an information with an October 2024 carjacking in Upper Darby, Pa.
In July of this year, Hall entered a plea of guilty before United States Magistrate Court Judge Jose R. Arteaga to two counts of carjacking and one count of carrying, using, and brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence.
As described in the superseding indictment and other publicly filed documents, on September 17, 2024, Victim #1 parked on the 300 block of 62nd Street in Philadelphia and reported being immediately approached by three males, later identified by investigators as Hall, Jackson, and a third individual, who was also charged in this case and is pending trial.
One of the defendants asked Victim #1 to drive them somewhere. When Victim #1 refused, two of the males took out handguns and told Victim #1 to get out of the car. The three males then got into Victim #1’s black Chevy Malibu and drove off with Victim #1’s iPhone 14 and approximately $500 that was in the car.
As further detailed in court filings, on October 1, 2024, Hall and others placed an order for a pizza delivery at Slices and Moore in Upper Darby. When the delivery driver (Victim #2) attempted to make the delivery, the defendant and others pointed guns at him and took Victim #2’s wallet, phone, car keys, the proceeds of the pizza shop, and the rest of the money that Victim #2 had on him at the time. Hall and the others then jumped into Victim #2’s vehicle and fled the area.
Hall and Jackson are both scheduled to be sentenced in February 2026. Each faces a maximum possible sentence of life in prison and a mandatory minimum of seven years’ imprisonment.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
The case was investigated by the FBI and the Philadelphia Police Department and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Robert E. Eckert and Special Assistant United States Attorney Samantha A. Arena.
Note: the posting of this press release was delayed, due to the federal government shutdown from October 1, 2025, to November 12, 2025.
Cartel Member Pleads Guilty Mid-Trial to Fentanyl Trafficking and Money Laundering OffensesRead the Press Release
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – A member of the Jalisco New Generacion Cartel (“CJNG”) pleaded guilty on October 28, 2025, to fentanyl trafficking and money laundering, announced U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona.
After two days of trial testimony before U.S. District Court Judge Madeline H. Haikala, Juan Francisco Castaneda, also known as “Pariente,” 44, pleaded guilty to all counts charged in the superseding indictment, including conspiring to traffic fentanyl, conspiring to commit money laundering, and distribution of fentanyl. The charged crimes occurred in the Birmingham and Homewood area.
According to the evidence presented at trial and in support of Castenada’s guilty plea, Castaneda ran his drug trafficking and money laundering organization with the use of contraband phones while he was serving multiple life sentences for murder at the Alabama Department of Corrections’ Bullock Correctional facility. Castaneda used a network of couriers and local businesses as “fronts,” from which he arranged fentanyl distribution and collected drug proceeds. Undercover operations revealed that Castaneda was laundering hundreds of thousands of dollars to CJNG sources in Mexico through these couriers and businesses.
According to Court documents, Castaneda previously pleaded guilty to a 2008 multi-homicide in Shelby County, in which five individuals were murdered over a cartel debt.
“Cartel activity has no place in Alabama. Those who traffic dangerous drugs in our communities will be held accountable,” said U.S. Attorney Escalona. “This case demonstrates our unwavering commitment to dismantling criminal organizations that endanger our communities. I commend our federal, state and local law enforcement partners for their hard work and dedication in bringing this defendant to justice.”
“This case delivers a decisive blow against the Jalisco New Generacion Cartel (CJNG) and their ruthless network operating in Alabama,” said DEA Special Agent in Charge Steven L. Hofer, New Orleans Division. “CJNG is responsible for flooding our communities with deadly amounts of fentanyl and using criminal schemes, like money laundering from within prison, to fuel their enterprise. This guilty plea is a clear victory for public safety and a testament to the fact we will use every resource available to neutralize these transnational criminal organizations and hold every one of their operators, from the streets to the cartel leadership, fully accountable.”
“This case underscores the devastating impact of transnational criminal organizations like the Jalisco New Generacion Cartel have on our communities,” said Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Georgia and Alabama Steven N. Schrank. “Homeland Security Investigations remains steadfast in its commitment to dismantling these dangerous networks, disrupting their operations, and bringing their members to justice. Through collaboration with our federal, state, and local partners, we will continue to leverage every resource to protect the American people from the scourge of fentanyl trafficking and the criminal enterprises that fuel it.”
As part of his plea, Castaneda has agreed to forfeiture of a money judgment in the amount of $700,000.
Castaneda is scheduled to be sentenced on January 8, 2026.
The maximum penalty for conspiracy and possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance is life in prison. The maximum penalty for conspiracy to commit money laundering is 20 years in prison.
The DEA and HSI investigated the case, along with assistance from the Internal Revenue Service, United States Marshals Service, United States Postal Inspection Service, Hoover Police Department, Birmingham Police Department, Bessemer Police Department, Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office, Alabama Department of Corrections, and Alabama Law Enforcement Agency. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Allison Garnett and Carson Gilbert are prosecuting the case.
This case is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. The Alabama HSTF comprises agents and officers from the Drug Enforcement Administration, Homeland Security Investigations, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the United States Marshals Service, and the Internal Revenue Service, with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Alabama.
10 Arrested on Federal Complaints Charging Them with Committing Violence Against Officers and Property During Anti-ICE RiotingRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – Law enforcement has arrested a total of 10 defendants federally charged in three criminal complaints with engaging in violence and civil disorder against law enforcement officers and property during immigration enforcement actions in Southern California earlier this year, the Justice Department announced today.
Ten defendants are in federal custody. One defendant is in state custody and is expected to be handed over to federal authorities. One defendant is a fugitive. All 12 defendants are charged with federal crimes alleging they committed violence against law enforcement authorities and property.
“There is zero tolerance for violence against law enforcement officers,” said Acting United States Attorney Bill Essayli. “During the summer we warned the public that anyone who engages in any violence will eventually be brought to justice. Today we are delivering on that promise and will continue to hold those who violated the law accountable.”
“Acts of violence against the brave law enforcement officers who protect us are an attack on civilized society itself,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “As today’s arrests and charges illustrate, anyone who engages in such disgusting conduct will face severe consequences from this Department of Justice.”
“While the Constitution protects the freedom of speech and the freedom to peaceably assemble, it does not provide for the freedom to assault federal officers, impede or obstruct federal officers or conspire to do so, or destroy government property,” said HSI Los Angeles Special Agent in Charge Eddy Wang. “We will vigorously protect the rights to free speech and free and peaceful assembly, but we will also, without fear or favor, deliver consequences and bring accountability to those criminals that violate federal law.”
“The FBI safeguards civil rights and the right to protest peacefully, but there is no place in a civilized society for violence targeted at law enforcement, nor the destruction of government property,” said Akil Davis, the Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Los Angeles Field Office. “Our agents and police partners are carrying out their duties lawfully and should be able to do so without violent interference. I urge anyone with information about these unidentified subjects wanted for civil disorder and arson to come forward to assist us and claim the reward of up to $10,000.”
“Violence has no place in our society,” said Special Agent in Charge Kenny Cooper of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) Los Angeles Field Division. “Peaceful protest is a right; assault is a crime. The ATF will continue to stand with our law enforcement partners to ensure that those who serve and protect our communities can do so safely.”
United States v. Reyes, et al.
Virginia Reyes, 32, and Isai Carrillo, 31, both of Oxnard, are charged via complaint with conspiracy to impede or injure a federal officer, a felony that is punishable by up to five years in federal prison.
Carrillo, who was arrested today, is expected to make their initial appearances this afternoon in U.S. District Court in downtown Los Angeles. Reyes is considered a fugitive.
According to an affidavit filed with the complaint, agents with the United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS) on July 10 executed several search warrants – predicated on violations of federal immigration laws – at locations, including the Glass House Farms in Camarillo. Before the enforcement operations began, agents determined that the operation had been compromised earlier than expected because of social media posts.
During the operation, numerous protesters – some of them were members or associates of “VC Defensa,” a volunteer group whose members follow, chase, agitate, and impede federal agents enforcing immigration laws – arrived in and around the area of the Glass House Farms. VC Defensa “Rapid Response Network” members also conduct surveillance of DHS office buildings and alert the community to the presence of federal agents within their neighborhoods.
During the Glass House Farms enforcement operation, protesters, including VC Defensa members, built a roadblock using farm equipment at the primary entrance and exit to the Glass House Farms. Due to the roadblock, federal law enforcement vehicles used an alternate exit via a dirt service road to leave the location. Government vehicles that exited the Glass House Farms and traveled south on this road were stopped by protestors, including individuals throwing rocks at the vehicles.
When additional Government vehicles attempted to exit this road and travel north, protesters, including VC Defensa members, created a chokepoint and ambush of the vehicles. Specifically, at least two vehicles and several individuals, including one with a bicycle, attempted to block the government vehicles from exiting. Meanwhile, other individuals threw large rocks at the vehicles. During the incident, at least four government vehicles were damaged and at least one federal contract employee sustained injuries.
Law enforcement learned that at least 10 individuals acted together to impede and assault federal officers and damage government property. Reyes was present for the roadblock’s construction and drove her vehicle to the ambush location to impede government vehicles. Meanwhile, Carrillo and others threw rocks at the government vehicles, causing damage to them, and injuring a federal contract employee.
United States v. Coreas, et al.
The following defendants are charged in one complaint with obstructing, impeding, and interfering with law enforcement during a civil disorder, stemming from violence against California Highway Patrol officers in downtown Los Angeles’ Civic Center on June 8. This charge, a felony, carries a statutory maximum sentence of five years in federal prison:
- Ronald Alexis Coreas, 23, of the Westlake neighborhood of Los Angeles;
- Junior Roldan, 27, of Hollywood;
- Elmore Sylvester Cage, 34, of Downtown Los Angeles;
- Balto Montion, 24, of Watsonville;
- Jesus Gonzalez Hernandez Jr., 22, of Las Vegas;
- Hector Daniel Ramos, 66, of Alhambra;
- Stefano Deong Green, 34, of Westmont;
- Yachua Mauricio Flores, 23, of Lincoln Heights; and
- Ismael Vega, 41, of Westlake.
Coreas, Roldan, Cage, Ramos, Green, Flores, and Vega are expected to make their initial appearances this afternoon in U.S District Court in Los Angeles. Hernandez was arrested today and is expected to make his initial appearance in U.S. District Court in Las Vegas. Montion is in state custody and is expected to be handed over to federal authorities in the coming weeks.
According to an affidavit filed with the Coreas complaint, federal law enforcement officials began conducting immigration enforcement operations throughout the Los Angeles area on June 6. During and following those operations, protests erupted in and around downtown Los Angeles. While many demonstrators peacefully exercised their First Amendment rights to protest, some individuals violently obstructed, impeded, or interfered with law enforcement officers.
Specifically, on June 8, thousands of demonstrators assembled in downtown Los Angeles’s Civic Center to protest the ongoing enforcement of federal immigration laws. Some protesters engaged in violence against officers – resulting in some injuries to the officers – and against public and private property. Federal buildings were vandalized with graffiti and law enforcement vehicles were damaged by protestors wielding blunt objects. Los Angeles police ultimately declared an unlawful assembly.
Protesters then walked onto U.S. Highway 101 in downtown Los Angeles and blocked all traffic lanes. California Highway Patrol (CHP) officers responded to that location in patrol vehicles, pushed the protesters off the freeway, and remained there to prevent the protesters from re-entering. By remaining on the freeway, the CHP officers and their vehicles were positioned under and between the overpasses for Main and Los Angeles streets on the 101 Freeway.
As the CHP officers stood on the freeway, crowds gathered on the overpasses. At some point thereafter, individual protesters began throwing rocks, electric scooters, street signs, and various other objects at the CHP officers below. At one point, a protester poured a clear yellow liquid onto a CHP car that was ablaze, after which the flames immediately grew in size.
The defendants charged in the Coreas complaint were filmed and photographed throwing rocks and other objects at officers and the patrol cars.
United States v. Canil
Yovany Marcario Canil, 22, a.k.a. “Geovani Macario,” and “Yovany Canil Canil,” of Boyle Heights, was arrested Tuesday on a federal complaint charging him with assault on a federal officer, which carries a statutory maximum sentence of eight years in federal prison.
He is expected to make his initial appearance this afternoon in United States District Court in Los Angeles.
According to an affidavit filed with the complaint, on June 6, hundreds of demonstrators protesting immigration law enforcement gathered in front of an Ambiance Apparel warehouse in the Fashion District of downtown Los Angeles. As federal government vehicles were leaving the area, Yovany Marcario Canil pepper-sprayed into one of the vehicles that was occupied by three members of the FBI’s SWAT. At that time, the passenger side windows were opened to manage crowd control. The pepper spray affected at least two members of FBI SWAT with a burning sensation as their faces turned orange.
A complaint contains allegations that a defendant has committed a crime. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in court.
The FBI, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, are investigating these matters.
Assistant United States Attorney Patrick D. Kibbe of the General Crimes Section is prosecuting the Reyes case. Assistant United States Attorneys Neil P. Thakor and Rahul R.A. Hari of the General Crimes Section and Jenna Long of the National Security Division are prosecuting the Coreas case. The General Crimes Section is prosecuting the Canil case.
The FBI is seeking the following individuals in connection with violence against people and property related to anti-immigration enforcement protests earlier this year:
https://www.fbi.gov/wanted/seeking-info/civil-disorder-1
https://www.fbi.gov/wanted/seeking-info/civil-disorder-2
https://www.fbi.gov/wanted/seeking-info/arson
28 October 2025
Two Rio Grande Valley men admit to roles in fentanyl trafficking operationRead the Press Release
Editor's Note: This matter occurred on date indicated, but not published at that time due to government shutdown. Press release posted and made available following the return to normal operations.
McALLEN, Texas – Two men have pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
Jesus Abrego-Salinas, 30, and Ruben Mauricio Arjona, 26, both of McAllen, admitted to transporting fentanyl.
On Oct. 7, 2022, authorities stopped a Mercedes-Benz for a traffic violation. Abrego-Salinas was driving and Arjona was the passenger. During a search, law enforcement discovered a bag of fentanyl pills hidden in Abrego-Salinas’ groin area. He admitted holding the pills for Arjona and expected to be paid.
Abrego-Salinas further admitted he and Arjona arranged to sell fentanyl pills to what they believed was a potential buyer during an undercover operation.
The pills tested positive for fentanyl and weighed approximately 298 grams.
U.S. District Judge Drew B. Tipton will impose sentencing Jan. 7, 2026. At that time, Abrego-Salinas and Arjona face up to 40 years in federal prison and a possible $5 million maximum fine.
Both were permitted to remain on bond pending that hearing.
The Drug Enforcement Administration conducted the investigation with the assistance of the Texas Department of Public Safety. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jose A. Garcia is prosecuting the case.
Twelve Defendants Convicted in Cross-State Social Media Drug Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
Twelve Defendants Convicted in Cross-State Social Media Drug Trafficking Conspiracy
CONCORD – Twelve individuals have pleaded guilty over the last eight months in federal court for their participation in a social media-facilitated drug trafficking ring that distributed deadly fentanyl, methamphetamine, and cocaine across New Hampshire and Maine, United States Attorney Erin Creegan announces.
Jacob D. King, 41, of Milton, New Hampshire, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiring to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances, involving more than 40 grams of fentanyl. Sentencing is scheduled for January 27, 2026.
Riley J. Paletta, 26, of Hudson, New Hampshire, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiring to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances. Sentencing is pending.
Amanda E. Gray a/k/a Amanda E. Camera a/k/a Amanda E. Douglass, 39, of Fairfield, Maine, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiring to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances, involving more than 40 grams of fentanyl. Sentencing is scheduled for January 22, 2026.
Benjamin M. Fields, 41, of Laconia, New Hampshire, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiring to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances, involving more than 40 grams of fentanyl. Sentencing is scheduled for January 16, 2026.
John N. Titus, 35, of Farmington, New Hampshire, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiring to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances. Sentencing is scheduled for January 12, 2026.
Christian F. Gerlach, 52, of Manchester, New Hampshire, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiring to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances. Sentencing is scheduled for January 13, 2026.
Moses J. Losuk, 28, of Portland, Maine, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiring to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances. Sentencing is scheduled for December 15, 2025.
Timothy E. Boston a/k/a Timothy Earl Boston II, 38, of Nashua, New Hampshire, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiring to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances. U.S. District Court Judge Joseph N. Laplante sentenced Boston to 30 months in federal prison and two years of supervised release.
Robert A. Arrington, 38, of Bangor, Maine, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiring to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances. Sentencing is scheduled for December 11, 2025.
Robert W. Whiteside Jr., 46, of Exeter, New Hampshire, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiring to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances. Sentencing is scheduled for January 5, 2026.
William L. Wheelock, 34, of Windham, Maine, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiring to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances. U.S. District Court Judge Joseph N. Laplante sentenced Wheelock to 50 months in federal prison and three years of supervised release.
Alexander L. Wilson, 38, of Belfast, Maine, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiring to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances. Sentencing is scheduled for December 8, 2025.
According to court documents and statements made in court, in October 2023, law enforcement officers received information that a drug trafficking organization (DTO) operating in Lowell and Lawrence, Massachusetts, was trafficking narcotics to customers in New Hampshire and Maine using text messages and social media messaging apps. From the fall of 2023 into the spring of 2024, law enforcement officers made a series of controlled drug purchases and conducted searches of residences utilized by the DTO that resulted in seizures of approximately two and a half kilograms of fentanyl, 250 grams of methamphetamine and 28 grams of cocaine, and the recovery of handguns.
During the investigation, law enforcement officers conducted additional enforcement operations, including searches of the DTO’s social media platforms and conducted searches of vehicles and residences that indicated the DTO trafficked in an additional 20 kilograms of fentanyl, one kilogram of methamphetamine and 200 grams of cocaine. Six DTO drug customers also sought to trade firearms, including shotguns, rifles, and handguns for narcotics.
With respect to King, Gray, and Fields, the charging statute provides for a sentence of not less than 5 years and up to 40 years in federal prison, at least four years of supervised release, and a maximum fine of $5,000,000. With respect to the others, the charging statute provides for a sentence of not more than 20 years in federal prison, at least three years of supervised release, and a maximum fine of $1,000,000.
The Drug Enforcement Administration led the investigation. The Hudson Police Department, the Bedford Police Department, the Nashua Police Department, the Manchester Police Department, the Laconia Police Department, the New Hampshire State Police, and the Strafford County Sheriff’s Department provided valuable assistance. Assistant U.S. Attorney Cesar Vega is prosecuting the case.
This effort 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).
Nigerian Man Sentenced to Six Years in Prison for Cyberstalking and Other Charges Related to the Sexual Extortion and Death of a Local Young ManRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that Imoleayo Samuel Aina, aka “Alice Dave,” 27, of Nigeria was sentenced today to 72 months in prison, five years of supervised release, and $3,250 in restitution by United States District Judge Joel H. Slomsky for offenses related to the sexual extortion and death of a young man in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania.
Aina and co-defendant Samuel Olasunkanmi Abiodun were arrested on a complaint and warrant in Nigeria, taken into custody by the FBI on July 31, 2024, and extradited to the United States to face charges in this case. They and another Nigerian co-defendant, Afeez Olatunji Adewale, 25, were then charged by indictment in August 2024.
In May of this year, Aina pleaded guilty to cyberstalking, interstate threat to injure reputation, receiving proceeds of extortion, money laundering conspiracy, and wire fraud.
Abiodun, 26, pleaded guilty in December 2024 to money laundering conspiracy and wire fraud. He was sentenced on June 10 to five years in prison.
Adewale has also been charged with money laundering conspiracy and wire fraud. He remains in Nigeria, pending extradition to the United States.
“Aina was the driving force behind this sextortion scheme, which left a young man, and then his family, traumatized,” said U.S. Attorney Metcalf. “The Department of Justice won’t just stand by when innocent victims in the U.S. are harmed by criminal scammers overseas. As this case shows, we can — and we will — find, prosecute, and hold accountable these insidious sextortionists who terrorize people for money.”
“This case is a powerful reminder of the profound harm sextortion inflicts on young people and their families, and of our unwavering commitment to pursuing those who perpetrate it,” said Wayne A. Jacobs, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Philadelphia Field Office. “This sentence delivers a clear message: whether you are in the United States or operating from abroad, the FBI and our partners will relentlessly pursue you. If you exploit our youth, we will bring you to justice.”
This case was investigated by the FBI and the Abington Township Police Department and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Patrick Brown.
Aina and Abiodun were extradited to the Eastern District of Pennsylvania with assistance of the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs, the FBI Legal Attaché in Abuja, and the FBI. The support and assistance of Nigerian security authorities was essential to this effort, notably that of Nigeria’s Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, the Federal Ministry of Justice’s International Criminal Justice Cooperation Department, and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.
Note: the posting of this press release was delayed, due to the federal government shutdown from October 1, 2025, to November 12, 2025.
Mikell Shepard, Connersville Photographer and Owner of “Shepard Photography” and “Boudoir by Shepard” Charged with Multiple Federal Child Exploitation CrimesRead the Press Release
INDIANAPOLIS- Mikell Shepard, age 22, of Connersville, Indiana, has been charged by federal complaint with three counts of Sexual Exploitation of a Child and one count of Possession of Child Pornography.
According to the criminal complaint, on October 23, 2025, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Indianapolis received a report from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC). The report included investigative findings submitted by Google, which identified content in Shepard’s account believed to depict sexually explicit images and videos of minor children.
Google reviewed and flagged more than 400 files allegedly showing minors engaged in sexual acts, as well as over 1,000 files depicting the lascivious exhibition of the genitals of minors.
On October 24, 2025, law enforcement executed a state search warrant at Shepard’s residence. Investigators discovered sexually explicit images and videos of minors allegedly produced by Shepard in both professional and personal settings, including while babysitting. These images reportedly include both female and male children, as young as 9 months old. The images and videos date from as recently as October 2025, with some files from the summer of 2024.
Publicly available information lists Shepard as the owner of “Shepard Photography” and “Boudoir by Shepard.” His Facebook account advertises him as a professional photographer who “works well with families, children, and infants.”
Shepard has been known to babysit several children, and has photographed children at a daycare, skating rink, and a gymnastics center in or near Connersville. Investigators believe there may be additional victims.
If you believe a child may have been victimized by Mikell Shepard, please contact Fayette County/Connersville Police non-emergency dispatch at (765) 825-2111.
According to the Writ of Habeas Corpus Ad Prosequendum filed today, Shepard will be transported from the Fayette County Jail to federal custody and will remain in the custody of the United States for all other necessary proceedings in this case.
Homeland Security Investigations, Indiana State Police, Indiana Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, and Connersville Police Department are investigating this case. Should Shepard be convicted, a federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
U.S. Attorney Wheeler thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Tiffany J. Preston, who is prosecuting this case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the 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.
A complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Meth and Cocaine Trafficker Sentenced to 20 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
CLEVELAND – A Summit County man has been sentenced to prison for his role as a supplier of illegal substances in Summit and Portage counties and the surrounding region.
Leverne Eugene Fortson, 51, of Akron, was sentenced to 210 months (17.5 years) in prison by U.S. District Judge John R. Adams after a federal jury found him guilty in August of the following charges:
- Conspiracy to Distribute and Possess with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine and Cocaine.
- Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine.
Fortson was also ordered to serve 10 years of supervised release after imprisonment. In addition, the court ordered that he serve an additional 30 months for a supervised release violation, bringing the total to 240 months (20 years) in federal prison. Judge Adams imposed the sentence Oct. 28.
Court documents show that from about January to July 2024, Fortson and co-conspirator Jeffery Scott Goldbach, 54, of Mantua, Ohio, operated a drug trafficking scheme that distributed methamphetamine and cocaine throughout Summit and Portage counties and the surrounding region. Search warrants were executed at each of their homes. At Fortson’s home in Akron, investigators seized 54.7 grams of pure methamphetamine, drug paraphernalia, and several mason jars containing fake urine. At Goldbach’s residence, agents seized a semi-automatic rifle, 22 grams of cocaine, approximately 55.5 grams of methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia.
Co-conspirator Goldbach pleaded guilty in August to his role in the conspiracy and was sentenced to 78 months in prison and 10 years of supervised release.
This drug trafficking organization was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), with assistance from the Portage County Sheriff’s Office, and Akron Police Department.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Joseph P. Dangelo and Yasmine Makridis for the Northern District of Ohio.
Former nurse going to prison for possession of child pornographyRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Erik Hjemdahl-Monsen, 48, of Jamestown, NY, who was convicted of possession of child pornography involving a prepubescent minor, was sentenced to serve 72 months in prison by U.S. District Judge John L. Sinatra, Jr.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Evan K. Glaberson, who handled the case, stated that on September 21, 2023, the New York State Police executed a search warrant at Hjemdahl-Monsen’s residence as part of an investigation of a child pornography file he uploaded to a Kik computer server using his home internet IP address. Investigators seized a cell phone, which contained three videos of child pornography. At the time, Hjemdahl-Monsen was an Emergency Room Nurse at Oishei Children's Hospital.
The sentencing is the result of an investigation by the New York State Police, under the direction of Major Amie Feroleto, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation Child Exploitation Task Force, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Philip Tejera.
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Former Stoughton Police Officer Indicted for Allegedly Causing the Death of His Victim's Unborn BabyRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A former Stoughton police officer who was previously indicted for allegedly murdering Sandra Birchmore, a pregnant woman, to prevent her from disclosing information about his sexual exploitation of her beginning when she was a minor, has been indicted for allegedly causing the death of Birchmore’s unborn son.
Matthew Farwell, 39, of Easton, has been charged with one count of causing the death of Birchmore’s unborn child. Farwell was arrested and charged in August 2024. He remains in federal custody and will be arraigned at a later date.
According to the superseding indictment, on or about Feb. 1, 2021, Farwell allegedly killed Birchmore by strangulation. Shortly thereafter, Farwell allegedly staged her body and apartment to make it appear as if Birchmore had committed suicide. The indictment alleges that Farwell killed Birchmore with malice aforethought and with the intent to prevent her from disclosing to law enforcement that he used his authority and access as a police officer to groom and sexually abuse Birchmore, including while he was on duty, beginning when she was 15 years old and continuing until her death. The indictment further alleges that Farwell’s killing of Birchmore resulted in the death of her unborn child.
According to court documents, Farwell agreed to attempt to impregnate Birchmore in the Fall of 2020 to avoid her publicly disclosing details about their relationship. Birchmore told Farwell that she was “keeping it” and “the birth certificate is being signed.” Farwell allegedly responded by telling her that she was “the worst person on the face of the earth.”
Over the next several weeks, Birchmore expressed excitement to Farwell about her due date, ultrasounds, genetic testing, gender reveals and doctor appointments. She booked prenatal care appointments that post-dated her death. She also ordered baby items, conducted Google searches related to her pregnancy and future child-rearing decisions, planned for newborn baby photos and an official pregnancy announcement intended for Valentine’s Day.
According to the indictment, Birchmore was eight to 10 weeks pregnant when Farwell allegedly killed her.The charge of causing the death of an unborn child in violation of 18 U.S.C. §1841 carries a mandatory sentence of life in prison. 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 today. Assistant United States Attorneys Elizabeth Riley, Torey B. Cummings and Brian A. Fogerty of the office’s Human Trafficking & Civil Rights Unit are prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Former JBLM Sergeant sentenced to four years in prison for delivering national security information to ChinaRead the Press Release
Seattle – A former U.S. Army Sergeant whose last duty post was Joint Base Lewis-McChord (JBLM) in western Washington was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Seattle to four years in prison and three years of supervised release for two federal felonies, announced U.S. Attorney Charles Neil Floyd. Joseph Daniel Schmidt, 31, pleaded guilty in June 2025 to attempt to deliver national defense information and retention of national defense information. At the sentencing hearing U.S. District Judge John C. Coughenour said he based his sentence on the seriousness of Schmidt’s crime and on his mental health at the time of the conduct.
“As a retired Army officer, I find it unconscionable for a former soldier to put his colleagues and country at risk by peddling secret information and intelligence access to a hostile foreign power,” said U.S. Attorney Neil Floyd. “These cases remain a priority for our office to keep our country safe.”
“As a soldier, Mr. Schmidt swore an oath to protect the United States and its citizens who, in turn, entrusted him with their security and the secrets necessary to defend it,” said W. Mike Herrington, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Seattle field office. “Instead of upholding that trust, he betrayed it by handing over classified information to China, as his admissions make clear. The FBI and our partners will remain vigilant in our mission to safeguard our nation, making every effort to uncover those who endanger it and hold them accountable.”
According to records filed in the case, Schmidt was an active-duty soldier from January 2015 to January 2020. His primary assignment was at JBLM in the 109th Military Intelligence Battalion. In his role, Schmidt had access to SECRET and TOP SECRET information. After his separation from the military, Schmidt reached out to the Chinese Consulate in Turkey and later, the Chinese security services via email offering national defense information.
In March 2020, Schmidt traveled to Hong Kong and continued his efforts to provide Chinese intelligence with classified information he obtained from his military service. He created multiple lengthy documents describing various “high level secrets” he was offering to the Chinese government. He retained a device that allows for access to secure military computer networks and offered the device to Chinese authorities to assist them in efforts to gain access to such networks. Just 17 days after he made the approach to the Chinese intelligence contacts, he was granted a long sought-after work visa for China.
Schmidt remained in China, primarily Hong Kong, until October 2023, when he flew to San Francisco. He was arrested at the airport.
Speaking in court today, Assistant United States Attorney Todd Greenberg said Schmidt “created documents based on classified and national defense information. He used his training to provide sensitive information to the Chinese security service. He knew what he was doing was wrong – he was doing web searches for such things as ‘Can you be extradited for treason.’”
The FBI investigated the case, with valuable assistance provided by the U.S. Army Counterintelligence Command.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Todd Greenberg prosecuted the case.
Federal Jury Convicts Former Childcare Provider of the Production of Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
Federal Jury Convicts Former Childcare Provider
of the Production of Child Sexual Abuse Material
CONCORD – Krystal Baird, 40, of Keene, was convicted after a five-day trial in U.S. District Court of aiding and abetting the production of child sexual abuse material, United States Attorney Erin Creegan announces.
United States District Court Judge Steven J. McAuliffe scheduled the sentencing hearing for February 11, 2026. The conviction subjects Krystal Baird to a statutory minimum penalty of 15 years and a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison, followed by a period of supervised release upon completion of her prison term. Krystal Baird has been in federal custody since March of 2024.
According to the evidence admitted at trial, on January 29, 2024, Krystal and Paul Baird were babysitting a 9-year-old child. After the child was given THC-infused candy, Krystal Baird directed Paul Baird to try to get the child to play with his genitalia. Paul Baird took at least one sexually explicit image of the victim’s genitalia. Krystal Baird then photographed Paul Baird sexually assaulting the victim, thus producing child sexual abuse material. Paul Baird later uploaded links to three sexually explicit images of the minor victim on a dark website dedicated to child pornography. The evidence showed that the couple had been drugging and abusing the victim since at least August of 2023.
Before her arrest, Krystal Baird was a licensed childcare provider.
The Homeland Security Investigations led the investigation. The Keene Police Department provided valuable assistance with the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Anna Krasinski and Heather Cherniske prosecuted the case.
The case is brought as part of Project Safe Childhood. In 2006, the Department of Justice created Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from 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 better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov/.
Father and son arrested for attempting to smuggle hundreds of firearms to MexicoRead the Press Release
LAREDO, Texas – Two men from Alabama have been charged with trafficking more than 300 weapons along with ammunition and magazines, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
Emilio Ramirez Cortes, 48, a Mexican citizen who legally resides in the United States, and his son, Edgar Emilio Ramirez Diaz, have made their initial appearances in Laredo federal court and will remain in custody pending a detention hearing set for Oct. 31.
Both are charged with smuggling firearms, ammunition, magazines and other firearms accessories as well as trafficking of firearms.
“Disrupting the illegal flow of weapons into Mexico is a key part of our whole-of-government approach to dismantling the cartels,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “This significant seizure represents our commitment to protecting Americans from brutal cartel violence.”
“Those that illegally traffic guns to Mexico empower cartels to terrorize the innocent,” said Ganjei. “This seizure of an immense quantity of firearms illustrates the Southern District of Texas’s full-spectrum approach to fighting the cartels. We will attack every facet of their operations until they are wiped off the face of the earth.”
On Oct. 23, two vehicles appeared to be driving in tandem and approached the Juarez-Lincoln Port of Entry in Laredo, according to the complaint. The charges allege Ramirez Diaz was driving a Chevrolet Tahoe with Alabama license plates followed by his father in a Chevrolet Silverado with Mexican license plates. Both vehicles were allegedly hauling enclosed white box utility trailers.
The criminal complaint alleges authorities found false walls in both trailers which resulted in the discovery of well over 300 rifles and pistols as well as various caliber ammunition and magazines.
According to court records, the men were smuggling the weapons and related items in exchange for payment and had done so on multiple occasions.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement - Homeland Security Investigations, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosive and Customs and Border Protection conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brandon Scott Bowling is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces and Project Safe Neighborhood.
A criminal complaint is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence. A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.
Father and Son Arrested for Attempting to Smuggle Hundreds of Firearms to MexicoRead the Press Release
Two men from Alabama have been charged with trafficking more than 300 weapons along with ammunition and magazines, announced Attorney General Pamela Bondi and U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
Emilio Ramirez Cortes, 48, a Mexican citizen who legally resides in the United States, and his son, Edgar Emilio Ramirez Diaz, have made their initial appearances in Laredo federal court and will remain in custody pending a detention hearing set for Oct. 31.
Both are charged with smuggling firearms, ammunition, magazines and other firearms accessories as well as trafficking of firearms.
“Disrupting the illegal flow of weapons into Mexico is a key part of our whole-of-government approach to dismantling the cartels,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “This significant seizure represents our commitment to protecting Americans from brutal cartel violence.”
“Those that illegally traffic guns to Mexico empower cartels to terrorize the innocent,” said Ganjei. “This seizure of an immense quantity of firearms illustrates the Southern District of Texas’s full-spectrum approach to fighting the cartels. We will attack every facet of their operations until they are wiped off the face of the earth.”
On Oct. 23, two vehicles appeared to be driving in tandem and approached the Juarez-Lincoln Port of Entry in Laredo, according to the complaint. The charges allege Ramirez Diaz was driving a Chevrolet Tahoe with Alabama license plates followed by his father in a Chevrolet Silverado with Mexican license plates. Both vehicles were allegedly hauling enclosed white box utility trailers.
The criminal complaint alleges authorities found false walls in both trailers which resulted in the discovery of well over 300 rifles and pistols as well as various caliber ammunition and magazines.
According to court records, the men were smuggling the weapons and related items in exchange for payment and had done so on multiple occasions.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement - Homeland Security Investigations, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosive and Customs and Border Protection conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brandon Scott Bowling is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces and Project Safe Neighborhood.
A criminal complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Camden Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for Two Carjackings in South PhiladelphiaRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that Zamer Williams, 20, of Camden, New Jersey, was sentenced today to 10 years’ imprisonment and five years of supervised release by United States District Judge Anita B. Brody for carrying out two carjackings in November of 2023.
In April 2024, Williams was charged by superseding indictment with two counts of carjacking and one count of carrying, using, and brandishing a firearm during and in relation to the commission of a crime of violence. He pleaded guilty to those offenses in December 2024.
As detailed in the superseding indictment and other public filings, on November 11, 2023, at approximately 9 p.m., the first victim, an Uber driver, was picking up a passenger at the Ikea on Columbus Boulevard in South Philadelphia. The driver had briefly stepped out of his vehicle, a 2016 Mazda CX-5, when the defendant and another person approached him, demanding his car keys at gunpoint. The victim handed over his keys and the defendant and his accomplice fled the scene in the victim’s vehicle. The victim borrowed an Ikea worker’s phone and called 911.
Two days later, on November 13, 2023, the second victim entered the Wawa on Columbus Boulevard in South Philadelphia, leaving her car running. When she observed the defendant getting into the driver seat of her vehicle, a 2016 Ford Fusion SE, she went outside to confront him. The defendant drove the victim’s car away from the Wawa, with the victim holding onto the driver’s side door. After hanging on for about 10 feet, the victim let go and the defendant fled in her car.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Philadelphia Police Department and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Kwambina I. Coker and Robert E. Eckert.
Note: the posting of this press release was delayed, due to the federal government shutdown from October 1, 2025, to November 12, 2025.
27 October 2025
Violent Extremist Group “764” Member Charged with Animal Crushing, Sexual Exploitation of a Minor, Cyberstalking, and Making Interstate ThreatsRead the Press Release
A federal grand jury returned a six-count indictment against Tony Christopher Long, also known as Inactive, Inactivee0, and inactivecvx, 19, of Porterville, charging him with animal crushing (two counts), sexual exploitation of a minor, possession of material involving the sexual exploitation of a minor, cyberstalking, and transmitting an interstate threat.
“This defendant allegedly engaged in acts of extreme cruelty by exploiting a child, abusing animals, and threatening violence — his conduct reflects the depravity of ‘764,’” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “These networks seek to terrorize and destabilize our communities by preying on the most vulnerable, and the Justice Department will stop at nothing to dismantle this network and bring offenders to justice.”
“The FBI has no tolerance for anyone who preys on children or other vulnerable members of society,” said FBI Director Kash Patel. “This defendant allegedly targeted juveniles, took part in animal crushing, and was part of a violent online network which seeks to sow chaos and destabilize our society. The FBI will work with our law enforcement partners to investigate and hold accountable anyone who engages in such reprehensible and illegal activity.”
“This indictment charges a constellation of offenses related to the troubling emergence of NVEs like ‘764’ and related groups,” U.S. Attorney Grant stated. “My office will vigorously investigate and prosecute offenses committed by NVE groups, including those alleged to have been committed by Long against young and vulnerable victims.”
“Violent online networks of predators, such as 764, are exploiting digital platforms to coerce minors and vulnerable individuals into producing graphic content depicting animal abuse, self-harm, and child exploitation. The FBI will not stand by while these victims suffer. We are taking decisive action to dismantle these networks and bring the offenders to justice. Working together with educators, health care professionals, and families, we will protect those at risk and respond swiftly to suspected criminal activity,” said FBI Sacramento Special Agent in Charge Sid Patel.
According to court documents, Long was a member and associate of “764,” a criminal organization of Nihilistic Violent Extremists (NVEs). NVEs are individuals who engage in criminal conduct within the United States and abroad in furtherance of political, social, or religious goals that derive primarily from a hatred of society and a desire to bring about its collapse via chaos, destruction, and social instability. NVEs work individually or as part of a network with the goal of destroying civilized society through the corruption and exploitation of vulnerable populations, which often include minors.
The indictment alleges that in late 2024, Long purposely engaged in animal crushing, sexually exploited a juvenile victim living in Washington state, committed cyberstalking and made online threats against a juvenile victim living in Kern County.
This case is the product of an investigation by the FBI, with assistance from the Porterville Police Department and the Tulare County District Attorney’s Office.
If convicted, Long faces a maximum penalty of seven years in prison on each of the two counts charging animal crushing; a minimum mandatory penalty of 15 years in prison up to a maximum of 30 years in prison for sexual exploitation of a minor; a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison for possession of material involving the sexual exploitation of a minor; a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison for cyberstalking; and a maximum statutory penalty of two years in prison for making an interstate threat. Each count of the indictment also carries a fine of up to $250,000. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
The Justice Department remains vigilant against the threat of Nihilistic Violent Extremist (NVE) networks, like 764, that operate within the United States and around the globe. NVEs often target vulnerable individuals, including minors, using social media platforms to share child sexual abuse material (CSAM) and gore material, or groom victims toward committing acts of violence. Victims are often blackmailed into complying with NVE demands, including self-mutilation, online and in-person sexual acts, harm to animals, sexual exploitation of siblings and others, acts of violence, threats of violence, suicide, and murder. For more information on how to protect children and others, read about the online risks here: Parents, Caregivers, Teachers — FBI and the FBI’s March 2025 public service announcement.
Two men plead guilty for their roles in cocaine and fentanyl conspiracyRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, N.Y.–U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that David Washington, 45, of Buffalo, NY, pleaded guilty before U.S. Magistrate Judge H. Kenneth Schroeder, Jr. to possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine and fentanyl, which carry a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a fine of $1,000,000. In addition, Co-defendant Eleazar Martinez Medina, 56, of Los Angeles, CA, pleaded guilty before Magistrate Judge Schroeder to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute, and distribute, 500 grams or more of cocaine, which carries a mandatory minimum penalty of five years in prison, a maximum of 40 years, and a fine of $5,000,000.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Timothy C. Lynch and Evan K. Glaberson, who are handling the case, stated that beginning in February 2019, Washington and Martinez Medina conspired with others to sell cocaine and fentanyl. Washington resided at and maintained control over a residence on Bennett Village Terrace. In February 2019, Martinez Medina traveled to Buffalo from California and resided with Washington. On February 15, 2019, Martinez Medina went to Chili, NY, picked up approximately 25 kilograms of cocaine from a truck driver, and traveled back to Buffalo. On February 19, 2019, Martinez Medina met with an individual working with the FBI, and stated that he had approximately $656,000, which was the proceeds from the sale of cocaine to a “black guy,” which was a reference to Washington. On February 22, 2019, Martinez Medina was stopped in California by the California Highway Patrol and found in possession of $658,380 in United States currency.
In February 2020, investigators executed a search warrant at Washington’s Bennett Village Terrace residence and recovered over $77,000 in cash. Further investigation determined that Washington was associated with and controlled other residences on Rogers Street and Bailey Avenue in Buffalo. On February 21, 2020, a search warrant was executed at the Rogers Street residence, during which law enforcement recovered approximately three kilograms of fentanyl, 329 grams of a fentanyl mixture, 223 grams of crack cocaine, 1,002 grams of cocaine, 893 grams of heroin, $246,775 in cash. Also on February 21, 2020, law enforcement executed a search warrant at the Bailey Avenue residence, during which they seized $151,350 in cash. The total amount of cash seized was $1,133,505, which represents the proceeds of drug trafficking. The investigation also included controlled purchases of fentanyl from Washington.
The pleas are the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Philip Tejera, the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Frank Tarentino, New York Field Division, Homeland Security investigations, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Erin Keegan, the New York State Police, under the direction of Major Amie Feroleto, the Erie County Sheriff’s Office, under the direction of Sheriff John Garcia, the Buffalo Police Department, under the direction of Commissioner Alphonso Wright, and the California Highway Patrol.
Sentencing for both defendants will be scheduled at a later date.
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Sri Lankan man pleads guilty to, sentenced for illegal entryRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, N.Y.–U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Dilaxan Muraleetharan, 26, a citizen and national of Sri Lanka, pleaded guilty to illegal entry before U.S. Magistrate Judge H. Kenneth Schroeder, Jr. He was then sentenced to time served and turned over to Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Sasha Mascarenhas, who handled the case, stated that on October 14, 2025, Muraleetharan was observed on the train tracks on top of the Whirlpool Rapids Bridge, located in Niagara Falls, NY, which crosses the Canada and United States border. This is not a legal entryway for pedestrians or vehicle traffic. Border Patrol agents responded to the area and approached Muraleetharan who did not have any valid documents that would allow him to enter or remain in the United States legally. He was placed under arrest. Muraleetharan was previously ordered removed from the United States in September 2024.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
The plea and sentencing are the result of an investigation by U.S. Border Patrol, Niagara Falls Station, under the direction of Patrol Agent-in-Charge Brady Waikal.
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Prior Felon Sentenced to 14 Years in Prison for Possessing a Loaded Firearm and Five Pounds of MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
TULSA, Okla. – A Broken Arrow man was sentenced today for being a Felon in Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition and Possession of Methamphetamine with Intent to Distribute, announced U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.
U.S. District Judge William P. Johnson sentenced Christopher Michael Helton, 48, to 168 months imprisonment, followed by five years of supervised release.
In September 2024, Tulsa Police officers attempted to initiate a traffic stop on the vehicle that Helton was driving. Instead of pulling over, Helton led officers on a pursuit through neighborhoods, and he tossed a black pack from the vehicle. Officers deployed “stop sticks” that slowed Helton down. After driving through a brick wall, several yards, and fences, Helton jumped out of the vehicle and ran.
Officers found Helton nearby and detained him. After searching his vehicle, officers found a loaded handgun, several magazines, and 480 rounds of ammunition. Officers searched the backpack that Helton tossed and found five pounds of methamphetamine.
Court records show that Helton has a lengthy criminal record that includes domestic assault and battery, kidnapping, possessing a stolen vehicle, resisting arrest, and possession of a firearm while committing a felony.
Helton will remain in custody pending transfer to the U.S. Bureau of Prisons.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Tulsa Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney John W. Dowdell 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.
October Federal Grand Jury 2025-B Indictments AnnouncedRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Clint Johnson today announced the results of the October Federal Grand Jury 2025-B Indictments.
The following individuals have been charged with violations of United States law in indictments returned by the Grand Jury. The return of an indictment is a method of informing a defendant of alleged violations of federal law, which must be proven in a court of law beyond a reasonable doubt to overcome a defendant’s presumption of innocence.
Miguel Barrios-Luevano. Unlawful Reentry of a Removed Alien. Barrios-Luevano, 41, a Mexican national, is charged with unlawfully reentering the United States after having been previously removed in May 2010. Homeland Security Investigations is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ammon Brisolara is prosecuting the case. 25-CR-399
Swain Vann Foreman. Assault with a Dangerous Weapon with Intent to do Bodily Harm in Indian Country; Carrying, Using, Brandishing, and Discharging a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence; Felon in Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition. Foreman, 29, of Twin Oaks and a member of the Cherokee Nation, is charged with assaulting the victim with a deadly weapon with intent to do bodily harm. Additionally, Foreman is charged with using and discharging a firearm during a crime of violence and for possessing a firearm and ammunition, knowing he was previously convicted of a felony. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Cherokee Nation Marshal Service are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Stephen Flynn and Melissa Weems are prosecuting the case. 25-CR-393
Yareli Gonzalez-Vallejo. Unlawful Reentry of a Removed Alien. Gonzalez-Vallejo, 34, a Mexican national, is charged with unlawfully reentering the United States after having been previously removed in Nov. 2018. Homeland Security Investigations is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Melissa Weems is prosecuting the case. 25-CR-400
Mario Alberto Ortiz Lopez. Unlawful Reentry of a Removed Alien. Ortiz Lopez, 35, a Mexican national, is charged with unlawfully reentering the United States after having been previously removed in Jun. 2009. Homeland Security Investigations is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron Jolly is prosecuting the case. 25-CR-401
Aaron Mitchell Robinson. Distribution of Methamphetamine (Counts 1 & 2); Maintaining a Drug-Involved Premises (Count 3); Possession of a Firearm During and in Relation to a Drug Trafficking Crime (Count 4); Witness Tampering. (superseding). Robinson, 49, of Sperry, is charged with intentionally distributing methamphetamine. He is additionally charged with maintaining a residence for the purpose of drug distribution and possessing a firearm in relation to drug trafficking. Lastly, Robinson is charged with intimidating and threatening the victim to prevent them from testifying in an official proceeding. The FBI is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Shakema Onias is prosecuting the case. 25-CR-361
Edwin Soto. Felon in Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition; Alien Unlawfully in the United States in Possession of Firearms and Ammunition; Unlawful Reentry of a Removed Alien. Soto, 27, a Mexican national, is charged with possessing a firearm and ammunition, knowing he was previously convicted of a felony. He is charged with possessing a firearm, knowing he was unlawfully residing in the United States. Lastly, Soto is charged with unlawfully reentering the United States after being removed in Mar. 2020. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Homeland Security Investigations are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Tara Heign and John Brasher are prosecuting the case. 25-CR-395
Sugar John Thomas. Escape (Count 1); Felon in Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition (Counts 2 & 7); Possessing Contraband in Prison (Count 3); Assault with a Dangerous Weapon with Intent to do Bodily Harm in Indian Country (Count 4); Carrying, Using, and Brandishing a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence (Count 5); Possession of Methamphetamine with Intent to Distribute (Count 6). Thomas, 44, a member of the Muscogee Creek Nation, is charged with escaping a residential center where he was lawfully confined at the direction of the Attorney General. He is charged with possessing a firearm and ammunition in Aug. and Sep. 2025, knowing he was previously convicted of felonies, plus attempting to provide an inmate at the residential center with a firearm. Thomas assaulted the victim with a dangerous weapon, with intent to do bodily harm, and used a firearm while committing an act of violence. Further, Thomas is charged with knowingly possessing methamphetamine with intent to distribute. The U.S. Marshal Service, the Muscogee Creek Nation Lighthorse Police Department, and the Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Stacey Todd is prosecuting the case. 25-CR-396
Christopher Scott Weeden, Jr. Child Abuse in Indian Country. Weeden, 23, of Tulsa and a member of the Cherokee Nation, is charged with willfully and maliciously injuring, torturing, and maiming a child under 18 years old, and causing bruising and head trauma. The FBI and the Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Valeria Luster is prosecuting the case. 25-CR-409
New United States Attorney for the Middle District of Pennsylvania AppointedRead the Press Release
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced today that Brian D. Miller, former Inspector General for Pandemic Recovery, has been appointed United States Attorney for the Middle District of Pennsylvania effective October 27, 2025. Mr. Miller was appointed by order of United States Attorney General Pamela Bondi. Mr. Miller’s interim appointment is for 120 days or until a Presidential appointment is made, whichever occurs first. In September 2025, President Trump nominated Mr. Miller to be the Middle District of Pennsylvania’s United States Attorney, and his nomination is pending the Senate confirmation process.
Previously, Mr. Miller was also confirmed by the United States Senate to be the Special Inspector General for Pandemic Recovery on June 2, 2020. Mr. Miller’s other prior positions include Senior Associate White House Counsel; Inspector General of the United States General Services Administration (Senate confirmed on July 22, 2005); Senior Counsel to the Deputy Attorney General; Assistant United States Attorney in the Eastern District of Virginia; Special Counsel on Health Care Fraud for the Deputy Attorney General; and Counsel to the United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. He has also served as Acting General Counsel of the Department of Housing and Urban Development in 2025.
As a federal prosecutor, Mr. Miller litigated civil and criminal cases in multiple federal district and appellate courts, involving terrorism and terrorist financing, drug-related conspiracies and murder, and the False Claims Act. As an inspector general, Mr. Miller is known for his investigation of a lavish GSA conference in Las Vegas.
Mr. Miller was honored to receive the Attorney General’s Distinguished Service Award, the EOUSA Director’s Award for Superior Performance as an AUSA, and the David M. Walker Excellence in Government Performance and Accountability Award, which recognizes and honors government audit professionals who have made sustained contributions to improve government performance and accountability through their leadership in transforming government organizations.
He replaces former Acting United States Attorney John C. Gurganus, who is now occupying the First Assistant U.S. Attorney position within the office.
Mr. Miller received bachelor’s degree from Temple University and his law degree from the University of Texas School of Law. He resides in the Middle District of Pennsylvania.
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Mexican men arrested for illegal re-entryRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Jose de Jesus Rodriguez Esparza, 32, and Mauricio Rangel Rangel, 48, both natives and citizens of Mexico, were arrested and charged in separate criminal complaints with illegal re-entry, which carries a maximum penalty of two years in prison and $250,000 fine.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Sasha Mascarenhas, who is handling the cases, stated that according to the criminal complaints, on October 16, 2025, Buffalo Border Patrol agents encountered the defendants in West Seneca, NY, as they attempted to conduct traffic stops of the vehicles they were riding in. When the vehicle Rodiguez Esparza was riding in pulled over, five individuals got out and began running towards a wooded area. As agents approached, Rodiguez Esparza admitted to being a citizen of Mexico without any valid immigration documents. A records check determined that he was previously removed from the United States in September 2016. When agents approached the vehicle Rangel was riding in, he stated that he did not have any valid immigration documents allowing him to stay in the United States. A records check determined that Rangel was previously removed from the United States in 2014.
Rodriguez Esparza and Rangel made initial appearances before U.S. Magistrate Judge H. Kenneth Schroeder, Jr. and were detained.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
The complaint is of the result of an investigation by United States Border Patrol Buffalo Station, under the direction Patrol Agent-in-Charge David Banks.
The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
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Mexican man arrested for illegal re-entryRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Salvador Vargas Nava, 43, a native and citizen of Mexico, was arrested and charged by criminal complaint with illegal re-entry, which carries a maximum penalty of two years in prison and $250,000 fine.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Sasha Mascarenhas, who is handling the case, stated that on October 20, 2025, Buffalo Border Patrol Agents encountered Vargas Nava during a traffic stop of a vehicle that ran two stop signs in Concord, NY. Vargas Nava was the driver. He admitted to being illegally present in the United States without any valid immigration documents. A records check determined that Vargas Nava was previously removed from the United States in July 2009.
Vargas Nava made an initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge H. Kenneth Schroeder, Jr. and was detained.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
The complaint is of the result of an investigation by United States Border Patrol Buffalo Station, under the direction Patrol Agent-in-Charge David Banks.
The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
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Member of Violent Extremist Network ‘764’ Charged with Animal Crushing, Sexual Exploitation of a Minor, Cyberstalking and Interstate ThreatsRead the Press Release
A federal grand jury in the Eastern District of California has returned a six-count indictment against Tony Christopher Long, also known as Inactive, Inactivee0, and inactivecvx, 19, of Porterville, California, charging him with animal crushing (two counts), sexual exploitation of a minor, possession of material involving the sexual exploitation of a minor, cyberstalking, and transmitting an interstate threat. Long is currently in state custody on related charges.
“This defendant allegedly engaged in acts of extreme cruelty by exploiting a child, abusing animals, and threatening violence — his conduct reflects the depravity of ‘764,’” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “These networks seek to terrorize and destabilize our communities by preying on the most vulnerable, and the Justice Department will stop at nothing to dismantle this network and bring offenders to justice.”
“The FBI has no tolerance for anyone who preys on children or other vulnerable members of society,” said FBI Director Kash Patel. “This defendant allegedly targeted juveniles, took part in animal crushing, and was part of a violent online network which seeks to sow chaos and destabilize our society. The FBI will work with our law enforcement partners to investigate and hold accountable anyone who engages in such reprehensible and illegal activity.”
“This indictment charges a constellation of offenses related to the troubling emergence of NVEs like ‘764’ and related groups,” said U.S. Attorney Eric Grant for the Eastern District of California. “My office will vigorously investigate and prosecute offenses committed by NVE groups, including those alleged to have been committed by Long against young and vulnerable victims,” he added.
According to court documents, Long was a member and associate of “764,” a criminal organization of Nihilistic Violent Extremists (NVEs). NVEs are individuals who engage in criminal conduct within the United States and abroad in furtherance of political, social, or religious goals that derive primarily from a hatred of society and a desire to bring about its collapse via chaos, destruction, and social instability. NVEs work individually or as part of a network with the goal of destroying civilized society through the corruption and exploitation of vulnerable populations, which often include minors.
The indictment, returned by the grand jury on Oct. 23, alleges that in late 2024, Long purposely engaged in animal crushing, sexually exploited a juvenile victim living in Washington state, and committed cyberstalking and made online threats against a juvenile victim living in Kern County, California.
If convicted, Long faces a maximum penalty of seven years in prison on each of the two counts charging animal crushing; a minimum mandatory penalty of 15 years in prison up to a maximum of 30 years in prison for sexual exploitation of a minor; a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison for possession of material involving the sexual exploitation of a minor; a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison for cyberstalking; and a maximum statutory penalty of two years in prison for making an interstate threat. Each count of the indictment also carries a fine of up to $250,000. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The FBI is investigating the case, with assistance from the Porterville Police Department.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
The Justice Department remains vigilant against the threat of Nihilistic Violent Extremist (NVE) networks, like 764, that operate within the United States and around the globe. NVEs often target vulnerable individuals, including minors, using social media platforms to share child sexual abuse material (CSAM) and gore material, and groom victims toward committing acts of violence. Victims are often extorted, coerced, compelled, and blackmailed into complying with NVE demands, including self-mutilation, online and in-person sexual acts, harm to animals, sexual exploitation of siblings and others, acts of violence, threats of violence, suicide, and murder. For more information on how to protect children and others, read about the online risks here: Parents, Caregivers, Teachers — FBI and the FBI’s March 2025 public service announcement.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Lockport man going to prison for distributing child pornographyRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Gerard Dzierzanowski, 53, of Lockport, NY, who was convicted of distribution of child pornography, was sentenced to serve 90 months in prison and 15 years supervised release by U.S. District Judge Lawrence J. Vilardo.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Franz M. Wright, who handled the case, stated that in February 2023, Dzierzanowski began communicating with who he believed was a 13-year-old girl using the Whisper Messenger application. The communications later transitioned to Kik Messenger, another online application. Dzierzanowski thought he was communicating with an actual 13-year-old girl, when in reality, he was communicating with an undercover law enforcement officer, who was involved in an investigation aimed at identifying users of Whisper and Kik attempting to engage in criminal sexual activity with children. The undercover officer repeatedly advised Dzierzanowski during the Kik chat that she was 13 years old. Dzierzanowski sent multiple images that meet the definition of child pornography. Dzierzanowski also sent videos that depicted a prepubescent female child engaged in sexually explicit behavior with an adult male. During the online conversations, Dzierzanowski requested the 13-year-old girl engage in sexually explicit behavior with him. The defendant also sent a “selfie” of himself, and a sexually explicit video of himself. In August 2023, a search warrant was executed at Dzierzanowski’s residence, during which multiple digital items, which contained images and videos depicting children engaged in sexually explicit conduct, were seized.
The sentencing is the result of an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Erin Keegan.
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Indian Man Charged with Assault Aboard AircraftRead the Press Release
BOSTON – An Indian national has been charged with allegedly stabbing two minor victims with a metal fork while on board a Lufthansa flight from Chicago to Germany.
Praneeth Kumar Usiripalli, 28, is charged in U.S. District Court with one count of assault with a dangerous weapon with intent to do bodily harm while traveling on an aircraft in the special aircraft jurisdiction of the United States. Usiripalli was arrested on Oct. 25, 2025 and will appear in federal court in Boston at a later date.
According to the charging documents, on Oct. 25, 2025, while on board Lufthansa flight 431 en route from Chicago to Frankfurt, Germany, Usiripalli allegedly stabbed a 17-year-old male passenger (Minor A) in the shoulder area with a metal fork. Usiripalli then allegedly stabbed a second 17-year-old male passenger (Minor B) in the back of the head with the same metal fork
Specifically, following meal service, Minor A was sleeping lightly in a middle seat when he allegedly awoke to see Usiripalli standing over him. It is alleged that Usiripalli used his right hand to strike Minor A in the left clavicle area with a metal fork. Usiripalli then allegedly lunged toward Minor B – who was seated to Minor A’s right in a middle seat in the center row of the aircraft – and struck Minor B in the back of his head with the fork. Minor B suffered a laceration to the rear of his head.
When flight crew members attempted to subdue Usiripalli, he allegedly raised his hand, formed a gun with his fingers, put it in his mouth and pulled an imaginary trigger. Immediately afterwards, Usiripalli allegedly turned toward a female passenger to his left and slapped her with his hand. Usiripalli also allegedly attempted to slap a flight crew member.
As a result of the disturbance, the flight was diverted to Boston Logan International Airport, where Usiripalli was immediately taken into custody.
Usiripalli was previously admitted to the United States on a student visa. Most recently, he was enrolled in a master’s program in biblical studies. Usiripalli presently does not have lawful status in the United States.The charge of assault with a dangerous weapon with intent to do bodily harm while traveling on an aircraft in the special aircraft jurisdiction of the United States provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, up to three of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes that govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Ted E. Docks, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; and Colonel Geoffrey D. Noble, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police, made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations in Boston and U.S. Customs and Border Protection. Assistant U.S. Attorney Allegra Flamm of the Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Guatemalan man arrested for illegal re-entryRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Juver Vidal Quex Tocora, 29, a native and citizen of Guatemala, was arrested and charged by criminal complaint with illegal re-entry, which carries a maximum penalty of two years in prison and $250,000 fine.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Sasha Mascarenhas, who is handling the case, stated that on October 20, 2025, Border Patrol agents encountered Quex Tocora in Amherst, NY. Agents questioned Quex Tocora about his citizenship. He admitted to being illegally present in the United States and did not have any documents that would allow him to remain legally in the United States. Quex Tocora was arrested and taken into custody. Subsequent investigation determined that in May 2013, he was physically removed from the United States.
Quex Tocora made an initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge H. Kenneth Schroeder, Jr. and was detained.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
The complaint is of the result of an investigation by United States Border Patrol Buffalo Station, under the direction Patrol Agent-in-Charge David Banks.
The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
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Greenfield Man Indicted on Federal Child Exploitation OffensesRead the Press Release
Jackson, TN – A federal grand jury in Jackson recently returned an indictment charging a Greenfield, Tennessee man with multiple federal child sexual exploitation offenses. United States Attorney D. Michael Dunavant announced the return of the indictment today.
According to information presented in court, James Anthony Morris, 57, has been indicted with three counts of using and employing a minor to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing a visual depiction of such conduct and attempting to commit those acts, distributing and attempting to receive visual depictions of minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct, attempting to entice and coerce a person who he believed to be a minor to engage in sexual activity for which any person could be charged with a crime, and possessing a cell phone that contained visual depictions of minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct.
This case is pending before United States District Court Judge J. Daniel Breen in Jackson. If convicted on all counts, Morris is facing a sentence of up to life in prison. There is no parole in the federal system.
This case is being investigated by members of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the investigative arm of the United States Immigration & Customs Enforcement Agency (ICE), the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI), the District Attorney’s Office for the 27th Judicial District, the Martin Police Department, and the Greenfield Police Department.
Anyone with additional information on this case is asked to contact TBI Special Agent Sarah Turner at [email protected] or 1-800-TBI-FIND.
The charges and allegations contained in the indictment are merely accusations of criminal conduct, not evidence. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt and convicted through due process of law.
Assistant United States Attorneys Josh Morrow and Caroline Parish are prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
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For more information, please contact the media relations team at [email protected]. Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office on Facebook or on X at @WDTNNews for office news and updates.
Farmington Man Sentenced to Five Years for Unlawful Possession of a Firearm and Several Hundred Rounds of AmmunitionRead the Press Release
Farmington Man Sentenced to Five Years for Unlawful Possession of a Firearm and Several Hundred Rounds of Ammunition
CONCORD – A Farmington man was sentenced on October 27, 2025, in federal court for unlawfully possessing a firearm and 238 rounds of ammunition, U.S. Attorney Erin Creegan announces.
Anthony Cook, 35, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Samantha Elliott to 60 months in federal prison and 3 years of supervised release. On May 29, 2025, Cook pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm and ammunition as a felon.
“Despite being a convicted felon prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition, the defendant chose to arm himself with a gun and hundreds of rounds of ammunition,” said U.S. Attorney Creegan. “This kind of deliberate disregard for the law poses a real danger to our communities. Our office will continue to pursue significant consequences for felons who unlawfully possess firearms and threaten public safety.”
“ATF enforcement operations prioritize habitual offenders,” said ATF Special Agent-in-Charge Thomas Greco. “A recidivist who seeks out a firearm while using controlled substances poses an immediate and obvious danger to public safety. This sentence reflects the seriousness of that risk.”
According to the plea agreement and public record, Cook was previously sentenced to 78 months of imprisonment in federal court for firearms and drug offenses. After Cook’s release from custody, he was placed on supervised release. On September 1, 2024, Cook’s federal probation officer searched him and his house after receiving a report Cook had a firearm. The search uncovered a pistol, 238 rounds of ammunition, a small amount of cocaine, and drug paraphernalia.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms led the investigation. U.S. Probation and the U.S. Marshals provided valuable assistance. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexander S. Chen prosecuted the case.
Buffalo man convicted by a federal jury of murdering a federal informant sentenced to life in prisonRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Alphonso Payne, a/k/a Ajay, 32, of Buffalo, NY, who was convicted by a federal jury of conspiracy to murder a federal informant, murdering a federal informant, conspiring to possess with intent to distribute and distributing cocaine, possessing with intent to distribute and distributing cocaine, conspiring to retaliate against a federal informant, retaliating against a federal informant, discharge of a firearm in furtherance of crimes of violence and a drug trafficking crime, and discharge of a firearm causing death in furtherance of crimes of violence and a drug trafficking crime, was sentenced to serve life in prison plus 15 years by U.S. District Judge Richard J. Arcara.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Timothy C. Lynch, Michael J. Adler, and Stacey Jacovetti, who handled the prosecution of the case, stated that between approximately 2016 and August 20, 2019, Payne, co-defendant Gregory Hay and others conspired to sell cocaine, crack cocaine, and heroin. The conspiracy began with Hay selling drugs in the Salamanca, NY, area, before moving his operation to the Olean area, where Payne assisted him with selling drugs. After Gregory Hay’s house was searched on May 7, 2019, by members of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Buffalo Police Department, and illegal firearms were seized, Hay and Payne suspected Joshua Jalovick was a police informant. In the early evening of July 1, 2019, Payne and Hay lured Jalovick into the backyard of 87 Freund, where Payne used to live. Once Jalovick was in the backyard, Payne shot him multiple times with a semi-automatic pistol, in front of multiple witnesses. Hay then stood over Jalovick and shot him an additional five times with a revolver. Payne and Hay murdered Joshua Jalovick to prevent him from testifying about their alleged drug trafficking crimes and Hay’s firearm crimes.
Gregory Hay was previously convicted of narcotics conspiracy, possession of firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking, and discharge of firearm causing death in furtherance of crimes of violence and a drug trafficking crime and is awaiting sentencing. In addition to defendants Payne and Hay, defendants Daeshawn Stevenson, Raejah Blackwell, Eric Brooks, and Roland Eady were also convicted for their roles in obstructing a grand jury’s investigation into Joshua Jalovick’s murder.
The sentencing is the result of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Bryan Miller, New York Field Division, and the Buffalo Police Department, under the direction of Commissioner Alphonso Wright. Additional assistance was provided by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Philip Tejero, the U.S. Secret Service, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Charles Perras, and the Cattaraugus County Sheriff’s Office, under the direction of Sheriff Eric Butler.
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24 October 2025
U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of New Mexico Announces Intent to Seek Death Penalty Against Zachary BabitzRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – On October 22, 2025, the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of New Mexico filed a Notice of Intent to seek the death penalty against Zachary Babitz.
Babitz, 39, is charged in a 13-count Indictment as follows:
- Count 1 – Interference with Commerce by Robbery (July 30, 2024)
- Count 2 – Using and Carrying a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence, and Possessing a Firearm in Furtherance of Such Crime (July 30, 2024)
- Count 3 – Bank Robbery (July 31, 2024)
- Count 4 – Interference with Commerce by Robbery (August 3, 2024)
- Count 5 – Using, Carrying, and Brandishing a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence, and Possessing and Brandishing a Firearm in Furtherance of Such Crime (August 3, 2024)
- Count 6 – Carjacking Resulting in Death (August 6, 2024)
- Count 7 – Using and Carrying a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence, and Possessing a Firearm in Furtherance of Such Crime, Discharging Said Firearm, and Causing Death Through Use and Possession of a Firearm (August 6, 2024)
- Count 8 – Carjacking (August 9, 2024)
- Count 9 – Interference with Commerce by Robbery (August 10, 2024)
- Count 10 – Using, Carrying, and Brandishing a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence, and Possessing and Brandishing a Firearm in Furtherance of Such Crime (August 10, 2024)
- Count 11 – Carjacking (August 10, 2024)
- Count 12 – Using, Carrying, and Brandishing a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence, and Possessing and Brandishing a Firearm in Furtherance of Such Crime (August 10, 2024)
- Count 13 – Felon in Possession of a Firearm (July 30, 2024 – August 10, 2024)
The maximum penalty for Counts 6 and 7 is death, and Attorney General Bondi has authorized and directed the United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico to pursue capital punishment in this case. Consistent with that authorization, the U.S. Attorney filed a notice of intent to seek the death penalty against Babitz.
U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison and Brendan Iber, Special Agent in Charge of the Phoenix Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, made the announcement today.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated this case with assistance from the Santa Fe Police Department, Albuquerque Police Department and Las Cruces Police Department. Assistant United States Attorneys Maria Elena Stiteler and Natasha Moghadam are prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Two Defendants Convicted of Conspiring to Provide Material Support to ISISRead the Press Release
BROOKLYN, NY – Earlier today, in federal court in Brooklyn, Abdullah At Taqi was convicted by a jury on all three counts of an indictment charging him and co-defendant Mohammad David Hashimi with conspiring and attempting to provide material support to the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS), a designated foreign terrorist organization, and conspiring to launder money. Previously, on October 6, 2025, as jury selection was scheduled to begin, Hashimi pleaded guilty before United States Magistrate Judge Taryn A. Merkl to all counts of the indictment. The defendants collectively sent thousands of dollars in cryptocurrency and wire transfers to a self-proclaimed ISIS member. When they are sentenced, each defendant faces up to 60 years’ imprisonment.
Joseph Nocella, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York; Todd Blanche, United States Deputy Attorney General; John A. Eisenberg, Assistant Attorney General of the Justice Department’s National Security Division; Christopher G. Raia, Assistant Director in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI); and Jessica S. Tisch, Commissioner, New York City Police Department (NYPD), announced the convictions.
“The defendants used Bitcoin, PayPal and GoFundMe to fund ISIS’s deadly mission,” stated United States Attorney Nocella. “ISIS relies on supporters, like the defendants, to sponsor its terrorist aims, which is why our Office and our law enforcement partners are working tirelessly to disrupt that pipeline and prosecute those who provide material support to terrorist organizations and their evildoers.”
Mr. Nocella thanked the FBI’s New York Joint Terrorism Task Force for their outstanding work on the case.
“An exceptional team uncovered the defendants’ use of electronic currency to bankroll an abhorrent organization that harbors deep-seated animosity toward America,” stated Deputy Attorney General Blanche. “Their intent was to procure weapons for terrorism and now their actions will result in incarceration. Justice has been served.”
“Today, a federal jury convicted Abdullah At Taqi for conspiring to fund ISIS, a terrorist organization that has unleashed terror and unimaginable brutality across the globe,” stated Assistant Attorney General for National Security Eisenberg. “Taqi conspired to support the group and its atrocities by funneling cryptocurrency to ISIS fighters, hoping they would establish a stronghold in the Middle East from which the group could destabilize the entire region. This conviction reflects the Department’s commitment to holding accountable those who knowingly finance terrorism.”“Abdullah At Taqi and Mohammed Hashimi knowingly donated thousands of dollars to an ISIS member through various cryptocurrency exchanges, wire transfers, and purported humanitarian fundraisers,” stated FBI Assistant Director in Charge Raia. “The defendants’ actions potentially facilitated the purchase of explosives and ammunition by a designated terrorist organization. May today’s conviction emphasize the FBI’s stout determination to cease all funding of terrorists to ensure their malevolent ideologies are never brought to fruition.”
“The NYPD will stop at nothing to protect New Yorkers from the dangers of ISIS and terrorists who seek to harm our country,” stated NYPD Commissioner Tisch. “These defendants used a variety of online platforms in an attempt to covertly send thousands of dollars to ISIS members to purchase weapons. Today’s conviction demonstrates the NYPD’s expertise and commitment to rooting out terrorism and the importance of our partnership with the U.S Attorney’s Office and the FBI to stop these dangerous individuals.”
As proven at trial, At Taqi sent 15 separate Bitcoin transactions to Osama Obeida, also known as Osama Abu Obayda (Obeida), a self-proclaimed ISIS member, over the course of nearly a year. In conversations with an online confidential source (CHS-1), At Taqi stated that he used cryptocurrency to send money “unnoticed” through a “brother,” meaning an ISIS supporter who he spoke to on an encrypted communications platform. At Taqi confirmed that the “brother” was “from Dawlah,” referring to ISIS. The ”brother” in question was Obeida, whom At Taqi introduced to CHS-1.
Obeida confided to CHS-1 that he had known At Taqi for two years and that At Taqi regularly sent money to Obeida. Obeida sent CHS-1 a photograph of an ISIS flag and weapons, annotated with CHS-1’s online screenname and the date, to prove that the photograph was recent and authentic, and that donations to Obeida were used to buy weapons for ISIS fighters.
Other messages show Obeida instructing At Taqi to delete messages and change his IP address.
Hashimi was a member of a group chat for ISIS supporters (Group Chat-1) on an encrypted platform. In early April 2021, members of Group Chat‑1 discussed posting links that purported to be raising funds for humanitarian causes, but from which the money would actually be diverted to help the “mujahideen,” an Arabic term used by ISIS supporters to refer to ISIS fighters. A co-conspirator posted a Bitcoin address, and another member of Group Chat-1 posted a link to a PayPal campaign, both of which were controlled by Obeida. In response, Hashimi told people to be careful sending links because they could be detected and arrested by law enforcement.
Through a combination of Bitcoin, PayPal, and GoFundMe, the defendants transferred thousands of dollars to Obeida, the person whom At Taqi identified as being “from Dawlah,” a reference to ISIS. At Taqi, Hashimi, and a third co-defendant, Seema Rahman, along with co-conspirator Khalilullah Yousuf, contributed more than $24,000 to Obeida’s Bitcoin address, with Yousuf contributing $20,347.89, At Taqi contributing $2,769.35, and Rahman contributing $927.51. The four co-conspirators also sent more than $1,000 to the PayPal account associated with Obeida, with Rahman contributing approximately $550, At Taqi contributing approximately $695, and Hashimi contributing $55. In addition, both Yousuf and Rahman created multiple GoFundMe fundraising campaigns purporting to collect money for charitable causes. Hashimi contributed $364 and At Taqi contributed $200 through the Yousuf-created GoFundMe campaigns, while Rahman raised approximately $10,000 through the GoFundMe campaigns that she created, and then wired the proceeds, approximately $10,024, to individuals connected to Obeida via Western Union.
Rahman pleaded guilty in January 2025 to conspiring to provide material support to a foreign terrorist organization and is awaiting sentencing. Yousuf was arrested and prosecuted in Canada.
The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s National Security and Cybercrime Section. Assistant United States Attorneys Ellen H. Sise, Nina C. Gupta, and Gilbert M. Rein are in charge of the prosecution, with assistance from Trial Attorney Alicia Cook of the Department of Justice’s Counterterrorism Section and Paralegal Specialist Magdalena St. Surin.
The Defendants:
MOHAMMAD DAVID HASHIMI
Age: 38
Potomac Falls, VirginiaABDULLAH AT TAQI
Age: 26
Queens, New YorkSEEMA RAHMAN
Age: 28
Edison, New JerseyE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 22-CR-553 (ENV)
Two Defendants Convicted of Conspiring to Provide Material Support to ISISRead the Press Release
Earlier today, in federal court in Brooklyn, New York, Abdullah At Taqi, 26, of Queens, was convicted by a jury on all counts of an indictment charging him and co-defendant Mohamad David Hashimi with conspiring and attempting to provide material support to the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS), a designated foreign terrorist organization, and conspiring to launder money. Previously, on Oct. 6, as jury selection was scheduled to begin, Hashimi pleaded guilty to all counts of the indictment.
“An exceptional team uncovered the defendants’ use of electronic currency to bankroll an abhorrent organization that harbors deep-seated animosity toward America,” said Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche. “Their intent was to procure weapons for terrorism and now their actions will result in incarceration. Justice has been served.”
“Today, a federal jury convicted Abdullah At Taqi for conspiring to fund ISIS, a terrorist organization that has unleashed terror and unimaginable brutality across the globe,” said Assistant Attorney General for National Security John A. Eisenberg. “Taqi conspired to support the group and its atrocities by funneling cryptocurrency to ISIS fighters, hoping they would establish a stronghold in the Middle East from which the group could destabilize the entire region. This conviction reflects the Department’s commitment to holding accountable those who knowingly finance terrorism.”
“The defendants used Bitcoin, PayPal and GoFundMe to fund ISIS’s deadly mission,” said U.S. Attorney Joseph Nocella Jr. for the Eastern District of New York. “ISIS relies on supporters, like the defendants, to sponsor its terrorist aims, which is why our office and our law enforcement partners are working tirelessly to disrupt that pipeline and prosecute those who provide material support to terrorist organizations and their evildoers.”
As proven at trial, At Taqi sent 15 separate Bitcoin transactions to Osama Obeida, also known as Osama Abu Obayda (Obeida), a self-proclaimed ISIS member, over the course of nearly a year. In conversations with an online confidential source (CHS‑1), At Taqi stated that he used cryptocurrency to send money “unnoticed” through a “brother,” meaning an ISIS supporter, he spoke to on an encrypted communications platform. At Taqi confirmed that the “brother” was “from Dawlah,” referring to ISIS.
In later conversations, At Taqi told CHS-1 that he had gotten back in touch with the “brother” through whom he had been sending cryptocurrency and assured CHS-1 that the brother was “from Dawlah.” The brother with whom At Taqi was communicating was Obeida. In introducing CHS-1 to Obeida, At Taqi informed CHS-1 that he had confirmed CHS-1 was trustworthy to the “brother,” Obeida, and at the same time, he vouched for the “brother” to CHS-1, indicating that he had vouched for each individual’s support for ISIS.
Obeida confided to CHS-1 that he had known At Taqi for two years and that At Taqi regularly sent money to Obeida. Obeida sent CHS-1 the below photograph of an ISIS flag and weapons with CHS-1’s online screenname and the date, to prove that the photograph was real, just taken, and that the money given to Obeida from people like the defendant was used to buy weapons for ISIS fighters.
Other messages show Obeida instructing At Taqi to delete messages and change his IP address.
Hashimi was a member of a group chat for ISIS supporters (Group Chat-1) on an encrypted platform. In early April 2021, members of Group Chat‑1 discussed posting links that purported to be raising funds for humanitarian causes, but from which the money would actually be diverted to help the “mujahideen,” an Arabic term used by ISIS supporters to refer to ISIS fighters. A co-conspirator posted a Bitcoin address, and another member of Group Chat-1 posted a link to a PayPal campaign, both of which were controlled by Obeida. In response, Hashimi told people to be careful sending links because they could be detected and arrested by law enforcement.
Through a combination of Bitcoin, PayPal, and GoFundMe, the defendants transferred thousands of dollars to Obeida, the person At Taqi identified as being “from Dawlah,” a reference to ISIS. At Taqi, Hashimi, and a third co-defendant, Seema Rahman, along with co-conspirator Khalilullah Yousuf, contributed more than $24,000 to Obeida’s Bitcoin address, with Yousuf contributing $20,347.89, At Taqi contributing $2,769.35, and Rahman contributing $927.51. The four co-conspirators also sent more than $1,000 to the PayPal account associated with Obeida, with Rahman contributing approximately $550, At Taqi contributing approximately $480, and Hashimi contributing $55. In addition, both Yousuf and Rahman created multiple GoFundMe fundraising campaigns purporting to collect money for charitable causes. Hashimi contributed $364 and At Taqi contributed $200 through the Yousuf-created GoFundMe campaigns, while Rahman raised approximately $10,000 through the GoFundMe campaigns that she created, and then wired the proceeds, approximately $10,024, to individuals connected to Obeida via Western Union.
At sentencing, each defendant faces a maximum penalty of 60 years in prison.
Rahman pleaded guilty in January 2025 to conspiring to provide material support to a foreign terrorist organization and is awaiting sentencing. Yousuf was arrested and prosecuted in Canada.
The FBI New York Field Office is investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Nina C. Gupta, Gilbert M. Rein, and Ellen H. Sise for the Eastern District of New York are in charge of the prosecution, with assistance from Trial Attorney Alicia Cook of the Department of Justice’s Counterterrorism Section and Paralegal Specialist Magdalena St. Surin.
Two Cuban Nationals Charged with Several Counts of Sex and Labor TraffickingRead the Press Release
TULSA, Okla. – Two Cuban nationals living in Tulsa are charged with several counts of sex and labor trafficking crimes, announced U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.
Oscar Alejandro Laborde Ricardo, 24, and his wife, Yenney Muir Naranjo, 24, of Cuba, are charged with Conspiracy to Commit Sex Trafficking; Sex Trafficking; Conspiracy to Commit Forced Labor; Forced Labor; and Interstate Travel to Aid Racketeering. Laborde is additionally charged with Document Servitude.
Court records show that law enforcement received a tip from a concerned citizen that a local exotic dancer was a possible victim of human trafficking in July. When law enforcement met with the victim, she told officers that Laborde promised an opportunity to work in the United States in exchange for $50,000 fee.
Once in the United States, Laborde took the victim’s Cuban passport and birth certificate. She was required to live with the defendants until her “debt” was paid in full, and they also charged her for rent and food. Laborde allegedly forced the victim to work as an exotic dancer. The victim told officers that she was forced to give her earnings to Laborde and Muir to work off her “debt.”
Court documents allege that the victim was required to cook and clean the house and was not paid for this housework. The victim was further forced to engage in a commercial sex act and was allegedly assaulted by Muir, while Laborde watched.
Homeland Security Investigations and the Tulsa Police Department are investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jessica Wright and John Brasher are prosecuting the case.
A criminal complaint and indictment are merely allegations, and the defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
If you are a victim of trafficking, you can get help by calling 1-888-373-7888, texting 233733, or chatting with someone at humantraffickinghotline.org. If you suspect that someone is being trafficked, you can call 1-866-347-2423 or complete the web form.
Providence Man Sentenced in Bank Fraud ConspiracyRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE – A Providence man who admitted to participating in a conspiracy to defraud banks by creating and depositing tens-of-thousands of dollars’ worth of fraudulent checks has been sentenced to federal prison, announced Acting United States Attorney Sara Miron Bloom.
Jarrod Smith, 44, was sentenced today by U.S. District Court Judge Melissa R. DuBose to 24 months of incarceration to be followed by three years of supervised release. Smith pleaded guilty on February 18, 2025, to a charge of conspiracy to commit bank fraud. In addition, Smith admitted to violations of his current term of supervised released, and was sentenced to serve 12 months of incarceration, to run concurrently.
Smith engaged in a fraud scheme that used information from stolen checks, primarily business checks, to create counterfeit checks that were then deposited into bank accounts of individuals that he or other members of the conspiracy recruited and enticed, often via social media. Shortly after the checks were deposited, Smith or another member of the conspiracy withdrew the proceeds from the bank accounts. As part of the conspiracy, the person’s whose bank account was used was also paid for the use of their bank account.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Christine Lowell, Taylor Dean, and Denise Barton.
The matter was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Portland Woman Charged with Assault on a Federal OfficerRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Ore.— Temika Gardner, 40, of Portland, made her first appearance in federal court today after being charged by criminal complaint with assaulting a federal officer.
According to court documents, on October 23, 2025, Gardner was near the vehicle of Immigration and Customs Enforcement Deportation Officers after they made a lawful arrest. After an escape attempt, officers were able to gain control of the arrestee. As they were escorting the arrestee back, Gardner placed her hands on officers multiple times to impede their movement. Gardner struck one officer in the face, grabbing ahold of his face covering and throwing it to the ground. She swung at a second officer at least two times, knocking off his sunglasses. While officers were focusing on the arrestee, Gardner pulled the face mask of a third officer with enough force to pull him back. Gardner was arrested after she swung at a fourth officer, striking the left side of his jaw.
Gardner made her first appearance in federal court today before a U.S. Magistrate Judge. She was ordered released pending further court proceedings.
Homeland Security Investigations is investigating the case. This case is being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Oregon.
A criminal complaint is only an accusation of a crime, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Owner of Money Service Business Unlawfully Residing in the United States Pleads Guilty to Conspiracy to Launder Drug ProceedsRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Ore.— The owner and operator of La Popular, a money service business with locations in Oregon and Washington, pleaded guilty today to conspiring to launder drug trafficking proceeds.
Brenda Lili Barrera Orantes, 40, a Guatemalan national unlawfully residing in the United States, pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to launder monetary instruments.
According to court documents, Barerra Orantes operated La Popular stores in Hillsboro, Beaverton, Woodburn, Odell and Canby, Oregon, as well as in Vancouver, Washington. From August 1, 2024, through November 1, 2024, La Popular stores sent over $4.2 million dollars in wire transfers to places in Mexico. During this same time period, Barrera Orantes and other co-conspirators accepted $49,500 in cash represented as drug proceeds and laundered the funds through La Popular stores. Barrera Orantes charged a ten percent commission to help launder the money. Barrera Orantes admitted that when she wired these funds she used false sender information, structured wire transfers into smaller amounts, and used different La Popular stores to help conceal the drug proceeds.
On April 16, 2025, investigators executed federal search warrants at Barrera Orantes’ Beaverton residence and three La Popular stores in Beaverton, Hillsboro, and Vancouver and arrested Barrera Orantes. During the warrants, agents seized $316,542 in cash, a 2021 Cadillac Escalade, jewelry, and high-end clothing.
On May 13, 2025, a federal grand jury in Portland returned a 23-count indictment charging Barrera Orantes with money laundering and conspiracy, failure to file a currency transaction report, and failure to file a suspicious activity report.
Barrera Orantes pleaded guilty today to one count of conspiracy to launder monetary instruments. She also agreed to forfeit her Beaverton residence and all the seized property involved in her money laundering offense.
Barrera Orantes faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, a $500,000 fine, and three years of supervised release. She will be sentenced on January 21, 2026, before a U.S. District Court Judge.
This case is being investigated by the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation, Homeland Security Investigations, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Westside Interagency Narcotics Team. It is being prosecuted by Christopher L. Cardani and Julia Jarrett, Assistant U.S. Attorneys for the District of Oregon.
Mexican Nationals Sentenced for Drug Trafficking and Firearms OffensesRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – Two Mexican nationals illegally present in the United States were sentenced to 17 and 22 years in federal prison following a multi-agency drug investigation that uncovered methamphetamine, fentanyl, cocaine and multiple loaded firearms at an Albuquerque residence.
There is no parole in the federal system.
According to court documents, between August 2022 and December 2023, Martin Aispuro-Lopez, 27, a Mexican national illegally present in the United States, sold methamphetamine and fentanyl to an undercover DEA agent on three occasions. On December 12, 2023, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Lopez's residence in southwest Albuquerque and arrested him. Agents recovered four loaded firearms and large quantities of narcotics throughout the residence, including cocaine, fentanyl, and methamphetamine.
Loaded Anderson Manufacturing AM-15 multi-caliber rifle Loaded Hi-Point Model 4095 .40 S&W carbine Methamphetamine FentanylAt the same residence, agents encountered Victor Manuel Felix-Ramirez, 24, a Mexican national who was illegally present in the United States following two prior removals in 2019. Agents located Ramirez's two firearms, one of which was loaded and equipped with a machine gun conversion device, and fentanyl pills. Ramirez admitted participating in Lopez's drug trafficking activities. At sentencing, the Government introduced evidence of Ramirez's ties to the Sinaloa Cartel, including items that identified him as a "veteran" of the "Culiacanazo" (a.k.a. "Black Thursday") battle between the Sinaloa Cartel and Mexican authorities.
Fully automatic 9mm Glock 17 Culiacanazo Veteran, Oct. 17, 2019, & caricature of Ovidio Guzmán a.k.a. “El Raton”Lopez pled guilty to three counts of distribution of methamphetamine and was sentenced to 17 years in prison. Ramirez, who the sentencing judge to referred to as a "trusted soldier" for the organization, pled guilty to possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and using and carrying a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime and was sentenced to 22 and a half years in prison. Upon their release from prison, both men will be subject to deportation.
Acting U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison and Omar Arellano, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration’s El Paso Division, made the announcement today.
The Drug Enforcement Administration El Paso Division investigated this case with from Homeland Security Investigations El Paso and the Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Blake Nichols is prosecuting the case.
Justice Department to Monitor Polling Sites in California, New JerseyRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Today, the Department of Justice announced that it will monitor polling sites in six jurisdictions ahead of the upcoming November 4, 2025, general election to ensure transparency, ballot security, and compliance with federal law.
The Department, through the Civil Rights Division, enforces federal voting rights laws that protect the rights of all eligible citizens to access the ballot. The Department regularly deploys its staff to monitor for compliance with federal civil rights laws in elections in communities across the country.
“Transparency at the polls translates into faith in the electoral process, and this Department of Justice is committed to upholding the highest standards of election integrity,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “We will commit the resources necessary to ensure the American people get the fair, free, and transparent elections they deserve.”
“The Department of Justice will do everything necessary to protect the votes of eligible American citizens, ensuring our elections are safe and secure,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Civil Rights Division. “Transparent election processes and election monitoring are critical tools for safeguarding our elections and ensuring public trust in the integrity of our elections.”
“Our democracy depends on free and fair elections,” said Acting United States Attorney Bill Essayli of the Central District of California. “We will work tirelessly to uphold and protect the integrity of the election process.”
“Election protection means making sure every eligible voter can participate freely and every lawful vote is counted,” said Acting U.S. Attorney and Special Attorney Alina Habba of the District of New Jersey. “Our office is committed to working alongside our federal, state, and local partners to ensure transparency, security, and public confidence in the election process.”
At this time, the Department will monitor the following jurisdictions:
- Passaic County, New Jersey
- Kern County, California
- Riverside County, California
- Fresno County, California
- Orange County, California
- Los Angeles County, California
At Attorney General Pamela Bondi’s direction, this effort will be overseen by the Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division under the leadership of Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon. The Division will deploy Civil Rights personnel who will coordinate with U.S. Attorney’s Offices.
The Civil Rights Division’s Voting Section enforces various federal statutes that protect the right to vote, including the Voting Rights Act, National Voter Registration Act, Help America Vote Act, Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act, and the Civil Rights Acts.
This initiative is aimed at promoting transparency and an open flow of communication between poll observers and election monitors to ensure that elections proceed with a high degree of security.
From now and up to Election Day, Civil Rights Division personnel will be available to receive questions and complaints from the public related to possible violations of federal voting rights laws.
If you would like to request election monitoring in a particular jurisdiction, please contact the Voting Section at [email protected], and the Civil Rights Division will determine whether monitoring is warranted.
Houston man receives 25-year sentence for violent kidnapping and carjacking of elderly victimRead the Press Release
Editor's Note: This matter occurred on date indicated, but not published at that time due to government shutdown. Press release posted and made available following the return to normal operations.
HOUSTON - A Houston man has been ordered to federal prison after choking a 73-year-old woman as he attempted to steal her car after which he kicked her until she rolled into a local bayou, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
Talib Smith, 21, pleaded guilty June 6.
U.S. District Judge Sim Lake has now sentenced Smith to a total of 300 months in federal prison. At the hearing, the court heard about the trauma the victim suffered the night of the kidnapping and the lasting impact it has had on her life. The court also heard that Smith recorded himself during the kidnapping and posted the video of him fleeing to social media.
On May 16, 2023, Smith broke into the Houston home of the elderly victim through a window to get the keys to her vehicle which was parked in her driveway. Once inside, he blindfolded her and tied her feet and hands, then demanded money and the keys. Smith choked her with an electrical cord, assaulted her and stuffed a cloth into her mouth to keep her from screaming or getting help.
Smith then carried the victim to her car and put her in the trunk when she began to lose consciousness. Believing she had died, he later removed her from the trunk and kicked her several times, causing her to roll into a nearby bayou. The victim climbed out and made it to a nearby apartment where the owner called law enforcement.
The victim had multiple injuries to her face, neck and head.
Authorities located the stolen vehicle at a gas station. Smith fled before eventually abandoning the car and fleeing on foot. Upon his arrest, he had the victim’s cash, phone and safety deposit box key.
He will remain in custody pending transfer to a Federal Bureau of Prison facility to be determined in the near future.
FBI conducted the investigation with the Houston Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jill Jenkins Stotts prosecuted the case.
Honduran Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Federal Prison for Importing Child Pornography Through Eagle PassRead the Press Release
DEL RIO, Texas – A Honduran national was sentenced in a federal court in Del Rio Thursday to 10 years in prison for attempting to import child sexual abuse material into the United States.
According to court documents, Nolber Rolando Rosales-Rosales, 32, arrived at the Camino Real International Bridge, No. 2, in Eagle Pass on Oct. 7, 2024. A U.S. Customs and Border Protection Officer referred him to Secondary Inspection, where a basic search was conducted on his cell phone. During the search, a CBP officer observed several suggestive images of young girls and Rosales-Rosales admitted to possessing child pornography via a Telegram account. Further investigation into the account resulted in the discovery of six videos depicting child sexual abuse material.
Rosales-Rosales was indicted on Nov. 6, 2024, on one count of use of visual depiction of sexually explicit depictions of a minor for importation into the United States, one count of transportation of sexually explicit depictions of a minor, and one count of possession and access with intent to view child prepubescent pornography. He pleaded guilty to the importation charge on April 2. U.S. District Judge Ernest Gonzalez presided over the court proceedings.
U.S. Attorney Justin R. Simmons for the Western District of Texas made the announcement.
Homeland Security Investigations and CBP investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Tyler Fleming, Nallely Duarte, and Daisy Gonzales prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
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Federal Jury Found Bartlesville Man Guilty of Involuntary ManslaughterRead the Press Release
TULSA, Okla. – Today, a federal jury convicted a Bartlesville man of Involuntary Manslaughter in Indian Country and being a Felon in Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition.
According to court documents, Dylan Ray Alexander, 32, was indicted in February 2025, followed by a superseding indictment in March 2025. Evidence presented at trial showed that on February 2, 2025, Bartlesville Police officers were dispatched in reference to a 911 call of an injured man in the street.
When officers located the victim, Kevin Holden, he was lying on the road with a gunshot wound to his stomach, holding keys in his hands. The victim was transported to the hospital, where he died from his injuries.
Witnesses testified that they heard Alexander arguing with a man, followed by a loud “pop.” Alexander was seen fleeing the scene after the shooting and discarded the handgun he used. Officers found the discarded firearm and Alexander the following day.
Upon questioning by detectives, Alexander claimed that he acted in self-defense because the victim attacked him with a knife. A detective later found a box knife folded and locked closed in the victim’s jeans.
Court records and additional evidence presented at trial show that Alexander was previously convicted of two felonies. He pleaded guilty to possessing a controlled substance and assault and battery on a police officer.
Despite six defense eyewitnesses testifying in support of Alexander’s self-defense claim, the jury unanimously rejected this defense and convicted him of involuntary manslaughter as a lesser included offense of second-degree murder. Alexander was acquitted of Using, Carrying, Brandishing, or Discharging a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence. He is a member of the Cherokee Nation and was released on bond until sentencing is scheduled.
The FBI, Bartlesville Police Department, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Nowata County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Scott Dunn and Tara Heign 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.
Federal Jury Finds Convicted Felon Guilty of Illegally Possessing FirearmRead the Press Release
Memphis, TN – After a three-day trial, a federal jury found Demarcus Williams, 33, of Memphis, guilty of one count of possession of a firearm as a convicted felon and made a special finding that Williams had previously been convicted of three violent felonies on different occasions. As a result, Williams faces a mandatory statutory minimum sentence of fifteen years in federal prison for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and being an armed career criminal (ACC). United States Attorney D. Michael Dunavant announced the verdict today.
According to information presented in court, on July 26, 2023, an officer with the Memphis Police Department conducted a traffic stop, and they discovered a loaded Taurus .40 caliber pistol under the driver’s seat that Demarcus Williams occupied.
United States Attorney D. Michael Dunavant said, "Convicted felons who possess firearms are an inherent danger to the community, and in this case, Williams was a violent offender who possessed a firearm despite his prior felony conviction history. There is a consequence for such criminal behavior, and we will aggressively enforce federal law to remove dangerous offenders from the community and uphold the rule of law."
Sentencing is set on January 29, 2026 before United States District Judge Mark S. Norris.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a coordinated 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.
United States Attorney D. Michael Dunavant thanked Assistant United States Attorneys Lynn Crum and Jermal Blanchard, who prosecuted this case, as well as the law enforcement partners who investigated the case.
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For more information, please contact the media relations team at [email protected]. Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office on Facebook or on X at @WDTNNews for office news and updates
Des Moines Man Charged with Wire Fraud, Following 2019 Mail Fraud ConvictionRead the Press Release
DES MOINES, Iowa – A federal grand jury in Des Moines returned an 11 count indictment on October 16, 2025, charging a Des Moines man with wire fraud.
As alleged in the Indictment, Martin James Tirrell, 65, ran a scheme to defraud multiple individuals between February 2024 and January 2025. Tirrell’s scheme involved obtaining money from individuals that he claimed would be used to buy tickets to high-demand sports and concert events and resold at a profit. Instead, Tirrell used a majority of the funds for gambling and personal expenses, repaying loans, and paying other investors for earlier payments. In total, investors provided Tirrell several million dollars and the victim investors sustained a combined loss exceeding $1.5 million.
Tirrell was on federal supervised release for a 2019 mail fraud conviction. Tirrell was released from his 41-month prison sentence in January 2023.
Tirrell made his initial court appearance on October 20, 2025, before a United States Magistrate Judge of the United State District Court for the Southern District of Iowa. Trial was set for December 1, 2025. Tirrell will remain detained in federal custody pending further proceedings.
United States Attorney David C. Waterman of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. The Federal Bureau of Investigation is investigating this case.
An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.Buffalo man sentenced for conspiring to steal mail and possession of a Postal Service keyRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Antonio Jones, Jr., 25, of Buffalo, NY, who was convicted of conspiracy to commit mail theft and possession of postal service key, was sentenced to serve two years’ probation, to include six months home detention, by U.S. District Judge John L. Sinatra, Jr.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Franz M. Wright, who handled the case, stated that on October 2, 2024, Jones conspired with Eric Michael Robinson and Lamor Runell Bolden to steal mail from mail receptacles in Cheektowaga, NY. In addition, the defendants also possessed a key used to open authorized mail receptacles. Jones drove with Robinson and Bolden to a mail facility in Cheektowaga at approximately 1:00 a.m. on October 2, 2024. Robinson drove and Jones and Bolden were passengers. Robinson parked the car behind a row of blue collection mailboxes outside the postal facility, Jones and Bolden got out of the car, and Jones opened the mailboxes with the stolen key and stole mail from the mailboxes while Bolden stood watch. The two then got back into the car and Robinson drove away. A short time later, their car was stopped by law enforcement. At the time the car was stopped, various opened and unopened pieces of mail were found inside. Jones admits that he and his co-conspirators used the stolen key to open mailboxes at other locations around the Western District of New York.
Eric Michael Robinson was previously convicted and also sentenced to serve two years’ probation, to include six months home detention. Lamor Runell Bolden was previously convicted and is awaiting sentencing.
The sentencing is the result of an investigation by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Ketty Larco-Ward, Boston Division, and the Cheektowaga Police Department, under the direction of Chief Brian Coons.
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33 Alleged Members of Violent Kensington Drug Trafficking Organization Charged in 41-Count IndictmentRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – At a news conference this afternoon, United States Attorney David Metcalf announced a historic indictment against a violent drug trafficking organization operating in the Kensington section of Philadelphia. The indictment charges 33 alleged members of the Weymouth Street Drug Trafficking Organization with conspiracy to distribute controlled substances and dozens of related offenses.
U.S. Attorney Metcalf discussed the case alongside FBI Director Kash Patel, FBI Philadelphia Special Agent in Charge Wayne Jacobs, and Philadelphia Police Commissioner Kevin Bethel, and assisting federal and state law enforcement partners.
The indictment alleges that, from about January 2016 through October 2025, the Weymouth Street Drug Trafficking Organization (“Weymouth DTO”) distributed fentanyl, heroin, crack cocaine, and cocaine on the 3100 block of Weymouth Street, one of the most prolific drug blocks in the city, functioning as an open-air drug market where illegal narcotics are sold every day and at all hours. While that block is the nucleus of the group’s alleged activity, their area of operations has extended to include the corner of F Street and Clementine Street, the corner of E Street and Wishart Street, and 3000 Potter Street.
The indictment further alleges that the Weymouth DTO uses violence to enforce its territory, including shootings, murder, and physical assaults. Members of the Weymouth DTO retaliate against witnesses that the DTO believes provide information to law enforcement and commit violent acts against members of rival drug trafficking organizations.
As alleged in the indictment, the Weymouth DTO is headed by Jose Antonio Morales Nieves, aka “Flaco,” 45, of Luquillo, Puerto Rico, who authorizes other members of the Weymouth DTO to sell drugs on his block in exchange for “rent.” Morales Nieves helps protect the members of the DTO through the threat of violent acts, performed either by himself or his associates, against others who have caused the Weymouth DTO harm or attempted to sell controlled substances in the DTO’s territory.
The indictment alleges that Ramon Roman-Montanez, aka “Viejo,” 40, of Philadelphia, is a leader of the Weymouth DTO and manages the street-level operations. He is responsible for organizing the drug shift schedule, which establishes roles and shifts for who in the Weymouth DTO will be responsible for selling drugs at what times and on what days, managing proceeds, and obtaining more controlled substances.
As alleged, Nancy Rios-Valentin, 33, also of Philadelphia, is another leader of the Weymouth DTO responsible for organizing the drug shift schedule, as well as managing and maintaining drug proceeds.
A list of all defendants and the charges against them is below.
Twenty-four defendants were arrested in coordinated operations today. Eight defendants were already in state or federal custody, and one remains at large.
“Drug traffickers who poison our communities and enforce their territory through violence will face the full force of federal law,” said Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche. “Working alongside our state and local partners, the Department of Justice will continue to dismantle these criminal networks, hold violent offenders accountable, and restore safety to neighborhoods that have suffered for far too long. I want to thank U.S. Attorney Metcalf, the FBI, and every prosecutor and agent whose dedication made today’s action possible.”
“This indictment is, by defendant, the largest federal case of this century prosecuted by our office and it attacks the very heart of the opioid crisis in the neighborhoods of Kensington,” said U.S. Attorney Metcalf. “We are committed to returning these neighborhoods to their residents and reclaiming them from drug dealers who profit from the misery of others.”
“Today, even more criminals are off the streets because of the diligent work of the FBI and our partners,” said FBI Director Kash Patel. “Over 30 people have been charged for their alleged role in drug trafficking and dozens of other offenses. These individuals were charged with distributing fentanyl, heroin, and cocaine on one of the most prolific drug blocks in Philadelphia. They were members of a violent drug trafficking organization and used violence to enforce their territory and sell drugs that poison our city streets and community. The FBI will continue our work to put an end to drug trafficking and violence in our cities.”
“There is no question our streets are safer today because of the tireless dedication and diligence of numerous federal, state, and local partners, but our work is not done,” said Wayne A. Jacobs, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Philadelphia. “The FBI, alongside our law enforcement partners at every level, will continue to serve our citizens by pursuing the dangerous offenders who shatter our communities’ sense of safety, security, and quality of life.”
“Today’s actions were the culmination of a deliberate, patient, and highly coordinated investigation into a violent criminal enterprise operating on and around Weymouth Street in Kensington,” said Philadelphia Police Commissioner Kevin J. Bethel. “This group pumped fentanyl into a community already hurting, and they used violence to protect their business. Thank you to our state and federal partners who continue to show up in Philadelphia not as visitors but as teammates: FBI Director Patel, U.S. Attorney Metcalf, FBI Philly SAC Jacobs and his team, the DEA, the Attorney General’s Office, and to our own DC Jim Kelly and the men and women of the Philadelphia Police Department's Narcotics Bureau who did the hard work to get us here. This is One Philly in action - exactly the model Mayor Parker has demanded from day one: not turf battles, not silos, but agencies standing shoulder-to-shoulder around a single mission: protecting the people of this city.”
This case is part of PSN Recon, a criminal intelligence program launched this year by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, in which the federal and state law enforcement community work together to identify the most violent and dangerous actors in the city of Philadelphia. PSN Recon builds on the original mission of the Department of Justice’s Project Safe Neighborhoods (“PSN”) initiative, to collaboratively address violence in partnership with state and local enforcement officials. Learn more about PSN Recon here.
The case is being investigated by the FBI and the Philadelphia Police Department, with assistance from the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Sara Solow and Jason Grenell.
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.
23 October 2025
U.S. Attorney Urges Mainers to Dispose of Unused Prescription Medications During Take Back Day on SaturdayRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Maine: United States Attorney Andrew B. Benson joined the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration in announcing that DEA will be conducting its National Prescription Drug Take Back Day this Saturday, October 25. Between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m., DEA and its partners will collect tablets, capsules, patches, and other solid forms of prescription drugs.
For 16 years, DEA’s National Prescription Drug Take Back Day has helped Americans safely dispose of unneeded medications—those that are old, unwanted, or expired—to prevent drug misuse and abuse. Take Back Day offers free and anonymous disposal of unneeded medications at nearly 4,500 drop-off locations nationwide.
In partnership with local law enforcement, Take Back Day has removed more than 19.8 million pounds (10,000 tons) of medication from circulation since its inception. Collection sites will not accept syringes, sharps, and illicit drugs. Liquid products, such as cough syrup, should remain sealed in their original container. The cap must be tightly sealed to prevent leakage.
“I urge all Mainers to take advantage of Drug Take Back Day,” said U.S. Attorney Benson. “Leftover prescription drugs can be abused, stolen or resold. Taking a few minutes to properly dispose of medications you no longer need can save a life.”
For more information and to find a collection site near you, visit www.DEATakeBack.com.
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The Drug Enforcement Administration and Law Enforcement Partners Team up for the 29th National Prescription Drug Take Back DayRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Ore.— On Saturday, October 25, from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), in collaboration with nearly 4,000 law enforcement partners across the United States, will host DEA’s National Prescription Drug Take Back Day at locations across the country. DEA and its partners will collect tablets, capsules, patches, and other solid forms of prescription drugs.
For sixteen years, DEA’s National Prescription Drug Take Back Day has helped Americans safely dispose of unneeded medications—those that are old, unwanted, or expired—to prevent drug misuse and abuse.
Take Back Day offers free and anonymous disposal of unneeded medications at nearly 4,500 drop-off locations nationwide.
What: National Prescription Drug Take Back Day
When: Saturday, October 25, from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
Where: 18 collection sites in Oregon
“Take Back Day provides a safe and anonymous way to properly dispose of expired or unused prescription medications,” said Scott E. Bradford, U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon. “Unused prescription medication in the home pose serious risks of misuse, addiction, and overdose. We encourage all community members to participate and help reduce the potential for abuse and addiction in our communities.”
“All too often, drug abuse starts with prescription pills in the family medicine cabinet,” said David F. Reames, Special Agent in Charge, DEA Seattle Field Division. “DEA’s National Prescription Drug Take Back Day offers an easy way to rid your home of these unwanted and potentially dangerous medicines before they can harm your children or grandchildren. Drop off your unneeded medicine this Saturday and take a step to keep your family safe from drug harm.”
In partnership with local law enforcement, Take Back Day has removed more than 19.8 million pounds (10,000 tons) of medication from circulation since its inception.
Collection sites will not accept syringes, sharps, and illicit drugs. Liquid products, such as cough syrup, should remain sealed in their original container. The cap must be tightly sealed to prevent leakage.
For more information and to find a collection site near you, visit www.DEATakeBack.com.
Repeat Offender Pleads Guilty to Health Care Fraud Scheme in New HampshireRead the Press Release
Repeat Offender Pleads Guilty to Health Care Fraud Scheme in New Hampshire
CONCORD – A Florida man pleaded guilty to one count of health care fraud for causing psychotherapy sessions to be fraudulently billed to New Hampshire Medicaid.
According to court documents, Erik X. Alonso, 55, of Miami, Florida, was previously convicted in 2015 of conspiracy to commit health care fraud and related offenses in the Southern District of Florida. The Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG), maintained an Exclusion List that identified individuals who could not receive payment from federal health care programs, including Medicaid. As a result of his conviction, Alonso, a psychotherapist, was placed on the Exclusion List.
According to court documents, in March 2022, Alonso began working for a telehealth mental health provider based in New Hampshire, through which he provided services billed to New Hampshire Medicaid patients despite knowing he was on the Exclusion List. Alonso also caused the provider to submit claims to New Hampshire Medicaid for counseling services that were not provided as represented, including in instances in which Alonso requested – and later received – a patient’s assistance with personal tasks like preparing a presidential pardon for Alonso’s 2015 health care fraud conviction and various medical licensure documents. As a result of the scheme, Alonso admitted that he caused New Hampshire Medicaid to pay approximately $173,998.83 based on false and fraudulent claims.
Alonso pleaded guilty to one count of health care fraud. He is scheduled to be sentenced on January 28, 2026, and faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
U.S. Attorney Erin Creegan for the District of New Hampshire, Special Agent in Charge Roberto Coviello of HHS-OIG, and Special Agent in Charge Ted E. Docks of the FBI Boston Field Office made the announcement.
HHS-OIG and the FBI investigated the case.
Trial Attorneys Thomas D. Campbell, John W. Howard, and Danielle H. Sakowski of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Vicinanzo of the District of New Hampshire are prosecuting the case.
The Fraud Section leads the Criminal Division’s efforts to combat health care fraud through the Health Care Fraud Strike Force Program. Since March 2007, this program, currently comprised of nine strike forces operating in 27 federal districts, has charged more than 5,800 defendants who collectively have billed federal health care programs and private insurers more than $30 billion. In addition, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, working in conjunction with the Office of the Inspector General for the Department of Health and Human Services, are taking steps to hold providers accountable for their involvement in health care fraud schemes. More information can be found at www.justice.gov/criminal-fraud/health-care-fraud-unit.