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14 October 2025
Armed Career Criminal Sentenced to 21 Years in Federal Prison for Drug Conspiracy and Firearm PossessionRead the Press Release
TULSA, Okla. – A career criminal living in Sapulpa was sentenced today for Drug Conspiracy and being a Felon in Possession of a Firearm, announced U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.
U.S. District Judge Gustavo A. Gelpi, Jr., sentenced Richard Joseph Schweiger, 50, to 262 months imprisonment, followed by five years of supervised release.
In October 2023, Schweiger messaged an undercover deputy about selling a firearm. The deputy knew Schweiger was a felon and agreed to meet up and buy the firearm. When deputies arrested Schweiger, he pulled the firearm from his waistband and threw it next to him.
Deputies searched Schweiger’s social media and discovered roughly 50,000 pages of messages documenting over two years of methamphetamine and drug distribution. In his plea agreement, Schweiger admitted to conspiring with others to distribute methamphetamine in Creek County.
Records show that Schweiger was previously convicted of 17 felonies in Louisiana and Oklahoma over the past 25 years. He will remain in custody pending transfer to the U.S. Bureau of Prisons.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Creek County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Mike Flesher, Nathan Michel, and Christopher Nassar 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.
Ardmore Resident Sentenced for Federal Firearm ChargeRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Nezjoneil Nikkolo Marris, age 28, of Ardmore, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 17 years in prison for Use, Carry, Brandish, and Discharge of a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence.
The charge arose from an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Ardmore Police Department.
On May 28, 2025, Marris pleaded guilty to the charge. According to investigators, on March 26, 2022, Marris shot another person with a firearm in a drive-by shooting. The crime occurred in Carter County, within the boundaries of the Chickasaw Nation Reservation, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma.
The Honorable Ronald A. White, Chief U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over the hearing. Marris will remain in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Gregory Dean Burris, T. Cameron McEwen, and Jonathan E. Soverly represented the United States.
10 October 2025
Tahlequah Resident Pleads Guilty to Voluntary Manslaughter in Indian CountryRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Colby Lin Deerinwater, a/k/a Colby Lyn Deerinwater, age 30, of Tahlequah, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to a Felony Information of one count of Voluntary Manslaughter in Indian Country, punishable by up to 15 years in prison and a $250,000.00 fine.
The Information alleged that on July 5, 2024, Deerinwater killed the victim upon sudden quarrel or heat of passion. The crime occurred in Cherokee County, within the boundaries of the Cherokee Nation Reservation, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma.
The charge arose from an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation, and the Tahlequah Police Department.
The Honorable Jason A. Robertson, U.S. Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, accepted the plea and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report.
A U.S. District Court Judge will determine the sentence to be imposed after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Deerinwater will remain in the custody of the United States Marshals Service pending sentencing.Assistant U.S. Attorney Lewis M. Reagan represented the United States.
Payette Man Sentenced to 30 Years in Federal Prison for Producing Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
BOISE – Heath Adams, 43, of Payette, was sentenced to 30 years in federal prison for sexual exploitation of a child, U.S. Attorney Bart M. Davis announced today.
According to court records, the investigation into Adams began in August 2024, after a report was made to the Payette Police Department regarding allegations of sexual abuse. As part of the investigation, Adams’ cell phone was seized and forensically examined by the Idaho Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force (“ICAC”). The ICAC examiner located numerous files of child sexual abuse material that Adams had produced over several years, including explicit images of himself sexually abusing three separate minors.
Adams was initially arrested and charged in Payette County. After his arrest, the Payette County Prosecutor’s Office and the U.S. Attorney’s Office worked collaboratively to determine federal prosecution was appropriate. As a result, the state case was dismissed in favor of federal prosecution.
Senior U.S. District Judge B. Lynn Winmill also sentenced Adams to lifetime supervised release and ordered him to pay restitution to his victims. Adams will be required to register as a sex offender because of the conviction. Adams pleaded guilty in federal court on June 3, 2025.
“There is no greater betrayal than the sexual abuse and exploitation of children,” said U.S. Attorney Davis. “We are steadfast in our commitment to work with state and local law enforcement partners to seek justice for child victims and hold child predators accountable for their egregious conduct.”
U.S. Attorney Davis commended the cooperative efforts of the Payette Police Department, the Payette County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office, and the Idaho ICAC Task Force, which led to the charges.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS) of the Department of Justice, 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.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Erin Blackadar prosecuted the case.
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Matthew L. Harvey Takes Oath as United States Attorney for the Northern District of West VirginiaRead the Press Release
MARTINSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Matthew L. Harvey was sworn in to become the United States Attorney for the Northern District of West Virginia. Harvey was nominated by President Trump on June 30, 2025, and confirmed by the U.S. Senate on October 7, 2025. U.S. District Judge Gina M. Groh administered the oath of office to U.S. Attorney Harvey today.
“I am grateful to President Trump placing his trust in me to fulfill his promise to make our communities safe and support our officers,” U.S. Attorney Harvey said. “I am looking forward to building and strengthening partnerships with law enforcement in the district.”
Harvey will serve as the top-ranking federal law enforcement official in the Northern District of West Virginia, which includes offices in Wheeling, Martinsburg, Clarksburg, and Elkins. He oversees a staff of 47 employees, including 20 attorneys and 27 non-attorney support personnel.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Northern District of West Virginia prosecutes federal crimes in the 32 counties in the district. The office also defends the United States in civil cases and collects debts owed to the United States.
Harvey most recently served as the Jefferson County Prosecuting Attorney, focusing on drug and violent crime prosecution during his 12-year tenure. Prior to his work in Jefferson County, he worked for a private law firm and served as an assistant prosecuting attorney in Berkeley and Kanawha Counties.
A graduate of Bluefield State University with a B.S. in Business Administration, Harvey went on to earn his Juris Doctorate from Appalachia School of Law.
Man from Ecuador pleads guilty to, sentenced for illegal re-entryRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, N.Y. –U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Lucas Cela Saula, 39, a citizen and national of Ecuador, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Richard J. Arcara to re-entry of a removed alien. He was then sentenced to time served and turned over to Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael J. Smith, who is handling the case, stated that in November 2014, Cela Saula was physically removed from the United States. On September 7, 2025, he was found in Erie County, NY, and did not have any documents allowing him to be legally present in the United States.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
The plea and sentencing are the result of an investigation by U.S. Border Patrol, under the direction of Patrol Agent-in-Charge David Banks.
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Jefferson County High School Teacher Charged with Distributing Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
Louisville, KY – A federal criminal complaint and arrest warrant were issued on October 9, 2025, charging a Jefferson County high school teacher with distributing and possessing child pornography.
U.S. Attorney Kyle G. Bumgarner of the Western District of Kentucky, Special Agent in Charge Olivia Olson of the FBI Louisville Field Office, and Chief Paul Humphrey of the Louisville Metro Police Department made the announcement.
According to the criminal complaint, in August 2025, Brian Hinds, 51, distributed child sexual abuse material depicting prepubescent boys to a law enforcement officer working online undercover. During an interview conducted on October 9, 2025, Hinds admitted to both sending and receiving child sexual abuse material through online messaging applications. Hinds is employed as a theater teacher at duPont Manual High School’s Youth Performing Arts School.
While the investigation is ongoing, authorities have not presently identified any victim that is a current or former student of duPont Manual High School. If local victims are later identified, authorities will directly and immediately make contact with victims or the parents/guardians of minor victims.
Hinds is scheduled to make his initial appearance today, October 10, 2025, before a U.S. Magistrate Judge in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Kentucky. If convicted on the charges in the complaint, Hinds faces a minimum sentence of 5 years and a maximum sentence of 40 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors.
There is no parole in the federal system.
This case is being investigated by the FBI and LMPD.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys A. Spencer McKiness and Stephanie Zimdahl are prosecuting the case.
If you have any information about Hinds that may contribute to this investigation, please contact the FBI Louisville Field Office at [email protected].
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. For more information about internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab “resources.”
A criminal 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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Honduran man pleads guilty to, sentenced for illegal reentryRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, N.Y. –U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Miguel Angel Vasquez-Amaya, 46, a citizen and national of Honduras, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Richard J. Arcara to re-entry of a removed alien. He was sentenced to time served and turned over to Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael J. Smith, who handled the case, stated that on August 31, 2025, Vasquez-Amaya was a passenger in a vehicle that was encountered by Customs and Border Protection at the Peace Bridge Port of Entry. The vehicle was referred for secondary inspection. An immigration records check revealed that Vasquez-Amaya was physically removed from the United States in November 2002.
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 Customs and Border Protection, under the direction of Director of Field Operations Rose Brophy.
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Honduran man arrested, charged with illegal reentryRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, N.Y.–U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Ever Esau Soliz Espana, 30, a citizen and national of Honduras, was arrested and charged by criminal complaint with illegal reentry, which carries a maximum penalty of two years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael J. Smith, who is handling the case, stated that according to the complaint, on October 7, 2025, Soliz Espana was arrested by U.S. Border Patrol agents at a hotel in Hamburg, NY. Further investigation determined that Soliz Espana was physically removed from the United States in December 2014.
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.
Soliz Espana made an initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge H. Kenneth Schroeder, Jr. and was detained.
The complaint is the result of an investigation by U.S. Border Patrol, under the direction of 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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Guatemalan man pleads guilty to, sentenced for illegal re-entryRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, N.Y. –U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Martin Lopez Morales, 30, a citizen and national of Guatemala, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Richard J. Arcara to re-entry of a removed alien. He was then sentenced to time served and turned over to Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael J. Smith, who handled the case, stated that Lopez Morales is a citizen and national of Guatemala. He was physically removed from the United States in October 2020. On August 16, 2025, Lopez Morales was found in Niagara County, NY, and did not have any documents allowing him to be legally present in the United States.
The 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 Customs and Border Protection, under the direction of Director of Field Operations Rose Brophy.
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California Man Charged Federally for Mailing Threat to Injure and KillRead the Press Release
TAMPA, Fla. — The Justice Department today announced a criminal complaint charging George Russell Isbell Jr., 69, of San Diego, with mailing a threatening communication. Isbell was arrested on Oct. 7 in San Diego.
“Thanks to the incredible teamwork between state, local, and federal law enforcement, this coward hiding behind a keyboard was taken into custody and charged federally for mailing threatening communications,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “We cannot allow this political violence to continue any longer. This arrest will serve as a reminder to many – do not do this, we will find you and bring you to justice.”
“The FBI and our partners will not tolerate threats of violence like the kind allegedly made by the defendant about a media personality,” said FBI Director Kash Patel. “We will continue to investigate, pursue, and find those responsible for this conduct and ensure such criminals are held to full account in our justice system.”
“Unfortunately, a rise in political threats has been accompanied by a rise in political violence,” said U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe for the Middle District of Florida. “We take all threats of violence seriously and will continue to respond in close coordination with our law enforcement partners and prosecute the authors of such threatening communications.”
According to the complaint, on or about Sept. 18, Isbell mailed a letter from San Diego threatening to injure his victim, a media personality located in Tampa, Florida, and telling his victim that the victim needed “to be exterminated.” In the letter, he referenced one of the victim’s friends, Mr. Charlie Kirk, a conservative political activist who had recently been killed during a public engagement on a college campus. After writing that he hoped that the American flag “strangles the life out of you,” the letter went on to state: “Maybe someone will blow your head off!!! We can hope! Planning any public engagements? Love to see your head explode and your blood stain the concrete red. What a sight!”.
If convicted, Isbell faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The FBI Tampa Field Office and the Tampa Police Department are investigating the case, with assistance from the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. Additional support was provided by the FBI San Diego Field Office, the San Diego Police Department, and the San Diego County Sheriff’s Office.
Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph Wheeler III for the Middle District of Florida is prosecuting the case.
A criminal complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
California Man Charged Federally for Mailing Threat to Injure and KillRead the Press Release
The Justice Department today announced a criminal complaint charging George Russell Isbell Jr., 69, of San Diego, with mailing a threatening communication. Isbell was arrested on Oct. 7 in San Diego.
“Thanks to the incredible teamwork between state, local, and federal law enforcement, this coward hiding behind a keyboard was taken into custody and charged federally for mailing threatening communications,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “We cannot allow this political violence to continue any longer. This arrest will serve as a reminder to many – do not do this, we will find you and bring you to justice.”
“The FBI and our partners will not tolerate threats of violence like the kind allegedly made by the defendant about a media personality,” said FBI Director Kash Patel. “We will continue to investigate, pursue, and find those responsible for this conduct and ensure such criminals are held to full account in our justice system.”
“Unfortunately, a rise in political threats has been accompanied by a rise in political violence,” said U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe for the Middle District of Florida. “We take all threats of violence seriously and will continue to respond in close coordination with our law enforcement partners and prosecute the authors of such threatening communications.”
According to the complaint, on or about Sept. 18, Isbell mailed a letter from San Diego threatening to injure his victim, a media personality located in Tampa, Florida, and telling his victim that the victim needed “to be exterminated.” In the letter, he referenced one of the victim’s friends, Mr. Charlie Kirk, a conservative political activist who had recently been killed during a public engagement on a college campus. After writing that he hoped that the American flag “strangles the life out of you,” the letter went on to state: “Maybe someone will blow your head off!!! We can hope! Planning any public engagements? Love to see your head explode and your blood stain the concrete red. What a sight!”.
If convicted, Isbell faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The FBI Tampa Field Office and the Tampa Police Department are investigating the case, with assistance from the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. Additional support was provided by the FBI San Diego Field Office, the San Diego Police Department, and the San Diego County Sheriff’s Office.
Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph Wheeler III for the Middle District of Florida is prosecuting the case.
A criminal complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Bart M. Davis is Sworn in as United States AttorneyRead the Press Release
Boise – Bart M. Davis has taken the oath of office to become the United States Attorney for the District of Idaho. Davis was nominated by President Donald J. Trump on March 31, 2025 and confirmed by the U.S. Senate on October 7, 2025. Mr. Davis served as the United States Attorney for the District of Idaho from September 21, 2017 to February 28, 2021, under President Trumps first term.
As U.S. Attorney, Davis is the top-ranking federal law enforcement official in the state of Idaho, having prosecutorial responsibility over 44 counties in Idaho, encompassing more than 83,000 square miles and a population of nearly 1.5 million people. He leads three staffed offices located in Boise, Coeur d’Alene and Pocatello with 65 employees, including 33 attorneys. The office is responsible for prosecuting federal crimes in the district, including crimes related to immigration, terrorism, public corruption, child exploitation, firearms, and narcotics. The office also defends the United States in civil cases and collects debts owed to the United States.
Mr. Davis was born in Rapid City, South Dakota, and was raised in Idaho Falls, Idaho, where he began his legal practice focusing on commercial, regulatory, and transactional work. He also served in the Idaho State Senate for the past 19 years, including as Majority Leader for 15 years, and was a member of the Judiciary and Rules and the State Affairs committees. He represented Idaho as a commissioner to the Uniform Law Commission and is past chairman of The Council of State Governments. He graduated from Brigham Young University in 1978 and from the University of Idaho College of Law in 1980. Mr. Davis is married, has six children and 14 grandchildren.
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9 October 2025
Wasilla man pleads guilty to distributing carfentanil resulting in the death of a 16-year-old girlRead the Press Release
ANCHORAGE, Alaska – A Wasilla man pleaded guilty today to distributing carfentanil to two people, resulting in the near fatal overdose of an adult victim and the fatal overdose of a minor victim. The defendant also pleaded guilty today to a felon in possession of firearms charge filed through a separate federal indictment in July.
According to court documents, on Nov. 14, 2024, Sean Mobley, 45, agreed to supply an individual with .25 grams of fentanyl powder to distribute to another person. Mobley gave the individual a powdered substance that he believed was fentanyl but was, in fact, carfentanil. Carfentanil is an opioid used by veterinarians and is 100 times more potent than fentanyl.
Mobley and the individual drove to a residence in Wasilla. The individual entered the residence and sold the substance to an adult victim for $100. The individual returned to the vehicle and gave Mobley the money from the sale. Shortly after the sale, the adult victim used the substance and overdosed, causing serious bodily injury.
After distributing the substance to the adult victim, Mobley drove to a local gas station and dropped the individual off and picked up a 16-year-old victim. Mobley took the minor victim to an isolated location intending to use drugs together. Mobley gave some of the substance he believed was fentanyl powder to the minor victim. The minor victim used the substance and immediately overdosed and lost consciousness. Believing the minor victim was dead, Mobley dumped her body in a remote area and fled.
On Jan. 28, 2025, Mobley possessed a shotgun inside a vehicle he was operating. Mobley has three prior felony convictions from 2002 and 2003, making him a felon in possession of a firearm.
On June 10, a federal grand jury returned an indictment charging Mobley with distribution resulting in death and serious bodily injury. On July 17, a federal grand jury returned a separate indictment charging Mobley with being a felon in possession of a firearm and being an unlawful drug user and addict in possession of a firearm.
Mobley is scheduled to be sentenced on January 22, 2026 and faces a mandatory minimum penalty of 20 years in prison but up to life in prison for the distribution resulting in death and serious bodily injury charge, and up to 15 years in prison for the felon in possession of a firearm charge. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
U.S. Attorney Michael J. Heyman of the District of Alaska, Special Agent in Charge David F. Reames of the DEA Seattle Field Division and Alaska State Trooper Colonel Maurice Hughes made the announcement.
The DEA Anchorage District Office and the Alaska State Troopers investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Tom Bradley and Alana Weber are prosecuting the case, with assistance and collaboration from the State of Alaska Department of Law, Office of Special Prosecutions.
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Tupelo Man Sentenced to 20 Years for Coercing over 46 Minor Victims to Send Child PornographyRead the Press Release
OXFORD, MS – A Tupelo, Mississippi man was sentenced today to 20 years in prison for using an online application to coerce minor females to send him sexually explicit images and videos.
According to court documents, Sean Carson, 24 years old, was getting girls as young as 12 years old to send him sexually explicit images. When the girls would try to cut off contact, Carson would threaten to send out the images and sexual texts to family members if they refused to continue talking to him, sharing personally identifying information, and keep sending sexually explicit images and videos. The FBI has identified 46 of the approximately 100 victims.
Senior Judge Michael P. Mills sentenced Carson to 240 months and a lifetime of supervised release. After his release from prison, Carson will have to register as a sex offender wherever he lives, works, or goes to school. During his supervised release, Carson’s access to electronic devices will be limited.
“Significant sentences like the one handed down to Sean Carson help to ensure that our children are protected from sexual predators who lure children and then attempt to keep them silent,” stated U.S. Attorney Clay Joyner. “AUSA Parker King and our partners at the FBI did some exceptional work in order to prove a difficult case, and this sentence should act as a deterrent to other would be predators as well.”
"This sentence underscores the FBI's commitment to protect our children from sexual exploitation,” said Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Jackson Field Office Robert Eikhoff. “The message is clear, vile predators like Sean Carson will be held to the highest extent of the law. The FBI maintains a commitment to support the USAO and the Tupelo Police Department in aggressively investigating and protecting the innocence of our minors, assuring offenders are brought to justice."
The FBI investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Parker S. King prosecuted the case.
This case was prosecuted as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
Sequoyah County Resident Pleads Guilty to Federal Firearm ChargeRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Shane Edwin Fahrenholz, age 58, of Gore, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to one count of Possession of Firearm After Conviction of a Misdemeanor Crime of Domestic Violence, punishable by up to 15 years in prison and a $250,000.00 fine.
The Indictment alleged that between August 26, 2024, and September 12, 2024, Fahrenholz knowingly possessed a .30-30 lever-action rifle after having been convicted of a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence in the State of Nebraska.
The charge arose from an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Sequoyah County Sheriff’s Office.
The Honorable D. Edward Snow, U.S. Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, accepted the plea and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report.
A U.S. District Court Judge will determine the sentence to be imposed after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Fahrenholz will remain in the custody of the United States Marshals Service pending sentencing.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan E. Soverly represented the United States.
Ohio Man Sentenced to 23 Years in Prison for Attempting to Distribute 7,000 Fentanyl Pills and 10 Pounds of MethRead the Press Release
CLEVELAND – A Summit County man has been sentenced to prison for his role in a drug trafficking conspiracy involving approximately 7,000 fentanyl pills and 10 pounds of methamphetamine.
Terrance Rucker, 43, of Akron, Ohio, was sentenced to 276 months (23 years) in prison by U.S. District Judge Bridget Meehan Brennan after a federal jury found him guilty in April of the following charges as outlined in the indictment:
- Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute Controlled Substances
- Attempted Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine
- Attempted Possession with Intent to Distribute Fentanyl
- Possession with Intent to Distribute Fentanyl
Rucker was also ordered to serve five years of supervised release after imprisonment. Judge Brennan imposed the sentence Oct. 9.
According to the original criminal complaint, underlying affidavit and evidence presented in court, in November 2023, postal inspectors intercepted a suspicious package mailed from Phoenix, Arizona, that was destined for a home in Summit County. The residence was found to be associated with Rucker’s co-defendant, David R. Collins, 44, of Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio, who was known to law enforcement for having a history of drug violations.
Federal law enforcement agents with the U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) obtained a warrant to search the package in question. In it, they found 10 plastic bags filled with an off-white crystalline material. Inspectors also found a second vacuum packed bag containing blue pills marked with “M” on one side and “30” on the other. The package contents were submitted to a forensic lab for analysis and tests confirmed that the white substance was approximately 10 pounds of methamphetamine. The blue tablets were confirmed to be 2.5 pounds of pressed fentanyl which were made to look like pharmaceutical-grade oxycodone hydrochloride pills. After the discovery of the narcotics in the package, agents searched the home that it was destined for and located Rucker with the package that once contained the narcotic substances, as well as a loaded revolver, three cellphones, a box cutter used to open the package, and anti-surveillance equipment.
Collins was previously sentenced to 36 months in prison. A third co-defendant, Javay Cox, 37, of Phoenix, Arizona, was previously sentenced to 70 months in prison. Both Collins and Cox were also ordered to serve three years of supervised release each.
The investigation was conducted by the USPIS, DEA, HSI, and the Summit County Drug Unit, with assistance from the Ohio Narcotics Intelligence Center.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Segev Phillips and Stephanie Wojtasik and for the Northern District of Ohio.
USPIS is the law enforcement branch of the United States Postal Service. To report mail theft or other crimes committed through, or towards, the United States Postal Service, call the USPIS at 1-877-876-2455 or visit uspis.gov/report.
October Federal Grand Jury 2025-A Indictments AnnouncedRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Clint Johnson today announced the results of the October Federal Grand Jury 2025-A 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.
Angel Aviles-Roman. Unlawful Reentry of a Removed Alien. Aviles-Roman, 55, a Mexican national, is charged with unlawfully reentering the United States after having been previously removed in Dec. 2008. Homeland Security Investigations is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Melissa Weems is prosecuting the case. 25-CR-384
Estevan Barron-Ruiz. Unlawful Reentry of a Removed Alien. Barron-Ruiz, 48, a Mexican national, is charged with unlawfully reentering the United States after having been previously removed in Nov. 2014. Homeland Security Investigations is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Augustus Forster is prosecuting the case. 25-CR-381
Jose Luis Bonilla-Hernandez. Possession of Methamphetamine with Intent to Distribute; Maintaining a Drug-Involved Premises; Alien Unlawfully in the United States in Possession of Firearms. Bonilla-Hernandez, 25, a national from El Salvador, is charged with knowingly possessing methamphetamine with intent to distribute and maintaining a residence for drug distribution. Further, Bonilla-Hernandez knew he was in the United States unlawfully and possessed several firearms. The Drug Enforcement Administration Tulsa Resident Office, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney David Nasar is prosecuting the case. 25-CR-371
Anthony Lee George. Drug Conspiracy; Possession of Fentanyl with Intent to Distribute; Maintaining a Drug-Involved Premises. George, 43, of Tulsa, is charged with conspiring to distribute fentanyl from Mar. 2025 through Sep. 2025. He is additionally charged with knowingly possessing fentanyl with intent to distribute and maintaining a residence to distribute drugs. The Drug Enforcement Administration Tulsa Resident Office and the Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mandy Mackenzie is prosecuting the case. 25-CR-373
Ohansica Tresa Ingram. Felon in Possession of a Firearm; Assault with a Dangerous Weapon with Intent to do Bodily Harm in Indian Country. Ingram, 44, of Tulsa and a member of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation, is charged with possessing a firearm, knowing she was previously convicted of felonies. She is further charged with intentionally assaulting the victim with a dangerous weapon with intent to do bodily harm. The FBI, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Tara Heign is prosecuting the case. 25-CR-370
Carlos Juan-Perez. Unlawful Reentry of a Removed Alien. Juan-Perez, 38, a Mexican national, is charged with unlawfully reentering the United States after having been previously removed in Apr. 2014. Homeland Security Investigations is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron Jolly is prosecuting the case. 25-CR-383
Bobby Lee Kirk. Assault of an Intimate/Dating Partner by Strangling and Attempting to Strangle in Indian Country. Kirk, 42, of Tulsa and a member of the Cherokee Nation, is charged with strangling an intimate dating partner. The FBI and the Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Emily Dewhurst is prosecuting the case. 25-CR-386
Eduardo De Jesus Parada Cortez. Drug Conspiracy; Possession of Fentanyl with Intent to Distribute; Alien Unlawfully in the United States in Possession of a Firearm; Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime; Maintaining a Drug Involved Premises. Parada Cortez, 21, a Mexican national, is charged with conspiring to distribute fentanyl from Jul. 2025 through Sep. 2025. He is charged with knowingly possessing more than 400 grams of fentanyl with intent to distribute and possessing a firearm while drug trafficking. Additionally, Parada Cortez is charged with maintaining a residence for drug distribution, and he was knowingly in the United States unlawfully and possessed a firearm. The Drug Enforcement Administration Tulsa Resident Office, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosive, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mandy Mackenzie is prosecuting the case. 25-CR-374
Trevor Wayne Pickett. 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. Pickett, 33, of Pryor and a member of the Cherokee Nation, is charged with intentionally assaulting the victim with a dangerous weapon and discharging a firearm during a crime of violence. The FBI is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney John W. Dowdell is prosecuting the case. 25-CR-380
Remigio Ramirez-Escalante. Unlawful Reentry of a Removed Alien. Ramirez-Escalante, 49, a Mexican national, is charged with unlawfully reentering the United States after having been previously removed in Jan. 1999. Homeland Security Investigations is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles Greenough is prosecuting the case. 25-CR-382
Jose Antonio Ruiz-Perez. Unlawful Reentry of a Removed Alien. Ruiz-Perez, 32, a Mexican national, is charged with unlawfully reentering the United States after having been previously removed in Apr. 2017. Homeland Security Investigations is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alicia Hockenbury is prosecuting the case. 25-CR-379
Kenneth James Sequichie. Failure to Register as a Sex Offender. Sequichie, 46, transient, is an individual who is knowingly required to register as a sex offender. He is charged with failing to register as a sex offender from May through August 2025. The U.S. Marshal Service is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michele Hulgaard is prosecuting the case. 25-CR-375
Keith George Strimple. Failure to Register as a Sex Offender – International Travel (Counts 1 through 3). Strimple, 71, of Tulsa, is an individual who is knowingly required to register as a sex offender and failed to provide information required by the Sex Offender and Notification Act related to international travel on three separate occasions. The U.S. Marshal Service is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michele Hulgaard is prosecuting the case. 25-CR-376
La’Dontae Lavere Taylor. Felon in Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition (Counts 1 & 2); Sex Trafficking (Count 3); Transporting an Individual for Prostitution (Count 4) (second superseding). Taylor, 27, of Tulsa, is charged with possessing a firearm and ammunition in Dec. 2024 and Feb. 2025, knowing he was previously convicted of felonies. He is charged with benefiting financially from recruiting, harboring, and providing transportation for two individuals to engage in commercial sex acts from Oct. 2022 through the date of the second indictment. Lastly, Taylor is charged with transporting a person to engage in prostitution and other sexual activities. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorneys John W. Dowdell and Kenneth Elmore are prosecuting the case. 25-CR-134
New York State Attorney General IndictedRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – Lindsey Halligan, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, announced today that a federal grand jury returned an indictment charging New York State Attorney General Letitia James with Bank Fraud under 18 U.S.C. Section 1344 and False Statements to a Financial Institution under 18 U.S.C. Section 1014.
“No one is above the law. The charges as alleged in this case represent intentional, criminal acts and tremendous breaches of the public’s trust,” said U.S. Attorney Halligan. “The facts and the law in this case are clear, and we will continue following them to ensure that justice is served.”
If convicted, Letitia James faces penalties including up to 30 years in prison per count, up to a $1 million fine on each count, and forfeiture. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
An indictment is merely an accusation. The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty.
LeFlore County Resident Pleads Guilty to Aggravated Sexual AbuseRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Ronald Craig Summers, age 34, of Spiro, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to a Superseding Indictment of one count of Aggravated Sexual Abuse in Indian Country, punishable by 30 years to life in prison and a fine of up to $250,000.
The Superseding Indictment alleged that between January 2024 and continuing until October 7, 2024, Summers knowingly engaged in a sexual act with a person who had not attained the age of 12 years.
The crime occurred in LeFlore County, within the boundaries of the Choctaw Nation Reservation, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma.
The charge arose from an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Department of Human Services.
The Honorable Jason A. Robertson, U.S. Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, accepted the plea and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report.
A U.S. District Court Judge will determine the sentence to be imposed after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Summers will remain in the custody of the United States Marshals Service pending sentencing.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Morgan Muzljakovich and Nicole Paladino represented the United States.
Houston man sentenced to nearly two decades in prison after committing two armed robberiesRead 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 25-year-old Houston man has been ordered to prison for committing two aggravated robberies with a firearm, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
Eric Suarez-Maldonado pleaded guilty May 25.
U.S. District Judge George Hanks has now ordered Suarez-Maldonado to serve a total of 231 months in federal prison - 63 months for robberies with a consecutive 168 months for using firearms during the crimes. The sentence will be followed by three years of supervised release. In imposing the sentence, Judge Hanks noted that the victims will be haunted by Suarez-Maldonado’s actions for the rest of their lives, and there must be consequences for those actions.
On or about Oct. 18, 2023, Suarez-Maldonado entered the 7-Eleven located at 12776 East Freeway in Houston with a ski mask. He immediately ran to the clerk and put a firearm in her face, demanding money from the register. He then left in a waiting get-away vehicle.
Approximately 10 minutes later, law enforcement responded to another armed robbery, this time at a Valero located at 7501 Lyons in Houston. The investigation revealed Suarez-Maldonado had entered the store with a firearm and pointed it at the victim clerk while demanding money from the register before fleeing the scene.
Authorities identified him and took him into custody following a short high-speed chase. Suarez-Maldondo was in possession of a firearm that matched the firearm seen on surveillance videos during the robberies.
He has been and will remain in custody pending transfer to a Federal Bureau of Prison facility to be determined in the near future.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives conducted the investigation with the assistance of Houston Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jill Jenkins Stotts prosecuted the case.
Former refugee sentenced to 12 years for providing material support to ISISRead 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 28-year-old former Iraqi refugee and legal permanent resident of Richmond has been sentenced for providing material support to a designated foreign terrorist organization, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
Abdulrahman Mohammed Hafedh Alqaysi pleaded guilty March 7.
U.S. District Judge Alfred Bennett has now ordered Alqaysi to serve 144 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by three years of supervised release. In handing down the sentence, the court noted the gravity of the offense and how Alqaysi’s conduct affected not only Americans, but the entire international community. Alqaysi is also expected to lose his immigration status in the United States.
“The American people generously allowed Alqaysi to live in the United States,” said Ganjei. “Alqaysi betrayed that hospitality by helping ISIS, a terrorist organization that has murdered Americans and countless other innocent people. This sentence sends a clear message: If you help terrorist organizations, the Southern District of Texas will send you to prison for a long, long time.”
Alqaysi admitted to providing material support and resources to the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham.
From 2015 to 2020, Alqaysi provided his computer expertise to develop and post logos for a media arm of the ISIS group known as the Kalachnikov team. He further sent hacking videos and instructions to ISIS members in addition to stolen credit card information and fraudulently created identity documents.
He will remain in custody pending transfer to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
The FBI Houston Joint Terrorism Task Force conducted the investigation with the assistance of Immigration Customs Enforcement - Homeland Security Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Heather Winter prosecuted the case along with National Security Division Trial Attorney Michael Dittoe.
Former Centre Police Department Officer Sentenced to Four Years in Prison for Drug-Planting SchemeRead the Press Release
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – A former Centre Police Department officer has been sentenced for his role in a scheme to falsify drug arrests by planting narcotics on innocent motorists, announced U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona.
Chief U.S. District Judge R. David Proctor sentenced Michael Kilgore, 40, of Centre, Alabama, to 48 months in prison. In November 2024, Kilgore pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances, specifically methamphetamine.
According to the information and plea agreement, Kilgore’s scheme began in January 2023, when he stopped a car and found various drugs. Kilgore offered the driver the chance to avoid drug charges by working for Kilgore. The driver accepted and became a co-conspirator in Kilgore’s drug-planting scheme.
Kilgore and his co-conspirator then arranged for a package containing methamphetamine, oxycodone, and marijuana to be attached to the undercarriage of a certain vehicle. On January 31, 2023, Kilgore performed a fraudulent traffic stop of that vehicle and “discovered” the drug package where he knew it had been planted. The vehicle’s driver and passenger were detained for drug possession.
Kilgore and his co-conspirator planned to repeat the scheme on another vehicle. But, after buying the drugs to be planted, Kilgore’s co-conspirator discarded the drugs and reported the scheme to law enforcement.
The FBI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brett A. Janich prosecuted the case.
Former Casino Accounts Payable Manager Sentenced for Embezzlement and Tax FraudRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Michael Anthony Houser, age 36, formerly of Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 70 months in prison for one count of Theft Concerning Programs Receiving Federal Funds and 36 months in prison for one count of Tax Fraud. The counts are set to be served concurrently. Houser was also ordered to pay $17,337,949.50 in restitution to the Muscogee (Creek) Nation and $8,205,834.00 in restitution to the Internal Revenue Service.
The charges arose from an investigation by the U.S. Secret Service and the Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigation.
On February 20, 2025, Houser pleaded guilty to the charges. According to investigators, between July 2016 and February 2024, while serving as a manager for the Muscogee (Creek) Nation Gaming Operations Authority Board (later known as the Muscogee Nation Gaming Enterprises, LLC), Houser embezzled and obtained by fraud property owned by the Muscogee (Creek) Nation. Through this scheme, Houser embezzled $24,907,436.07, which represented funds owned by and under the care, custody, and control of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation and its agencies, all programs receiving federal funds.
In addition to this theft, Houser failed to disclose the stolen proceeds as income for purposes of filing federal income taxes throughout the course of the ongoing criminal scheme. During the tax years 2016 through 2022, Houser knowingly and intentionally underreported his Adjusted Gross income to the Internal Revenue Service. In Tax Year 2022, Houser failed to report $7,851,027,28 in income. In total, Houser’s false and fraudulent tax filings deprived the U.S. Treasury of $8,205,834.00 in payments Houser owed as a result of the embezzled proceeds.
“I am proud of the work conducted by our special agents in this case to ensure that justice was brought to the Muscogee (Creek) Nation. The U.S. Secret Service at its origin was created to identify, monitor and bring to justice those who seek to defraud,” said Special Agent in Charge Kyle Smith, Oklahoma Field Office. “Protecting our communities here in Oklahoma is a mission we take very seriously, and I am grateful for the strong partnership we share with the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation as we work together to bring fraudsters to justice.”
“Stealing from the community you are entrusted to serve is a serious betrayal,” said Christopher J. Altemus Jr., Special Agent in Charge, IRS Criminal Investigation Dallas Field Office. “Mr. Houser’s crimes harmed the Muscogee (Creek) Nation and undermined trust in public and tribal institutions. By stealing from the Muscogee (Creek) Nation and falsifying his tax return, Mr. Houser not only defrauded his employer but also the American public. The women and men of IRS-CI are proud to have worked alongside the U.S. Secret Service and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma to uncover this fraud and hold Mr. Houser accountable for his crimes.”
“The United States Attorney’s Office is committed to pursuing and prosecuting those who defraud Tribal nations in the Eastern District of Oklahoma,” said United States Attorney Christopher J. Wilson. “In this case, we were honored to join together with our partners in the Muscogee (Creek) Nation and federal law enforcement to promote the mutual protection of Tribal assets and resources.”
The Honorable Ronald A. White, Chief U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over the hearing. Houser will self-report on November 10, 2025, to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kara Traster, T. Cameron McEwen, and Clay Compton represented the United States.
Checotah Resident Pleads Guilty to Distributing MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Jason Duane Henrichs, age 47, of Checotah, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to an Information of one count of Distribution of Methamphetamine, punishable by 5 to 40 years in prison and a $5,000,000 fine.
The Information alleged that on November 22, 2022, Henrichs knowingly and intentionally distributed 5 grams or more of methamphetamine, a Schedule II controlled substance.
The charge arose from an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics.
The Honorable Jason A. Robertson, U.S. Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, accepted the plea and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report.
A U.S. District Court Judge will determine the sentence to be imposed after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Henrichs will remain in the custody of the United States Marshals Service pending sentencing.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jordan W. Howanitz represented the United States.
Buffalo man going to prison for receipt of child pornographyRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Odilio A. Gonzalez, 30, of Kenmore, NY, who was convicted of receipt of child pornography, was sentenced to serve 20 years in prison, 10 years supervised release, and ordered to pay $6,000 in restitution to the victims, by U.S. District Judge Richard J. Arcara.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron J. Mango, who handled the case, stated that between July 8 and August 2020, Gonzalez engaged in sexual communications with an 11-year-old minor female (Victim) using Instagram. During these communications, Gonzalez persuaded the Victim to create sexually explicit images and videos of herself and send them to him. Gonzalez also received child pornography using the internet, which he saved on his cellular telephone, and in social media accounts. In total, 30 images and 89 videos of child pornography were recovered. Some of the images and videos contained depictions of violence against children.
The sentencing is the result of an investigation the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Philip Tejera and the Tonawanda Police Department, under the direction of Chief James Stauffiger.
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Bryan County Resident Sentenced for Federal Drug ChargeRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Sean Paul Duer, age 58, of Durant, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 75 months in prison for one count of Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine.
The charge arose from an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Durant Police Department.
On May 8, 2025, Duer pleaded guilty to the charge. According to investigators, on May 15, 2024, law enforcement executing a search warrant on Duer’s impounded vehicle discovered a plastic baggie containing approximately 33 grams of white crystalline methamphetamine hidden by Duer inside the door panel.
The Honorable Ronald A. White, Chief U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over the hearing. Duer will remain in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Richard J. Lorenz represented the United States.
Bryan County Resident Sentenced for False Statement During Purchase of A FirearmRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Jonathon Mark Brinlee, age 40, of Calera, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 12 months and one day in prison for one count of False Statement During Purchase of a Firearm.
The charge arose from an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Choctaw Nation Lighthorse Police.
On April 3, 2025, Brinlee pleaded guilty to the charge. According to investigators, on November 11, 2024, while attempting to redeem a pistol from a Durant pawn broker, Brinlee checked “No” to Question 22i on Form 4473 asking whether the applicant was under any protective order. Brinlee had been served in person just two days earlier with a protective order from the Choctaw Nation Tribal Court.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
The Honorable Ronald A. White, Chief U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over the hearing. Brinlee will remain in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending transportation to a designated prison facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan E. Soverly represented the United States.
Amory Man Sentenced for Sex Trafficking of MinorsRead the Press Release
OXFORD, MS – An Amory, Mississippi man was sentenced today to 15 years in prison for sex trafficking of minors.
According to court documents, Steven Gaston Colburn, 70 years old, was convicted of recruiting, enticing, maintaining, providing, and soliciting minors under the age of 14 years old to engage in sexual acts for money or drugs. Colburn is accused of picking minor females who had difficult or unstable upbringings and paying them to commit sexual acts. Colburn paid the girls to attend church with him as well as engaging in sex acts.
Eight victims came forward during the investigation to bravely tell their stories. The victims sent in impact statements which were considered by the Court. Senior Judge Michael P. Mills sentenced Colburn to 180 months in prison followed by 5 years of supervised release. Judge Mills noted the bravery and courage of each of the victims.
“By incarcerating this defendant for what is functionally a life sentence, Judge Mills has ensured that no other minor will have to endure victimization at his hands,” stated U.S. Attorney Clay Joyner. “I would like to personally commend the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office, the FBI, the Mississippi Attorney General’s Office and our partners with District Attorney Jason Herring’s Office for an investigation that looks like it will result in Colburn never breathing free air again.”
“This individual has victimized children in our county for generations,” said Monroe County Sheriff Kevin Crook. “He manipulated and abused young women until they reached their twenties and then went after their children. He has left in his wake a number of victims who now struggle with substance abuse disorder resulting from his abuse. From the time we made the arrest, our District Attorney’s Office and the U.S. Attorney’s Office Northern District worked with us to ensure Colburn was not able to get out of jail and hurt anyone else. I am grateful for the countless hours that our Investigators put into this case and to know this man’s reign of victimization is over in Monroe County.”
“This case demonstrates the power of creating a statewide network of law enforcement trained in cyber forensics and dedicated to the safety of our children online,” said Attorney General Lynn Fitch. “We are proud to partner with law enforcement agencies across Mississippi, including the Monroe County Sheriff’s Department, through our Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force. I am grateful for the work of the U.S. Attorney's Office to secure this federal sentence. The collaboration with our ICAC Task Force is precisely the kind of partnership that is necessary to protect children from abuse.”
“Safeguarding our society’s future begins with protecting underage youth in our communities from vile individuals like, Steven Colburn,” stated Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Jackson Field Office Robert Eikhoff. “Those who commit these heinous crimes against our youth, deteriorating the safety of our society, will be sought after and brought to justice. The FBI has great resolve to pursue justice for the predators who seek to exploit the youth of our communities and stands firm with the USAO and the Monroe County Sheriff's Department in protecting our most vulnerable population - our children."
The Monroe County Sheriff’s Department and the FBI investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Parker S. King prosecuted the case.
This case was prosecuted as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
8 October 2025
“K pack” sales earn Houston area man federal prison sentenceRead 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 35-year-old Cypress resident has been ordered to prison following his conviction for possession of methamphetamine, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
Jessie King pleaded guilty Nov. 20, 2023.
U.S. District Judge George C. Hanks Jr. ordered King to serve 60 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by five years of supervised release. In handing down the sentence, the court noted the amount of methamphetamine and the fact that King hurt people through his trafficking.
The investigation began Nov. 17, 2020, after authorities discovered a phone call between Jessie King and Billy Ray Ashley about obtaining “whites.” Later that day, King arrived at the location where Ashley was staying, went inside briefly, then left.
Law enforcement followed King and saw him conduct a suspected drug transaction. They were able to recover two “K packs” (packages containing 1,000 pills each) weighing over 700 grams which tested positive for methamphetamine.
King will remain in custody pending transfer to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
Billy Ray Ashley previously pleaded guilty Feb. 7 and was sentenced to 120 months.
The FBI conducted the investigation with assistance from Houston Police Department and Texas Department of Public Safety.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys John Lewis and John Ganz prosecuted the case.
Turner Man Sentenced to More than 17 Years in Federal Prison for Drug Trafficking in Central OregonRead the Press Release
EUGENE, Ore.— A Turner, Oregon, man was sentenced to more than 17 years in federal prison today for drug trafficking following a multi-agency investigation led by the Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office (DCSO).
Ryan Gossett, 39, was sentenced to 210 months in federal prison and five years of supervised release.
According to court documents, on April 26, 2024, Gossett was apprehended in Bend, Oregon after fleeing prosecution in Marion County, Oregon for armed robbery. When apprehended, Gossett was in possession of a handgun and small amounts of methamphetamine and fentanyl. Two days later, investigators with the DCSO Criminal Detectives Division executed a search warrant on Gossett’s vehicle, locating over 900 grams of methamphetamine, 330 grams of fentanyl, and firearm magazines.
Gossett has multiple prior convictions for delivery of a controlled substance.
Gossett was indicted on June 20, 2024, and pled guilty on July 9, 2025, to a single count of Possession with Intent to Distribute more than 500 grams of Methamphetamine.
The case was investigated by the DCSO with assistance from the Central Oregon Drug Enforcement Team, and the United States Marshals Service. It was prosecuted by Andrew R. Doyle, Special Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon.
Suspected Tren de Aragua Member Pleads Guilty to Illegal Firearms PossessionRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – A Venezuelan national and suspected member of a transnational criminal organization has pleaded guilty to illegally possessing firearms and conspiring to destroy evidence after posting photos and videos of himself with weapons on social media.
According to court documents, Cristhian Ortega-Lopez, 23, a Venezuelan national, illegally entered the United States on December 15, 2023, and was released pending removal proceedings. In January 2025, Homeland Security Investigations received an anonymous tip that Ortega-Lopez, a suspected member of the Tren de Aragua transnational criminal organization and U.S.-designated Foreign Terrorist Organization, was living in Las Cruces and in possession of firearms.
Ortega-Lopez posted numerous photos and videos to his Facebook and TikTok accounts showing him handling, displaying, and shooting various firearms at a Las Cruces shooting range and other locations. On December 24, 2024, Ortega-Lopez posted photos and videos of himself at the residence of April Cano, a social media influencer and gun enthusiast, holding a rifle with tactical equipment while wearing a ballistic helmet with night vision goggles. In the videos, Ortega-Lopez referred to April Cano's parents, Nancy and Jose Cano, as "Patron" and "Patrona," and told an informant he had received a firearm as a Christmas gift from the Cano family.
Ortega-Lopez worked for the Cano family and received housing in return. Additionally, the Cano family took Ortega-Lopez to the shooting range to fire weapons and allowed him access to firearms.
On February 28, 2025, agents executed search warrants and seized four firearms from April Cano's residence. During a post-Miranda interview, Ortega-Lopez admitted he recognized all four firearms and knew it was illegal for him to possess them. On April 20, 2025, Ortega-Lopez conspired with another person to destroy his Facebook account to avoid the contents being used against him at trial.
Nancy and Jose Cano were indicted this week on charges related to tampering with evidence. Nancy Cano faces charges of conspiracy to tamper with evidence, while Jose Cano is charged with both conspiracy to tamper with evidence and tampering with evidence. Both remain on conditions of release pending trial, which has not been scheduled.
Ortega-Lopez pleaded guilty to alien in possession of a firearm and ammunition and conspiracy to tamper with evidence. At sentencing, Ortega-Lopez faces up to 20 years in prison.
Acting U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison and Jason T. Stevens, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) El Paso, made the announcement today.
Homeland Security Investigations investigated this case with assistance from the FBI, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and U.S. Customs and Border Protection. Senior Litigation Counsel Maria Y. Armijo, Supervisory Assistant U.S. Attorney Randy Castellano and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth Tonkin are prosecuting the case 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. [use if applicable] Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) and Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN).
Portland Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Armed Bank RobberyRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Ore. – A Portland, Oregon man was sentenced to federal prison today after robbing a KeyBank branch with a loaded gun.
James Michael Wallace, 55, is a career offender and was sentenced to 151 months in federal prison and five years of supervised release. He was also ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $6,437 for losses associated with this and other robberies.
According to court documents, on February 28, 2025, Wallace entered the KeyBank branch located on Woodstock Avenue in Portland. Wallace approached a teller and pressed a loaded gun to the teller’s torso demanding the teller open the cash drawer. Wallace left the bank with $856 in cash, leaving behind his gun. At the time of the robbery, Wallace was on federal supervision for a prior federal bank robbery conviction.
On August 27, 2025, Wallace pleaded guilty to a one-count information charging him with Armed Bank Robbery.
This case was investigated by the Portland Police Bureau and the Federal Bureau of Investigation and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Katherine A. Rykken.
Pittsburg County Resident Pleads Guilty to Failure to Register as Sex OffenderRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Sammy Monroe Ebarb, Jr., age 40, of Longtown, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to one count of Failure to Register as Sex Offender, punishable by up to 10 years in prison and a $250,000.00 fine.
The Indictment alleged that Ebarb was convicted of First Degree Rape in the District Court of Latimer County, Oklahoma, on May 20, 2003, and was required to register as a sex offender, and that from November 2024 to February 2025, Ebarb failed to register and update his registration despite entering, leaving, or residing in Indian country, within the Eastern District of Oklahoma.
The charge arose from an investigation by the U.S. Marshals Violent Crimes Fugitive Task Force and the Pittsburg County Sheriff’s Office.
The Honorable Jason A. Robertson, U.S. Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, accepted the plea and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report.
A U.S. District Court Judge will determine the sentence to be imposed after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Ebarb will remain in the custody of the United States Marshals Service pending sentencing.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Morgan Muzljakovich represented the United States.
McCurtain County Resident Sentenced for Federal Drug CrimeRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Anna Marie Scoles, age 38, of Valliant, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 60 months in prison for one count of Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine.
The charge arose from an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Oklahoma Highway Patrol.
On April 2, 2025, Scoles pleaded guilty to the charge. According to investigators, on August 4, 2024, a trooper conducting a traffic stop on Old Golden Highway in Broken Bow, Oklahoma, discovered Scoles in possession of a large bag of white crystalline substance. In total, Scoles possessed over 76 grams of methamphetamine, a Schedule II controlled substance, which she intended to distribute.
The Honorable Ronald A. White, Chief U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over the hearing. Scoles will remain in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Richard J. Lorenz represented the United States.
Man Admits Making Threats to St. Louis Office of the NAACPRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – A Warrenton, Missouri man on Wednesday admitted making threats directed at the St. Louis office of the NAACP.
Darryl Jaspering, 62, of Warrenton, Missouri, pleaded guilty to one count of interference with federally protected activities. Jaspering admitted writing a racist, profane and threatening message on the NAACP’s online contact page, including threats to “blow your… head off” and “bust you… with a… Hatchet and make you bleed….”
Jaspering is scheduled to be sentenced on February 5.
"Darryl Jaspering’s guilty plea should send a clear message that the FBI is serious about investigating hate crimes. Threats and acts of violence against any group, especially those based on race, religion, or any other characteristic, will not be tolerated," warned Special Agent in Charge Chris Crocker. "We are committed to ensuring all members of our community can live and work without fear of being targeted for who they are. FBI St. Louis stands as a strong partner in protecting the rights and safety of everyone in our region."
The FBI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christine Krug is prosecuting the case.
This press release was posted November 19, after the end of the federal government shutdown.
Illegal Alien Pleads Guilty to Unlawful ReentryRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Jaime Yair Arellano-Perez, age 37, a Mexican national unlawfully present in Sequoyah County, Oklahoma, pleaded guilty to a one count Felony Information of Unlawful Reentry of Removed Alien, punishable by a term of imprisonment of not more than ten years, and a fine of not more than $250,000.00.
The charge arose from an investigation by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Immigration and Customs Enforcement Division and the Oklahoma Highway Patrol.
The Information alleged that on October 1, 2025, an alien, was found in the United States without obtaining the express consent of the Secretary of Homeland Security to reapply for admission to the United States after having been previously removed on June 25, 2012, October 16, 2014, and August 26, 2015.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
The Honorable D. Edward Snow, U.S. Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, accepted the plea and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report.
A U.S. District Court Judge will determine the sentence to be imposed after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Arellano-Perez will remain in the custody of the United States Marshals Service pending sentencing.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Dak T. Cohen represented the United States.
Hinsdale Man Indicted for Stealing Approximately $345,000 from His EmployerRead the Press Release
Hinsdale Man Indicted for Stealing Approximately $345,000 From His Employer
CONCORD – A Hinsdale man was indicted for embezzling almost $345,000 from his employer, U.S. Attorney Erin Creegan announces.
Michael Darcy, 48, was charged with five counts of Bank Fraud.
According to the indictment, Darcy was the Operations Manager for his employer. As Operations Manager, Darcy oversaw the day-to-day work of the company and had access to the company checkbook. Beginning in December 2019, and continuing through December 2024, Darcy forged the owner’s signature to draft dozens of unauthorized checks on the company’s checking account. Darcy concealed the purpose of the payments by entering them under false headings in accounting records. He sometimes also listed false entries in the memo line on the checks. For example, on December 7, 2023, Darcy drafted a $5,722 check payable to himself for “Stamps.” Overall, Darcy is alleged to have embezzled $344,874.47 from his employer.
The charging statute provides a sentence of up to 30 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $1 million. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
The Hinsdale Police Department, FBI, and IRS Criminal Investigations led the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexander S. Chen 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.
Garvin County Resident Pleads Guilty to Theft of Government PropertyRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Walter James Morris, age 38, of Stratford, Oklahoma, pleaded guilty to a one-count Information of Misdemeanor Theft of Government Property, punishable by up to 12 months in prison, and up to a $100,000.00 fine.
The Information alleged that on July 10, 2025, within the Eastern District of Oklahoma, Morris knowingly stole a Personal Identity Verification card belonging to the United States Department of Justice with a value not exceeding $1,000.
The charge arose from an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
The Honorable Jason A. Robertson, U.S. Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, accepted the plea and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jacob R. Parker represented the United States.
Gang members receive additional sentences for assaulting federal officersRead 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 – Three additional Pasia gang members have been sentenced for their roles in the assault of two federal correctional officers, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
Mexican national Oscar Ambrocio Hernandez, 25, pleaded guilty in April, while Ruben Gonzalez-Balderas, 29, also of Mexico, and Roger Emmanuel Lemus, 42, Guatemala, entered their pleas in July.
U.S. District Judge Drew B. Tipton has now imposed a 137-month term of imprisonment for Gonzalez-Balderas, while Lemus and Hernandez received 126 and 57 months, respectively. Not U.S. citizens, all are expected to face removal proceedings following their imprisonment. In handing down the sentences, the court noted surveillance footage of the assault as well as photos displaying each inmate assaulting the officers. At the hearing, the court heard about a drug trafficking conviction for Lemus as well as Gonzalez’s extensive criminal history which includes a conviction for burglary and alien smuggling.
“Federal correctional officers are essential to protecting the public,” said Ganjei. “They perform the critical and difficult task of ensuring that those in custody remain behind bars. The Southern District of Texas will seek severe punishment for criminals or detainees who do them harm.”
In January, 12 inmates at the East Hidalgo Detention Center assaulted two federal correctional officers. The inmates, who were already in custody pending federal immigration charges, outnumbered the officers and repeatedly punched and kicked them. They were housed in a gang-designated unit within the facility. One inmate wielded a sock with a bar of soap as a weapon during the assault. One correctional officer sustained injuries that resulted in multiple staples in his forehead.
Bryan Hernandez-Ruiz, 25, Francisco Antonio Hernandez-Mora, 27, Adrian David Guzman-Salas, 28, David Ramirez-Bautista, 21, Roberto Fabian Garza-Castaneda, 49, Jose Alberto Resendez-Hernandez, 27, and Jose Ramos-Lerma, 45, all of Mexico, also pleaded guilty and were previously sentenced Sept. 10 to terms ranging from 48-114 months.
All have been and will remain in custody.
The FBI and U.S. Marshals Service conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Laura Garcia and Avery Benitez 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 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.
Former Gastonia Police Officer Pleads Guilty to Straw Purchasing A FirearmRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – On October 8, 2025, Xana Dayanae Dove, 28, and a former Gastonia police officer, appeared in federal court and pleaded guilty to straw purchasing a firearm, announced Russ Ferguson, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina.
James C. Barnacle, Jr., Special Agent in Charge of the FBI in North Carolina, and Alicia Jones, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Charlotte Field Division, join U.S. Attorney Ferguson in making today’s announcement.
According to filed plea documents and the court hearing, on May 25, 2023, Dove purchased a Springfield Hellcat Pro, 9mm pistol from Shooters Express, a licensed firearms dealer located in Belmont, North Carolina. As Dove admitted in court, in completing the purchase, she made a false and fictitious written statement when she falsely stated on ATF’s Firearms Transaction Record Form 4473 that she was the actual transferee/buyer of the firearm when the defendant knew this statement was false and fictitious.
Dove was released on bond following the plea hearing. At sentencing, she faces up to 10 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence imposed after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing date for Dove has not been set.
In making today’s announcement, U.S. Attorney Ferguson commended the FBI and ATF for their work on the investigation, and thanked Homeland Security Investigations, the North Carolina Department of Adult Correction’s Community Supervision, and the Gastonia Police Department for their assistance with Dove’s apprehension.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Dana Washington with the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte 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 (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).
Florida Man Arrested on Federal Criminal Complaint Alleging He Maliciously Started What Became the Palisades FireRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – A former Pacific Palisades resident now living in Florida has been arrested on a federal criminal complaint charging him with maliciously starting what eventually became the Palisades Fire of January 2025, one of the most destructive wildfires in Los Angeles history, the Justice Department announced today.
Jonathan Rinderknecht, 29, a.k.a. “Jonathan Rinder,” and “Jon Rinder,” of Melbourne, Florida, is charged with destruction of property by means of fire. He was arrested Tuesday and is expected to make his initial appearance today in United States District Court for the Middle District of Florida.
“The complaint alleges that a single person’s recklessness caused one of the worst fires Los Angeles has ever seen, resulting in death and widespread destruction in Pacific Palisades,” said Acting United States Attorney Bill Essayli. “While we cannot bring back what victims lost, we hope this criminal case brings some measure of justice to those affected by this horrific tragedy.”
“At the request of state and local authorities, ATF took the lead in this complex investigation utilizing techniques unique to our agency's capabilities,” said Special Agent in Charge Kenny Cooper of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Los Angeles Field Division. “The horrific loss of life and property was significantly felt by ATF members, and we are honored to utilize our expertise to provide answers to this community. We remain committed to serving with integrity and distinction.”
According to an affidavit filed with the complaint, law enforcement determined that the Palisades Fire was a “holdover” fire – a continuation of the Lachman Fire that began early in the morning on New Year’s Day 2025. Although firefighters quickly suppressed the Lachman Fire, unbeknownst to anyone the fire continued to smolder and burn underground within the root structure of dense vegetation.
On January 7, heavy winds caused the underground fire to surface and spread above ground in what became known as the Palisades Fire, which caused widespread damage in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood of Los Angeles.
Law enforcement determined – using witness statements, video surveillance, cellphone data, and analysis of fire dynamics and patterns at the scene, among other things – that Rinderknecht maliciously set the Lachman Fire just after midnight on January 1 on land owned by the Mountains Recreation and Conservation Authority (MRCA), an organization that received federal funding. A week later, the same fire – then known as the Palisades Fire – burned federal property.
On the evening of December 31, 2024, Rinderknecht was working as an Uber driver. Two passengers that he drove on separate trips between 10:15 p.m. and 11:15 p.m. that night later told law enforcement they remembered that Rinderknecht appeared agitated and angry.
After dropping off a passenger in Pacific Palisades, Rinderknecht – who once lived in that neighborhood – drove towards Skull Rock Trailhead, parked his car, attempted to contact a former friend, and walked up the trail. He then used his iPhone to take videos at a nearby hilltop area and listened to a rap song – to which he had listened repeatedly in previous days – whose music video included things being lit on fire.
At 12:12 a.m. on January 1, 2025, environmental sensing platforms indicated the Lachman Fire had begun. During the next five minutes, Rinderknecht called 911 several times, but didn’t get through because his iPhone was out of cellphone range. When he finally connected with 911, he was at the bottom of the hiking trail and reported the fire. By that point, a nearby resident already had reported the fire to authorities.
Rinderknecht then fled in his car, passing fire engines driving in the opposite direction. He then turned around and followed the fire engines to the scene, driving at a high rate of speed. Rinderknecht walked up the same trail from earlier that night to watch the fire and the firefighters. At approximately 1:02 a.m., he used his iPhone to take more videos of the scene.
During an interview with law enforcement on January 24, 2025, Rinderknecht lied about where he was when he first saw the Lachman Fire. He claimed he was near the bottom of a hiking trail when he first saw the fire and called 911, but geolocation data from his iPhone carrier showed that he was standing in a clearing 30 feet from the fire as it rapidly grew.
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.
If convicted, Rinderknecht would face a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in federal prison and a statutory maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison.
ATF is investigating this matter, with substantial assistance from the Los Angeles Police Department and the United States Forest Service.
Assistant United States Attorneys Mark A. Williams, Matthew W. O’Brien, and Danbee C. Kim of the Environmental Crimes and Consumer Protection Section, and Assistant United States Attorney Laura A. Alexander of the Public Corruption and Civil Rights Section are prosecuting this case.
If you are a victim of the Palisades Fire, updates about this criminal case can be found on this website:
https://www.justice.gov/usao-cdca/united-states-v-jonathan-rinderknecht
Fleeing illegal alien accused of murdering woman in custody after manhunt, charged with federal weapons violationRead the Press Release
VICTORIA, Texas – A 41-year-old illegal alien from Cambodia has been charged with unlawfully possessing a weapon following the shooting death of a woman in Victoria, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
Savin Seng aka “Two-Face” had illegally resided in Victoria and is now in federal custody pending a detention hearing set for Oct. 10 at 10 a.m. At his initial appearance, the court heard that he is an admitted gang member.
According to the criminal complaint, a shooting incident occurred at a residence in the Telferner community outside Victoria Oct. 3. Authorities had allegedly found a female victim deceased from a gunshot wound to the head. The charges allege the shooter had left his cell phone and fled the scene.
An image on the phone showed a man holding a Glock pistol with an extended magazine, according to the charges. The criminal complaint alleges the man was Seng, whom a witness had identified as the murder suspect.
Court documents allege Seng also had an active arrest warrant from 2022 for another homicide in Los Angeles, California.
Law enforcement allegedly located Seng less than a mile from the scene of the shooting and took him into custody. At the time of his arrest, he had a loaded Glock 17, 9mm pistol in his shorts along with a loaded 31-round extended magazine, according to the allegations.
The charges allege Seng had illegally entered the United States as a child and never held lawful immigration status in the country. Court documents allege he had been ordered removed as an aggravated felon in April 2016 but had not been physically removed. He has been in custody in California, Georgia and Louisiana, according to court records.
The criminal complaint further alleges Seng has had possession of several guns while remaining in the United States illegally.
“The presence of armed, illegal-alien gang members in our midst is a threat to public safety,” Ganjei said. “The Southern District of Texas is determined to remove each and every one of them from our streets.”
If convicted, Seng faces up to 10 years in federal prison as well as a possible $250,000 maximum fine.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement – Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation with the assistance of Victoria County Sheriff’s Office and Los Angeles, California, Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Patti Hubert Booth 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.
Eufaula Resident Sentenced for Second Degree Murder in Indian CountryRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that William Clayton Brown, age 42, of Eufaula, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 300 months in prison for one count of Murder in Indian Country—Second Degree. The Court ordered the sentence to be served consecutive to a life sentence Brown is serving for one count of Murder in Indian Country—First Degree in a separate case.
The charge arose from an investigation by the Eufaula Police Department, the District 25 Violent Crime Task Force, the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
On July 11, 2025, Brown pleaded guilty to the charge. According to investigators, on September 15, 2017, Brown fatally stabbed the victim in the head and back with a knife, then attempted to hide the body in a field.
The crime occurred in McIntosh County, within the boundaries of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation Reservation, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma.
The Honorable David C. Joseph, U.S. District Court Judge in the United States District Court for the Western District of Louisiana, sitting by assignment, presided over the hearing in Muskogee, Oklahoma. Brown will remain in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration.
Assistant U.S. Attorney T. Cameron McEwen represented the United States.
Concord Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Federal Prison for Role in Conspiracy to Distribute Methamphetamine and FentanylRead the Press Release
Concord Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Federal Prison for
Role in Conspiracy to Distribute Methamphetamine and Fentanyl
CONCORD – A Concord man was sentenced on October 8, 2025, for conspiring to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl, U.S. Attorney Erin Creegan announces.
Alton Ryan, 52, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Steven McAuliffe to 125 months in federal prison and 3 years of supervised release. On March 11, 2025, the defendant pleaded guilty to the charge.
“Despite prior drug trafficking convictions, Alton Ryan continued to distribute fentanyl and methamphetamine, this time with weapons readily available,” said U.S. Attorney Creegan. “Repeat offenders who endanger our communities by pushing dangerous drugs while armed will face significant consequences for their crimes.”
According to court documents and statements made in court, between 2022 and 2023, the defendant distributed fentanyl and methamphetamine, culminating in a high-speed chase where the defendant possessed a distribution level quantity of cocaine, guns, and other weapons.
“Alton Ryan was a significant danger to the people of New Hampshire,” said Ted E. Docks, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Boston Division. “This career criminal demonstrated a blatant disregard for public safety – not only by distributing large amounts of methamphetamine and fentanyl in Granite State communities, but also by leading law enforcement on high-speed chase in a vehicle stashed with multiple firearms, a machete, and body armor as he attempted to evade officers during a traffic stop. The FBI remains committed to working with our state and local partners to remove violent criminals peddling lethal drugs from our streets.”
The Federal Bureau of Investigation Major Offender Task Force in partnership with the New Hampshire State Police led the investigation. The Concord Police Department, Franklin Police Department, and New Hampton Police Department provided valuable assistance. Assistant U.S. Attorney Heather Cherniske 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).
Bryan County Resident Sentenced for Failure to Register as Sex OffenderRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Dock Lee Shoemaker, age 61, of Calera, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 36 months in prison for one count of Failure to Register as Sex Offender.
The charge arose from an investigation by the U.S. Marshals Service.
On June 3, 2025, Shoemaker pleaded guilty to the charge. According to investigators, Shoemaker was convicted of Sexual Battery in the State of Oklahoma on February 3, 2016, and was required to register as a sex offender. From August 2020 until April 16, 2025, Shoemaker failed to register and update his registration while entering, leaving, or residing in Indian country within the Eastern District of Oklahoma.
The Honorable Ronald A. White, Chief U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over the hearing. Shoemaker will remain in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessie K. Pippin represented the United States.
7 October 2025
Warm Springs Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Coercion and Enticement of a MinorRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Ore.—A Warm Springs, Oregon, man was sentenced to federal prison today for using online social media and messaging platforms to coerce and sexually exploit a 15-year-old minor victim.
Leonard Polk, 25, was sentenced to 135 months in federal prison and 10 years of supervised release.
According to court documents, in December 2024, Polk met the minor victim through Snapchat, an online messaging application. Using Snapchat and Facebook Messenger, Polk persuaded the minor victim to send sexually explicit images. Polk then picked up the minor victim and brought her to his house on the Warm Springs Indian Reservation, where he sexually abused her on multiple occasions.
Polk was arrested in Washington on January 21, 2025, and the minor victim was rescued, after the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) received information that Polk had brought the minor victim from Oregon to Washington.
“Protecting children remains our highest priority. This case serves as a stark reminder of the very real dangers that exist on social media and the predators who use these platforms to exploit our youth,” said Scott E. Bradford, U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon. “Let there be no doubt: if you target children in our community, we will use every resource at our disposal to protect them and ensure you are held fully accountable.”
On February 11, 2025, a federal grand jury in Portland returned a 2-count indictment charging Polk with sexual abuse of a minor and sexual abuse – incapable victim.
On July 14, 2025, Polk pleaded guilty to coercion and enticement of a minor.
This case was investigated by the FBI Portland’s Bend Resident Agency and was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Charlotte Kelley.
Anyone who has information about the physical or online exploitation of children are encouraged to call the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI (1-800-225-5324) or submit a tip online at tips.fbi.gov.
Federal law defines child pornography as any visual depiction of sexually explicit conduct involving a minor. It is important to remember child sexual abuse material depicts actual crimes being committed against children. Not only do these images and videos document the victims’ exploitation and abuse, but when shared across the internet, re-victimize and re-traumatize the child victims each time their abuse is viewed. To learn more, please visit the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children at www.missingkids.org.
This case was brought in collaboration with Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
Three Mexican men arrested, charged with illegal reentryRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, N.Y.–U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Erasmo Perez Luiz, 30, Luis Gerardo Perez Lopez, 28, and Ismael Ivan Perez Lopez, 27, all citizens and nationals of Mexico, were arrested and charged by criminal complaint with illegal reentry, which carries a maximum penalty of two years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael J. Smith, who is handling the case, stated that according to the complaint, on September 30, 2025, U.S. Border Patrol agents attempted to stop a vehicle that the defendants were riding in, in Amherst, NY. As agents approached the vehicle with emergency lights and sirens activated, the driver, Erasmo Perez Ruiz, fled at a high rate of speed, crossing a median, and nearly striking both agent and civilian vehicles in the process. After a brief chase, the vehicle pulled into a retail parking lot and the three defendants exited the vehicle and ran into a wooded area but were quickly apprehended. All three were illegally present in the United States.
Further investigation determined that Erasmo Perez Ruiz was physically removed from the United States two times in April 2014, Luis Gerardo Perez Lopez was physically removed in May 2018, and Ismael Ivan Perez Lopez was physically removed in May 2017.
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 defendants made an initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge H. Kenneth Schroeder, Jr. and were detained.
The complaints are the result of an investigation by U.S. Border Patrol, under the direction of 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.
# # # #
Three Lancaster County Men Sentenced for Tax Fraud ConspiracyRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that Antonios Mountis, 81, and Alexandros Mountis, 52, both of Lancaster, Pennsylvania, and Kostantinos Mountis, 50, of Lititz, Pa., were sentenced today by United States District Judge Joseph F. Leeson Jr. for tax offenses.
The defendants were charged by information in August of last year.
In October 2024, Antonios Mountis pleaded guilty to conspiracy to defraud the Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”) and failure to pay employment taxes. He was sentenced by Judge Leeson to five years’ probation and $634,802.39 in restitution.
Sons Alexandros and Kostantinos Mountis pleaded guilty in October 2024 to conspiracy to defraud the IRS and tax evasion. Alexandros Mountis was sentenced by Judge Leeson to 12 months and one day in prison, three years of supervised release, and $711,847.19 in restitution, and Kostantinos Mountis to six months in prison, three years of supervised release, and $689,580.51 in restitution.
As detailed in court filings, Antonios Mountis was the president and sole owner of Mountis Enterprises, Inc. (“MEI”), doing business as the Conestoga Bar and Grill, and Antonios Mountis & Sons, Inc. (“AMSI”), doing business as the Neptune Diner, with both restaurants located in Lancaster, Pa.
Alexandros Mountis was the manager of the Conestoga Bar and Grill, and Kostantinos Mountis was the manager of the Neptune Diner. Other family members were also employed at the restaurants.
As further detailed in filings and admitted to by the defendants, from about January 2014 through January 2021, Antonios, Alexandros, and Kostantinos Mountis conspired to pay employees of the family’s restaurants a portion of their wages off the books, failed to withhold trust fund taxes from these wages, failed to properly report the employees’ wages to the IRS, and failed to pay over to the IRS the correct employment taxes for these employees.
The case was investigated by IRS Criminal Investigation and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Terri Marinari.
Note: the posting of this press release was delayed, due to the federal government shutdown from October 1, 2025, to November 12, 2025.
Social Media Provocateurs Charged with Threatening to Harm Federal Agent and His WifeRead the Press Release
ATLANTA – A federal grand jury has charged two out-of-state men with knowingly transmitting threats to injure a U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) deportation officer and his wife.
“Federal agents deserve to perform their duties free of harassment from keyboard warriors and other agitators,” said U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg. “Threatening law enforcement officers and their families is not only illegal—it’s disgusting. My office will ensure that anyone who threatens a federal agent in North Georgia, or who hides behind a computer screen to intimidate that agent’s immediate family, is found, arrested, prosecuted, and held accountable.”
“Threats of violence against law enforcement officers and their families are not only reprehensible, but also a direct attack on the safety and integrity of our justice system,” said Paul Brown, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. “These charges serve as a clear reminder that threats of this nature will not be tolerated and will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”
According to U.S. Attorney Hertzberg, the charges, and other information presented in court: Frank Andrew Waszut allegedly posted a video on Instagram that identified and displayed photographs of an ICE deportation officer who resides and works in the Northern District of Georgia. With those images on the screen, Waszut said: “And he’s an ICE agent. This is him unmasked . . . . So, go ahead and make him famous. And if you see this [expletive] out in public give him the cell block one treatment. You know, catch him when he’s alone.” “Cell block one treatment” allegedly refers to subjecting a detainee to physical violence.
Similarly, Anthony Patrick Noto allegedly posted a comment on Instagram under the picture of the same deportation officer’s wife, with Noto saying: “Anybody wanna test the sites [sic] on their new A-R? There’s a pretty good target right there!” “A-R” refers to a semiautomatic rifle.
Noto, 63, of Ronkonkoma, New York, was taken into federal custody and arraigned on his federal indictment. Waszut, 41, of Knoxville, Tennessee, is currently in the custody of state law enforcement officials in Texas, where he has been charged for making separate terroristic threats against Republican lawmakers there. Both defendants were indicted by a federal grand jury on September 23, 2025.
Members of the public are reminded that the indictments only contain charges. The defendants are presumed innocent of the charges, and it will be the government’s burden to prove the defendants’ guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial.
This case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brent Alan Gray and Eric White are prosecuting the case.
For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at [email protected] or (404) 581-6185. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.