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30 September 2025
Justice Department Seeks to Denaturalize Convicted Gun TraffickerRead the Press Release
Today, the United States filed a denaturalization action in the Middle District of Florida against Vladimir Volgaev, a native of Ukraine, who, according to the Department of Justice’s Complaint, concealed and misrepresented his involvement in a conspiracy to smuggle over a thousand firearms components out of the United States and ship them to foreign markets.
Starting in 2011, and continuing for two years after his naturalization, Volgaev engaged in the clandestine purchase, packaging and smuggling of firearm components to individuals in Ukraine and Italy. Also, beginning in 2013, Volgaev underreported his assets and income on applications for federal housing benefits, resulting in his improper receipt of those benefits. A federal court convicted him for these crimes in 2020. Volgaev misrepresented and concealed his crimes throughout his application for naturalization in 2014-15. He naturalized as a U.S. citizen on Jan. 11, 2016.
“This case sends a clear message,” said Assistant Attorney General Brett A. Shumate of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “The United States provided Volgaev with safety, housing, and citizenship, and he returned those gains with malice, including by defrauding one of the federal agencies that provided him benefits. We will not reward this kind of behavior by allowing such an individual to retain U.S. citizenship that should not have been granted in the first place.”
This is the eleventh denaturalization action that the Department has filed since Jan. 20.
This case was investigated by the Civil Division’s Office of Immigration Litigation, with assistance from Homeland Security Investigations Special Agent Felix Romero. The litigation is being handled by Trial Attorney Christopher Lyerla and reviewed by John Inkeles of the Office of Immigration Litigation, General Litigation and Appeals Section, Affirmative Litigation Unit.
The claims made in the complaint are allegations only, and there has been no determination of liability.
Justice Department Opens Investigation into Des Moines Public Schools for Race-Based Employment PracticesRead the Press Release
Today, the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division launched an investigation into Des Moines Public Schools (DMPS) to determine whether it engages in employment practices that discriminate based on race, color, and national origin in violation of Title VII of the Civil Right Act of 1964, as amended.
According to its website, Des Moines Public Schools requires that its teaching and learning staff match the student population in terms of “demographics and cultural responsivity.” DMPS also set specific quotas for “increas[ing] the number of teachers of color” in an affirmative action plan. Its staff retention strategy prioritizes “lift[ing] up voices of our People of Color” and “creat[ing] a safer environment for People of Color.” DMPS also operates the “3D Coalition” project, a recruitment and hiring program for “aspiring minority teachers.”
“DEI initiatives and race-based hiring preferences in our schools violate federal anti-discrimination laws and undermine educational priorities,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “School districts must cease these unlawful programs and restore merit-based employment practices for the benefit of both students and employees.”
You can read the notice letter here.
Justice Department Launches Title IV and Title VI Investigation into University of Nevada Las VegasRead the Press Release
Today, the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division launched an investigation into the University of Nevada Las Vegas (UNLV) to determine whether the University has denied equal treatment of individuals based on race or national origin, in violation of Title IV and Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
“Publicly-funded universities are barred from discriminating based on race, national origin, or religion,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “This Department of Justice is fiercely committed to holding institutions of higher learning accountable and ensuring that every student receives equal access to the opportunity and education to which they are legally entitled.”
The compliance review investigation will examine whether UNLV, a recipient of federal financial assistance, has engaged in discriminatory practices based on race, color, or national origin against its students. The investigation will be conducted pursuant to Title IV of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which authorizes the Department to address certain equal protection violations in public colleges, and Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibits a recipient of federal funds from discriminating based on such protected characteristics. Institutions of higher education that are governed by Title IV and Title VI must protect students’ unfettered access to the school’s educational environment and opportunities, free from discrimination. The investigation will focus on the University’s response to antisemitism on campus.
Justice Department Files Complaint Against Social Media Company Iconic Hearts Holdings Inc. and Its CEO Hunter Rice Alleging Targeting of Children with Deceptive Practices in Violation of Federal LawRead the Press Release
The Department of Justice, together with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), announces the filing of a civil lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California against Iconic Hearts Holdings Inc. and its founder and CEO Hunter Rice for violations of the FTC Act, the Restore Online Shoppers’ Confidence Act (ROSCA), and the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act and its implementing regulations (COPPA) in connection with the social media messaging app known as Sendit.
“The Department of Justice is committed to preventing companies from using unfair and misleading business practices to profit off of American children,” said Assistant Attorney General Brett A. Shumate of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “We will continue to work with the FTC to enforce federal consumer protection laws to protect young people from such conduct.”
In a complaint filed in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California, the United States alleges that Defendants generated and sent millions of anonymous and often provocative, romantic, or sexual messages to users of the Sendit app, many of whom are children or teenagers. As alleged, Defendants, in violation of the FTC Act’s prohibition on unfair and deceptive business practices, falsely led users to believe the messages were from their social media contacts rather than the Sendit app itself, and that purchasing a “Diamond Membership” would reveal the senders’ identities. The Complaint also alleges Defendants violate COPPA by collecting personal information from app users who are children under the age of 13 while failing to provide notice to their parents or obtain verifiable parental consent. Additionally, as alleged, Defendants violate ROSCA by failing to clearly and conspicuously disclose the material terms of their Diamond Memberships, which automatically renew and cost as much as $9.99 per week.
Defendants allegedly generated tens of millions of dollars in revenue from Diamond Membership purchases. The complaint seeks civil penalties, restitution for consumers, and injunctive relief.
The United States is represented in this action by Trial Attorney Marcus P. Smith and Assistant Director Zachary A. Dietert of the Civil Division’s Consumer Protection Branch. Siobhan C. Amin, Miles D. Freeman, and John D. Jacobs represent the FTC.
For more information about the Consumer Protection Branch and its enforcement efforts, visit www.justice.gov/civil/consumer-protection-branch.
The claims made in a complaint are allegations that, if the case were to proceed to trial, the government must prove by a preponderance of the evidence.
Jacksonville Child Sex Offender Sentenced to 10 Years for Accessing Child Sexual Abuse Materials Using the InternetRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – Chief United States District Judge Marcia Morales Howard has sentenced Sean-Michael Smith (36, Jacksonville) to 10 years in federal prison for using the internet to access child sexual abuse materials (CSAM). The court also ordered Smith to serve a 15-year term of supervised release after incarceration and to forfeit his computer device. Smith is a registered child sex offender who was convicted in federal court in 2014 of distributing videos and photos of children being sexually abused. Smith was arrested on December 18, 2024, and he pleaded guilty on June 11, 2025.
After serving his federal prison sentence, and while on supervised release, Smith admitted that he had drawn sketches depicting nude children and had also accessed the internet several times. On December 10, 2024, U.S. Probation Officers conducted a search of Smith’s residence. During an interview, Smith admitted that he had accessed CSAM using the internet during August, September, and December 2024. He advised that he used a particular electronic device to access these materials. Officers seized the device and later forwarded the device and its internal computer chip to the FBI for further investigation.
On February 18, 2025, the FBI extracted the contents of the device’s computer chip. A review of the materials revealed that the device had been used by Smith to access at least 35 photos depicting young children being sexually abused.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation in Jacksonville. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney D. Rodney Brown.
It is another case brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify, rescue, and seek justice for child victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Inmate Convicted of Possessing Shanks While in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
Today, a federal jury in Memphis convicted Mervin Anderson, 40, of Memphis, Tennessee, of one count of possession of contraband in prison, including two homemade knives, or shanks.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Anderson was observed on video surveillance inside of the Detention Center in possession of two sharpened, handmade metal knives, commonly referred to as “shanks.” The defendant confronted another inmate while swinging the shanks at him. A corrections officer immediately responded to the cell block area and found the defendant still in possession of the shanks. When the shanks were taken from the defendant, he exclaimed, “God is on my side, I was about to kill that boy.”
The defendant faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison. Sentencing will be set at a later date.
The defendant is currently awaiting trial in a pending case where he is charged with conspiracy to distribute fentanyl. The pending case is currently set for trial on Nov. 3, 2025.
Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew Galeotti of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and U.S. Attorney Joseph C. Murphy for the Western District of Tennessee made the announcement.
The U.S. Marshals Service and the Shelby County Division of Corrections are investigating the case.
Trial Attorneys Amanda J. Kotula and Cesar Rivera-Giraud of the Criminal Division’s Violent Crime and Racketeering Section are prosecuting the case.
This case is part of the Criminal Division’s Violent Crime Initiative in Memphis conducted in partnership with the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Western District of Tennessee and local, state, and federal law enforcement. The joint effort addresses violent crime by employing, where appropriate, federal laws to prosecute gang members and their associates in Memphis.
Inmate Convicted of Possessing Shanks While in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Today, a federal jury in Memphis convicted Mervin Anderson, 40, of Memphis, Tennessee, of one count of possession of contraband in prison, including two homemade knives, or shanks.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Anderson was observed on video surveillance inside of the Detention Center in possession of two sharpened, handmade metal knives, commonly referred to as “shanks.” The defendant confronted another inmate while swinging the shanks at him. A corrections officer immediately responded to the cell block area and found the defendant still in possession of the shanks. When the shanks were taken from the defendant, he exclaimed, “God is on my side, I was about to kill that boy.”
The defendant faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison. Sentencing will be set at a later date.
The defendant is currently awaiting trial in a pending case where he is charged with conspiracy to distribute fentanyl. The pending case is currently set for trial on Nov. 3, 2025.
Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew Galeotti of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and U.S. Attorney Joseph C. Murphy for the Western District of Tennessee made the announcement.
The U.S. Marshals Service and the Shelby County Division of Corrections are investigating the case.
Trial Attorneys Amanda J. Kotula and Cesar Rivera-Giraud of the Criminal Division’s Violent Crime and Racketeering Section are prosecuting the case.
This case is part of the Criminal Division’s Violent Crime Initiative in Memphis conducted in partnership with the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Western District of Tennessee and local, state, and federal law enforcement. The joint effort addresses violent crime by employing, where appropriate, federal laws to prosecute gang members and their associates in Memphis.
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Indictment Charges Hartford Man on Federal Supervised Release with Illegally Possessing Loaded FirearmRead the Press Release
David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut; Bryan DiGirolamo, Acting Special Agent in Charge, ATF Boston Field Division; and Hartford Police Chief James C. Rovella today announced that a federal grand jury in New Haven has returned an indictment charging KEVIN BARCO, 41, of Hartford, with unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition by a felon.
The indictment was returned on September 3, 2025. Barco appeared today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Maria E. Garcia in New Haven and entered a plea of not guilty to the charge. He has been detained since his arrest by Hartford Police on related state charges on April 24, 2025.
The indictment alleges that, on April 24, 2025, Barco possessed a Springfield Armory XD .40 caliber handgun with an obliterated serial number and a high-capacity magazine loaded with 17 rounds of ammunition.
The indictment further alleges that Barco’s criminal history includes state felony convictions for weapon, robbery, and larceny offenses. It is a violation of federal law for a person previously convicted of a felony offense to possess a firearm or ammunition that has moved in interstate or foreign commerce.
If convicted of the charge, Barco faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 15 years. He also faces additional penalties if he is found to have violated the conditions of his supervised release from a prior federal conviction.
On September 27, 2021, Barco was sentenced in Bridgeport federal court to 39 months of imprisonment and three years of supervised release for illegally possessing a sawed-off shotgun. He was released from federal prison in April 2024.
U.S. Attorney Sullivan stressed that an indictment is not evidence of guilt. A charge is only an allegation, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This investigation is being conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) and the Harford Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ray Miller.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
Hungarian-Spanish Citizen Sentenced in Scheme to Export U.S. Military-Grade Radios to Russian Government End UsersRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Bence Horvath, 47, a dual citizen of Hungary and Spain who resided in the United Arab Emirates, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court to 31 months in prison in connection with conspiring to illegally export U.S.-origin radio communications technology to Russian end users without a license, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
Horvath pleaded guilty on June 17, 2025, to one count of conspiring to unlawfully export goods to Russia. In addition to the prison term, U.S. District Court Judge John D. Bates ordered Horvath to serve three of supervised release and to pay a fine of $5,000. Horvath will be subject to deportation on completion of his sentence.
According to court documents, beginning at least around January 2023, Horvath and others initiated discussions with a small U.S. radio distribution company about procuring and exporting to Russia U.S.-manufactured military-grade radios and related accessories. Over several months Horvath worked to secure those items, which he intended to transship to Russia via a freight forwarder in Latvia.
As part of the conspiracy, Horvath purchased 200 of the military-grade radios and intended to export them to Russia. But Horvath was not successful. U.S. Customs and Border Protection detained the shipment and prevented the radios from falling into the hands of prohibited Russian end users.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations New Orleans, the Defense Criminal Investigative Service Southeast Field Office, and the Department of Commerce’s Office of Export Enforcement. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of California provided valuable assistance.
The matter was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher Tortorice and Maeghan Mikorski for the District of Columbia and Trial Attorney Sean Heiden of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section.
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High School Baseball Coach Accused of Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – A high school baseball coach in Illinois has been indicted and accused of drug trafficking crimes.
Demetrius Combs, 33, of Sauget, Illinois, was indicted in U.S. District Court in St. Louis on August 27 with one count of distribution of fentanyl, two counts of distribution of methamphetamine, one count of possession with intent to distribute in excess of 400 grams of fentanyl, one count of possession with intent to distribute in excess of 500 grams of methamphetamine and one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. The indictment accuses Combs of conducting the drug sales between June and August of 2023.
Combs was arrested on September 25 and pleaded not guilty.
A motion seeking to have Combs held in jail until trial says an undercover officer with the St. Louis County Police Department purchased fentanyl on one occasion from Combs and meth on two occasions. During a court-approved search of Combs’ home in Bellefontaine Neighbors, officers found $3,746 in cash and capsules containing fentanyl in Combs’ possession. In his car, police found a pistol, three cell phones and more capsules containing fentanyl. In his home they found multiple firearms, two cell phones, thousands of dollars in cash, a pill press, fentanyl, meth and drug paraphernalia. One of the handguns was equipped with an auto sear or “switch” that converted it into a fully automatic weapon, the motion says.
Charges set forth in an indictment are merely accusations and do not constitute proof of guilt. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty.
The St. Louis County Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney J. Christian Goeke 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.
Hickory Man Sentenced to 50 Years in Prison for Production and Transportation of Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
HARLOTTE, N.C. – Kelly Lee Setzer, 64, of Hickory, N.C., was sentenced to 50 years in prison today for producing and transporting child sexual abuse material (CSAM) in what the sentencing judge called “horrendous torture of babies,” announced Russ Ferguson, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. In addition to the prison term imposed, Setzer was ordered to serve a lifetime of supervised release and to register as a sex offender after he is released from prison. Setzer was ordered to pay $84,000 in restitution. The Court also ordered forfeiture of, among other things, Setzer’s primary residence in Hickory, where he produced and transported the CSAM.
James C. Barnacle, Jr., Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Charlotte Division, and Chief Bryan Adams of the Hickory Police Department, join U.S. Attorney Ferguson in making today’s announcement.
“Setzer committed some of the most depraved crimes imaginable: preying on young children and producing horrific abuse material,” said U.S. Attorney Ferguson. “Fifty years behind bars ensures he will never harm a child again. I hope it is a message to others so future children are spared from similar actions.”
“There are no words to describe the lasting impact of Mr. Setzer’s vile behavior on his victims. At his age, a 50-year sentence is effectively a life sentence. Thankfully, he can never harm another child again. The FBI and our law enforcement partners will relentlessly pursue predators who victimize innocent children,” said Special Agent in Charge Barnacle.
According to filed documents and the sentencing hearing, on November 3, 2023, officers with the Hickory Police Department executed a search warrant at Setzer’s residence for suspected CSAM activity. The officers seized two computers and other electronic devices from the residence. A forensic examination of the seized devices revealed that on at least four occasions Setzer sexually abused a prepubescent child and produced videos depicting the abuse. Setzer also possessed an extensive CSAM library that contained over 48,000 videos and images of children being sexually abused, some as young as infants and toddlers. During the investigation, law enforcement also determined that Setzer had developed an online relationship with a minor and had induced the minor to send him CSAM on multiple occasions.
Setzer pleaded guilty to four counts of production, one count of transportation, and one count of possession and access with intent to distribute child pornography. He remains in custody pending placement at a federal facility by the Federal Bureau of Prisons.
In announcing Setzer’s very significant sentence, U.S. District Judge Kenneth D. Bell said, “we are talking about babies here and horrendous torture of babies.”
The FBI and the Hickory Police Department investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Daniel Cervantes and Benjamin Bain-Creed of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte handled the prosecution and forfeiture proceedings in this case, respectively.
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 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 https://www.justice.gov/psc.
Gloucester Man Indicted for Sexual Exploitation of a Minor and Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Gloucester man has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Boston for sexual exploiting a minor and possessing child sexual abuse material (CSAM).
Robert Burnham, 44, was indicted on one count of sexual exploitation of a minor and one count of possession of child pornography. Burnham was arrested and charged by criminal complaint in September 2025 and remains detained pending trial. He will be arraigned in federal court in Boston at a later date.
According to the charging documents, from on or about June 11, 2024 to Oct. 4, 2024, Burnham allegedly persuaded and coerced a 13-year-old minor female to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing pictures and videos and transmitting them to him via social media. Additionally, on April 28, 2025, Burnham knowingly possessed files that depict CSAM.
The charge of sexual exploitation of a minor provides for a sentence of at least 15 years in prison, at least five years and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The charge of possession of child pornography provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, at least five years and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Ted E. Docks, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by Harper County Sheriff’s Office, FBI Kansas City, Lincoln Police Department and Gloucester Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Allegra Flamm of the Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Georgia Tech Research Corporation Agrees to Pay $875,000 to Resolve Civil Cyber-Fraud LitigationRead the Press Release
Georgia Tech Research Corporation (GTRC) has agreed to pay the United States $875,000 to resolve allegations that it violated the False Claims Act and federal common law by failing to meet cybersecurity requirements in connection with certain Air Force and Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) contracts. GTRC contracts with government agencies, including the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD), for research performed at its affiliate, the Georgia Institute of Technology (Georgia Tech).
“When contractors fail to follow the required cybersecurity standards in their DoD contracts, they leave sensitive government information vulnerable to malicious actors and cyber threats,” said Assistant Attorney General Brett A. Shumate of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “Together with DoD and other agency partners, the Department of Justice will continue to pursue and litigate violations of cybersecurity requirements to hold contractors accountable when they violate their cybersecurity commitments.”
“Defense contractors’ adherence to their cybersecurity obligations is essential to safeguarding sensitive government information from malicious actors,” said U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg for the Northern District of Georgia. “Contractors who fail to implement required cybersecurity controls, provide false information to the government, and otherwise fail to fulfill their cybersecurity obligations will be held accountable.”’
“Failure to follow required cybersecurity requirements puts all of us at risk,” said Stacy Bostjanick, Chief Defense Industrial Base Cybersecurity, Deputy Chief Information Officer for Cybersecurity, Office of the Chief Information Officer. “Those who knowingly provide deficient cybersecurity products or services, misrepresent their cybersecurity practices or protocols, or violate obligations to monitor and report cybersecurity incidents and breaches must be held accountable. Enforcement efforts like this should serve as a reminder to industry to prioritize DoD cybersecurity compliance.”
“Deficiencies in cybersecurity controls pose a significant threat to our national security and jeopardize sensitive DoD programs that put our servicemembers at risk,” said Special Agent in Charge Jason Sargenski of the Department of Defense Office of Inspector General, Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS), Southeast Field Office. “As force multipliers, we place a substantial amount of trust in our contractors, and those who ignore the rules will be held accountable.”
“AFOSI is committed to pursuing allegations related to the security of our information systems and neutralizing threats malicious actors pose when contractors fail to meet their contractual obligations,” said Special Agent in Charge Derrell Freeman of Air Force Office of Special Investigations (AFOSI), Procurement Fraud Detachment 5.
The settlement resolves a lawsuit against GTRC and Georgia Tech where the United States alleged that until December 2021, those entities failed to install, update or run anti-virus or anti-malware tools on desktops, laptops, servers and networks at Georgia Tech’s Astrolavos Lab while the lab conducted sensitive cyber-defense research for DoD. The United States also alleged that until at least February 2020, there was no system security plan in place for the Astrolavos Lab to set out the cybersecurity controls that GTRC’s contracts required.
Finally, the United States alleged that in December 2020 GTRC and Georgia Tech submitted a false summary level cybersecurity assessment score to DoD which supposedly applied campus-wide. That summary level score of 98 was allegedly false because (1) there was no campus-wide IT system at Georgia Tech and (2) the score was premised on a “fictitious” or “virtual” environment and did not apply to any actual covered contracting system at Georgia Tech that would process, store or transmit covered defense information. The United States alleged the submission of a cybersecurity assessment score was a condition of contract award for GTRC’s DoD contracts. The obligation to implement security controls specified in National Institute of Standards and Technology Special Publication 800-171 (NIST SP 800-171) to protect certain DoD information has applied to DoD contracts, subcontracts, and similar contractual instruments since 2017 and will continue under the Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) program that DoD recently finalized. The CMMC program further bolsters the assessment requirements applicable to DoD contractors and subcontractors.
The settlement announced today stems from a complaint filed by Christopher Craig and Kyle Koza, former members of Georgia Tech’s Cybersecurity Team, under the qui tam or whistleblower provisions of the False Claims Act, which permit private persons to bring a lawsuit on behalf of the government and to share in any recovery. The Act also permits the Government to intervene and take over the lawsuit, as it did in this case as to certain allegations. The United States intervened in the qui tam suit and filed its complaint in August 2024. The settlement in this case provides for Craig and Koza to receive $201,250 as their share of the recovery.
The investigation, litigation, and resolution in this matter was the result of a coordinated effort between the Justice Department’s Civil Division, Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia, DCIS, AFOSI, the Air Force Materiel Command Law Office Procurement Fraud Division, and DARPA. The matter was handled by Trial Attorney Joanna Persio of the Fraud Section and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Melanie D. Hendry and Adam D. Nugent for the Northern District of Georgia.
The lawsuit is captioned United States ex rel. Craig v. Georgia Tech Research Corporation et al., No. 1:22-cv-02698 (N.D. Ga.).
The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only, and there has been no determination of liability.
Fruitland Man Charged with Second-Degree MurderRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – A Fruitland man has been indicted on federal charges in connection with the murder of a woman.
According to court documents, on December 9, 2024, Timothy Begay, 38, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, intentionally killed Jane Doe.
Begay is charged with second degree murder and will be released third-party to a halfway house pending trial, which has not yet been scheduled. If convicted, Begay faces up to life in prison.
U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison and Justin A. Garris, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today.
The Farmington Resident Agency of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Navajo Nation Police Department and Navajo Department of Criminal Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Marshall is prosecuting the case.
View the Indictment (Begay).pdfAn indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Former State Lawmaker Pleads Guilty to Distributing Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
COLUMBIA, S.C. —Robert John May, III, 38, of West Columbia, has pleaded guilty to five counts of distributing child sexual abuse material.*
“The conduct May pleaded guilty to represents some of the most depraved and exploitative conduct we investigate,” said Bryan Stirling, U.S. Attorney for the District of South Carolina. “Our office will bring every resource available to protect children from violence and abuse. This prosecution was made possible through excellent law enforcement coordination between Homeland Security Investigations, the South Carolina Attorney General’s Office Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, the Lexington County Sheriff’s Department and all those who work to protect the most vulnerable in our society.”
According to court documents and statements made in court, in May 2024, a tip was sent by Kik, a social-media platform, to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC), which indicated that over a five-day period in March and April 2024 a Kik account with the username “joebidennnn69” distributed videos depicting the sexual abuse of children to other Kik users 50 times.
Investigators connected the account to the home IP address and mobile device of May and determined videos depicting the sexual abuse of children were distributed from the account at least 479 times over the five-day period, with the majority resolving to May’s home address or cell phone. Kik records showed the account connected to May’s home Wi-Fi account at least 958 times and to his cell phone 67 times. A federal grand jury charged May with distributing 10 videos depicting child sexual abuse that were shared from the account.
Evidence indicated May was responsible. A forensic analysis of May’s phone revealed that the user dictionary included the term “joebidennnn” and the same email used to register the Kik account. It also revealed Kik, along with Telegram, Mega, and Sessions messenger—all applications referenced in Kik messages—were deleted on April 4, 2024, within 20 seconds of each other. May’s phone also received more than 450 alerts from the Kik application during the time the joebidennnn69 account was active, and several conversations on the joebidennnn69 account correlate with internet searches and application downloads that occurred on May’s phone and laptop at the same time. The investigation further revealed that May and the Kik account user shared the same pseudonym, Eric Rentling.
May faces a minimum penalty of five years in federal prison and a maximum of 20 years. He also faces a fine of up to $250,000, restitution, up to lifetime supervision to follow the term of imprisonment, and he will be required to register as a sex offender upon release from prison.
United States District Judge Cameron McGowan Currie accepted the guilty plea and will sentence May on Jan. 14, 2026, after receiving and reviewing a pre-sentence report from the U.S. Probation Office.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, the South Carolina Attorney General’s Office and the Lexington County Sheriff’s Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Scott Matthews, Elliott B. Daniels, and Dean Secor are prosecuting the case with Austin M. Berry of the Department of Justice’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section.
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* The term “child pornography” is currently used in federal statutes and is defined as any visual depiction of sexually explicit conduct involving a person less than 18 years old. While this phrase still appears in federal law, “child sexual abuse material” is preferred, as it better reflects the abuse that is depicted in the images and videos and the resulting trauma to the child. The Associated Press Stylebook also discourages the use of the phrase “child pornography.”
Former School Employee Pleads Guilty to Travel with Intent to Engage in Illicit Sexual Conduct with a StudentRead the Press Release
Former School Employee Pleads Guilty to Travel with Intent to Engage in Illicit Sexual Conduct with a Student
CONCORD – A Lawrence man pleaded guilty September 30, 2025, to travel with intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct, U.S. Attorney Erin Creegan announces.
Jesus Moore, 36, of Lawrence, Massachusetts, pleaded guilty to one count of travel with intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct. U.S. District Judge Joseph Laplante scheduled sentencing for January 13, 2026. Moore will be detained pending sentencing.
According to the charging documents and statements made in court, on March 7, 2022, Moore, a basketball coach at Lawrence High School, ordered a rideshare to transport a Lawrence High School student to the Super 8 Motel in Manchester, New Hampshire. Moore also traveled from Massachusetts to the Super 8 Motel. Moore provided the student with alcohol and then engaged in sexual conduct with the student when the student was incapable of consenting.
The Department of Homeland Security, the Lawrence Police Department, and the Manchester Police Department led the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Anna Krasinski is prosecuting the case.
In February 2006, the Department of Justice introduced Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from online exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorney’s Offices, 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 identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
Former Office Manager Pleads Guilty to Embezzling More Than $1.7 Million from Ocean City Home BuilderRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – Tammy Barcus, 56, of Berlin, Maryland, pled guilty to a three-count Information, charging her with wire fraud, aggravated identity theft, and tax evasion.
Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the guilty plea with Special Agent in Charge Kareem Carter, Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), Washington D.C. Field Office.
Barcus, a former office manager and bookkeeper for an Ocean City-based home builder, admitted to embezzling at least $1,790,000 from her former employer. She forged a business owner’s signature on business checks at least 500 times. Barcus then concealed the embezzlement from her employer and the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) by making false entries into the business’ books and records.
In her guilty plea, Barcus acknowledged that she worked for the home builder as a trusted employee with substantial control over business records and financial accounts. As part of her daily job duties, Barcus had access to payment systems and accounting records that belonged to the home builder. She worked with a high degree of independence.
From 2016 through 2024, Barcus used her position of trust to embezzle money by issuing more than 500 fraudulently authorized checks from the home builder’s business bank account. Barcus forged the signature of one of the owners on the face of the business checks and then deposited the checks into bank accounts she controlled. She then used the money for her personal enrichment.
The former office manager and bookkeeper concealed the scheme by hiding the embezzled income from the IRS. She also made materially false and fraudulent edits and entries into the home builder’s internal accounting records to cover up the fraudulent payments and commingled the embezzled funds into a bank account she controlled.
Barcus is facing a maximum of 20 years in federal prison for wire fraud, five years for tax evasion, and a mandatory two-year consecutive sentence for aggravated identity theft.
Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge determines sentencing after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Judge Maddox set sentencing for Monday, February 9, 2026, at 10 a.m.
U.S. Attorney Hayes commended IRS-CI for its work in the investigation. Ms. Hayes also thanked Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Jared Murphy and Assistant U.S. Attorney Harry Gruber, who are prosecuting the federal case, and Paralegal Specialists Joanna B.N. Huber and Shelbe Mascaro, for their valuable assistance.
For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to report fraud, visit justice.gov/usao-md and justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.
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Former HUD Property Manager Receives Five-Year Sentence for EmbezzlementRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Maine: A Glenburn woman was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Portland for embezzling from an organization receiving federal funds and conspiring to alter money orders.
U.S. District Judge John A. Woodcock, Jr. sentenced Kelly Ballinger, 59, to 60 months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release. Ballinger will also be ordered to pay restitution totaling approximately $1 million. Ballinger pleaded guilty on May 1, 2024.
According to court records, Ballinger was a former property manager for a Portland apartment complex with residences funded by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). From about October 2015 to June 2021, Ballinger stole rent payments made by HUD Housing Choice Voucher Program tenants. Ballinger would direct the tenants to pay their rent with a blank postal money order and then would place her name or that of her subordinate employee Kathleen Conway, 71, on the payee line, adding information such as “groceries” on the memo line to suggest the payments were reimbursements. In some instances, Ballinger would deflate the tenants’ income to as low as $0 so that HUD would pay a larger share of the rent to disguise shortfalls.
Kathleen Conway pleaded guilty to embezzlement and was sentenced on June 6, 2024, to two years of probation and ordered to pay $35,710 in restitution.
In pronouncing the sentence, Judge Woodcock observed that Ballinger was “able to concoct a scheme that avoided detection for years.” The court described her embezzlement as “calculated, deliberate, and devious.”
The HUD Office of Inspector General (OIG) and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service investigated the case.
“Ballinger and her co-conspirator preyed on the vulnerability of elderly and disabled individuals and altered income and expense documents to falsely increase HUD rental subsidies, which she then funneled to her personal bank account,” said Special Agent in Charge Shawn Rice with HUD OIG. “HUD OIG will continue to work with its law enforcement partners to diligently pursue and hold accountable bad actors who willfully misuse federal assets.”
“The U.S. Postal Inspection Service routinely seeks prosecution of individuals like Kelly Ballinger, who swindled funds that were designated to support fellow community members with housing,” said Ketty Larco-Ward, Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Boston Division. “Postal Inspectors, alongside HUD OIG, uncovered the fraud schemes employed by Ballinger and her co-conspirator, to conceal her activities and line her pockets. We will continue to support and collaborate with our federal law enforcement partners to stop those who are engaged in these types of schemes.”
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Former Children’s Physician Sentenced to Four Years in Prison for Possession of Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, Pa. – A resident of Chicago, Illinois, and Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, has been sentenced in federal court to 48 months of imprisonment, to be followed by 10 years of supervised release, on his conviction of violating federal law regarding the sexual exploitation of minors, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.
United States District Judge Christy Criswell Wiegand imposed the sentence on Ashok Panigrahy, 54. Judge Wiegand also ordered Panigrahy to pay a $25,000 fine, a $17,000 assessment pursuant to the Amy, Vicky, and Andy Child Pornography Victim Assistance Act of 2018 (AVAA), a $5,000 assessment pursuant to the Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act (JVTA), and $10,000 in restitution to his minor victims.
According to information presented to the Court, from on or about November 21, 2022, through on or about November 22, 2022, Panigrahy knowingly possessed material depicting the sexual exploitation of minors. At the time of his criminal conduct, Panigrahy was a children’s physician in the Western District of Pennsylvania.
The Sentencing Memo submitted by the United States explained the following: “The nature and circumstances of the Defendant’s offense is extremely serious. While Panigrahy did not possess a vast collection of child sexual abuse material, the circumstances of Panigrahy’s possession demonstrated that he obtained his material through online conversations on an encrypted platform with other like-minded individuals. The child sexual abuse material Panigrahy saved was all video content, which is arguably more egregious, and included some depictions of very young victims, including toddlers and prepubescent minors being sexually abused. Such conduct is unacceptable, period. However, it is more reprehensible when it is committed clandestinely by an individual who is entrusted with caring for children and is given privileged access to a facility dedicated to helping and treating children. Thus, beyond victimizing the children whose depictions of sexual abuse he possessed, the Defendant’s conduct represents a disturbing betrayal of trust to our community of children and their families in the Western District of Pennsylvania.”
Assistant United States Attorney Heidi M. Grogan prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
Acting United States Attorney Rivetti commended Homeland Security Investigations (Pittsburgh and Chicago) for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Panigrahy.
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.justice.gov/psc.
Former Area Soccer Coach Sentenced to 15 Years in Federal Prison for Production of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
SIOUX FALLS - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that Chief Judge Roberto A. Lange has sentenced a man from Sioux Falls, South Dakota, convicted of Production of Child Pornography. The sentencing took place on September 29, 2025.
James Kooima, age 47, was sentenced to 15 years in federal prison, five years of supervised release, a special assessment to the Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act of 2015 in the amount of $5,000, a special assessment to the Amy, Vicky, and Andy Child Pornography Victim Assistance in the amount of $7,500, and a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund in the amount of $100. Upon release from federal prison, Kooima must register as a sex offender.
Kooima was indicted by a federal grand jury in August 2024. He pleaded guilty on May 12, 2025.
The conviction stemmed from an incident in the winter of 2023, when Kooima used Snapchat to befriend a 14-year-old girl from Maine. He manipulated her into believing they were in a romantic relationship, then coerced her into creating and sending him sexually explicit videos and images of herself, including images in which she was using an object to penetrate her vagina.
“Online sexual predators are among the most serious threats to children and adolescents in our community,” said U.S. Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell. “Unfortunately, it is becoming almost commonplace to see adolescents targeted through applications like Snapchat and pressured into sending compromising photos and videos of themselves. We must remain vigilant in monitoring online activity and educating our children about the risks associated with social media.”
This case was investigated by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, Homeland Security Investigations, the Sioux Falls Police Department, and DCI. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth A. Ebert-Webb prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by 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.
Kooima was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Five San Fernando Valley Street Gang Affiliates Arrested on Federal Complaint Alleging Murder-for-Hire Plot Against Local Crime BossRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – Five members and associates of the San Fernando Valley-based Vanowen Street Locos and Elmwood Rifa 13 gangs were arrested today on federal criminal complaints – four of them charged with taking part in a murder-for-hire plot targeting an Armenian Organized Crime boss but which instead resulted in his significant other getting shot and wounded in front of their two young children earlier this year.
The defendants arrested today are:
- Carlos Armando Ochoa Grimaldi, 47, a.k.a. “Spanky,” of Sylmar;
- Christopher Ayala, 29, a.k.a. “Hits,” of Sylmar;
- Edir De La Cruz, 34, a.k.a. “Temper,” of Van Nuys; and
- Maria de Jesus Mares, 39, a.k.a. “Mary Oceans,” of Van Nuys.
Also arrested on a complaint today was Vanowen Street Locos gang member Jose de Jesus Gonzalez, Jr., 49, a.k.a. “Listo,” of Llano, who is separately charged in connection with the August 2023 shooting of Vahan Harutyunyan, 49, of Hollywood, Florida, who is now in federal custody on kidnapping charges. Approximately five firearms, a silencer, firearm parts, and over 1,000 rounds of ammunition were seized during the search warrant services.
Grimaldi, Ayala, De La Cruz, and Mares are charged with use of interstate commerce facilities in the commission of murder-for-hire. Gonzalez is charged with conspiracy to violate the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act.
The defendants are expected to make their initial appearances this afternoon in United States District Court in Los Angeles.
According to affidavits filed with the complaints, Armenian Organized Crime, a Russian Mafia and Mexican Mafia-affiliated transnational criminal organization, has made Los Angeles County a center of its U.S. operations. Since 2022, two local leaders within the organization, also known as avtoritet, which in Russian means “authority,” allegedly have engaged in a power struggle for control in their territory, resulting in multiple assaults, murder attempts, and a kidnapping.
Robert Amiryan, 47, of Hollywood, an avtoritet, has been the target of an assault and attempted murders ordered by a rival avtoritet, Ara Artuni, 41, of Porter Ranch. Amiryan and Artuni are in federal custody after being charged earlier this year with a series of crimes and are scheduled to go on trial in December 2025 and August 2026, respectively.
Artuni is principally charged with ordering the murder of Amiryan on multiple occasions in 2023. In retaliation, Amiryan conspired with members of his own criminal organization to kidnap and torture one of Artuni’s associates in June 2023.
In early 2025, Grimaldi, Ayala, De La Cruz, and others began stalking Amiryan and renewed efforts to kill him. For example, in February 2025, Ayala informed De La Cruz that he and others were still working “on th[e] job” to kill Amiryan.
On March 14, 2025, Grimaldi and Vahagn Stepanyan, 40, of Burbank, shot and wounded Amiryan’s significant other as she arrived home in her car with their two children. Stepanyan is currently in federal custody and is charged with racketeering, fraud, and firearms offenses.
After the shooting, Mares called De La Cruz and reported that the “job [was] done,” and Stepanyan would pay her $50,000 for her role as the getaway driver, according to court documents. In the days afterward, Mares told De La Cruz, that she believed she would not be getting paid because “it was the wife not him.” Stepanyan ultimately paid Mares a reduced rate because Amiryan was not killed.
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, the defendants would face a statutory maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison.
The Los Angeles Police Department Major Crimes Division – Transnational Organized Crime Section; the Burbank Police Department; Homeland Security Investigation’s (HSI) Northridge and Ventura offices; the United States Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG); IRS Criminal Investigation; and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives are investigating this matter.
Assistant United States Attorneys Lyndsi Allsop and Kenneth R. Carbajal of the Major Crimes Section and Tara B. Vavere of the Asset Forfeiture and Recovery Section are prosecuting this case. The Department of Justice Criminal Division’s Violent Crime and Racketeering Section provided substantial assistance.
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.
Felon Sentenced to 36-Months in Daylight Shooting with an Illegal PistolRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Dewayne Keith Miles, 29, a convicted felon residing in the District of Columbia, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court to 36-months in prison in connection with firing a gun in the air 13 times in a residential neighborhood, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
Miles pleaded guilty June 30 to one count of unlawful possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. In addition to the 36-month prison term, Judge John D. Bates ordered Miles to serve 3 years of supervised release.
This prosecution comes under the auspices of Make D.C. Safe Again, a program that is surging resources to reduce violent crime in the District of Columbia. This initiative was created to address gun violence in the District, prioritize federal firearms violations, pursue tougher penalties for offenders, and seek detention for federal firearms violators.
According to court documents, on March 15, 2025, about 3:30 p.m., Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) officers were investigating a robbery on the 4400 block of E Street, SE.
Officers heard several gunshots and looked for their origin. On the 4600 block of Benning Road, SE, officers saw Miles holding a pistol above his head and firing the gun into the air.
Miles fled into a nearby building. At the same time, officers found 13 cartridge casings on the street. A short distance from casings by a curb, officers recovered a Smith & Wesson, SD9 pistol. A records check determined the handgun had been reported stolen.
Miles ultimately surrendered and police transported him to the Sixth District. In a search at the cell block, police discovered Miles had a live round of 9mm ammunition in his pocked, consistant with the ammo found at the scene of the shooting.
This case was investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department with assistance from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Washington Field Division. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Emory V. Cole.
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Federal grand jury indicts Niagara Falls man on drug and gun chargesRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, N.Y.–U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that a federal grand jury has returned an indictment charging Charles Barker, 70, of Niagara Falls, NY, with narcotics conspiracy, attempt to possess with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine, possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine, and being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition. The charges carry a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years in prison, a maximum of life and a $10,000,000 fine.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Matt I. Kass, who is handling the case, stated that according to the indictment, between June 11 and June 17, 2025, Barker conspired with others to receive large amounts of methamphetamine at his Niagara Falls residence and then sell the methamphetamine. On June 17, 2025, a search of Barker’s residence recovered large amounts of methamphetamine, along with drug paraphernalia and a large amount of cash. Barker also possessed a shotgun and ammunition. In April 2012, he was convicted of a felony in Niagara County Court and is legally prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition.
Barker was arraigned before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jeremiah J. McCarthy and was released on home confinement.
The indictment is the result of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Frank Tarentino, New York Field Division and the United States Postal Inspection Service, under the direction of Inspector-in-Charge Ketty Larco Ward, Boston Division.
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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Federal Jury Finds Charleston Man and Woman Guilty of Sex Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – After five days of trial, a federal jury convicted Tiwan Robert Bailey, also known as “Quick,” 49, and Carrie Roy, also known as “Carrie Ash,” 52, both of Charleston, on Monday, September 29, 2025, for their roles in a sex trafficking conspiracy that operated in the Charleston and Rand areas of Kanawha County.
Evidence at trial showed that between November 2023 and July 2024, Bailey trafficked four different female victims, including a 17-year-old girl, requiring each to engage in commercial sex acts and provide all they money they received to him. Bailey also obstructed the federal investigation of the sex trafficking conspiracy by seeking to interfere with any potential cooperation and testimony by the minor female victim. Bailey coerced his adult victims through threats and violence, including by sending them threatening voice messages through Facebook Messenger and physically beating and sexual assaulting them. Bailey supplied drugs to the victims who suffered from substance use disorders and withheld drugs from them as punishment.
Roy aided and abetted Bailey and conspired with him and others in the trafficking of the minor female. Roy also transported the three adult victims to and from meetings for commercial sex acts and collected money from these acts for Bailey.
Bailey became a fugitive after a warrant for his arrest was issued in the case on July 23, 2024. The United States Marshals Service (USMS) captured Bailey on January 17, 2025, in Lexington, Kentucky.
The jury found Bailey and Roy guilty of one count each of sex trafficking of a minor and conspiring to commit sex trafficking of a minor. The jury also found Bailey guilty of three counts of sex trafficking by force, fraud or coercion and one count of obstruction of justice.
Bailey and Roy are scheduled to be sentenced on February 9, 2026. Bailey faces a mandatory minimum of 15 years and up to life in prison. Roy faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years and up to life in prison.
“Bailey was particularly brutal in his mistreatment of the victims of this case, subjecting them to violent threats and assaults. Sex trafficking is a depraved crime of exploitation, and the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia is committed to delivering justice for the victims of sex trafficking,” said Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston. “I commend the U.S. Department of Homeland Security-Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Charleston Police Department, the United States Marshals Service, and the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office for their investigative work in this case, and the Metropolitan Drug Enforcement Network Team (MDENT) and the West Virginia Fusion Center for the assistance they provided. I also commend Assistant United States Attorneys Jennifer Rada Herrald and Jennifer D. Gordon and our trial team for securing guilty verdicts on all counts against Bailey and Roy.”
United States District Judge Joseph R. Goodwin presided over the jury trial.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:24-cr-118.
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Federal Detainee Sentenced for Possessing and Distributing Contraband Inside the Wyatt Detention CenterRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE – A Donald W. Wyatt Detention Center detainee who admitted to participating in a conspiracy with several other individuals, including a now former correctional officer, to possess and distribute contraband inside the facility was sentenced today to federal prison, announced Acting United States Attorney Sara Miron Bloom.
Matthew Pizarro, 36, previously admitted to a federal judge that he conspired with another detainee and others outside the facility to arrange for the delivery and distribution of contraband that was delivered by now former Correctional Officer Kaii Almeida-Falcones of Smithfield.
Wyatt Detention Center video surveillance records show that on February 14, 2021, Correctional Officer Almeida-Falcone visited Pizarro’s cell for less than a minute after which Pizzaro then visited the cell of another detainee, Emmanuel Nolasco, 38, where he remained for less than a minute.
A strip search of Nolasco revealed a package containing suboxone strips while a search of Pizarro’s cell revealed a plastic bottle containing 4.5 grams of marijuana that was located inside Pizarro’s pillowcase.
The suboxone strips were sent to a lab and confirmed to be 201 strips, 5 of which were partial strips, containing buprenorphine, which is an ingredient in Suboxone, a Schedule III controlled substance.
Pizarro pleaded guilty on March 12, 2025, to one count each of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances, distribution of Suboxone, and possession of contraband by an inmate. He was sentenced today by U.S. District Court Judge Melissa R. DuBose to 60 months in federal prison to be followed by three years of supervised release.
Kaii Almeida-Falcones was sentenced on November 14, 2024, to six months in federal prison to be followed by twenty-four months of supervised release - the first six months to be served on home confinement. He pleaded guilty on June 10, 2024, to the charge of providing contraband to an inmate.
Emmanuel Nolasco was sentenced on November 3, 2024, to forty-eight months of incarceration to be followed by three years of supervised release. He pleaded guilty on June 20, 2023, to charges of possession with intent to distribute Suboxone, possession of contraband by an inmate, and possession with intent to distribute Suboxone.
The cases were prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Paul F. Daly, Jr. and Ly T. Chin.
The matter was investigated by the FBI, the United States Marshals Service, the U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Inspector General, and the Professional Standards Unit at the Wyatt Detention Center.
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Federal Correctional Officer Arrested for Sexual Abuse of A Federal Inmate and Receipt of A Bribe by A Public OfficialRead the Press Release
Ocala, Florida – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces the return of an indictment charging Cornelius Alexander Thompson (38, Ocala) with one count of sexual abuse of a ward in federal custody and one count of receipt of a bribe by a public official. If convicted on all counts, Thompson faces a maximum penalty of 30 years in federal prison. The indictment also notifies Thompson that the United States is seeking an order of forfeiture in the amount of $24,550, representing the proceeds of the bribery offense.
According to the indictment, Thompson was a public official and employed by the United States Department of Justice, Federal Bureau of Prisons, as a correctional officer at the Coleman Federal Correctional Complex (FCC Coleman). Between January 2020 and August 9, 2023, Thompson engaged in a sexual act with a federal inmate under Thompson’s custodial, supervisory, and disciplinary authority at the prison. Furthermore, between January 2020 and April 29, 2024, Thompson received money in return for being influenced to smuggle contraband into FCC Coleman. An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
This case is being investigated by the United States Department of Justice – Office of the Inspector General, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Drug Enforcement Administration. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Hannah Nowalk Watson.
Dominican Authorities Extradite to the United States an International Drug Supplier Who Coordinated Local Distribution Through Encrypted Messaging AppsRead the Press Release
Dominican Authorities Extradite to the United States an International Drug Supplier Who Coordinated Local Distribution Through Encrypted Messaging Apps
CONCORD – A Dominican man has been extradited from the Dominican Republic and arrested in connection with his role in a conspiracy to distribute fentanyl to New Hampshire residents, U.S. Attorney Erin Creegan announces.
Starlin Alexander Valdez De Los Santos, 35, was charged in a superseding indictment with one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute controlled substances, specifically more than 40 grams of fentanyl. He appeared in federal court on September 30, 2025.
According to the charging documents and statements made in court, during the course of the conspiracy, the defendant operated a significant drug distribution network, which involved coordination of suppliers and local distributors over an extended period and utilized sophisticated communication methods to avoid detection while residing outside the United States. The years-long investigation into the defendant’s activities resulted in the total seizure of more than 750 grams of fentanyl during eight undercover purchase operations in 2022, 2023, and 2024.
The Drug Enforcement Administration led the investigation. The Hudson Police Department provided valuable assistance. Valuable assistance was provided by the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs and law enforcement partners in the Dominican Republic in securing the arrest and extradition from the Dominican Republic of Valdez De Los Santos. Assistant U.S. Attorney Cesar Vega is prosecuting the case.
This effort is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Cuban National Admits to Interstate Methamphetamine and Fentanyl DistributionRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Christian Mur-Santana, age 39, a Cuban national residing in Las Vegas, Nevada, pled guilty on Friday to conspiracy and methamphetamine distribution charges in connection with his distribution and possession with intent to distribute more than 5 kilograms of pure methamphetamine and fentanyl.
Acting United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III; Frank A. Tarentino III, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), New York Division; and Ketty Larco-Ward, Inspector in Charge of the Boston Division of the United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), made the announcement.
Mur-Santana admitted that between April and July 2023, he mailed several packages containing pure methamphetamine and fentanyl from Las Vegas to co-conspirator drug distributors in the Capital Region. During the conspiracy, Mur-Santana used the U.S. Mail to distribute more than five kilograms of methamphetamine and 10 grams of pressed pills containing fentanyl. In September 2023, law enforcement searched Mur-Santana’s Las Vegas residence and recovered approximately 391 grams of methamphetamine and a loaded 9mm pistol.
Acting U.S. Attorney John A. Sarcone III stated: “Christian Mur-Santana, while a guest in this country, repeatedly shipped deadly and addictive drugs, several thousand miles, to the Capital Region. He will now be serving at least 10 years in prison. Mailing highly toxic and lethal substances through the U.S. Mail places our Postal workers in danger. We will aggressively pursue abuse of our U.S. Mail system by dangerous criminals like Mur-Santana. I am grateful for and commend the outstanding investigative work of our federal law enforcement partners who worked this important case.”
DEA Special Agent in Charge Frank A. Tarentino III stated: “The DEA remains committed to stopping the flow of dangerous substances, like methamphetamine and counterfeit pills laced with fentanyl, from reaching our towns and communities. Today’s plea is the result of the tireless work the DEA and our law enforcement partners do when targeting those who weaponize our mail system to traffic illicit narcotics and ensuring justice is delivered. We remain committed to targeting those responsible for fueling addiction and causing needless deaths from the poison they push.”
USPIS Inspector in Charge Ketty Larco-Ward stated: “The U.S. Postal Inspection Service takes very seriously any abuse of our nation’s mail system for criminal purposes. Today’s plea is the result of rigorous investigative work and demonstrates that the U.S. Mail is not a safe harbor for drug traffickers. We will continue to safeguard the integrity of the mail and support efforts to protect public health and safety.”
Mur-Santana was one of nine defendants to be charged in this investigation. The following defendants have pled guilty and have been sentenced or are pending sentencing:
- Todd Austin was sentenced to 78 months in prison, to be followed by a 3-year term of supervised release;
- Andrew Deleon was sentenced to 72 months imprisonment, to be followed by a 3-year term of supervised release;
- Stefanie Plass was sentenced to 24 months in prison, to be followed by a 3-year term of supervised release;
- Ahmad Burke was sentenced to 14 months in prison, to be followed by a 3-year term of supervised release;
- Flor Arencibia is scheduled to be sentenced on December 9, 2025;
- Melissa Karwan is scheduled to be sentenced on December 9, 2025; and
- Keisha Duboise is scheduled to be sentenced on January 7, 2026.
Charges against the remaining defendant, Felix Arencibia, are pending. The charges in the indictment against Felix Arencibia are merely accusations, and he is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
At sentencing, Mur-Santana faces at least 10 years and up to life in prison and a term of post-imprisonment supervised release of at least 5 years and up to life. He will be sentenced on January 23, 2026, before United States District Judge Anne M. Nardacci. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statutes the defendant is convicted of violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, and other factors.
These cases are being investigated by the DEA and USPIS. Assistant United States Attorneys Ashlyn Miranda and Joshua R. Rosenthal are prosecuting the cases.
These cases are part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
Convicted felon going to prison on new child pornography chargeRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Joshua Zak, 46, of Buffalo, NY, who was convicted of possession of child pornography, was sentenced to serve 120 months in prison and 30 years supervised release by U.S. District Judge Lawrence J. Vilardo.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Franz M. Wright and Colleen M. McCarthy, who handled the case, stated that in May 2018, Zak was convicted of receipt of child pornography and sentenced to serve 72 months in prison and 20 years supervised release, which began in May 2022. In March 2023, a United States Probation Officer interviewed Zak during a home visit, during which he admitted to using a smart phone that he found at his mother's residence to view pornography. Zak also admitted that he found an old SD card that was not located by law enforcement when he was previously arrested. A few days later, U.S. Probation met Zak at his mother's residence, where he led officers to a trash bag that contained several electronic devices, as well as an SD card. A review of the SD card recovered more than 600 images and videos of child pornography, some of which included depictions of violence against children.
The sentencing is the result of an investigation by the U.S. Probation Office, under the direction of Chief Probation Officer Timothy Englert, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Philip Tejera.
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Civil Rights Division Files the First Department of Justice Affirmative Lawsuit in Support of Gun OwnersRead the Press Release
The Civil Rights Division today filed a lawsuit against the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department due to their pattern or practice of infringing the Second Amendment rights of law-abiding citizens seeking concealed carry weapons (CCW) permits. This lawsuit is the first affirmative lawsuit in support of gun owners filed by the U.S. Department of Justice. On March 27, 2025, the Division initiated the first-of-its-kind Second Amendment investigation due to numerous complaints of unreasonable delays in CCW permitting decisions by the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department. After analysis of data and documents spanning over 8,000 CCW permit applications, the Division today filed suit seeking relief on behalf of law-abiding applicants.
“The Second Amendment protects the fundamental constitutional right of law-abiding citizens to bear arms,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “Los Angeles County may not like that right, but the Constitution does not allow them to infringe upon it. This Department of Justice will continue to fight for the Second Amendment.”
“The Second Amendment is not a second-class right,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “This lawsuit seeks to stop Los Angeles County’s egregious pattern and practice of delaying law-abiding citizens from exercising their right to bear arms.”
“Citizens living in high-crime areas cannot afford to wait to protect themselves with firearms while Los Angeles County dithers,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli for the Central District of California. “The right to bear arms is among the founding principles of our nation. It can and must be upheld.”
Shortly after Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon was sworn in to lead the Civil Rights Division, numerous complaints received by the Division revealed inexplicable delays well beyond California statutory requirements and in violation of the U.S. Supreme Court’s interpretation of the Second Amendment rights of law-abiding citizens. Almost two months after receiving notice of the Division’s investigation, Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department provided data and documents that revealed only two approvals from over 8,000 applications, and that the Sheriff’s Department set out interviews to approve licenses as far as two years after receiving the completed application. The lawsuit is filed within the Federal Central District of California.
This investigation was conducted by attorneys at the Civil Rights Division and Assistant U.S. Attorneys within the Central District of California’s U.S. Attorney Office.
If you or someone you know has applied for a concealed carry permit in Los Angeles or any jurisdiction within the United States and have not received a reply or decision within four months after applying, please email [email protected]. The mailbox is actively monitored by attorneys assigned to protect the Second Amendment rights of law-abiding citizens.
Chinese national charged in international drug trafficking conspiracyRead the Press Release
ANCHORAGE, Alaska – A Chinese national illegally residing in the U.S. was charged by criminal complaint yesterday with participating in an international drug trafficking conspiracy that used a virtual mailbox service (VMS), including one in Wasilla, Alaska, to traffic large quantities of methamphetamine from Mexico into the U.S. and then to other countries, specifically New Zealand.
According to court documents, Zukai He, 42, entered the U.S. illegally in 2017 and was subject to an order of removal from September 2024. Court documents further allege that, while illegally living in the U.S., Zukai He allegedly stole personally identifiable information from a California resident to open an account at the Wasilla VMS. In January 2024, law enforcement officials obtained two parcels sent to the fraudulent VMS account that were ultimately destined for New Zealand and obtained federal search warrants to search the packages. Law enforcement officials found close to three kilograms of methamphetamine in the parcels. One parcel had drugs concealed inside a heat transfer stamping machine and the other had drugs concealed inside a 3D printer.
U.S. Attorney's Office, District of Alaska U.S. Attorney's Office, District of AlaskaIn May 2024, law enforcement officials further learned that U.S. Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) seized four parcels mailed from post offices in Phoenix, Arizona, that were destined for New Zealand. Each parcel contained over one kilogram of methamphetamine. Law enforcement officials identified a fifth similar parcel mailed from Arizona destined for New Zealand. CBP intercepted the parcel and discovered over one kilogram of methamphetamine.
Law enforcement officials identified Zukai He as the individual allegedly mailing the parcels containing drugs. In total, law enforcement seized over 10 kilograms of methamphetamine that Zukai He allegedly tried to traffic through the mail.
On Sept. 8, 2025, law enforcement officials executed a federal search warrant on Zukai He’s residence in California. Federal authorities arrested Zukai He and seized 14 cell phones, two laptops, 25 point-of-sale systems, over six kilograms of a substance consistent with methamphetamine, over $13,000 in cash and various financial documents. The financial documents included information for nine suspected shell or front businesses registered in California, Colorado, Maryland and New York. The businesses were in either Zukai He’s name or under names of victims whose identities were allegedly stolen.
Zukai He is charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine. Zukai He is in federal custody and will make his initial court appearance on a later date before a U.S. Magistrate Judge of the U.S. District Court for the District of Alaska. If convicted, he faces up to 40 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
U.S. Attorney Michael J. Heyman of the District of Alaska, Inspector in Charge Anthony Galetti of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service Seattle Division Office and Special Agent in Charge David Reames of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Seattle Field Division made the announcement.
The U.S. Postal Inspection Service Anchorage Domicile and the DEA Seattle Field Division and Anchorage District Office are investigating the case with assistance from the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Stephan Collins and Alana Weber are prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America (https://www.justice.gov/dag/media/1393746/dl?inline) a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime and drug trafficking. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
A criminal complaint is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Chester County Man Pleads Guilty to Stealing Valuable Coins from Bank Safe Deposit BoxRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that Richard DiStefano, 65, of Paoli, Pennsylvania, entered a plea of guilty today before United States District Judge Timothy J. Savage on one count of bank larceny.
DiStefano was charged by information with that offense earlier this month, arising from his theft of coins from the bank where the owning organization was keeping them.
As detailed in court filings and admitted to by the defendant, starting in July of 2017 and going through February 25, 2021, the defendant stole precious coins that were being stored in a safety deposit box at a Wells Fargo branch on the 100 block of South Broad Street.
In June of 2024, the FBI was notified that this theft had occurred. Subsequently, the FBI was able to obtain records showing that the defendant was the last person to have access to the safety deposit box.
In September of 2024, the FBI executed a search warrant at the defendant’s address. During the execution of the search warrant, the defendant admitted to stealing the coins. The investigation showed that, over the course of years, the defendant had removed the coins from the safety deposit box and sold the coins at various auction houses. The coins’ appraised value was just over $1.6 million.
The defendant is scheduled to be sentenced on January 13, 2026, and faces a maximum possible term of 10 years’ imprisonment, three years of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine.
The case was investigated by the FBI and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jason Grenell.
Charles County Man Sentenced to 14 Years for Commercial Armed Robbery SpreeRead the Press Release
Greenbelt, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Deborah K. Chasanow sentenced Daniel Michael Harris, Sr., 44, of Waldorf, Maryland, to 14 years in federal prison for committing four armed robberies while using, carrying, and brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence.
Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the sentence with Special Agent in Charge William J. DelBagno of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) – Baltimore Field Office; Chief George Nader, Prince George’s County Police Department (PGPD); Sheriff Troy D. Berry, Charles County Sheriff’s Office; and Chief Marc Yamada, Montgomery County Police Department (MCPD).
According to court documents, Harris and his co-conspirators planned and committed armed robberies of two businesses in Prince George’s County, one business in Charles County, and one business in Montgomery County. On March 23, and March 28, 2023, Harris and his co-conspirators robbed two convenience stores in Prince George’s County, stealing cash from the registers and several packs of cigarettes. Harris brandished a pistol-grip shotgun during both robberies.
Then on April 5, 2023, Harris and his co-conspirators robbed a convenience store in Charles County, stealing cash from the registers and the wallet and phone of a store employee. Harris also brandished a pistol-grip shotgun and held the store employee at gunpoint while pinning a customer into a wall corner with his forearm.
On April 6, 2023, Harris and his co-conspirators robbed a convenience store in Montgomery County, stealing cash from the register and a store employee’s purse and phone. Harris also brandished the same pistol-grip shotgun used in the earlier robberies.
Then on April 12, 2023, a PGPD officer observed the getaway vehicle Harris and his co-conspirators used in two of the robberies, resulting in a traffic stop. The occupants of the vehicle fled and escaped. Law enforcement recovered several items from the vehicle and submitted the items for Deoxyribonucleic Acid (DNA) testing. A subsequent DNA report revealed a high stringency match between Harris and a DNA sample from a bottle recovered from the vehicle.
On November 9, 2023, Charles County Sherriff’s Office detectives obtained and executed a search warrant for Harris’s storage unit. Detectives accessed the storage unit and identified the clothing items Harris wore and the same pistol-grip shotgun he used during the robberies.
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.
U.S. Attorney Hayes praised the FBI, PGPD, Charles County Sheriff’s Office, and MCPD for their work in the investigation. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Megan S. McKoy who prosecuted the case.
For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, visit justice.gov/usao-md and justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.
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Cape Girardeau Men Sentenced for Stealing from Gun StoreRead the Press Release
CAPE GIRARDEAU – U.S. District Judge Stephen N. Limbaugh Jr. on Tuesday sentenced a man who helped steal a pistol from a Cape Girardeau County gun store to 40 months in prison.
Danaje Raymond Webster and his co-defendant, Dayvion Jyraud Parker, will also have to pay restitution of $1,999. Parker was sentenced in March to 70 months in prison.
On June 17, 2024, Webster, of Cape Girardeau, removed a Sig Sauer 9mm pistol from the display case at a federally licensed firearm dealer in Cape Girardeau County and handed it to Parker. Parker first hid the pistol under his jacket before handing it to Webster, who hid it between Parker’s back and the back of Parker’s wheelchair. Parker then bought ammunition and a magazine for a different firearm and both men left the store. After store employees noticed the missing pistol, they discovered the culprits by reviewing surveillance video.
On June 25, law enforcement officers performing a court-approved search of a home in Cape Girardeau found Parker, who is a felon, lying on a bed with two pistols between the bed frame and the wall. Both pistols were equipped with auto sears, or “switches,” converting them into fully automatic weapons.
Webster, 24, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in Cape Girardeau in July to one count of stealing a firearm from a licensed dealer. Parker, now 22, pleaded guilty in October of 2024 to five felonies: stealing a firearm from a licensed dealer, two counts of being a felon in possession of a firearm and two counts of possession of a machine gun.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the U.S. Marshals Service and the Cape Girardeau County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy Willis 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.
Canton Woman Pleads Guilty to SNAP Benefits FraudRead the Press Release
Hattiesburg, MS – A Canton woman pleaded guilty last week to stealing Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits intended for low-income families to supplement their grocery budget so they can afford nutritious food.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Nya Irving, also known as Nya Carter, 25, unlawfully acquired and used SNAP and Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) benefits in October and November 2023. Irving was a Customer Service Representative for Conduent from September 26, 2022, to November 20, 2023.Irving used her position to access and obtain SNAP and TANF benefits belonging to recipients throughout the United States, including Alabama, Georgia, Indiana, Massachusetts, Maryland, New York, and Tennessee without authorization.
Irving also provided EBT card data to her friend, Velton Taylor Williams, Jr., who was sentenced last week to five years’ probation for his role in the scheme. Irving and Williams used the stolen SNAP and TANF benefits for their personal gain. Irving obtained $41,587.87 in SNAP and $975.19 in TANF benefits without authorization. TANF benefits are intended for low-income families with children under the age of 18.
Irving pleaded guilty to Food Stamp Fraud. She is scheduled to be sentenced on December 9, 2025, and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Acting U.S. Attorney Patrick A. Lemon of the Southern District of Mississippi and Acting Special Agent-in-Charge Matthew Deuchler of the United States Department of Agriculture Office of Inspector General made the announcement.
The United States Department of Agriculture Office of Inspector General is investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Kimberly T. Purdie is prosecuting the case.
California Resident Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for Methamphetamine TraffickingRead the Press Release
JOHNSTOWN, Pa. – A resident of Long Beach, California, has been sentenced in federal court to 120 months in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release, on his convictions of conspiracy to distribute and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.
United States District Judge Marilyn J. Horan imposed the sentence on Derrick Polk, 62, on September 24, 2025, also ordering Polk to forfeit $399,000 in U.S. currency, a firearm, and various Rolex watches and jewelry valued at over $150,000.
According to information presented to the Court, from in and around April 2019 to July 2021, in the Western District of Pennsylvania, Polk conspired to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of a mixture of methamphetamine. Further, in and around April 2021, Polk possessed with the intent to distribute 500 grams or more of a mixture of methamphetamine. Polk was intercepted on a federal wiretap obtaining quantities of the drugs that he distributed to others.
Assistant United States Attorney Maureen Sheehan-Balchon prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
Acting United States Attorney Rivetti commended the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Laurel Highlands Resident Agency and Homeland Security Investigations for the investigation that led to the successful prosecution of Polk. Additional agencies participating in the investigation included the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Internal Revenue Service–Criminal Investigation, United States Postal Inspection Service, Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General, Pennsylvania State Police, Cambria County District Attorney’s Office, Indiana County District Attorney’s Office, Cambria County Sheriff’s Office, Cambria Township Police Department, Indiana Borough Police Department, Johnstown Police Department, Upper Yoder Township Police Department, Richland Police Department, Ferndale Police Department, and other local law enforcement agencies.
This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.Calhoun drug dealer who bit a federal agent sentenced to more than a decade in federal prisonRead the Press Release
ROME, Ga. - DeWayne Allen McGill, a convicted felon and methamphetamine dealer who bit two law enforcement officers and unlawfully possessed a firearm, has been sentenced to prison.
"Caught red-handed with almost three-quarters of a pound of methamphetamine, McGill violently—but unsuccessfully—resisted arrest by brave, front-line crimefighters,” said U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg. “My office will aggressively prosecute anyone who threatens or injures a federal agent. In North Georgia, criminals will be held accountable for any attack on law enforcement.”
“This violent repeat offender thought he could continue to distribute deadly drugs with impunity,” stated Robert J. Murphy, the Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Atlanta Division. “This sentencing protects innocent families and shows DEA’s commitment to stopping violent drug traffickers.”
According to U.S. Attorney Hertzberg, the charges, and other information presented in court: On March 10, 2023, McGill sold approximately 56 grams of methamphetamine from his apartment in Calhoun, Georgia. On April 6, 2023, agents followed McGill from Calhoun to the Atlanta metro area, where he picked up methamphetamine from another man in a parking lot. Law enforcement stopped McGill and found over 300 grams of pure methamphetamine in his vehicle.
McGill tried to run from officers and resisted arrest, biting a DEA special agent and a Calhoun Police detective in the fracas. Agents later executed a search warrant on McGill’s apartment where they found additional methamphetamine and a loaded 9mm handgun. As a twice-convicted felon, McGill was prohibited from possessing a firearm.
DeWayne Allen McGill, a/k/a “Domino,” 40, of Calhoun, Georgia, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge William M. Ray II, to 11 years in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release. McGill was convicted of possessing methamphetamine with intent to distribute, assaulting a federal officer, and possessing a firearm as a convicted felon on March 3, 2025, after he pleaded guilty.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, with valuable assistance provided by the Calhoun Police Department and the Georgia State Patrol.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas M. Forsyth, III prosecuted the case.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office in Atlanta recommends parents and children learn about the dangers of drugs at www.justthinktwice.gov.
For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at;[email protected] or (404) 581-6016. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is;http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.
Buffalo man going to prison for selling fentanylRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, N.Y.–U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that James Clemons, a/k/a James Brown a/k/a Womp, 45, of Buffalo, NY, who was convicted of possession with intent to distribute, and distribution of, fentanyl, was sentenced to serve 60 months in prison by U.S. District Judge John L. Sinatra, Jr.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Donna Duncan, who handled the case, stated that in February and March 2023, investigators with the New York State Police conducted four controlled purchases of fentanyl from Clemons. On March 4, 2023, Clemons was operating a Porsche Cayenne in Lancaster, NY. A Lancaster Police officer conducted a stop on the vehicle because the Porsche did not have an up-to-date inspection. The officer discovered that Clemons’ license had been revoked, and he was arrested. The officer search Clemons and recovered $1,720.50 in cash. A search of the vehicle recovered plastic bags of suspected fentanyl, and drug paraphernalia. On March 31, 2023, Clemons was arrested on a federal arrest warrant by the FBI, which seized multiple bags of suspected narcotics from Clemons.
The sentencing is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Philip Tejera, the New York State Police, under the direction of Major Amie Feroleto, and the Lancaster Police Department, under the direction of Chief William Gummo.
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Buffalo man arrested on drug and gun chargesRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, N.Y.–U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Julius M. Hatten, 35, of Buffalo, NY, was arrested and charged by criminal complaint with possession with intent to distribute cocaine and methamphetamine and being a felon in possession of ammunition. The charges carry a mandatory minimum penalty of five years in prison, a maximum of 40 years and a $5,000,000 fine.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Matt I. Kass, who is handling the case, stated that according to the complaint, on September 25, 2025, investigators executed a search warrant at Hatten’s Eckhert Street residence. During the search, they seized 2,251 grams of suspected cocaine, 321 grams of suspected methamphetamine, 100 grams of suspected pressed/engraved fentanyl pills, drug paraphernalia, two metal kilogram presses, 30 rounds of ammunition, two cell phones, and $21,740 cash. Law enforcement also searched Hatten’s vehicle, recovering 37 grams of crack cocaine, 11 grams of suspected fentanyl pills, and 17 grams of suspected methamphetamine.
In August 2011, Hatten was convicted of two felonies in Erie County Court and in August 2018, he was convicted of a felony in Federal Court. As a result, he is legally prohibited from possessing a firearm.
Hatten made an initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jeremiah J. McCarthy and was held pending a detention hearing.
The complaint is the result of an investigation by the Buffalo Police Department, under the direction of Commissioner Alphonso Wright, the Erie County Sheriff’s Office, under the direction of Sheriff John Garcia, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Philip Tejera.
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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Bucks County Man Charged with Child Pornography OffensesRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that Richard Adamsky, 66, of Warminster, Pennsylvania, was arrested and charged by indictment with one count of receipt and attempted receipt of child pornography and one count of possession of child pornography.
The defendant will make his initial appearance in federal court tomorrow.
The indictment alleges that, on or about June 15, 2024, Adamsky knowingly received a visual depiction of a minor engaged in sexually explicit conduct. The indictment further alleges that Adamsky possessed two computers and two flash drives containing visual depictions of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct. These depictions included prepubescent minors and minors under 12 years of age.
If convicted, the defendant faces a maximum possible sentence of 40 years’ imprisonment, with a mandatory minimum term of five years in prison.
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 United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit projectsafechildhood.gov.
The case was investigated by FBI Philadelphia’s Fort Washington Resident Agency, the Warminster Township Police Department, Upper Merion Township Police Department, and Bucks County District Attorney’s Office, and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Maureen McCartney.
The charges and allegations contained in the indictment are merely accusations. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty in court.
Armed Robbery of Southeast Liquor Store Nets DC Man Seven Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Robert Jameson, 60, of the District, was sentenced today in D.C. Superior Court, to seven years in prison for the armed robbery of a liquor store on Minnesota Avenue in Southeast, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
Jameson pleaded guilty on March 26, 2025 to one count of armed robbery. Superior Court Judge Robert Salerno sentenced Jameson to seven years to be followed by five years of supervised release.
According to the government’s evidence, at approximately 6 p.m., on Feb. 16, 2025, Jameson walked into O’Connor’s Liquors, located in the 2900 block of Minnesota Avenue, Southeast, brandished a firearm at the store manager and took a box of Fireball shots (a whiskey liqueur) and several lottery tickets. The defendant attempted to take the cash register but was unsuccessful. He fled the store on foot.
Officers located Jameson later that evening still wearing the same distinctive clothing captured on the store’s CCTV cameras. A search of Jameson’s home yielded dozens of the Fireball shots and an imitation firearm.
Jameson was arrested on February 16, 2025 and has been in custody since. Jameson had previously been convicted multiple times of robbery in Maryland.
Joining in the announcement was Chief Pamela A. Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Pirro and Chief Smith commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department. They also acknowledged the work of Assistant U.S. Attorney Jacob Green, who prosecuted the case.
Allegany County man going to prison for possessing child pornographyRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, N.Y.–U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Ronald J. Chapman, III, 42, of Wellsville, NY, who was convicted of possession of child pornography involving prepubescent minors, was sentenced to serve 60 months in prison by U.S. District Judge John L. Sinatra, Jr.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles M. Kruly, who handled the case, stated that between May and November 30, 2023, Chapman possessed a cellular telephone, which contained approximately 45 images and videos of child pornography. The images included depictions of toddlers and prepubescent minors.
The sentencing is the result of an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Erin Keegan, and the New York State Police, under the direction of Major Amie Feroleto.
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Accokeek Man Sentenced to 9 Years in Prison for Distributing FentanylRead the Press Release
Greenbelt, Maryland – District Judge Deborah K. Chasanow sentenced OJ Rashad Green, 36, aka “Ice,” of Accokeek, Maryland, to nine years in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for distribution of fentanyl in the Accokeek, Maryland area.
Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the sentence with Special Agent in Charge Christopher C. Goumenis, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) – Washington Division; Commissioner Richard Worley, Baltimore Police Department (BPD); and Secretary Carolyn J. Scruggs, Maryland Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services (DPSCS).
After a six-day trial in February 2025, a federal jury returned a guilty verdict against Green, finding him guilty of knowingly and intentionally distributing fentanyl, a controlled substance, on four separate occasions. According to the evidence presented at trial, from or about January 21, 2022, through September 28, 2022, Green repeatedly distributed fentanyl from a home in the Accokeek area.
Law enforcement arrested Green following a series of controlled purchases arranged by officers. These controlled buys provided evidence that Green was utilizing his home as a fentanyl distribution hub.
At sentencing, federal prosecutors presented additional evidence of the large quantity of fentanyl Green distributed over a period of several years. The prosecution also unveiled Green’s extensive distribution network within and outside of the Accokeek area and how Green exploited fentanyl-addicted individuals to work on his behalf as drug testers and drug runners.
U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the DEA and Charles County Sheriff’s Office for their work in the investigation. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Darren S. Gardner and Brooke Oki who are prosecuting the federal case.
For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit justice.gov/usao-md and justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.
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29 September 2025
Zachary A. Keller Appointed to Serve as United States Attorney for the Western District of LouisianaRead the Press Release
MONROE, La. – Zachary A. Keller has been appointed to serve as the U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Louisiana by U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi. Mr. Keller took the oath of office in Monroe before Chief United States District Judge Terry A. Doughty on September 29, 2025, where he was joined by family, friends, law enforcement partners, and students from West Monroe High School, his alma mater.
“I am grateful for the honor and privilege of serving my home district in this role,” said Mr. Keller. “Together with our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners, the U.S. Attorney’s Office will work tirelessly to make Louisiana a safer place to live, work, raise a family, and run a business by combatting violent crime, gangs, child predators, immigration and financial fraud, and other criminal activity.”
Mr. Keller joined the Department of Justice as an Assistant U.S. Attorney in the Southern District of Florida in 2021, serving in civil, criminal, and appellate sections before concluding his service as a Deputy Chief in the Major Crimes section. As an Assistant U.S. Attorney, he investigated, prosecuted, and tried federal crimes involving firearms, violence, immigration, drugs, child exploitation, and a wide range of other criminal offenses. Mr. Keller also served as the Project Safe Neighborhood coordinator for the Major Crimes section at the time of his departure, where he worked with local and federal law enforcement to prosecute gun crime. Before serving at the Department, Mr. Keller worked as a consumer protection staff attorney for the Federal Trade Commission and an associate attorney in private practice.
Mr. Keller grew up attending public schools in West Monroe, Louisiana, and attended college at Louisiana State University, where he earned his degree summa cum laude while attending on full scholarship. Mr. Keller then earned his law degree from Yale Law School.
As U.S. Attorney, Mr. Keller is responsible for overseeing federal criminal prosecutions and civil litigation involving the United States in the Western District of Louisiana. Mr. Keller will lead a dedicated team of approximately 70 federal prosecutors and staff located in Shreveport and Lafayette. The Western District of Louisiana covers 42 of Louisiana’s 64 parishes and roughly half its population, with offices in Shreveport, Lafayette, Alexandria, Monroe and Lake Charles.
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Violent Criminal Alien Sentenced to Federal Prison for Illegally Reentering the CountryRead the Press Release
PENSACOLA, FLORIDA – Elpidio Abelardo Perez-Perez, 33, of the country of Mexico, was sentenced to a year and one day in federal prison for illegal reentry by a removed alien. The sentenced was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “This violent criminal alien repeatedly illegally re-entered our country after numerous prior deportations, and while unlawfully present here he continued to violate our laws. My office will continue to aggressively prosecute these cases to fulfill the promise made by President Donald J. Trump and Attorney General Pam Bondi to Take Back America from violent criminal aliens like this defendant who amply demonstrate a complete disregard for our national and state laws.”
Court records reflect that, on February 17, 2025, Perez-Perez was arrested for aggravated assault with a weapon and discharging a firearm in Escambia County. Through various record checks, investigators learned that Perez-Perez is a citizen of Mexico and was illegally in the country after having previously been encountered and deported by immigration authorities in 2010, 2012, and 2013.
The sentence was the result of an investigation by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Alicia H. Forbes.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America (https://www.justice.gov/dag/media/1393746/dl?inline) a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.
US Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones Attends “Passing of the Gavel” Ceremony Honoring Chief Judge Ariana Fajardo OrshanRead the Press Release
MIAMI - U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones joined colleagues, judges, and community leaders at this year’s Passing of the Gavel ceremony, marking the investiture of Chief Judge Ariana Fajardo Orshan as Chief Judge of the Eleventh Judicial Circuit of Florida.
Chief Judge Fajardo Orshan, who previously served as U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida during President Donald J. Trump’s first administration (Trump 45), led the Office in landmark prosecutions that strengthened the district’s reputation as one of the nation’s most active and impactful. Prior to her federal appointment, she served with distinction as a circuit judge in Miami-Dade County.
U.S. Attorney Reding Quiñones reflected on their long professional connection:
“I had the privilege of serving as a line prosecutor under Judge Ariana’s leadership during her tenure as U.S. Attorney. Later, we served together on the bench as judges. Today, it is a deep honor to return to this Court, now as U.S. Attorney myself, and to celebrate Judge Ariana’s elevation by her peers to Chief Judge and her career of service to justice and to our community.”
The Passing of the Gavel ceremony, a longstanding tradition in South Florida’s legal community, recognizes the installation of the new Chief Judge of the Eleventh Judicial Circuit and the continuity of leadership within the judiciary.
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Three Chicago-Area Men Indicted in Federal Court for Allegedly Scheming to Open Credit Cards in the Names of Deceased IndividualsRead the Press Release
CHICAGO – A federal grand jury in Chicago has indicted three men for allegedly orchestrating a scheme to fraudulently open credit cards in the names of recently deceased individuals. Two of the men—brothers from suburban Chicago—are also charged with fraudulently obtaining small business loans under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (“CARES”) Act and falsely claiming tax credits to which they were not entitled.
In the alleged credit card fraud, ROOSEVELT GARRETT and his brother, TORIENCE GARRETT, schemed with FRANKLIN SIMMONS to fraudulently obtain credit cards in the names of recently deceased individuals, including two former residents of Illinois, according to an indictment returned in the Northern District of Illinois. After using the deceased individuals’ personal identifying information to obtain the cards, the Garretts and Simmons made purchases for themselves and did not repay the credit card companies, the indictment states. The Garretts and Simmons also charged the cards to purported business entities that they controlled, allowing them to convert the credit card fraud proceeds to cash, the indictment states.
The indictment also alleges that the Garretts engaged in fraud related to the Economic Injury Disaster Loan program (EIDL)—a source of relief under the CARES Act. The indictment alleges that in June 2020, the Garretts submitted two fraudulent applications for EIDL loans on behalf of business entities that they purportedly owned and operated. The applications contained materially false statements and misrepresentations about the purported entities, including the number of employees and gross revenues, the indictment states. The Garretts allegedly used the EIDL funds to make cash withdrawals and transfers for their personal use and not for the operations of the purported entities.
The tax charges accuse the Garretts of misstating in corporate tax returns the number of employees of the purported entities they controlled and the wages allegedly paid by those companies. Additionally, Simmons fraudulently underreported to the IRS the income he derived from a purported entity he controlled and which he used in connection with the fraudulent credit card scheme, the indictment states.
The indictment charges Roosevelt Garrett, 57, of Itasca, Ill., with four counts of wire fraud, three counts of mail fraud, four counts of filing false corporate tax returns, and one count of failing to file an individual tax return. Torience Garrett, 53, of Bolingbrook, Ill., is charged with four counts of wire fraud, three counts of mail fraud, four counts of filing false corporate tax returns, and one count of money laundering. Simmons, 64, of Chicago, is charged with three counts of wire fraud, three counts of mail fraud, and two counts of filing a false individual tax return.
The defendants were arraigned in federal court in Chicago and pleaded not guilty to the charges. A status hearing is scheduled for Oct. 22, 2025, before U.S. District Judge Sharon Johnson Coleman.
The indictment was announced by Andrew S. Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and Adam Jobes, Special Agent-in-Charge of IRS Criminal Investigation in Chicago. Substantial assistance was provided by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service in Chicago. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Maione.
The public is reminded that an indictment contains only charges and is not evidence of guilt. The defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Anyone with information about attempted fraud involving Covid-19 is encouraged to report it to the Department of Justice by calling the National Center for Disaster Fraud Hotline at 866-720-5721 or filing an online complaint at https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
garrett_et_al_indictment.pdfTexas Woman Pleads Guilty to Fraudulently Obtaining Tens of Thousands of Eaton Fire Disaster Money and COVID Jobless FundsRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – A Texas woman pleaded guilty today to fraudulently obtaining more than $28,000 in federal disaster relief money by falsely claiming that she was a Pasadena resident living in a property damaged by the Eaton Fire and to fraudulently obtaining more than $54,000 in jobless benefits during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Joyce Turner, 57, of Rosharon, Texas, pleaded guilty to one count of fraud in connection with major disaster or emergency benefits and one count of mail fraud.
On January 7, 2025, the Eaton Fire ignited and burned through a residential area in Los Angeles County, killing 18 people and destroying more than 10,000 structures. A presidential disaster declaration was issued on January 8, making emergency federal financial assistance and benefits available to individuals and families affected by the Eaton Fire and to other wildfire victims in the Los Angeles area.
Victims who suffered losses because of the Eaton Fire, including renters who lost personal property and/or the use of their rental residences could qualify for benefits from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). The benefits included money for home repair, personal property damage, transportation, medical expenses, and housing assistance.
According to her plea agreement, on January 10, Turner submitted a fraudulent disaster benefits application to FEMA, falsely claiming she lived in Pasadena in a rental property that had been damaged by the Eaton Fire. In fact, Turner did not live in California and did not qualify for the benefits.
FEMA, relying on Turner’s false and fraudulent claim, sent her $28,195 in wildfire disaster relief money.
Turner further admitted in her plea agreement that in August 2020 she submitted a fraudulent claim for California unemployment insurance falsely claiming she had been working in California and lost work because of the COVID-19 pandemic and was entitled to unemployment insurance benefits. Following this false and fraudulent claim, California’s Employment Development Department (EDD) provided Turner with $54,360 in jobless benefits to which she was not entitled – providing these benefits through a debit card mailed to Turner at an address in Los Angeles.
United States District Judge Michael W. Fitzgerald scheduled a January 26, 2026, sentencing hearing, at which time Turner will face a statutory maximum sentence of 30 years in federal prison for the disaster benefits fraud count and up to 20 years in federal prison for the mail fraud count. Turner remains free on bond.
The Department of Homeland Security Office of Inspector General investigated this matter.
Assistant United States Attorney Kerry L. Quinn of the Major Frauds Section is prosecuting this case.
Tallahassee Felon Pleads Guilty to Possession of a MacHinegunRead the Press Release
TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA – Anthony Lamorris Davis Jr., 21, of Tallahassee, Florida, pleaded guilty in federal court to two counts of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and two counts of illegal possession of a machinegun. The plea was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “I appreciate the excellent work of our local and federal law enforcement partners to remove this violent felon from our streets. My office remains committed to fulfilling the promise made by President Donald J. Trump and Attorney General Pam Bondi to Take Back America from the violent criminals victimizing our communities, and this successful prosecution is yet another step toward achieving that goal.”
Court documents reflect that Davis was the passenger in a car stopped by the Leon County Sheriff’s Office on July 21, 2024. Under Davis’s seat, deputies found a stolen Glock 9-millimeter pistol which had a machinegun conversion device attached and an extended magazine. Davis was not arrested at the time. On October 25, 2024, the Tallahassee Police Department observed Davis wearing a ski mask and jacket, despite it being 87 degrees outside, and stopped him for pedestrian violations. Officers found a pistol with an attached machinegun conversion device in Davis’s jacket pocket. The conversion devices attached to the July 21 and October 25 were both 3D-printed and bore identical markings. Davis has prior felony convictions for aggravated assault, burglary, and criminal use of personal identification information.
Davis faces imprisonment for up to 15 years per count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, and 10 years per count of illegal possession of a machinegun.
The case involved an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the Leon County Sheriff’s Office, and the Tallahassee Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney James A. McCain.
Sentencing is scheduled for December 8, 2025, at 11:00 am at the United States Courthouse in Tallahassee before United States District Judge Robert L. Hinkle.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America (https://www.justice.gov/dag/media/1393746/dl?inline ) a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
As part of its PSN strategy, the United States Attorney’s Office is encouraging everyone to lock their car doors, particularly at night. Burglaries from unlocked automobiles are a significant source of guns for criminals in the Northern District of Florida. Please do your part and protect yourself by locking your car doors.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.
Startup CEO Charlie Javice Sentenced to 85 Months in Prison for $175 Million FraudRead the Press Release
Attorney for the United States, Acting Under Authority Conferred by 28 U.S.C. § 515, Amanda Houle announced that CHARLIE JAVICE was sentenced today to 85 months in prison for falsely and dramatically inflating the number of customers of her company, Frank, to fraudulently induce J.P. Morgan Chase (“JPMC”) to acquire Frank for $175 million. JAVICE and her co-defendant, OLIVIER AMAR, were convicted of conspiracy, wire fraud, bank fraud, and securities fraud following a six-week jury trial in March 2025. Today’s sentence was imposed by U.S. District Judge Alvin K. Hellerstein.
“Javice perpetrated a $175 million fraud—repeatedly lying about the success of her startup company and even hiring a data scientist to create fake data to back up her lies. For that, Javice has been sentenced to 85 months’ imprisonment and ordered to pay over $300,000,000,” said Attorney for the United States Amanda Houle. “Today’s sentence sends a clear message that brazen frauds will be met with serious penalties. Our Office will continue to work tirelessly to hold accountable those who seek to profit through fraudulent schemes and lies.”
As set forth in public filings and the trial record:
In or about 2017, JAVICE founded Frank, a for-profit company that offered an online platform designed to simplify the process of filling out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (“FAFSA”). FAFSA is a federal government form, available free of charge, that students use to apply for financial aid for college or graduate school. JAVICE was Frank’s CEO. AMAR was Frank’s Chief Growth Officer.
In or about 2021, JAVICE began to pursue the sale of Frank to a larger financial institution. Two major banks, one of which was JPMC, expressed interest and began acquisition processes with Frank. JAVICE represented repeatedly to those banks that Frank had 4.25 million customers or “users.” JAVICE explicitly defined “users”—to both banks—as individuals who had signed up for an account with Frank and for whom Frank therefore had at least four identified categories of data (i.e., first name, last name, email address, and phone number). In fact, Frank had approximately 300,000 users.
When JPMC sought to verify the number of Frank’s users and the amount of data collected about them—information that was critical to JPMC’s decision to move forward with the acquisition process—JAVICE and AMAR fabricated a data set. To do this, JAVICE and AMAR first asked Frank’s director of engineering to create an artificially generated (so-called “synthetic”) data set. The director of engineering raised concerns about the legality of the request, to which JAVICE responded, in substance and in part, “We don’t want to end up in orange jumpsuits.” The director of engineering declined the request.
JAVICE then approached an outside data scientist and hired him to create the synthetic data set. After the data set was created, JAVICE provided that synthetic data set to an agreed-upon third-party vendor in an effort to confirm to JPMC that the data set had over 4.25 million rows. JAVICE then caused the third-party vendor to convey to JPMC that the data set had over 4.25 million rows, consistent with JAVICE’s misrepresentations that Frank had 4.25 million users.
In reliance on JAVICE’s fraudulent representations about Frank’s users, JPMC agreed to purchase Frank for $175 million. As part of the deal, JPMC hired JAVICE and other Frank employees. JAVICE received over $21 million for selling her equity stake in Frank and, per the terms of the deal, was to be paid another $20 million as a retention bonus.
Unbeknownst to JPMC, at or about the same time that JAVICE was creating the fabricated data set, JAVICE and AMAR sought to purchase, on the open market, real data for over 4.25 million college students to cover up their misrepresentations. JAVICE and AMAR succeeded in purchasing a data set of 4.5 million students for $105,000, but it did not contain all the data fields that JAVICE had represented to JPMC were maintained by Frank. JAVICE then purchased an additional set of data on the open market to augment the data set of 4.5 million users. After JPMC acquired Frank, JPMC employees asked JAVICE and AMAR to provide data relating to Frank’s users so that JPMC could begin a marketing campaign to those users. In response, JAVICE provided what was supposedly Frank’s user data. In fact, JAVICE fraudulently provided the data she and AMAR had purchased on the open market, at a small fraction of the price that JPMC paid to acquire Frank and its purported users.
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In addition to the prison term, JAVICE, 31, of Miami Beach, Florida, was sentenced to three years of supervised release. The district court also imposed a forfeiture judgment of $22,360,977.48 and ordered restitution in the amount of $287,501,078.00 that is joint and several with AMAR.
Ms. Houle praised the outstanding investigative work of the Special Agents from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York and Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation’s Office of Inspector General.
The case is being handled by the Office’s Complex Frauds and Cybercrime Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Nicholas W. Chiuchiolo, Micah F. Fergenson, and Georgia V. Kostopoulos are in charge of the prosecution.