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26 September 2025
SDTX’s “Operation Pick-Off” comes to Laredo, resulting in nearly 30 criminal alien arrests, including convicted murdererRead the Press Release
LAREDO, Texas – A total of 28 people have been taken into custody for various immigration-related violations of federal law following a major enforcement action throughout Webb, La Salle, McMullen, Jim Hogg and Zapata Counties, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
Most are set to make their appearances before U.S. Magistrate Judge Brian Bajew in Laredo Sept. 29 at 9 a.m.
The Southern District of Texas and FBI initiative known as Operation Pick-Off began in the Rio Grande Valley as a multi-agency immigration/violent crime effort targeting illegal aliens who are on state probation for other crimes. It was launched Aug. 22 in the McAllen and Brownsville areas and resulted in the arrests of nearly 80 people. An additional 28 individuals have now been arrested in the Laredo area as part of this continuing effort.
“States normally put offenders on probation or parole to give them a second chance. But when it comes to criminal illegal aliens, our focus should be repatriating them to their home country, rather them letting them walk the streets of our community to commit additional crimes,” said Ganjei. “Today’s operation was a win for public safety, but, as I said at the announcement of this initiative, the U.S. Attorney’s Office is not going to rest until we bring Pick-Off to all 43 counties of the Southern District of Texas. If you’re here illegally and have committed crimes in our communities, consider yourself warned. We are coming.”
The Laredo operation involved the arrests of 23 people who are allegedly in the country illegally after having been previously removed. The charges allege they were serving varying terms of probation following convictions for state crimes, such as drug offenses, human smuggling, fraud, burglary and aggravated assault.
One individual is a convicted murderer, according to court records, having been sentenced to 18 years in a Texas prison. He was removed to Mexico but allegedly reentered the United States after serving that sentence and was illegally residing in Laredo.
If convicted, he and most of the others face up to 20 years in federal prison.
Law enforcement also identified and arrested five others illegally present in the country who are expected to be immediately removed from the country.
In support of Operation Pick-Off, the FBI, through its Summer Heat initiative, surged resources alongside its law enforcement partners to focus on intelligence-driven, multi-jurisdictional operations against priority targets.
“No single law enforcement agency can face today’s increasingly complex, dangerous, and far-reaching threats alone,” said Special Agent in Charge Aaron Tapp of the FBI San Antonio Field Office. “Operation Pick-Off reflects a unified and strategic law enforcement effort to protect the community from criminal illegal aliens. The FBI will continue to surge and mobilize resources to join our partners in protecting the homeland by enforcing our federal laws. The success of this operation was made possible by the unwavering commitment of the U.S. Attorney’s Office to securing our southern border.”
“This is what a whole-of-government approach looks like - federal, state and local agencies working together to increase public safety and make our communities safer one arrest at a time,” said Immigration and Customs Enforcement - Enforcement and Removal Operations Harlingen Field Office Director Juan Agudelo. “We are grateful for the collaborative efforts we saw today. This operation would not be possible without the support and assistance of the law enforcement partners we work with day in and day out to address complex threats facing our nation and achieve a shared goal.”
FBI – San Antonio Field Office, ICE Harlingen (Laredo Sub-Office) and Laredo Sector Border Patrol worked with the U.S. Attorney’s Office on the Laredo cases with assistance from ICE-ERO; U.S. Marshals Service; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; Drug Enforcement Administration; Customs and Border Protection; ICE-Homeland Security Investigations; Texas National Guard; Texas Department of Public Safety and Laredo Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys from the Laredo Division are prosecuting the cases.
The collaborative 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 and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces and Project Safe Neighborhood.
A criminal complaint is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence. A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.
Retired New York Financier and his Personal Assistant Charged with Sex Trafficking and Transporting Women to Engage in Commercial Sex ActsRead the Press Release
A 10-count indictment was unsealed today in federal court in Brooklyn charging retired New York-based financier, Howard Rubin, also known as “Howie” and “H,” along with his personal assistant, Jennifer Powers, with sex trafficking and transporting women in interstate commerce for sex acts with Rubin. Rubin was also charged with bank fraud in connection with misrepresentations made to a bank in the course of financing Powers’s mortgage for the Texas home of Powers and her husband.
Rubin was arrested this morning in Fairfield, Connecticut and will be arraigned this afternoon in federal court in Brooklyn before United States Magistrate Judge Peggy Kuo. Powers was arrested in Texas this morning and is scheduled to make her initial appearance on Monday in federal court in the Northern District of Texas. Powers will be arraigned in the Eastern District of New York at a later date.
Joseph Nocella Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, Christopher G. Raia, Assistant Director in Charge, New York Field Office (FBI), and Harry T. Chavis, Jr., Special Agent in Charge, Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation, New York (IRS-CI New York) announced the arrests and indictment.
“As alleged, the defendants used Rubin’s wealth to mislead and recruit women to engage in commercial sex acts, where Rubin then tortured women beyond their consent, causing lasting physical and/or psychological pain, and in some cases physical injuries,” stated United States Attorney Nocella. “Today’s arrests show that no one who engages in sex trafficking, in this case in luxury hotels and a penthouse apartment that featured a so-called sex ‘dungeon,’ is above the law, and that they will be brought to justice. Human beings are not chattel to be exploited for sex and sadistically abused, and anyone who thinks otherwise can expect to find themselves in handcuffs and facing federal prosecution like these defendants.”
“For many years, Howard Rubin and Jennifer Powers allegedly spent at least one million dollars to finance the commercial sexual torture of multiple women via a national trafficking network. The defendants allegedly exploited Rubin’s status to ensnare their prospective victims and forced them to endure unthinkable physical trauma before silencing any outcries with threats of legal recourse,” stated FBI Assistant Director in Charge Raia. “The FBI will continue to apprehend any trafficker who sexually abuses others for twisted gratification.”
“It’s alleged Rubin directed a sex trafficking enterprise, exploiting women who were transported from across the country to his Manhattan penthouse that was equipped with a soundproof sex room filled with BDSM equipment, including a device used to shock the women,” stated Special Agent in Charge of IRS-CI Chavis. “This was not a one-man show. While Rubin dehumanized these women with abhorrent sexual acts, Powers is alleged to have run the day-to-day operations of the enterprise and got paid generously for her efforts. IRS-CI and FBI partnered to see fit that all the facts are detailed in this case and ensure that this pair realizes the full consequences of their ghastly behaviors.”
Rubin, now retired, built his wealth in New York City working in finance. Powers, became his personal assistant around 2011, and managed the logistical aspects of their commercial sex operation. As alleged in the indictment, between 2009 and 2019, Rubin and Powers recruited multiple women to travel to New York City to engage in commercial sex acts with Rubin involving bondage, discipline, dominance, submission and sadomasochism, referred to as “BDSM” sex, and some of the women were trafficked. The commercial sex acts initially took place in luxury hotels, and then later in Rubin’s two-bedroom penthouse apartment (the “Penthouse”) in midtown Manhattan where he and Powers converted one of the bedrooms into what they referred to as a sex “dungeon” that was painted red, soundproofed and furnished with BDSM equipment and devices, including a device to shock or electrocute the women. Rubin also used force, fraud and coercion to traffic another woman in 2018 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Additionally, while fully embroiled in civil litigation related to this same conduct, Rubin falsely told a bank that he was not a party to litigation to secure a mortgage for Powers’s Texas home, which he financed.
As alleged, Rubin and Powers, together with others, recruited women to engage in commercial sex acts with Rubin. Powers frequently arranged the women’s flights to New York to LaGuardia or John F. Kennedy International Airports in Queens and then transported them to the Penthouse. During many of these encounters, Rubin brutalized women’s bodies, causing them to fear for their safety and/or resulting in significant pain and injuries.
As further alleged in the indictment, Rubin and Powers required the women to sign non-disclosure agreements (NDAs), which purported to require the women to assume the risk of the hazards and injury of the BDSM encounters with Rubin, prohibit the disclosure of information about the BDSM sex with Rubin and require the payment of damages in the event of a breach. Rubin used the NDAs to threaten the women with legal consequences and public shaming if they sought legal recourse.
After the sexual encounters, Rubin and/or Powers used Rubin’s money to pay the women by wire transfer or a payment service such as PayPal or Venmo. At times, Powers structured the payments to avoid sending a single transaction of $10,000 or more, to avoid triggering reporting obligations by the bank. The indictment alleges the defendants spent at least $1 million of Rubin’s money operating and maintaining the trafficking network.
The charges in the indictment are allegations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. If convicted of sex trafficking, the defendants each face a maximum sentence of life imprisonment and a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years’ imprisonment. If convicted of transporting women to engage in commercial sex acts, the defendants face a maximum sentence of 10 years’ imprisonment on each count. If Rubin is convicted of bank fraud, he faces a maximum sentence of 30 years’ imprisonment.
If you believe you have been victimized by or have information about Howard Rubin or Jennifer Powers, please contact the FBI at fbi.gov/HowardRubinVictims, [email protected] or 212-384-3600.
The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s Human Trafficking and Civil Rights Section. Assistant United States Attorneys Kayla Bensing, Tara McGrath, and Raffaela S. Belizaire are in charge of the prosecution, with the assistance of Paralegal Specialists Marlane Bosler and Timothy Migliaro
The Defendants:
HOWARD RUBIN (also known as “Howie” and “H”)
Age: 70
Fairfield, ConnecticutJENNIFER POWERS
Age: 45
Southlake, TexasE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 25-CR-281 (MKB)
rubin_and_powers_indictment.pdfOwner of Mail Order Pharmacies Settles False Claims Act Investigation Involving Allegations of Fraudulent Billing Practices and KickbacksRead the Press Release
Newark, N.J. – An Orange County, California resident entered into settlement agreements with the United States resolving allegations that he violated the False Claims Act by paying kickbacks in exchange for the referral of certain prescriptions, Acting U.S. Attorney and Special Attorney Alina Habba announced today.
According to the settlement agreements, Andrew Do owned and operated three mail-order pharmacies in Orange County, California between January 2016 through December 2020. The Government alleges that, during that time, Do paid kickbacks to receive prescriptions for certain compounded topical creams, filled the prescriptions, and then submitted claims to Medicare for reimbursement. According to the Government, Do knew that his payments to induce prescriptions paid for by Medicare violated the Anti-Kickback Statute and caused false claims to be submitted to the Medicare program, all in violation of the False Claims Act.
Under the terms of the settlement agreements, Do will pay $600,000 to the United States. This settlement amount is based on Do’s financial disclosures and his inability to pay.
One of the settlement agreements resolves allegations brought against one of Do’s pharmacies that was filed under the qui tam or whistleblower provisions of the False Claims Act. Under the False Claims Act, private parties can file an action on behalf of the United States and receive a portion of any recovery. Under today’s resolution, the relator in that action, Daniel Toellner, will receive up to $100,000 of the settlement agreement involving Do’s conduct on behalf of one of his pharmacies, Family Care Investments d/b/a Value Pharmacy.
Acting U.S. Attorney and Special Attorney Habba credited special agents of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Naomi Gruchacz, and U.S. Department of Defense, Office of Inspector General, Defense Criminal Investigative Service, Northeast Field Office, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Christopher Silvestro, with the investigation.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney David V. Simunovich of the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Health Care Fraud & Opioid Abuse Prevention Unit, in Newark.
The investigation and resolution of this matter illustrates the government’s emphasis on combating health care fraud. One of the most powerful tools in this effort is the False Claims Act. Tips and complaints from all sources about potential fraud, waste, abuse, and mismanagement, can be reported to the Department of Health and Human Services at 800-HHS-TIPS (800-447-8477).
The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only, and there has been no determination of liability.
The qui tam case is captioned United States ex rel. Toellner v. Apogee Bio-Pharm Corp., et al., Civil Action No. 18-13640 (D.N.J.).
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Counsel for Andrew Do: Vicki Podberesky, Esq., Los Angeles, CA
Counsel for Relator Daniel Toellner: Joseph Callow, Esq., Cincinnati, OH
dovaluepharmacy.agreement.pdf dogoodhealth.agreement.pdf dojdhealth.agreement.pdfOrleans Parish Woman Indicted for Federal Bank RobberyRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – Acting United States Attorney Michael M. Simpson announced that on September 19, 2025, a federal grand jury indicted JENTONIA WILLIAMS, (“WILLIAMS”), age 39, of New Orleans, for bank robbery, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 2113(a).
According to court documents, on September 2, 2025, WILLIAMS robbed the Capital One Bank located in the 4100 block of Canal Street, in New Orleans, of United States currency. The deposits of the Capital One Bank branch are insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (“FDIC”).
WILLIAMS faces a maximum term of imprisonment of twenty (20) years, a fine of up to $250,000, up to three (3) years of supervised release, and a mandatory $100 special assessment cost.
Acting U.S. Attorney Simpson reiterated that an indictment is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.
Acting U.S. Attorney Simpson praised the work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Violent Crime Task Force in investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Duane A. Evans of the General Crimes Unit is prosecuting the matter.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
Omaha Man Sentenced to 15 Years for Firearms and Drug Trafficking CrimesRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Lesley A. Woods announced that Latrell Knight, 20, of Omaha, Nebraska, was sentenced on September 25, 2025, in federal court in Omaha for conspiracy to distribute fentanyl analogue, distribution of fentanyl analogue, and possessing a firearm during a drug trafficking crime. Chief United States District Judge Robert F. Rossiter, Jr. sentenced Knight to 120 months’ imprisonment on the conspiracy charge, 87 months’ imprisonment on the distribution charge to be served concurrently, and a consecutive 60-month term of imprisonment on the firearm charge, for a total sentence of 180 months. There is no parole in the federal system. After Knight’s release from prison, he will begin a 5-year term of supervised release.
In 2024, Federal Bureau of Investigations determined that associates and co-conspirators Latrell Knight and Dale Jackson were receiving “M-30” pills from a common drug supplier and selling them. “M-30” pills are frequently counterfeit pills containing fentanyl and analogues of fentanyl.
Between April 17, 2024, through September 10, 2024, Knight and Jackson sold a confidential source (CS) M-30 pills. These transactions would occur outside of Knight’s residence and at a Casey’s gas station near 72nd and Grover streets in Omaha. Knight and Jackson would sell together and separately. In addition to the pills, Knight sold a DB9 9mm handgun to the CS during a drug deal on May 6 and a Glock 17 9mm handgun to the CS on July 11. In total about 1,616 M-30 pills were sold to the CS as part of the conspiracy.
Both were arrested on January 23, 2025.
Knight’s co-conspirator, Jackson, pleaded guilty to distribution and conspiracy to distribute fentanyl analogue. He was sentenced on August 15, 2025, to 120 months’ imprisonment on the conspiracy charge and 70 months’ imprisonment on the distribution charge, both sentences were ordered to run concurrently.
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.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Omaha Police Department.
Omaha Man Sentenced for Straw Purchase of Firearm for Convicted FelonRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Lesley A. Woods announced that Nick Koborg, 26, of Omaha, Nebraska, was sentenced on September 26, 2025, in federal court in Omaha for making a false statement during a firearm purchase. Chief United States District Judge Robert F. Rossiter, Jr. sentenced Koborg to 33 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After Koborg’s release from prison, he will begin a 3-year term of supervised release.
On November 10, 2022, Koborg purchased a Glock semi-automatic pistol from Scheels in Omaha. To make the purchase, Koborg filled out paperwork and intentionally made the false representation that he was the actual transferee/buyer of the firearm when in fact he knew that he was not the actual transferee/buyer of the firearm. After Koborg purchased the handgun, he provided it to a convicted felon who was legally prohibited from purchasing and possessing firearms. According to phone messages recovered pursuant to a search warrant, Koborg had agreed to purchase the firearm for the convicted felon in exchange for a “purchase fee.” The handgun, along with three others Koborg had purchased, was recovered in May 2023 when law enforcement agents executed search warrants tied to a drug trafficking investigation. At sentencing, Koborg was held responsible for buying the four handguns for other people, two for the convicted felon and two for another person involved in the drug distribution.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Bellevue Police Department.
Newton Psychologist Agrees to Plead Guilty to Fraud and Money LaunderingRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Newton, Mass. psychologist has been charged and has agreed to plead guilty to allegedly defrauding two victims, his psychotherapy patient and one of his own relatives.
Eric Brown, 76, has agreed to plead guilty to an Information charging him with two counts of wire fraud and one count of engaging in an unlawful money transaction. A plea hearing will be scheduled at a later date.
According to court filings, Brown was a psychotherapist to a Massachusetts victim who had been injured after being struck by a drunk driver. In February 2022, the victim allegedly asked Brown to serve as the trustee of a trust benefitting the victim. The trust held approximately $700,000, which was the victim’s settlement from the accident. As trustee, Brown allegedly had exclusive control over the victim’s money and a duty to use it for the victim’s health, support and maintenance. Brown then allegedly fell victim to an online investment confidence scam. At the direction of a scammer pretending to be in an online relationship with him, Brown allegedly depleted the trust without telling the victim why, to invest $600,000 of the victim’s money overseas.Separately, Brown allegedly deceived a family member into lending him an additional $310,000. Brown falsely told his relative that he needed the money to finance improvements on a commercial office building that Brown owned. Brown allegedly did not tell his relative about his online relationship or the overseas investment he intended to make.
The charge of wire fraud provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss, whichever is greater. The charge of money laundering provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $500,000 or twice the value of the property involved in the transaction, whichever is greater. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Ted E. Docks, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Seth B. Kosto, Chief of the Securities, Financial & Cyber Fraud 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.
Monica Kindt Appointed as Acting U.S. Trustee for Indiana and Central and Southern Districts of IllinoisRead the Press Release
Monica Kindt has been appointed by Attorney General Pamela Bondi as the Acting U.S. Trustee for Indiana and the Central and Southern Districts of Illinois (Region 10). Kindt replaces Nancy J. Gargula, who is retiring after 23 years of distinguished service to the U.S. Trustee Program (USTP).
Kindt joined the USTP in 2009 as the Assistant U.S. Trustee in charge of the Cincinnati office, and she will remain in that position while overseeing Region 10. Kindt has also been serving as the USTP’s Acting Associate General Counsel for Consumer Practice since 2022. Additionally, Kindt has been a special assistant to the Deputy Director for Management, and she serves on a number of working groups addressing legal matters of nationwide concern or USTP operations. Before joining the USTP, Kindt was a partner at a Cincinnati law firm and served as a chapter 7 panel trustee.
Kindt received a bachelor’s degree from St. Olaf College and a law degree from Florida Coastal School of Law.
The Executive Office for U.S. Trustees made the announcement.
The USTP’s mission is to promote the integrity and efficiency of the bankruptcy system for the benefit of all stakeholders — debtors, creditors, and the public. The USTP consists of 21 regions with 88 field offices nationwide and an Executive Office in Washington, D.C. Learn more about the USTP at www.justice.gov/ust.
Mexican national sentenced to 21 months in prison for illegally reentering United StatesRead the Press Release
CINCINNATI – A Mexican national was sentenced in federal court here to 21 months in prison for illegally reentering the United States after being convicted of a felony crime.
Gelacio Macias-Olivares, 42, was found by law enforcement in Lebanon, Ohio, in April. The defendant has three prior felony convictions for illegal reentry of a removed alien. His prior convictions occurred in the Western District of Texas, Southern District of Texas, and the District of Arizona. Macias-Olivares had most recently been deported from Texas in April 2020.
Dominick S. Gerace, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, Kevin Raycraft, Acting Field Office Director, ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) Detroit Field Office; announced the sentence imposed on Sept. 25 by Senior U.S. District Court Judge Susan J. Dlott. Assistant United States Attorney Ebunoluwa Taiwo is representing the United States in this case.
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Mexican National who Imported Nearly $360K in Fentanyl Sentenced to 8 Years in Prison and DeportationRead the Press Release
FLORENCE, S.C. — Francisco Villa-Garcia, also known as Francisco Villa-Dominguez, Andres Busto, and Jesus Pineda Dominguez, 68, a Mexican national illegally residing in the United States, has been sentenced to eight years in federal prison for his role in the importation of more than 8 kilograms of fentanyl from Mexico to South Carolina.
Evidence obtained in the investigation revealed that Villa-Garcia illegally entered the United States in or around 2022, having been previously deported to Mexico in 2019 after serving 15 years in federal prison on a prior drug trafficking conviction in California. Once in the United States, he ordered two shipments of what was supposed to be heroin but contained fentanyl. The drugs, valued at $45,000 per kilogram, were supposed to be provided to co-conspirators in Kingstree for further distribution. Investigators learned of this plan, however, and set up a sting operation that caught the conspirators in the process of receiving the second shipment.
Records reflect that Villa-Garcia has prior convictions dating back to 1984, including possession of cocaine, illegal reentry, driving under the influence, hit and run causing injury, extortion, and sale of methamphetamine. He was also deported to Mexico in 2019 based on 2005 federal convictions for conspiracy to distribute cocaine and illegal reentry in the Central District of California.
The Court sentenced Villa-Garcia to 97 months in federal prison on his new conviction, and to a concurrent sentence of 51 months for violating the terms of his release from his 2005 convictions. He will be deported to Mexico upon the completion of the service of his sentences. Co-defendants Eriberto Navarro Lopez of Mexico City, Mexico, and Marone Lawatis Nesmith of Kingstree also pleaded guilty to their roles in the conspiracy and are awaiting sentencing.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
The case was investigated by the FBI Columbia Field Office in close coordination with the Williamsburg County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Everett McMillian prosecuted the case.
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Mexican National Sentenced to 12 Months for Unlawfully Reentering the USRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Mexican national was sentenced on Sept. 25, 2025, for illegally reentering the United States.
Juan Hernandez-Sandoval, 45, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Beth Phillips, to 12 months and a day in federal prison. Hernandez-Sandoval pleaded guilty on Feb. 6, 2025, to illegal reentry after a felony conviction.
Hernandez-Sandoval had been deported or returned to Mexico on four prior occasions. He was convicted in 2017 of being an alien present without admission or parole and was subsequently deported to Mexico that same year.
This case is being prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Bradley Cooper. It was investigated by Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and Enforcement and Removal Operations.
Operation Take Back America
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
Mexican National Sentenced to Two Years in Federal Prison for Illegal ReentryRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Richard A. Lazzara today sentenced Esteban Lopez-Juarez (39, Mexico) to two years in federal prison for illegal reentry by deported alien. Lopez-Juarez previously pled guilty on July 1, 2025.
According to court records, Lopez-Juarez was found in the United States on March 16, 2025, after being arrested by local authorities for driving under the influence. Prior to being found, Lopez-Juarez had been previously deported on multiple occasions between 2012 and 2019 and had not received permission from immigration authorities to reenter the United States. Additionally, Lopez-Juarez has three prior convictions for illegal reentry.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO). It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jeff Chang.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
Member of Vast International Alien Smuggling Organization Extradited from MexicoRead the Press Release
A Mexican man made his initial appearance in court in Del Rio today after being extradited to Texas from Mexico to face charges relating to his role in an international alien smuggling organization.
In September 2023, a federal grand jury in the Western District of Texas returned an indictment against Efrain Zuniga-Garcia, 37, of Mexico, for conspiring to smuggle aliens from multiple countries into the United States for financial gain.
Beginning in November 2020 and continuing through September 2023, the defendant and others were part of a vast international alien smuggling organization (ASO) that illegally brought thousands of aliens from Afghanistan, Yemen, Egypt, India, Pakistan, Columbia, Guatemala, Honduras, and Ecuador into the United States across the border with Mexico. The ASO operated stash houses in Monterrey, Mexico, and Piedras Negras, Mexico. A Pakistani smuggler based in Brazil originally contracted with aliens to enter the smuggling venture. In turn, this Brazilian-based smuggler worked with a San Antonio, Texas-based smuggler and Honduran national Enil Edil Mejia-Zuniga to facilitate travel of the aliens from South America to the United States. Mejia-Zuniga directed operations, as well as paid armed “coyotes,” load drivers, and stash house operators. According to court documents, Mejia-Zuniga admitted that the ASO smuggled between 2,500 to 3,000 aliens into the United States in just two years. Mejia-Zuniga stated the organization charged between $6,500 to $12,000 per alien, totaling approximately $16 to $30 million in financial gain.
Efrain Zuniga-Garcia operated the stash house in Monterrey and coordinated with other members of the ASO to transport aliens to the stash house and then into the U.S. illegally. The defendant worked with others to house aliens for a period, after which the aliens would meet foot guides, ‘coyotes’, who led them across the U.S.-Mexico border by crossing the Rio Grande River.
Zuniga-Garcia was arrested in Mexico in October 2024 at the request of the U.S. government. Zuniga-Garcia’s extradition was the result of extensive coordination and cooperation between U.S. and Mexican law enforcement authorities.
Zuniga-Garcia is charged with one count of conspiracy to bring illegal aliens to the United States and three counts of bringing in illegal aliens for profit. If convicted, he faces a mandatory minimum penalty of five years in prison. Zuniga-Garcia’s co-defendant, Monica Hernadez-Palma was extradited to the United States from Mexico in January 2025. She pleaded guilty to smuggling offenses in April 2025 and is scheduled to be sentenced in November 2025. Defendant Mejia-Zuniga was sentenced in July 2025 to the statutory maximum of 120 months in prison.
Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew R. Galeotti of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and Acting Special Agent in Charge Mark Lippa of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) San Antonio Field Office made the announcement.
HSI Del Rio led U.S. investigative efforts, working in concert with the HSI Human Smuggling Unit in Washington, D.C., U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s National Targeting Center International Interdiction Task Force, and U.S. Border Patrol. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs worked with law enforcement partners in Mexico to secure the arrest and extradition of Zuniga-Garcia.
Trial Attorneys Jenna Reed and Bethany Allen of the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section (HRSP) are prosecuting the case.
The indictment and extradition are the result of the coordinated efforts of Joint Task Force Alpha (JTFA) and the Extraterritorial Criminal Travel Strike Force (ECT) Program. JTFA, a partnership with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), has been elevated and expanded with a mandate to target cartels and transnational criminal organizations to eliminate human smuggling and trafficking operating in Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Panama, Colombia, Canada, and the Caribbean. JTFA currently comprises detailees from U.S. Attorneys’ Offices along the southwest border, the Northern District of New York, the District of Vermont, and the Southern District of Florida. Dedicated support is provided by numerous components of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, led by HRSP and supported by the Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section, Office of Enforcement Operations, and the Office of International Affairs, among others. JTFA also relies on substantial law enforcement investment from DHS, FBI, U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, and other partners. To date, JTFA’s work has resulted in more than 415 domestic and international arrests of leaders, organizers, and significant facilitators of alien smuggling; more than 355 U.S. convictions; more than 305 significant jail sentences imposed; and forfeitures of substantial assets.
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 (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN).
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Member of Darrin Southall Drug Organization Sentenced in Federal CourtRead the Press Release
MOBILE, AL –A member of Darrin Southall’s drug trafficking organization was sentenced in federal court on September 25, 2025. Henderson Pippins, 45, a resident of Mobile, was sentenced to 197 months in federal prison on the charges of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine and heroin, and possession with intent to distribute cocaine. According to court documents, Southall ran a continuing criminal enterprise involving the distribution of massive amounts of controlled substances in the Mobile, Alabama, area, and the laundering of drug proceeds through bank accounts and nominees. Court documents also establish that Pippins’ role in the conspiracy was as a kilogram-level distributor of the drugs in the Mobile area. On February 18, 2022, Southall was sentenced to 35 years in federal prison on his guilty plea to conducting a continuing criminal enterprise, drug distribution and conspiracy to launder drug proceeds.
United States District Court Judge Terry F. Moorer imposed the 197-month sentence in Pippins’ case and further ordered that Pippins serve five years on supervised release following his imprisonment. As conditions of Pippins’ supervision, he will also undergo testing and treatment for drug and/or alcohol abuse, and he will be subject to a search of his person and premises upon reasonable suspicion. No fine was imposed but the judge ordered that Pippins pay $200 in special assessments.
The case was investigated by the Mobile Police Department, the Mobile County Sheriff’s Office, the Department of Homeland Security Investigations, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Baldwin County Sheriff’s Office, the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency, the Saraland Police Department, the St. Tammany Parish, Louisiana, Sheriff’s Office, and the Drug Enforcement Administration. Assistant U.S. Attorney Gloria Bedwell prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.
Massachusetts Man Admits Robbing Banks in Connecticut and New HampshireRead the Press Release
David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that TAYLOR DZICZEK, 43, formerly of Chicopee, Massachusetts, pleaded guilty today before U.S. District Judge Sarala V. Nagala in Hartford to bank robbery charges.
According to court documents and statements made in court, the FBI and state and local law enforcement investigated a series of robberies of banks and credit unions that occurred between September 2021 and August 2022 in Massachusetts, Connecticut, Vermont, and New Hampshire, and which were committed by what appeared to be the same individual. During the investigation, Dziczek was identified as a suspect who robbed the Peoples United Bank, located at 117 East Street in Plainville, Connecticut, on May 26, 2022. On that date, Dziczek entered the bank, approached the teller counter and gave the teller a note stating words to the effect of, “I have a gun. Don‘t call 911. Don‘t set off any alarms.“ When the teller stated she did not have any more money, Dziczek pulled what appeared to be a black firearm from the front pocket of his sweatshirt and made additional statements including “Give me all the money,” “I have a gun,” and “Don‘t be a hero.”
Dziczek removed some of the paper money wrappers from the money he received from the teller and discarded them at the bank before he fled the scene. Plainville Police detectives collected the discarded money wrappers as evidence.
On October 21, 2022, FBI special agents surveilled Dziczek while he was in the MGM Casino in Springfield, Massachusetts, and retrieved a Red Bull energy drink can with a black straw from which Dziczek was observed drinking. Laboratory analysis connected DNA found on the black straw to DNA found on discarded money wrappers from the Plainville bank robbery.
Dziczek was arrested on December 1, 2022.
Dziczek pleaded guilty to three counts of bank robbery and admitted that committed the Plainville bank robbery, as well as the robberies of a Webster Bank branch in Somers, Connecticut, on October 22, 2021; a Key Bank branch in East Windsor, Connecticut, on January 6, 2022; a TD Bank branch in Nashua, New Hampshire, on June 3, 2022, during which he pointed what appeared to be a black pistol at the tellers; and a Liberty Bank branch in Meriden, Connecticut, on August 17, 2022.
Judge Nagala scheduled sentencing for February 20, 2026, at which time Dziczek faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 60 years. Dziczek has agreed to pay restitution in the total amount of $82,567.
Dziczek has been detained since his arrest.
This investigation has been conducted by the FBI New Haven Division’s Violent Crimes Task Force, FBI Boston Division, FBI Albany Division, Connecticut State Police, Massachusetts State Police, Athol (Mass.) Police Department, Avon (Conn.) Police Department, Brattleboro (Vt.) Police Department, Chicopee (Mass.) Police Department, East Windsor (Conn.) Police Department, Enfield (Conn.) Police Department, Greenfield (Mass.) Police Department, Keene (N.H.) Police Department, Meriden (Conn.) Police Department, Montague (Mass.) Police Department, Nashua (N.H.) Police Department, Plainville (Conn.) Police Department, Somers (Conn.) Police Department, and Springfield (Mass.) Police Department. The Connecticut Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection, Division of Scientific Services has provided valuable assistance to the investigation.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Daniel E. Cummings, and Stephanie T. Levick. U.S. Attorney Sullivan thanked the U.S. Attorney’s Offices for the Districts of New Hampshire, Massachusetts, and Vermont and for their close cooperation in investigating and prosecuting this matter.
Man Who Transported Minor to Super Bowl, St. Louis for Prostitution Sentenced to 152 Months in PrisonRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge Stephen R. Clark on Friday sentenced a Missouri man to 152 months in prison for transporting a minor across state lines for sex.
JoeMarius Green, 25, will be on supervised release for life after his release from prison. Green pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in St. Louis in January to one felony count of transporting a minor across state lines to engage in prostitution. He admitted taking the minor from Dallas to Kansas City on Feb. 12, 2023, to engage in prostitution during the Super Bowl. After about four days, Green brought the victim and others to a St. Louis area hotel for the same reason. Green managed the online prostitution ads, rented hotel rooms, set price points for sex acts and took all cash proceeds from the victim’s commercial sex acts.
Green’s co-defendant, Chantel Robinson, 21, was sentenced in July to 41 months in prison after pleading guilty to one felony count of possession of child pornography. Robinson admitted engaging in commercial sex acts, taking sexually explicit and sexually suggestive photos of minors and posting online ads. She also oversaw the prostitution activities of minors when Green was away.
The St. Louis County Police Department and the FBI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Dianna Edwards 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 U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Department of Justice Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Major Methamphetamine Dealer Sentenced to 11 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – William Wayne Ray Schubel, 33, has been sentenced to 140 months of imprisonment and 5 years of supervised release for distributing large amounts of methamphetamine and cocaine, in addition to illegally possessing numerous firearms, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Joseph H. Thompson.
“A four-time felon who chose to poison our communities is now going to federal prison for more than a decade,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Joseph H. Thompson. “Methamphetamine is one of the deadliest forces eating away at Minnesota’s neighborhoods. We will keep putting major dealers behind bars until our communities are free from this poison.”
Law enforcement identified Schubel as a high-volume methamphetamine dealer. A confidential informant saw Schubel in possession of five pounds of methamphetamine individually packaged in one-pound vacuum sealed bags. The informant also heard the defendant discussing his receipt of fifty pounds of methamphetamine.
On January 10, 2024, law enforcement executed search warrants at Schubel’s two residences—a home in Oak Grove, Minnesota, and an apartment in Anoka, Minnesota.
Inside Schubel’s Oak Grove home, law enforcement found 746 grams of methamphetamine and 220 grams of cocaine inside a backpack that also contained a digital scale. Also at the Oak Grove residence, police found a vast array of firearms (12 in total), ammunition, and firearm accessories. This included, among other things, a loaded Glock .40 caliber pistol (bearing the defendant’s DNA) with an extended magazine concealed under the defendant’s pillow.
Inside Schubel’s Anoka apartment, law enforcement found an additional five grams of methamphetamine, a firearm cleaning kit, and multiple rolls of vacuum seal bags.
Schubel was arrested that day, in his car. The defendant had $2,378 on his person as well as a cellphone.
Agents searched Schubel’s phone and found more evidence of drug trafficking. Agents found messages where Schubel sent drug “menus” to customers, listing various controlled substances using code names and offering the controlled substances for sale in full pound, half-pound, and quarter-pound amounts.
Agents also found messages where Schubel discussed selling controlled substances and his knowledge that doing so would entail significant consequences. Among other things, Schubel explained he was going to delete his messenger app, because “the Feds can find it and look at that shit"
Schubel has a long and violent criminal history. Schubel has four prior felony convictions, including a conviction for domestic assault by strangulation, and three convictions for drug distribution and possession. Because of his prior felony convictions, it is illegal for Schubel to possess firearms and ammunition.
Schubel was sentenced in U.S. District Court before District Judge John R. Tunheim.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Raphael B. Coburn prosecuted the case.
Mexican National Sentenced to Federal Prison for Stealing Identity of U.s. CitizenRead the Press Release
PENSACOLA, FLORIDA – Alfredo Mendoza Montero, 45, of Mexico, was sentenced to two years and one day in federal prison after having pleaded guilty to charges of passport fraud, false impersonation of a citizen, and aggravated identity theft. The sentence was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “Thanks to the investigative work of our incredible federal law enforcement partners, this criminal illegal alien will be held accountable for stealing the identity of a U.S. citizen that he used to conceal his unlawful presence in our country. Prison and a swift removal from our country awaits him, and should be a warning to others that violations of our immigration laws will not go unpunished.”
Court documents reflect that Montero illegally entered the United States in 2019 and purchased identification documents belonging to a real American citizen. He knowingly used those documents to fraudulently apply for a United States passport in 2022 and obtain a Florida driver’s license in 2023. Montero lived under that assumed citizen’s identity while living in the Pensacola area until he was arrested by federal authorities on April 1, 2025.
“Safeguarding U.S. passports and visas is critical to the Diplomatic Security Service mission and supporting the Trump administration's goal to make America safer,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Ryan McSeveney of the U.S. State Department’s Diplomatic Security Service Miami Field Office. “We are firmly committed to prosecuting criminals who misuse U.S. travel documents to commit fraud, further criminal activity, and endanger the security of our nation.”
“This sentencing highlights the seriousness of identity theft, and the extent individuals will go to falsely claim U.S. citizenship to obtain government credentials.” said Acting Inspector General Michelle L. Anderson. “By working closely with our law enforcement partners, SSA OIG helped uncover the true victim in this case—a U.S. citizen living in Puerto Rico—who had their identity misused. We remain committed to protecting the integrity of Social Security records and ensuring that those who commit identity-related crimes are brought to justice.”
“Identity theft is a serious crime that can have devastating, long-lasting effects on the lives of its victims,” said Homeland Security Investigations Tallahassee Assistant Special Agent in Charge Nicholas Ingegno. “It is not a victimless crime; it affects real people, causing emotional distress, financial instability, and legal complications that can take years to resolve. HSI is committed to protecting the integrity of U.S. identification systems and safeguarding the personal information of American citizens.”
The sentence was the result of an investigation by the U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service with assistance from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations and the Social Security Administration-Office of Inspector General. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. 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.
Lackawanna County Woman Sentenced to 21 Years in Prison on Drug Distribution Resulting in Death ChargesRead the Press Release
SCRANTON - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Kaylee Ann Widmer, age 25, of Thornhurst, Pennsylvania, was sentenced on September 23, 2025, to 21 years’ imprisonment by Senior United States District Judge Robert D. Mariani for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute oxycodone and 40 grams and more of fentanyl resulting in death.
According to Acting United States Attorney John C. Gurganus, between January 2022 and February 2023, Widmer and her boyfriend, Christopher Potter, and others conspired to distribute controlled substances throughout Lackawanna and Luzerne Counties. Widmer supplied fentanyl to her co-conspirator Santino Bellucci, who on December 18, 2022, sold a person fentanyl which caused the individual’s death. At the time of the incident, Widmer was receiving large amounts of fentanyl from individuals residing in the Hazleton, PA area throughout the conspiracy.
Senior Judge Mariani previously sentenced both co-conspirators Santino Bellucci, age 28, of Dickson City, PA, and Christopher Potter, age 30, of Scranton, PA, to 21 years’ imprisonment.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Dunmore Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jenny Roberts prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America (https://www.justice.gov/dag/media/1393746/dl?inline), a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
This case was also brought as part of a district wide initiative to combat the nationwide epidemic regarding the use and distribution of heroin. Led by the United States Attorney’s Office, the Heroin Initiative targets heroin traffickers operating in the Middle District of Pennsylvania and is part of a coordinated effort among federal, state and local law enforcement agencies to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who commit heroin related offenses.
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Kansas woman sentenced for murder of U.S. soldier husbandRead the Press Release
TOPEKA, KAN. A Kansas woman was sentenced to 293 months in prison for the murder of her husband, a U.S. Army soldier.
On February 14, 2025, a federal jury found Margaret E. Shafe, 31, guilty of murder in the second degree for killing her husband, Greg Shafe, in February 2024 at their home on the Fort Riley military installation. Evidence presented at trial showed that Shafe shot her husband in the face while in the presence of two minor children.
“Margaret Shafe deserves to go to prison. The evidence in this case showed she murdered her husband while the couple’s two young daughters were in the home,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan A. Kriegshauser. “The Court heard brave testimony from Ms. Shafe’s own daughter who witnessed her mother shoot her stepfather in a fury.”
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the U.S. Department of Army Criminal Investigation Division, and Fort Riley Fire and Emergency Services investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sara Walton and Lindsey Debenham and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Robin Graham prosecuted the case.
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Justice Department Secures Agreement with Sunrise Hospital and Medical Center to Ensure Accessibility for Deaf or Hard of Hearing Individuals Under the Americans with Disabilities ActRead the Press Release
LAS VEGAS – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Nevada secured an agreement with Sunrise Hospital & Medical Center, LLC, to ensure that patients and their companions who are deaf have appropriate auxiliary aids and services, including qualified in-person or video remote interpreting services. The new internal policies as per the agreement will be enforced in all 190 affiliated healthcare facilities across the United States.
“Every individual deserves the right to communicate effectively with their medical team, especially when assisting their child in an emergency room,” said Acting United States Attorney Sigal Chattah for the District of Nevada. “This settlement reflects the United States Attorney’s Office’s commitment to the civil rights of disabled individuals, specifically those who are deaf or hard of hearing to ensure they may participate meaningfully in their own health care without obstacles.”
The settlement agreement resolves a complaint under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) by a deaf father who accompanied his eight-year-old daughter during a Sunrise Hospital emergency room visit where the hospital denied him an American Sign Language interpreter in violation of the ADA. Instead, the father was forced to use an unreliable means of communication to attempt to relay and receive information from emergency room staff, including the doctor caring for his daughter. As a result, he did not understand the extent of his daughter’s condition, medication being administered, vital details about the discharge process and treatment plan. Consequently, the father and his daughter suffered unnecessary stress, fear, and confusion.
Under the terms of the agreement, Sunrise Hospital & Medical Center, LLC, will provide patients and companions who are deaf appropriate auxiliary aids and services including qualified in-person or video remote interpreting services. They will also train all patient-facing staff and employees on current ADA requirements, periodically submit reports regarding its compliance, and modify all policies and practices consistent with the ADA. Additionally, Sunrise Hospital & Medical Center, LLC, will pay $30,000 in monetary damages to the father, as well as $5,000 in civil penalties to the United States.
This case was handled by Assistant United States Attorney Ednin D. Martinez.
If you or someone you know has experienced possible violations of federal civil rights laws, please make a report at www.civilrights.justice.gov. For more information on the ADA, please call the department’s toll-free ADA Information Line at 800-514-0301 (TDD 800-514-0383) or visit www.ada.gov. ADA complaints may be filed online at http://www.ada.gov/complaint. If you believe you have been discriminated against based on disability, please submit a report www.civilrights.justice.gov.
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Justice Department Announces Memorandum of Understanding with Nevada to Collaborate on Immigration EnforcementRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Today, the Department of Justice announced a new Memorandum of Understanding with the State of Nevada to fully collaborate on immigration enforcement. This follows the Department publishing a list of sanctuary jurisdictions on August 5th, 2025, in accordance with President Donald J. Trump’s Executive Order 14287.
The list initially included Nevada and has now been updated following work between the Department and the State of Nevada – the first removal since the list’s publishing. Following the release of the Memorandum of Understanding, Attorney General Pamela Bondi released the following statement:
“The Department of Justice is committed to eradicating sanctuary policies across America. We applaud Governor Lombardo and Nevada for taking necessary steps to fully comply with the Trump Administration’s immigration policy. This should serve as a reminder to other jurisdictions: come to the table and work with us instead of going to court.”
Read the full MOU here.
Jury Finds District Man Guilty in 2019 Mass Shooting CaseRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Ronnell Offutt, 36, of Washington, D.C., has been found guilty by a jury of four counts of assault with intent to kill while armed (one of which included a minor-victim enhancement) in a rush-hour shooting that took place at a crowded bus stop at the corner of Pennsylvania Ave and Minnesota Ave, Southeast, on February 4, 2019, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
Offutt also was found guilty of four counts of possession of a firearm during a crime of violence. The verdict was returned on September 26, 2025, following a trial in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. The Honorable Danya A. Dayson scheduled sentencing for December 12, 2025.
“This is yet another case of uncontrolled violence on the streets of DC,” said U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro. “My office will continue to fight to prosecute and convict those who think vigilante justice is the answer to their personal disputes.”
According to the government’s evidence, on February 4, 2019, at about 4:15 p.m., the defendant was brutally assaulted at the intersection of Pennsylvania and Minnesota Avenues—beaten, with his hair ripped out and his car windows shattered. He argued with some of his assailants, and an off-duty MPD commander saw the tail end of the incident. Offutt refused to make a report and made clear to the MPD commander that he wanted nothing to do with the police. He left, and cell location data indicated he returned home.
Approximately one hour later, that same cell location data showed that Offutt returned to the area of Pennsylvania and Minnesota Avenues. Video footage showed him returning to the very same streetcorner—this time, with a gun. Offutt shot eight times into the rush-hour crowd standing near a bus stop, seeking revenge on those who had assaulted him. In his barrage of gunfire, a 5-year-old girl was shot in the arm, an adult male was shot through the chest, another adult male was shot twice – once in the arm and once in the buttocks, and another adult male was shot in the thigh. Miraculously, no one died. Each of the victims was transported to area hospitals and fully recovered, though each would carry scars for the rest of their lives.
Offutt fled the scene, but the MPD commander had taken his picture and a picture of his license plate an hour earlier. Ballistics evidence showed that a firearm later recovered in Maryland was the firearm used in the shooting, and DNA evidence linked that firearm to Offutt. Additionally, eyewitnesses and video footage made clear to the jury that Offutt was the shooter. One local man who heard the first shots looked out his office window, saw the shooting happen, and took pictures of the shooter—those pictures showed Offutt wearing the same hat and shoes as he had been wearing an hour before, as captured in the photograph taken by the MPD commander.
Joining in the announcement was Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department.
This case is being investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Geoffrey Comber and Michael Roberts.
Inmate Convicted of Slashing Federal Corrections Officer in New York City PrisonRead the Press Release
United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Jay Clayton, announced today the conviction in Manhattan federal court of MARIO POWELL for assaulting a corrections officer with a deadly and dangerous weapon and for possession of prison contraband. The jury convicted POWELL following a five-day trial before U.S. District Judge John P. Cronan.
“Mario Powell brutally assaulted a federal corrections officer with a makeshift weapon made of razor blades,” said U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton. “Today, a jury of his peers held Powell accountable for this vicious attack. Our Office is proud to stand behind and pursue justice for our law enforcement partners who bravely put their lives on the line every day to protect the people of New York.”
According to the allegations contained in the Indictment and the evidence presented during the trial:
On May 30, 2020, at the Metropolitan Correctional Center, POWELL forcibly assaulted a corrections officer with a deadly and dangerous weapon and, in doing so, lacerated the officer’s neck. In order to commit the attack, POWELL obtained and possessed a weapon made of razor blades.
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POWELL, 34, of the Bronx, New York, was convicted of one count of assault on a federal officer using a deadly or dangerous weapon, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, and one count of possession of prison contraband, which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison.
The maximum potential sentences in this case are prescribed by Congress and provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the judge. POWELL is scheduled to be sentenced by Judge Cronan on November 14, 2025.
Mr. Clayton praised the outstanding investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
This case is being handled by the Office’s General Crimes Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Thomas John Wright, Henry L. Ross, and Leslie B. Arffa are in charge of the prosecution, with the assistance of Paralegal Specialists Myrnette Millington and Phineas Santello.
Illegal alien who skipped immigration court charged after attacking officer during arrestRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – A 28-year-old illegal alien from Honduras has been charged for attacking and injuring an Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer during her arrest, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
Sindi Vanessa Moreno-Flores is expected to make her initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Richard W. Bennett Sept. 29 at 2 p.m.
On Sept. 23, an ICE officer encountered Moreno-Flores as she was getting into her vehicle and identified himself, according to the complaint. The officer advised her she was under arrest, but Moreno-Flores allegedly started her vehicle, refused to turn it off or exit.
The charges allege the officer removed Moreno-Flores and attempted to secure her in handcuffs, but she resisted and began scratching the officer and swinging her arm in order to strike him. Moreno-Flores allegedly continued to struggle and physically resist, fleeing to a nearby group of bystanders. A family member also became involved in the physical altercation as the officer continued to try to secure Moreno-Flores, according to the charges.
The complaint alleges additional authorities arrived and were able to detain Moreno-Flores.
The ICE officer allegedly sustained deep scratches on his arm and hands.
The investigation revealed an immigration judge had ordered Moreno-Flores removed from the United States in February 2024 after she failed to appear for her immigration hearing, according to the charges.
“Federal law enforcement agents work hard to enforce our country’s democratically-enacted immigration laws,” Ganjei said. “It is unacceptable for illegal aliens to assault these agents as they carry out that important mission. The Southern District of Texas will prosecute those who do so every single time.”
If convicted of assaulting, resisting or impeding a federal officer, Moreno-Flores faces a possible 20-year federal prison sentence. She is also charged with conniving, conspiring or taking action to hamper or prevent an alien’s departure and could receive up to four years, upon conviction. Both charges also carry possible fines of up to $250,000.
ICE - Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation with the assistance of the Drug Enforcement Administration and Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin Martin is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces and Project Safe Neighborhood.
A criminal complaint is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence. A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.
Illegal Online Drug Market Dismantled and More Than $28 Million in Cryptocurrency ForfeitedRead the Press Release
GAINESVILLE, FLORIDA – Matthew Simon Grimm, 51, a citizen of the United Kingdom, was sentenced to nine years in prison after previously pleading guilty to one count of conspiracy to import a controlled substance into the United States, four counts of importation of a controlled substance into the United States, and one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering. The sentence was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “Dismantling this criminal enterprise required close collaboration between our federal and international law enforcement partners, and I am incredibly proud of the successful prosecution of this offender by my office. This is yet another step toward fulfilling the promise made by President Donald J. Trump and Attorney General Pam Bondi to Take Back America from the drug traffickers flooding our communities with poison, and this substantial forfeiture of the criminally obtained proceeds of this drug distribution operation resoundingly confirms that my office will ensure that offenders cannot profit from their crimes.”
From 2015 until November 8, 2022, Grimm ran a website offering federally controlled substances for sale online. Grimm, along with co-conspirators, would receive orders and then ship controlled substances into the United States. The controlled substances varied, but included synthetic cathinones, synthetic cannabinoids, and analogues of methamphetamine. Records from Grimm’s website indicated he had shipped at least 44,000 orders.
The Drug Enforcement Administration in Gainesville, Florida, began investigating Grimm, and ordered multiple controlled substances from his website, which were shipped to Gainesville.
Grimm would receive payment in the form of various cryptocurrencies. As part of his sentence, Grimm was ordered to forfeit cryptocurrency worth more than $28,000,000.
Co-defendant Carrie-Ann Tooley, 54, of Northport, Maine, worked for Grimm and was previously sentenced on April 14, 2025.
“Technology brings more ways for criminals to flood our streets with poison,” said DEA Miami Field Division Special Agent in Charge Deanne L. Reuter. “DEA pursues cyber criminals with the same energy as street-level drug distributors. We will not stop until they have been brought to justice.”
“The United States Postal Inspection Service is proud to stand with our domestic and international partners in identifying, disrupting, and dismantling transnational drug tracking organizations,” said Bladismir Rojo, Postal Inspector in Charge, Miami Division. “We will pursue those who use the U.S. Mail to transport and distribute deadly drugs which impact the safety of postal employees and the communities they serve.”
“This defendant and his co-conspirators pushed poison into our communities, profiting off the addiction, violence, and destruction these dangerous substances bring,” said Homeland Security Investigations Tallahassee Assistant Special Agent in Charge Nicholas Ingegno. “HSI and our partners remain relentless in our mission to dismantle these networks and protect our communities from the devastating impact of controlled substances.”
These sentences were the result of a joint investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, U.S. Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations, and United States Postal Inspection Service, with assistance from the Naval Criminal Investigative Service, the United States Marshals Service, the United Kingdom’s National Crime Agency, the United Kingdom Metropolitan Police, and the Netherlands National Police Corps. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs provided significant assistance in securing the arrest and July 2024 extradition of Grimm from the UK. Assistant United States Attorneys James A. McCain, Adam Hapner, and Kaitlin Weiss prosecuted the case, along with former Assistant United States Attorneys Christopher Elsey and David P. Byron.
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 available 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.
Hillsborough County Man Sentenced to 24 Years for Sex Trafficking of A MinorRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Virginia Hernandez Covington has sentenced Jessie Thomas Taylor (43, Tampa) to 24 years and 4 months in federal prison for sex trafficking of a minor. Taylor pleaded guilty on June 6, 2025.
According to court documents, beginning in April 2021, and continuing through December 2022, Taylor created and posted advertisements of the 16-year-old victim on adult escort websites advertising sexual acts with the victim. Taylor coordinated and managed communications and reserved hotel rooms for the minor to engage in commercial sexual activity and received proceeds from the victim’s sex acts.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Tampa Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Courtney Derry.
This is another case brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify, rescue, and seek justice for child victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Fort Lauderdale Man Charged with Child Sexual Abuse Material OffensesRead the Press Release
MIAMI – A Fort Lauderdale man was arraigned today on a three-count indictment charging him with distribution, production, and possession of child sexual abuse material (CSAM).
According to court documents, Ian Zachary Adams, 29, created multiple anonymous profiles on a social media platform to upload and distribute CSAM depicting children between the ages of two and 16. Investigators also recovered from one of Adams’s electronic devices a screen recording of a video chat in which a 10-year-old child engaged in sexually explicit conduct at his request.
U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida, Special Agent in Charge Brett D. Skiles of FBI, Miami Field Office, and Sheriff Gregory Tony of the Broward Sheriff’s Office announced the charges.
FBI Miami, Fort Lauderdale Police Department, and the Broward Sheriff's Office are investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Camille Smith is prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
This 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 www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at http://www.flsd.uscourts.gov/ or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov, under case number 25-cr-60222.
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Former U.S. Customs and Border Protection Officer Pleads Guilty to Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – Anthony John Crowley, 52, a former U.S. Customs and Border Protection Officer, pled guilty in federal court today to Possession of Child Pornography, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Joseph H. Thompson.
“Anthony Crowley’s crimes against children are a disgrace,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Joseph H. Thompson. “In the last few months, we have seen a rash of law enforcement officers, public officials, and others in positions of trust abusing children. I have zero tolerance for this betrayal. This office will not relent in holding powerful predators to account.”
According to court documents, Crowley, of Minnetonka, Minnesota, knowingly possessed one or more images which contained visual depictions of a minor engaging in sexually explicit conduct. In 2022, the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA) received a cyber tip from the Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC). The tip informed them that someone was using the Kik application to upload child pornography images. The Kik user ID was linked to Crowley’s phone number and email address. Law enforcement obtained a search warrant for Crowley’s home and seized his electronic devices. On those devices, law enforcement found numerous child pornography images and what are known as “child erotica” stories.
Crowley pled guilty today in U.S. District Court before Judge Laura M. Provinzino. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled for a later date. Crowley remains detained pending his sentencing. At the time of his crimes and of his arrest, Crowley was a U.S. Customers and Border Protection Officer. He is now on indefinite suspension.
“As a Customs and Border Protection Officer, Crowley was in a position of public trust. To betray that trust by possessing child sexual abuse material is an egregious perversion of the honor, integrity, and lawfulness that should exemplify federal agents,” said Special Agent in Charge Alvin M. Winston Sr. of FBI Minneapolis. “Protecting children is our highest calling. This case, made possible by a courageous public tipster and the excellent work of the FBI, BCA, and Minnetonka PD, should send a clear message to anyone who would abuse or exploit children—no matter your position or power, there is no hiding. You will be found and brought to justice.”
The U.S. Attorney’s Office thanks the U.S. Customs and Border Protection Office of Professional Responsibility, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension for their investigation and hard work on this case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Rebecca E. Kline is prosecuting the case.
Former NYPD Detective Pleads Guilty in Violent Racketeering ConspiracyRead the Press Release
United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Jay Clayton, Assistant Director in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), Christopher G. Raia, and Commissioner of the New York City Police Department (“NYPD”), Jessica S. Tisch, announced that SAUL ARISMENDY DE LA CRUZ, a/k/a “Nene,” a/k/a “Venom,” pled guilty today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Judith C. McCarthy to racketeering conspiracy in connection with his participation in a violent theft crew. As alleged, DE LA CRUZ, then a member of the NYPD, accepted bribes for providing crew members with confidential police information about potential victims and ongoing investigations. When he learned that the FBI was planning to arrest members of the crew, he tipped them off, allowing them to flee. DE LA CRUZ is scheduled to be sentenced on January 8, 2026, by U.S. District Judge Nelson S. Román.
“The NYPD is the best police department in the world and, sadly, Saul Arismendy De La Cruz turned his back on his colleagues and the people of New York,” said U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton. “The NYPD and the people of New York deserve better, and we will pursue a sentence that matches the seriousness of De La Cruz’s conduct.”
“Saul De La Cruz, a former NYPD detective, provided confidential law enforcement information—including updates in active investigations—to a ring of thieves in exchange for monetary kickbacks,” said FBI Assistant Director in Charge Christopher G. Raia. “His actions violated his oath to protect this city by enabling criminals to continue wreaking havoc on our local residents and ultimately evade arrest. While the vast majority of NYPD officers uphold their sworn dedication to serve, the FBI will continue to hold accountable those who prioritize personal financial enrichment over their duty to others, especially to further the operations of illicit enterprises.”
“The NYPD holds its officers to the highest standards, and it’s an affront to our entire department when someone so blatantly violates them and abuses the public’s trust,” said NYPD Commissioner Jessica S. Tisch. “Saul De La Cruz’s actions were not only highly illegal, but they put our officers at great risk and jeopardized our public safety work. We will continue to work with our partners in the FBI and U.S. Attorney’s Office to root out any misconduct and ensure justice is always served.”
As alleged in the Indictment and Superseding Indictments unsealed in White Plains federal court:[1]
DE LA CRUZ was one of a number of defendants charged for participation in a violent theft crew led by the fugitive DAGOBERTO SOTO-RAMIREZ, a/k/a “Pito,” pictured below.
DAGOBERTO SOTO-RAMIREZ: WANTED BY THE FBI
Between 2017 and 2022, SOTO-RAMIREZ organized a crew that committed residential burglaries and home invasion robberies, repeatedly targeting small business owners. The majority of the targeted victims were Asian American. Armed with guns and other weapons, members of the crew stole money, jewelry, and other property from scores of homes in states across the country. Others took part in the crew’s criminal scheme, which also included the use of false identification, bank fraud, and laundering theft proceeds. In addition, SOTO-RAMIREZ and other members of the conspiracy bribed DE LA CRUZ, first an officer and later a detective of the NYPD, who helped members of the crew escape arrest.
SOTO-RAMIREZ remains a fugitive. Anyone with information about his whereabouts should contact the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI.
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DE LA CRUZ, 33, of Queens, New York, pled guilty to one count of racketeering conspiracy, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.
The maximum sentence in this case is prescribed by Congress and provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the judge.
Mr. Clayton praised the investigative work of the FBI, the Westchester County Joint Organized Crime Task Force, the New York Public Corruption Task Force, the Westchester County Department of Public Safety, the NYPD, the Nassau County Police Department, the New York State Police, and the Fort Lee Police Department. He added that the investigation is ongoing.
The case is being handled by the Office’s White Plains Division. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Josiah Pertz and Jeffrey C. Coffman are in charge of the prosecution.
[1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the description of the Indictment and the other charging documents set forth in this release constitute only allegations, and every fact described should be treated as an allegation.
Former Law Enforcement Officers Convicted in Connection with Arson and Bank, Wire, and Mail Fraud ConspiracyRead the Press Release
Greenbelt, Maryland – A federal jury found Philip James Dupree, 41, of Pikesville, Maryland, and Mark Ross Johnson, Jr., 38, of Camp Springs, Maryland, each guilty of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud, arson, conspiracy to commit bank fraud, and bank fraud. Dupree, a former Fairmount Heights Police Department officer, and Johnson, a former Prince George’s County Police Department (PGPD) officer, conspired with others to carry out the scheme.
Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the guilty verdicts with Special Agent in Charge William J. DelBagno, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) – Baltimore Field Office, and Chief George Nader, PGPD.
According to the nine-count indictment, which included charges of conspiracy, wire fraud, arson, and bank fraud, the co-conspirators joined forces to commit two separate fraud schemes. The schemes involved filing false police reports and falsifying loss claims to obtain and attempt to obtain funds from an insurance company and three different financial institutions.
As part of the insurance fraud scheme in November 2018, Dupree and Johnson coordinated to burn Johnson’s Ford F450 truck that was experiencing mechanical and electrical problems. Dupree “discovered” the burning vehicle while on duty in Fairmount Heights and filed an impound report containing false statements regarding the recovery of the truck.
Johnson then used the report number in support of his claim filed with the insurance company for a total loss on the truck. He also submitted altered telephone records to his insurer to hide that he had a 16-minute conversation with Dupree just before Dupree “discovered” the truck. A fire investigator, hired by the insurer, testified that the Ford F450 fire was intentionally set, and originated in the passenger compartment of the truck. The insurer, relying in part on the police report and altered telephone records, paid out more than $68,000 to the lien holder on the truck.
Then from May 2019 until June 2019, Dupree, Johnson, and others conspired to defraud three financial institutions. They coordinated the withdrawal of money from their financial accounts through ATMs so they could fraudulently claim their money was stolen. Then the co-conspirators sought reimbursement from their financial institutions.
In executing the scheme, Dupree and Johnson coordinated submitting police reports to PGPD. Through these reports, they falsely claimed their debit cards were stolen and then were used to withdraw funds from various ATMs without permission. One police report, submitted by Dupree to support his claim of a stolen debit card, was a complete fake. The report was never submitted to the Prince George’s County Record Management System. Additionally, the report included the name of a non-existent police officer as the preparer. It also carried over Johnson’s name as the “victim” from the separate report Johnson asked a co-conspirator to generate to submit to his credit union. The co-conspirators submitted fraudulent claims to the victim financial institutions seeking reimbursement for the purportedly unauthorized ATM withdrawals.
Both Dupree and Johnson are facing up to 20 years in federal prison for conspiracy to commit wire fraud and wire fraud. Additionally, they face at least five years, but up to 20 years, for arson affecting interstate commerce, and up to 30 years for conspiracy to commit bank fraud and bank fraud. Judge Lydia Griggsby scheduled Dupree’s sentencing for Thursday, February 19, 2026, at 10 a.m. Johnson’s sentencing is scheduled for Monday, February 23, at 1:30 p.m.
U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the FBI and PGPD for their work in the investigation and praised the Fairmount Heights Police Department for its assistance. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joseph Baldwin and LaShanta Harris who are prosecuting the case.
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 JBLM soldier, convicted previously of child sexual abuse in military court, sentenced today to 25 years in prison for sexual abuse of four other minorsRead the Press Release
Tacoma – A former soldier, previously stationed at Joint Base Lewis McChord (JBLM), was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Tacoma to 25 years in prison for the sexual abuse of four young children who had been left in his care. Jonathan Anthony Gentry, 36, molested six children between January 2010 and February 2014. In August of 2013, he was arrested and prosecuted in military court for sexually molesting two 13-year-olds. He was sentenced to two years in military prison. It was only years later that four other children, also left in his care, disclosed horrific sexual abuse.
At the sentencing hearing Chief U.S. District Judge David G. Estudillo said, “This is the most serious kind of conduct that comes before this court… The victims were helpless children. You were the monster that was living with them. You scarred these victims for the rest of their lives.”
“This defendant used threats of terrible harm to silence his victims,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Teal Luthy Miller. “These children showed great courage stepping forward to report sexual abuse that happened when they were as young as 3-years-old. The children report being strangled or forced to drink alcohol so that Gentry could molest them. Such conduct must be punished by significant prison time.”
According to records filed in the case, in April 2020, two children disclosed the sexual abuse that happened during the time Gentry lived on JBLM. One child was 10 or 11 years old at the time of the sexual abuse, the other was between 5 and 9-years-old. In both cases Gentry threatened to harm the children’s families if they did not submit to the abuse or told anyone about the abuse. The third victim was between 3 and 5 years old at the time of the abuse and disclosed the abuse to a trusted adult in April 2024. Finally, a fourth victim, who was on a sleepover at the home when sexual abuse occurred in June 2013, disclosed the abuse in March 2023.
On December 4, 2024, a grand jury indicted Gentry for five counts of aggravated sexual abuse of a minor, one count of abusive sexual contact with a minor and one count of sexual abuse of a minor. On July 2, 2025, Gentry pleaded guilty to three counts of abusive sexual contact with a minor and one count of sexual abuse of a minor.
In asking for a 30-year prison sentence prosecutors wrote to the court, “Gentry repeatedly raped and molested vulnerable children in his care. The seriousness of offenses like Gentry’s is measured both by the resulting trauma for these survivors and by its contribution to a national child sexual abuse epidemic. For decades, researchers have documented the staggering prevalence of child sexual abuse in America and the lifelong damage that such abuse inflicts on victims—from heightened suicide risk to increased prevalence of drug and alcohol use and myriad other mental health disorders.”
Speaking in court, three of the victims described the terrible impact Gentry had on their lives: “my innocence was taken, my childhood was taken,” one said. “No amount of time he serves can compare to the loss of our childhood and the years that were stolen from us,” another told the court.
Chief Juge Estudillo told them, “No words I can say will ever alleviate the pain and suffering you have gone through.” He ordered that Gentry serve 20 years of supervised release following the prison term.
“It is heartbreaking that these children suffered this abuse at such a young age, and by someone who should have protected them,” said W. Mike Herrington, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Seattle field office. “I commend them for their steadfast resolve in speaking up to ensure accountability and attempt to protect other children from potential abuse. Mr. Gentry, as a former servicemember, had a responsibility to defend the vulnerable, not exploit them. While no sentence can undo what happened to the victims, I hope this lengthy sentence sends a message to other would-be offenders that the FBI and our partners will investigate and prosecute child predators.”
The case was investigated by the FBI.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Zach Dillon and Kristine Foerster.
Former Financial Advisor sentenced to 32 months in prison for stealing more than $500,000 from client’s trust accountRead the Press Release
Seattle – A former Seattle-area Financial Advisor was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Seattle to 32 months in prison for wire fraud, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Teal Luthy Miller. Michael P. Raineri, 63, stole $531,411 from a client’s trust account over about six years. At the sentencing hearing, U.S. District Judge Ricardo S. Martinez noted that Raineri took advantage of someone who trusted him as a financial expert. The majority of Americans look to financial advisors as expert in their field, similar how people go to doctors. These people trust these experts with their life, the judge said.
According to records filed in the case, in 2013 the victim inherited about $2 million held in a revocable trust. When he received the inheritance, the victim also had a team of people to help manage the money and Raineri was one of them. The victim told the advisors he did not want to take any risks with the money but instead wanted to have it for his retirement.
Over the next ten years, Raineri ingratiated himself with the victim and stayed as an advisor to the victim’s trust even when Raineri switched financial firms. He used various false justifications to convince the victim to provide him with blank checks, with a power of attorney, and with a key to his apartment. These tools were all used so that Raineri could defraud the client. Between 2016 and 2020, Raineri used twelve blank checks to steal $397,000 from the victims account, passing it through another client’s account before depositing it in his own bank account. Later he moved some $115,226 from the victim’s account directly to his own. He even paid the lease on his luxury car from the victim’s account.
In 2022, the victim became concerned about the balances in his account and an audit revealed the theft.
Raineri was indicted in November 2024. He pleaded guilty to wire fraud in June 2025.
In asking for a 41-month prison sentence, Assistant United States Attorney Sanaa Nagi wrote to the court that Raineri didn’t just steal money, he violated the victim’s trust. The victim was left with less than a quarter of his inheritance. “He had to begin working full time to have enough money to live. Now, instead of travelling and enjoying what would be his retirement years, (the victim) works at least 40 hours a week… making approximately $24 an hour. A recent wrist injury and his advanced age make his work difficult at times. He has to live more frugally than ever before.”
Judge Martinez ordered full restitution of $531,411. Raineri must complete three years of supervised release following sentencing.
The case was investigated by the FBI. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Sanaa Nagi.
Former Department of Justice Prosecutor and Dallas Defense Attorney Charged with an Unauthorized Disposal of Government RecordsRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS –Acting United States Attorney Michael M. Simpson announced today the filing of a bill of information in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Texas, Fort Worth Division, charging former federal prosecutor CARLOS A. LOPEZ (“LOPEZ”), age 48, and Dallas-based criminal defense attorney BARRETT R. HOWELL (“HOWELL”), age 50, with charges related to their deletion of text messages that they had been ordered to produce by a United States District Judge. LOPEZ was charged with the unauthorized disposal of government records valued at less than $1,000, a violation of 18 U.S.C. § 641. HOWELL was charged with aiding and abetting the unauthorized disposal of government records valued at less than $1,000, a violation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 641 and 2. Because the records are valued at less than $1,000, these are misdemeanor offenses.
According to the bill of information, in September 2021, a grand jury for the United States District Court for the Northern District of Texas indicted three individuals for health care fraud. LOPEZ, a Department of Justice Trial Attorney at the time, was the lead prosecutor in this federal prosecution. HOWELL was representing a client under investigation who was not indicted in this case. During the course of HOWELL’s representation of his client, two defendants accused HOWELL of violating a joint defense agreement by providing privileged joint defense information to LOPEZ. These two defendants filed a motion to compel discovery from HOWELL and LOPEZ. The district court granted the discovery request for production of all communications, including text messages, between HOWELL and LOPEZ.
The bill of information alleges that, in April 2023, LOPEZ disposed of records belonging to the United States by deleting text messages between himself and HOWELL from his government-issued cell phone, and HOWELL subsequently aided and abetted LOPEZ’s offense by deleting text messages with LOPEZ from his own cell phone.
If convicted, HOWELL and LOPEZ each face a maximum term of imprisonment of one year, a fine not to exceed $100,000, and a term of supervised release not to exceed one year.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Texas recused itself from this matter, and the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Louisiana was appointed by the Attorney General to act as special prosecutors.
Acting U.S. Attorney Simpson reiterated that the bill of information is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendants must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.
Acting U.S. Attorney Simpson praised the work of the U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Inspector General, Dallas Office, which handled this investigation. Assistant United States Attorneys Matthew R. Payne of the Financial Crimes Unit and Megan R. Roberts of the Appellate Unit handled this prosecution.
Foreign National Facing Federal Charges Following Alleged Firearms Theft in Park City, UtahRead the Press Release
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah –A foreign national, living in the United States illegally, was charged by felony information after he allegedly broke into the Park City Gun Club, stole firearms, and fled from police in a vehicle before crashing at a park and taken into custody.
Abraham Hernandez-Duron, 40, a foreign national who has been living in Taylorsville, Utah, was charged by complaint on August 26, 2025.
According to court documents, on August 24, 2025, at approximately 5:30 a.m. a “glass break” alarm was reported at the Park City Gun Club in Park City, Utah, a federally licensed firearms dealer (FFL). Hernandez-Duron allegedly utilized a hammer to break into the FFL. Law enforcement quickly arrived on scene and multiple shots were fired from inside the firearms business. Shortly after, Hernandez-Duron exited the building, got into a vehicle, and fled. Police safely pursued and eventually, Hernandez-Duron crashed the vehicle at Trailside Bike Park. Hernandez-Duron was initially non-compliant with law enforcement commands, which led to a Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) callout. Hernandez-Duron was eventually taken into custody. Five firearms were located in the vehicle Hernandez-Duron was driving, all of which were taken from the firearms shop.
Hernandez-Duron is charged with theft of firearms from a licensed dealer. His initial appearance on the felony information was September 24, 2025, before a U.S. Magistrate Judge at the Orrin G. Hatch United States District Courthouse in downtown Salt Lake City.
Acting United States Attorney Felice John Viti for the District of Utah made the announcement.
The case is being investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).
Assistant United States Attorney Victoria K. McFarland of the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) and Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN).
A felony information is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Five Indicted on Drug Conspiracy and Drug-Related ChargesRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Anthony Wayne Schoggins, age 40, of McAlester, Oklahoma, Gabrielle Ralene Dawn Brown, age 30, of McAlester, Oklahoma, John Douglas Renkes, age 38, of Tulsa, Oklahoma, Charlie Dawn Edwards, age 45, of McAlester, Oklahoma, and Gerardo Cisneros Jr., age 49, of McAlester, Oklahoma, were each indicted for Drug Conspiracy, punishable by not less than 10 years imprisonment and up to a $10,000,000 fine.
In addition to the Drug Conspiracy charges, three defendants face additional charges: Schoggins and Brown are charged with Possession with Intent to Distribute Fentanyl and Methamphetamine, punishable by not less than 5 years imprisonment and up to a $5,000,000 fine; and Edwards is charged with Possession with Intent to Distribute Fentanyl punishable by up to 20 years imprisonment and up to a $1,000,000 fine.
The Indictment alleges that beginning in or about March 2025 and continuing until on or about the date of the indictment, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma and elsewhere, the defendants willfully and knowingly combined, conspired, confederated, and agreed together, and with others known and unknown to the Grand Jury, to commit offenses against the United States, namely the possession with intent to distribute and distribution of fentanyl and methamphetamine.
The Indictment further alleges that on or about June 1, 2025, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma, Schoggins and Brown knowingly and intentionally possessed 40 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of fentanyl, and 5 grams or more of methamphetamine, both Schedule II controlled substances, with intent to distribute.
Finally, the Indictment alleges that on or about June 9, 2025, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma, Edwards knowingly and intentionally possessed with intent to distribute a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of fentanyl, a Schedule II controlled substance.
The charges arose from a joint investigation led by the Drug Enforcement Administration-McAlester Resident Office, the Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics, the McAlester Police Department, and the District 18 Drug Task Force.
A grand jury Indictment does not constitute evidence of guilt. A grand jury Indictment is a method of bringing formal charges against the defendant. All defendants are presumed innocent of the charges and may not be found guilty unless evidence establishes guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jordan Howanitz is prosecuting this case on behalf of the United States.
Five Admit Aiding Overseas Scammers Who Targeted Elderly VictimsRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – Five people have admitted participating in a scheme that stole millions of dollars from elderly victims in ten states via a tech support scam.
Dariona Lambert, 23, Zhamoniq Stevens, 24, Chintankumar Parekh, 52, Mehulkumar Darji, 42, and Sital Singh, 43, have all pleaded guilty in the last month to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud. Darji did so Friday morning.
The conspiracy originated overseas, with scammers who contacted elderly victims via telephone calls and electronic messages, falsely claiming that the victims’ savings and retirement accounts had been compromised. They told their victims to transfer funds to the conspirators to keep their accounts secure, often via the purchase of gold bars or coins. The overseas conspirators would then send couriers to pick up the gold. Lambert and Stevens admitted being couriers. They were managed by Darji, Parekj and Singh, who admitted being the “handlers” who collected the gold and paid the couriers in cash.
The government believes that the overseas scammers netted $9.3 million from victims.
Scammers told one of the victims, an 82-year-old St. Louis woman, that they were a computer software support team and that her financial accounts had been compromised. They told her she needed to pay money to prevent her funds from being stolen, and transfer money into newly opened accounts before wiring money overseas. They also told her to buy about $250,000 worth of gold bars and sent Lambert to pick up the gold, the plea agreements say. On May 1, 2024, Lambert flew from Gainesville, Florida to St. Louis. Parekh rented a car and drove Lambert to a parking lot near the victim’s home, where Lambert switched to an Uber. Lambert was intercepted by law enforcement agents when she arrived at the victim’s home. After Parekh was alerted by Lambert that she had been apprehended, he fled to Pittsburgh.
Parekh admitted also working as a handler in gold bar pickups from victims in Yuma and Scottsdale in Arizona; Placentia and La Jolla in California; Largo, Florida; Chapel Hill, N.C.; and Pittsburgh, Penn.. Singh worked a handler in gold bar pickups from victims in Collierville, Tenn.; Universal City, Texas; and Greendale, Wisc.. Darji worked as a handler in gold bar pickups from Scottsdale, Largo and La Jolla, receiving three separate FedEx packages containing gold bars obtained from the Largo victim, it says. Lambert worked as a courier in Scottsdale; Placentia; La Jolla; Largo; Universal City; Hanover, Mass.; and Erie, Penn.. Stevens worked as a courier in gold bar pickups from victims in Yuma; La Jolla; Collierville; Largo; Greendale; Oxnard, Calif.; Long Island, N.Y.; and Cincinnati, Ohio.
Parekh and Darji are in the United States unlawfully. Parekh overstayed his work visa and Darji was removed from the country in 2014.
Lambert, Stevens and Parekh are scheduled to be sentenced in November, and Singh on December 3. Darji’s sentencing is set for December 22.
The wire fraud conspiracy charge carries a penalty of up to 30 years in prison, a $1 million fine or both prison and a fine.
This case was investigated by the FBI and Homeland Security Investigations in Tampa, Florida. Assistant U.S. Attorney Gwen Carroll is prosecuting the case.
If someone you know is a victim of a cyber scam, report it to the FBI. You can file the complaint online with the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center at www.ic3.gov or use 1-800-CALL-FBI.
Federal Grand Jury Charges Three Women with Following ICE Agent Home from Work and Livestreaming His Home Address on InstagramRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – A federal grand jury has returned a two-count indictment charging three women – two from Southern California and one from Colorado – with following a United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent home, livestreaming their pursuit and then posting the victim’s home address on Instagram, the Justice Department announced today.
The grand jury on Tuesday and unsealed today charged following defendants with one count of conspiracy and one count of publicly disclosing the personal information of a federal agent:
- Cynthia Raygoza, 37, of Riverside;
- Ashleigh Brown, 38, of Aurora, Colorado; and
- Sandra Carmona Samane, 25, of Panaroma City.
Brown and Samane have been arrested on federal criminal complaints. Brown, who also is charged in a separate case with assault on a federal officer, is in federal custody without bond. Samane is free on $5,000 bond. Their arraignments are scheduled for September 29 and October 9, respectively. Law enforcement is continuing its search for Raygoza.
“Our brave federal agents put their lives on the line every day to keep our nation safe,” said Acting United States Attorney Bill Essayli. “The conduct of these defendants are deeply offensive to law enforcement officers and their families. If you threaten, dox, or harm in any manner one of our agents or employees, you will face prosecution and prison time.”
According to the indictment, on August 28, 2025, the defendants followed the victim – an ICE agent – from the Civic Center in downtown Los Angeles to his personal residence. The defendants livestreamed on their Instagram accounts their pursuit of the victim and provided directions as they followed the victim home, encouraging their viewers to share the livestream. Their Instagram accounts used to livestream the event were “ice_out_of_la,” “defendmesoamericanculture,” and “corn_maiden_design.”
Upon arriving at the victim’s personal residence, the defendants shouted to bystanders while livestreaming on Instagram that their “neighbor is ICE,” “la migra lives here,” and “ICE lives on your street and you should know.”
The defendants publicly disclosed on Instagram the victim’s home address and told viewers, “Come on down.”
An indictment contains allegations that a defendant has committed a crime. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent until and unless proven guilty in court.
If convicted, the defendants would face a statutory maximum sentence of five years in federal prison for each count.
Homeland Security Investigations is investigating this matter.
Assistant United States Attorneys Thi Hoang Ho and Neil P. Thakor of the General Crimes Section are prosecuting this case.
FCC Allenwood Inmates Indicted on Assault, Conspiracy and Weapons ChargesRead the Press Release
WILLIAMSPORT- The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that multiple inmates of the Federal Correctional Center Allenwood, Allenwood, Pennsylvania, were indicted yesterday on assault, conspiracy and weapons charges.
According to Acting United States Attorney John C. Gurganus, the indictment alleges that on June 2, 2023, at FCC Allenwood, Darwin Abudeye-Perez, Alex Ferrufino, Miguel Lopez, Ronald Montano-Ramirez, Miguel Abrego, Cristian Rios-Jarquin, Juan Villalobos, David Nolasco-Soriano, Guadalupe Sanchez-Cruz, Erick Aguilar-Motino, Jose Garcia-Bonilla, Jose Garcia, Jose Torres-Garcia, Henry Guittierez-Andrade, William Espinoza, and Walter Ejcalon-Xalcut conspired to assault a group of other inmates with dangerous weapons, including locks and other heavy objects attached to strings, belts and socks. In addition to a conspiracy charge, these inmates face individual counts of assault. The indictment also charges Jose Garcia, William Espinoz, Guadalupe Sanchez-Crus, Erick Aguilar-Motino and Darwin Abudeye-Perez of possessing prohibited objects (weapons) inside a prison facility.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Prisons and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Geoffrey W. MacArthur is 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. 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 maximum penalty under federal law for this offense is 10 years of imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
Indictments and Criminal Informations are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.
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Everett, Washington, man pleads guilty to three federal felonies stemming from pipe bomb that destroyed car at apartment complexRead the Press Release
Seattle – A 54-year-old Everett, Washington man pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in Seattle to three federal felonies in connection with a pipe bomb explosion that destroyed a neighbor’s car, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Teal Luthy Miller. Steven Goldstine was originally charged in Snohomish County for the suspected hate crime. Today he pleaded guilty to unlawful possession of a destructive device on December 31, 2024; unlawful possession of ammunition on March 17, 2025; and unlawful possession of a firearm on September 4, 2020. Sentencing is scheduled in front of U.S. District Judge John H. Chun on December 15, 2025.
According to records filed in the case, on December 31, 2024, Everett Police responded to reports of an explosion in a car parked at an apartment complex. The victims told police they suspected Goldstine due to prior conflicts they had had with him. The day after the explosion they received a voice message using racial slurs and referencing the explosion in the vehicle. Further analysis of the records led investigators to believe it was Goldstine.
Using video footage from the apartment complex and other cameras in the area investigators determined the bomber’s clothing and direction of travel. When they executed a search warrant at Goldstine’s home law enforcement found a jacket and shoes that appeared to match those seen in the video. Law enforcement also seized more than 700 rounds of ammunition. Goldstine is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition due to prior felony convictions for burglary, arson, and possession of stolen property. Goldstine pleaded guilty to that felony today.
In reviewing Goldstine’s history, law enforcement determined that on September 17, 2020, law enforcement searched Goldstine’s residence following a report that while out in his car he had pointed a gun at protestors. The action was captured on video. In the search of Goldstine’s home in 2020, the firearm was seized by law enforcement. Goldstine pleaded guilty today to that illegal firearms possession.
Unlawful possession of a destructive device and unlawful possession of a firearm, as charged in this case, are both punishable by up to ten years in prison. Unlawful possession of ammunition is punishable by up to 15 years in prison. The actual sentence will be determined by Judge Chun after considering the sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors.
The case is being investigated by the Everett Police Department, the FBI, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF).
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jessica Manca for the Western District of Washington and Trial Attorney Taylor Payne of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division.
Eleven Illegal Aliens Charged for Falsely Claiming to be United States Citizens and Document FraudRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – Between September 10 and 22, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the United States Marshals Service (USMS) arrested 11 illegal aliens charged by criminal complaint for Possession of Identification Document to Defraud the United States, Possession of Identification Document Produced Without Lawful Authority, and False Attestation for Employment Eligibility Verification, all felony offenses.
Each illegal alien who was charged possessed and used a counterfeit state identification card or driver’s license, as well as a counterfeit Social Security card, to obtain employment at a business in Arizona. The illegal aliens also falsely attested on Form I-9 to being United States citizens or to being otherwise authorized to work in the United States, when in fact none of them were United States citizens or authorized to work in the United States.
These cases are part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
HSI, District of Arizona, Phoenix Field Office, is conducting the investigation in these cases. The USMS in the District of Arizona and the USMS and HSI in the Western District of Tennessee assisted in the arrest of individuals involved in these cases. The United States Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, Phoenix, is handling the prosecution.
A criminal complaint is a formal accusation of criminal conduct. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
CASE NUMBERS: 25-01879MJ, 25-01881MJ, 25-01882MJ, 25-01883MJ, 25-01884MJ, 25-01885MJ, 25-01886MJ, 25-01887MJ, 25-01888MJ, 25-05419MJ, 25- 08483MJ
RELEASE NUMBER: 2025-155_Illegal Alien Document Fraud
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For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.Egyptian National Pleads Guilty to Federal Firearms ChargesRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – An Egyptian man pleaded guilty to federal firearms offenses for threatening a victim with a gun at a Las Cruces gas station.
According to court documents, on the morning of May 12, 2025, Moustafa Mahmoud Abdelnabi Salem, a citizen and national of Egypt, threatened an individual at a gas station by pulling a handgun, chambering a round, and pointing it at the victim. After the incident, the victim flagged down an officer from the Las Cruces Police Department and reported the assault.
When the officer questioned Salem, who was still at the location, he alleged that the victim had assaulted him with a large knife and denied pointing a handgun at the victim. Salem refused to allow the officer to retrieve the handgun from his vehicle, leading the officer to believe that there was an issue with the firearm.
Upon further investigation, the officer determined that Salem was an alien illegally or unlawfully present in the United States after overstaying his visitor visa. The incident was captured by CCTV footage from the gas station in which Salem appears to be the aggressor.
Salem pleaded guilty to being an illegal alien in possession a firearm and ammunition. At sentencing, Salem faces up to 15 years in prison. Upon his release from prison, Salem will be subject to deportation as an aggravated felon.
Acting U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison and Justin A. Garris, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today.
The Las Cruces Resident Agency of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Las Cruces Police Department and Homeland Security Investigations El Paso. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth Tonkin is prosecuting the case.
View the Plea Agreement (Salem).pdfDistrict of Arizona Charges 181 Individuals for Immigration-Related Criminal Conduct this WeekRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – During the week of enforcement operations from September 20, 2025, through September 26, 2025, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona brought immigration-related criminal charges against 181 individuals. Specifically, the United States filed 82 cases in which aliens illegally re-entered the United States, and the United States also charged 80 aliens for illegally entering the United States. In its ongoing effort to deter unlawful immigration, the United States filed 18 cases against 19 individuals responsible for smuggling illegal aliens into and within the District of Arizona.
These cases were referred or supported by federal law enforcement partners, including Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE ERO), ICE Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), U.S. Border Patrol, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS), and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).
Recent matters of interest include:
United States v. Ignacio Villalobos-Lopez: On September 22, Ignacio Villalobos-Lopez, a citizen of Mexico who was illegally present in the United States after previously being removed, was contacted by law enforcement while transporting four illegal aliens. Law enforcement learned that Villalobos-Lopez had previously transported illegal aliens and that he expected to be paid $500.00 per person that he transported. Villalobos-Lopez was charged by criminal complaint for Illegal Entry and Transportation of an Illegal Alien. [Case Number: 25-MJ-9410]
United States v. Marco Villareal-Aguilar: On September 25, Marco Villareal-Aguilar, a citizen of Mexico who was illegally present in the United States, was charged with Bringing in an Illegal Alien for Profit. As alleged in the complaint, Border Patrol camera operators observed a group of approximately 10 subjects walking near the border on the Tohono O'odham Nation. Agents responded to the area and apprehended nine subjects dressed in camouflage who had carpet booties covering their shoes. All nine subjects were determined to be Mexican citizens, illegally present in the United States. Villareal-Aguilar was identified by members of the group as the foot guide who led them across the border and coordinated their movement with scouts using a cellphone and radio. [Case Number: 25-MJ-14135]
United States v. Nathan Vega: On September 25, Nathan Vega was charged by criminal complaint with Transportation of an Illegal Alien. As alleged in the complaint, Border Patrol agents observed Vega driving in a suspicious pattern on the Tohono O'odham Nation near the international border, making multiple U-turns and a brief stop. When agents tried to stop Vega to conduct an immigration inspection, he sped away, leading agents on a more than 30-mile car chase and reaching speeds of 115 miles per hour. Eventually, Vega stopped his vehicle and individuals in camouflage clothing fled from the vehicle. Five of those individuals were apprehended and determined to be Mexican citizens illegally present in the United States. [Case Number: 25-MJ-14134]
These cases are part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. 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 a formal accusation of criminal conduct. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
RELEASE NUMBER: 2025-156_September 26 Immigration Enforcement
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For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on X @USAO_AZ for the latest news.Dominican Republic National Detained on Federal Drug and Immigration ChargesRead the Press Release
St. Thomas, VI –Acting United States Attorney Adam F. Sleeper announced today that on September 24, 2025, Carlos Alexis Olivares-Taveras, 34, of the Dominican Republic, was ordered detained pending trial, or until the defense seeks a reopening of his detention hearing, following his arrest on federal drug and immigration offenses.
According to court documents, on September 22, 2025, agents with Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and partner law enforcement agencies conducting an immigration enforcement operation in St. Thomas stopped a vehicle driven by the defendant. During the stop, agents observed a white powdery substance in the driver’s side door panel.
A search of the vehicle revealed eleven baggies containing a white powdery substance that tested positive for cocaine and approximately $4,000 in U.S. currency. During an interview, the defendant admitted that the cocaine and money belonged to him. He also admitted that he had entered the United States unlawfully by boat from Tortola to St. John in February 2025 without presenting himself at a lawful port of entry.
Olivares-Taveras is charged with possession with intent to distribute cocaine, in violation of 21 U.S.C. § 841(a)(1), and with illegal entry into the United States, in violation of 8 U.S.C. § 1325(a)(1). If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 20 years’ imprisonment on the drug charge.
This case is being investigated by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO). Assistant United States Attorney Cherrisse R. Amaro is prosecuting the case.
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.Columbia County resident sentenced to 7 years in federal prison for possessing images and videos of child sexual exploitationRead the Press Release
Defendant possessed more than 50,000 digital files containing child porn
AUGUSTA, GA: On September 25, 2025, a Columbia County resident was sentenced to federal prison for possessing child pornography.
Perry Jason Ward, 27, of Evans, Georgia, was sentenced to 84 months in federal prison for possessing images of sexual exploitation of children, said Margaret E. Heap, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. U.S. District Court Judge J. Randal Hall also ordered Ward to register as a sex offender, pay $96,000 in restitution, pay $200 in special assessments, and serve15 years of supervised release upon completion of the prison term.
“Protecting our children means stopping the creation and distribution of any materials that sexually exploits them,” said U.S. Attorney Heap. “Thanks to the work of our law enforcement partners, Defendant Ward is being held responsible for his reprehensible actions.”
As described in court documents and at sentencing, Defendant Ward used the internet to obtain 45,792 images and 4,609 videos containing child sexual abuse material (CSAM). The CSAM in his possession included images of infants, toddlers, and pre-pubescent children, some of which were subjected to bondage and other horrific acts of abuse.
The CSAM was discovered after the Columbia County Sherriff’s Office received multiple CyberTips from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) and using that information, obtained and executed a search warrant on Ward’s residence in October of 2023. Ward faces additional charges for other conduct in Columbia County Superior Court.
“Crimes that exploit children are among the most disturbing cases we investigate,” said FBI Atlanta Special Agent in Charge Paul Brown. “This sentence reflects our commitment to pursuing those who traffic in child sexual abuse material and ensuring they are held accountable. We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to protect children and remove predators from our communities.”
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office, and prosecuted for the United States by Southern District of Georgia Assistant U.S. Attorney Jason W. Blanchard.
Anyone with information on suspected child sexual exploitation can contact the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children at 800-843-5678, or https://report.cybertip.org/.
Child Predator in Utah Sentenced to 30 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – Carlos Arturo Aparicio Hernandez, aka Raiza Daniela Yasira Aparicio Hernandez, 40, of Taylorsville, Utah, was sentenced to 360 months’ imprisonment after he pretended to be a minor female and communicated with a child victim on Facebook. The defendant convinced the victim to send sexually explicit photos and then extorted additional sexually explicit images and videos from the victim.
In addition to his term of imprisonment, U.S. District Court Judge David Barlow, sentenced Aparicio Hernandez to a lifetime term of supervised release.
According to court documents and admissions made at Aparicio Hernandez’s change of plea and sentencing hearings, Aparicio Hernandez engaged in sexual conduct with a minor that he met on Facebook while pretending to be a minor female. Specifically, beginning on April 29, 2022, Aparicio Hernandez used his iPhone and iPad while acting as a minor female to communicate with an actual 14-year-old on Facebook. Over months of communications, Aparicio Hernandez convinced the teen to send him explicit photos and videos, which he later extorted for additional explicit images and videos from the victim. He also arranged on two occasions to meet the 14-year-old and engaged in illegal sexual activity, of which he produced images of the illegal sexual encounters and stored them on his electronic devices. Aparicio Hernandez also had sexually explicit photographs of other minors on his devices.
“Aparicio Hernandez is a danger to the children in our communities and elsewhere,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Felice John Viti of the District of Utah. “The Department of Justice will never stop fighting to protect victims-especially child victims, who are the most vulnerable among us. His 30-year sentence is a stern reminder that we will track down, arrest and prosecute child predators.”
“Protecting our community’s most vulnerable is our highest priority,” said West Valley City Police Chief Colleen Jacobs. “This sentence sends a clear message: anyone who uses social media to prey on children will be found, stopped, and held accountable.”
“This predator’s actions were deliberate, manipulative, and devastating,” said Special Agent in Charge Robert Bohls of the Salt Lake City FBI. “The FBI will continue to stand with our law enforcement partners to protect children, safeguard our communities, and ensure predators face the strongest consequences possible.”
The case was investigated jointly by the West Valley City Police Department and the FBI Salt Lake City Field Office.
Assistant United States Attorney Carol A. Dain of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah 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 U.S. Attorneys' Offices and 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 Justice.gov/PSC.
Chicago Man Convicted of Running Fentanyl Distribution Operation in Northern PanhandleRead the Press Release
WHEELING, WEST VIRGINIA – A Chicago, Illinois man was convicted of multiple drug charges for leading a drug distribution organization that transported fentanyl from Chicago, Illinois, to Weirton, West Virginia.
Gerald Henry, also known as “Unc,” age 41, was found guilty of two counts involving the distribution of fentanyl and cocaine. The testimony at trial established that Henry transported large quantities of fentanyl and cocaine to Hancock County, West Virginia for sale and distribution. Investigators seized more than 400 grams of fentanyl from a search of Henry’s Weirton residence.
Henry faces at least 10 years and up to life in prison for each of the charges. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Jasmine MCullough, 41, of Chicago, Illinois; Stephen Price, 40, of Chicago, Illinois; Daniel Pail Truax, 47, of Weirton, West Virginia; Paula Jean Truax, 44, of Weirton, West Virginia; and William Dean Tredway, 35, of Colliers, West Virginia have each previously entered guilty pleas for their roles in the drug operation.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Clayton Reid and Carly Nogay prosecuted the case on behalf of the government.
Investigative agencies include the Hancock-Brooke-Weirton Drug Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative; the Drug Enforcement Administration; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the United States Marshals Service; the Hancock County Sheriff’s Office; the Brooke County Sheriff’s Office; the Weirton Police Department; the West Virginia State Police; the Jefferson County, Ohio, Sheriff’s Office; the Steubenville, Ohio, Police Department; and the Wheeling Police Department.
U.S. District Judge John Preston Bailey presided.
Brothers Sentenced to Federal Prison in Connection with Used Car Odometer SchemeRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – Chief Judge George L. Russell, III, sentenced Kamal Khalid, 44, of Pasadena, Maryland, to 36 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, after he pled guilty to conspiracy and securities fraud stemming from his role in an odometer rollback scheme. Judge Russell previously sentenced Khalid’s younger brother and co-conspirator, Fnu Shahrukh, 31, of Severna Park, Maryland, to 18 months of incarceration for his role in the scheme. Additionally, Judge Russell ordered both defendants to pay approximately $1.2 million in restitution to their victims.
Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the sentence with Administrator Jonathan Morrison, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
“Khalid and his brother preyed on unsuspecting people simply looking to buy a reliable used car. But instead, these victims were deceived into purchasing vehicles that were well past their prime, so now the perpetrators must face the consequence of their criminal actions,” Hayes said. “We, along with our law-enforcement partners, are committed to protecting consumers from those who target others to deceive them out of their hard-earned money.”
“Odometer fraud is a serious crime that that not only costs consumers billions of dollars every year, but also makes our roads more dangerous. In this case, the co-conspirators lowered the average vehicle’s mileage by 124,000, resulting in consumers grossly overpaying for used vehicles near or past their expected lifespans,” Morrison said. “Buyers were purchasing vehicles without knowing that critical components like brakes, belts, and fluids were long past their service dates. Used car buyers deserve to know the true history of their vehicles before purchase, and we encourage everyone to learn how to identify odometer fraud and protect themselves before signing on the dotted line.”
On April 7, 2025, Shahrukh pled guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit securities fraud. Then on May 28, Khalid pled guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit securities fraud and one count of securities fraud. As part of their plea agreements, both Shahrukh and Khalid admitted that between 2016 and 2019, they engaged in a scheme to sell used vehicles with false, low-mileage readings entered on the vehicles’ odometers and titles to unwitting consumers.
The defendants also admitted that they purchased high-mileage vehicles from auto auctions. They then altered the vehicles’ odometers to reflect false, lower mileage readings, and obtained motor-vehicle titles reflecting those false, lower mileages. Shahrukh and Khalid then used the fraudulent title documentation and falsified odometer readings to sell the vehicles both through auto auctions and directly to consumers.
On average, the co-conspirators artificially lowered the vehicles’ mileages by 124,000 miles. The co-conspirators deceived purchasers into believing the vehicles had lower mileages, which enabled them to sell the vehicles at inflated prices. As a result of the scheme, consumers paid more for the vehicles than they likely would have if they knew the true high mileage.
U.S. Attorney Hayes commended NHTSA for its work in investigating this case and the Maryland Department of Transportation, Department of Motor Vehicles Administration for its assistance. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Phelps, District of Maryland, and Senior Litigation Counsel David Sullivan and Trial Attorney Manu J. Sebastian, Justice Department, Consumer Protection Branch, who prosecuted the case.
Individuals with information relating to odometer tampering should call NHTSA’s Vehicle Safety Hotline at 888-327-4236. More information on odometer fraud, including prevention tips, is available on NHTSA’s website.
For more information about the Consumer Protection Branch and its enforcement efforts, visit its website at www.justice.gov/civil/consumer-protection-branch.
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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Brockton Man Sentenced to Seven Years in Prison for Drug Trafficking and Illegal Possession of Firearms and AmmunitionRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A self-admitted gang member from Brockton, who was previously convicted of killing a 17-year-old outside a Roxbury high school, was sentenced today for drug trafficking and illegal possession of firearms and ammunition.
Andre McNeil, 35, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Patti B. Saris to seven years in prison to be followed by four years of supervised release. In April 2025, McNeil pleaded guilty to one count of possession of cocaine with intent to distribute and two counts of being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition. McNeil was indicted by a federal grand jury in June 2024.
On Feb. 2, 2024, searches were executed on McNeil’s vehicle and several associated residences. As a result, approximately 31 grams of cocaine, three handguns, two high-capacity magazines, five other magazines, approximately 101 rounds of 9mm ammunition and approximately $17,406 dollars, along with numerous cellular devices were seized. Numerous items used in drug trafficking, including scales, a money counter, baggies and a drug ledger were also found at the search locations.
McNeil is prohibited from possessing firearms due to a 2014 manslaughter conviction in Suffolk Superior Court for shooting and killing a 17-year-old boy outside a Roxbury high school, for which he was sentenced to more than 12 years in state prison.
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 the Massachusetts State Police and the Brockton, Foxboro and Taunton Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorney John Dawley of the Organized Crime and Gang Unit 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 gun violence and other violent crime, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN.
Bradford County Man Pleads Guilty to Wire FraudRead the Press Release
WILLIAMSPORT - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Richard Burke, age 76, of Milan, Pennsylvania, plead guilty on September 24, 2025, before Chief United States District Judge Matthew W. Brann to a criminal information charging him with wire fraud.
According to Acting United States Attorney John C. Gurganus, from April 2005 until March 7, 2022, Burke withdrew $350,634.23 of his deceased mother’s Social Security Retirement, Survivors and Disability (RSDI) benefits and Veterans Affairs death pension benefit payments from her bank account. Burke’s mother died in 2005, and no other individual was entitled to the benefits designated to her. Burke used his deceased mother’s bank card to make regular cash withdrawals over the years following her benefits deposits, never notifying the U.S. Social Security Administration (SSA) nor the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) that she died.
This case was investigated by the SSA and VA, Office of the Inspector General. Assistant U.S. Attorney Robin Zenzinger is prosecuting the case.
The maximum penalty under federal law for the offense is 20 years and a fine. A sentence for this offense may also include a period of supervised release following imprisonment. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
Burke’s sentencing is not yet scheduled.
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