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Wednesday 13 August 2025
Brookfield Surgeon Indicted for Distribution of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
Richard G. Frohling, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, announced that on August 12, 2025, a federal grand jury returned an indictment charging Calvin M. Eriksen (age: 47) of Brookfield, Wisconsin, with distribution of child pornography, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 2252A(a)(2)(A) and 2252A(b)(1).
If convicted, Eriksen would face a mandatory minimum of 5 years’ imprisonment and a maximum of 20 years’ imprisonment. He could also be fined up to $250,000 and would be required to register as a sex offender under state and federal 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 U.S. Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the 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.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations offices in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and West Palm Beach, Florida, and by the City of Brookfield Police Department. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Megan J. Thomas.
An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. The defendant is presumed innocent and is entitled to a fair trial at which the government must prove him guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
# # #For further information contact:
Public Affairs Officer Steve Caballero
(414) 297-1700
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Brandon Man Pleads Guilty to Distributing MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
Jackson, MS – A Brandon man pleaded guilty today to possessing with intent to distribute more than 50 grams of methamphetamine.
According to court documents and statements made in court, in August 2022, Beu Patrick Hall, 41, sold approximately 83 grams of methamphetamine to an individual for $1,100 at a Motel 6 in Jackson.
Hall pleaded guilty to possessing with intent to distribute more than 50 grams of methamphetamine. He is scheduled to be sentenced on December 10, 2025, and faces a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Acting U.S. Attorney Patrick A. Lemon of the Southern District of Mississippi and Robert Eikhoff, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Jackson Office, made the announcement.
The FBI is investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Bert Carraway is prosecuting the case.
Billings man sentenced to 12 years in prison for operating drug distribution ringRead the Press Release
BILLINGS – A man who trafficked a significant amount of methamphetamine in the Billings area was sentenced today to 144 months in prison to be followed by 5 years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.
Mario Baudelio Nava, 38, pleaded guilty in April 2025 to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
U.S. District Judge Susan P. Watters presided.
The government alleged in court documents that on April 2, 2024, law enforcement officers received information from a confidential source regarding a female who was a source of supply for methamphetamine. The details provided by the confidential source were familiar to the officers, and they were aware from other investigations that Mario Nava just moved into the same residence. Surveillance was conducted on the residence and Nava was identified coming and going.
Later on April 2, 2024, a female had contacted the confidential source and offered to meet and sell one ounce of methamphetamine for $350.00. Surveillance resumed on the residence and the female was observed walking from the residence to a prearranged meet location. Law enforcement contacted the female subject based on the belief she was in possession of methamphetamine. The female was then detained and admitted she was in possession of one ounce of meth.
During an interview, the female subject said she received the ounce of meth from Mario Nava and she had sold approximately 9 to 10 ounces of methamphetamine for Nava over the last 12 months. She further advised she believed Nava was currently in possession of approximately one-half pound of methamphetamine.
The female subject agreed to contact Nava for a ride and called him. Law enforcement followed Nava to the location of the original meet and took him into custody.
Law enforcement searched Nava’s vehicle under the conditions of his parole. During the search, detectives located and seized approximately 1397.63 grams of a substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine, a large amount of US currency, and a stolen 9mm handgun. Detectives then applied for and obtained a search warrant for Nava’s residence, where they located additional methamphetamine, US currency, and drug paraphernalia.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Colin Rubich prosecuted the case. The Billings Police Department, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Eastern Montana HIDTA conducted the investigation.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN.
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Baltimore Felon Convicted by Jury of Federal Drug Trafficking and Firearms CrimesRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – A federal jury found Anthony Nichols, 43, of Baltimore, Maryland, guilty of possession of a firearm and ammunition by a prohibited person, possession with the intent to distribute fentanyl and cocaine, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime.
Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the verdict with Special Agent in Charge Charles Doerrer, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF); Commissioner Richard Worley, Baltimore Police Department (BPD); and Chief Robert McCullough, Baltimore County Police Department (BCPD).
During the four-day trial, the United States presented evidence that Nichols dealt drugs in the 500 block of Cumberland Street, Baltimore, Maryland, on May 1, 2023. BPD officers witnessed Nichols engaging in hand-to-hand drug transactions via CitiWatch camera. Then BPD deployed officers to the 500 block of Cumberland Street to arrest Nichols, but he fled on his bicycle along West North Avenue.
After a short pursuit, law enforcement arrested and searched Nichols. Then law enforcement recovered a loaded Glock firearm strapped to Nichols’ torso, glass vials of cocaine, plastic gel capsules containing a fentanyl and cocaine mixture, and $567 in drug trafficking proceeds. Nichols was prohibited from possessing a firearm due to numerous prior convictions, including for first degree assault, armed robbery, and possession with intent to distribute controlled substances.
Nichols is facing up to life imprisonment with a mandatory minimum term of five years for possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, consecutive to any other term of imprisonment. The drug trafficking count is punishable up to 20 years and the unlawful firearm and ammunition count is punishable up to 15 years. Sentencing is scheduled for Friday, November 21, at 10 a.m.
Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge determines sentencing after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the ATF, BPD, and BCPD for their work in the investigation. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ari D. Evans and Calvin C. Miner, who are prosecuting the federal case, and recognized Paralegal Specialist Drew Murray for his assistance and legal support.
For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit justice.gov/usao-md and justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.
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30-year sentence imposed for producing sexual abuse material of seven-year-old childRead the Press Release
McALLEN, Texas – A South Texas man and woman have been ordered to federal prison for production of child pornography, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
Luis Alberto Huerta, 44, Weslaco, and Jessica Gutierrez, 47, Donna, pleaded guilty Nov. 6, 2024.
U.S. District Judge Drew B. Tipton has now ordered Huerta and Gutierrez to serve 360 and 336 months in prison, respectively. At the hearing, the court heard additional information detailing how Huerta and Gutierrez created a living hell for the victim and forced her to participate in a “game” that resulted in the continuous sexual abuse and production of child pornography of an innocent child. Huerta and Gutierrez will also serve the rest of their lives on supervised release following completion of their prison terms. During that time, they will have to comply with numerous requirements designed to restrict their access to children and the internet. They will also be ordered to register as sex offenders.
The investigation began in 2023. It revealed Huerta and Gutierrez had perpetuated the sexual abuse of a child beginning when she only seven years old. It continued for three years.
Huerta and Gutierrez admitted to participating in the sexual assault of the minor victim and to recording it. A search of their electronic devices revealed photos and videos of the assaults.
“Huerta and Gutierrez committed an unspeakable offense and thus have earned every day of the multi-decade sentences,” said Ganjei. “No sentence can undo the damage done to the victim in this case, but hopefully the defendants’ prosecution and sentences will deter others from engaging in the same vile conduct.”
"For years, these two defendants inflicted unimaginable harm on one of the most vulnerable members of our community," said Special Agent in Charge Aaron Tapp of the FBI San Antonio Field Office. "We commend the Edinburg Police Department (EPD) for their outstanding work and critical partnership in this joint investigation. Together, we ensured these child predators were stopped and held accountable for their heinous crimes."
Huerta and Gutierrez have been and will remain in custody pending transfer to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
The FBI San Antonio Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force, to include EPD, conducted the joint investigation.
Assistant U.S. Attorney M. Alexis Garcia prosecuted the case, which was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood (PSC), a nationwide initiative the Department of Justice (DOJ) launched in May 2006 to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section leads PSC, which marshals federal, state and local resources to locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children and identifies and rescues victims. For more information about PSC, please visit DOJ’s PSC page. For more information about internet safety education, please visit the resources tab on that page.
18th Street Gang Associate from El Salvador Pleads Guilty to Dealing FentanylRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Salvadoran national associated with the transnational criminal organization 18th Street Gang pleaded guilty today to selling 1,000 fentanyl pills in and around the North Shore area of Boston.
Orlando Mancia, a/k/a Intruso, 22, unlawfully residing in Everett, Mass. pleaded guilty today to distributing and possessing with intent to distribute 40 grams and more of fentanyl. U.S. District Court Senior Judge F. Dennis Saylor IV scheduled sentencing for Nov. 18, 2025.
On Oct. 15, 2024, in Everett, Mancia sold approximately 500 pressed fentanyl pills to a cooperating witness. Later, on Oct. 23, 2024, Mancia again sold another 500 pressed fentanyl pills along with cocaine to the cooperating witness.
The charge of distribution of and possession with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl provides for a sentence of at least five years and up to 40 years in prison, at least four years and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of up to $5 million. The defendant is subject to deportation proceedings upon completion of any sentence imposed. 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; Ted E. Docks, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; and Bryan DiGirolamo, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, Boston Field Division made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Massachusetts State Police; U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Enforcement & Removal Operations; Suffolk County and Middlesex County District Attorney’s Offices; and the Boston, Chelsea, Everett, Falmouth, Lynn, Medford, Nantucket and Revere Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Timothy Moran and Fred Wyshak of the Organized Crime & Gang Unit are prosecuting the case.
This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
11 Charged in Federal Indictment Alleging Extensive Sex Trafficking of Minors and Young Women Along South L.A.’s Figueroa CorridorRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – Federal and local law enforcement today arrested six members and associates of the South Los Angeles-based Hoover Criminal Gang charged in a 31-count indictment that charges them with racketeering conspiracy including sex trafficking of children and adults through force, fraud, or coercion – including runaways and children from the foster care system – on the Figueroa Corridor of Los Angeles, recruiting victims through social media and branding them with tattoos.
Today’s takedown is the first major takedown of a sex trafficking operation on the Figueroa Corridor, which is an area notorious for prostitution.
The following defendants are charged with one count of conspiracy to violate the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act:
- Amaya Armstead, 25, a.k.a. “Lady Duck,” of South Los Angeles, the case’s lead defendant and the de facto leader of the 112 set of the Hoover Criminal Gang and who is accused of sex trafficking a 14-year-old girl;
- Kenyondre Young, 22, a.k.a. “Yunkg Poke,” of South Los Angeles;
- Naziz Harris, 19, a.k.a. “N4,” of South Los Angeles;
- Avery Amoako, 27, a.k.a. “Handz,” of Long Beach;
- Jared Evans, 29, a.k.a. “Jmoney,” of the Mid-City area of Los Angeles;
- Mathew Brooks, 22, a.k.a. “Vermont Star,” of Riverside;
- Derail Robinson, 22, a.k.a. “Popkorn,” of South Los Angeles;
- Jalon Phillips, 22, a.k.a. “Chop Em,” of South Los Angeles;
- Bryan Isrel, 31, a.k.a. “4Loc,” of South Los Angeles;
- Tejohn Gray, 25, a.k.a. “Tiny3,” of South Los Angeles; and
- Tommy Crockham, 30, a.k.a. “Tommy Gunz,” of South Los Angeles.
The defendants are charged with various other crimes, including sex trafficking of minors, sex trafficking through force, fraud, or coercion; transportation of a minor for sex trafficking; sexual exploitation of a child; drug trafficking conspiracy; money laundering to promote specified unlawful activity; and conspiracy to straw purchase firearms.
Amoako, Evans, Brooks, Phillips, and Crockham were arrested this morning and are expected to make their initial appearances and be arraigned this afternoon in federal court in downtown Los Angeles. Armstead was transferred from state custody to federal custody and is expected to make her initial appearance and be arraigned this afternoon in Los Angeles federal court. Law enforcement is looking for Isrel.
“The U.S. Department of Justice, under the leadership of Attorney General Pamela Bondi, is making Los Angeles safer by arresting prolific gang members who are viciously trafficking young woman and children for sex,” said Acting United States Attorney Bill Essayli. “There are no meaningful consequences for their conduct under state law, so the federal government – aided by its local law enforcement partners – will step in to make sure these criminals face lengthy prison sentences. Today’s operation is the first step in returning the Figueroa Corridor – long known as prostitution haven – back to its residents who have suffered for too long while criminals were allowed to run amok.”
“Human trafficking is among the most heinous crimes perpetuated throughout the world,” said Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Los Angeles Special Agent in Charge Eddy Wang. “No human should be for sale – not here in Los Angeles or anywhere in our society. Today’s operation is a result of our commitment to identify and rescue victims of trafficking and to hold accountable these criminal organizations exploiting them.”
“These violent gang members profited from horrific crimes and used online apps to move their money and further their criminal enterprise,” said Special Agent in Charge Tyler Hatcher of the IRS Criminal Investigation Los Angeles Field Office. “Special Agents at IRS-CI are experts in tracing illegal funds and linking criminals to their illegal acts. IRS-CI is committed to protecting victims and prosecuting criminal offenders involved in money laundering, sex trafficking, and other violent crime.”
“The exploitation of vulnerable women and children through sex trafficking is one of the most heinous crimes our society faces,” said Los Angeles Police Chief Jim McDonnell. “The victims in this case – many of them minors, runaways, or from the foster care system – were preyed upon by individuals who sought to profit from their pain. The Los Angeles Police Department remains steadfast in its commitment to working with our federal partners to dismantle these criminal networks, bring their perpetrators to justice, and ensure survivors receive the protection and support they deserve.”
According to the indictment, from February 2021 to August 2025, the Hoovers largely controlled sex trafficking and prostitution in the Figueroa Corridor of South Los Angeles. Members and associates of the gang acted as pimps to promote and manage sex trafficking. The defendants facilitated each other’s pimping by managing and monitoring their victims, pooling resources to rent several motel rooms for commercial sex dates, disciplining each other’s victims, driving each other’s victims to and from the street where victims solicited commercial sex work, sourcing third parties to create online profiles for sex advertisements, and sending each other money via Cash App and Apple Pay.
Victims were required to remit all proceeds from commercial sex dates to the pimp. A victim who refused or who otherwise disobeyed a pimp faced discipline, including assaults, berating, public humiliation, and withholding of affection, drugs or food. Victims also were branded with tattoos of a defendant’s moniker.
The defendants also worked together to recruit new victims via social media or in person, focusing on vulnerable minor girls and young women, particularly those with financial or emotional struggles or who had run away from home. Pimps also plied their victims with drugs ranging from oxycodone to amphetamines. Victims were recruited via false promises of a luxurious lifestyle, intimidation, and actual or threatened violence.
For example, in April 2022, Gray and two accomplices drove to an area of San Bernardino which is notorious for prostitution activities and attempted to force two female victims into their car, grabbing them. Ultimately, both victims broke free.
In April 2024, Armstead and Evans utilized rooms at the Stadium Inn, a South Los Angeles motel, to traffic their victims. One victim included a 14-year-old girl. Armstead gave the victim – who was sex trafficked for at least three consecutive days – condoms to use for commercial sex dates with “Johns” or sex buyers.
Some members of the Hoovers criminal enterprise produced rap music and videos, which often glorified the gang, sex trafficking, drug sales, and firearms possession. Members of the gang also posted videos and photographs of their assaults on others to social media, in order to intimidate their victims and ensure their compliance in performing commercial sex work for the enrichment of their pimps and the Hoover gang itself.
An indictment contains allegations. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
If convicted, some defendants would face a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in federal prison and would face a statutory maximum sentence of life imprisonment.
Homeland Security Investigations, IRS Criminal Investigation, the Los Angeles Police Department, and the United States Attorney’s Office are investigating this matter. The investigation was supported by the Nebraska State Patrol, Keith County Attorney’s Office, Nebraska Department of Justice Office of the Attorney General, California Highway Patrol, the Los Angeles Department of Children and Family Services, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, and Saving Innocence.
Assistant United States Attorneys Chelsea Norell of the Violent and Organized Crime Section and Mirelle Raza of the General Crimes Section are prosecuting this case.
Tuesday 12 August 2025
Woodville Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for Distributing MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
Jackson, MS – A Woodville, Mississippi man was sentenced today to 10 years in prison for possessing with intent to distribute more than 50 grams of methamphetamine.
According to court documents, Reginald Lionel Gilmore, 40, in January 2023, sold 228 grams of methamphetamine to an individual for $3,000.00 in Wilkinson County, Mississippi.
Acting U.S. Attorney Patrick A. Lemon of the Southern District of Mississippi; and Assistant Special Agent in Charge Anessa Daniels-McCaw of the Drug Enforcement Administration made the announcement.
The Drug Enforcement Administration and Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Bert Carraway 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).
Wisconsin Sex Offender Sentenced to 37 Months in Federal Prison for Violating International Travel Notification RequirementsRead the Press Release
Hagåtña, Guam – SHAWN N. ANDERSON, United States Attorney for the Districts of Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands, announced that Kyle James Derus, age 39, of Wisconsin, was sentenced on August 11, 2025 to 37 months imprisonment in the U.S. District Court of Guam for failing to notify the Sex Offender Registry of his intent to travel internationally and traveling in foreign commerce, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 2250(b). The Court also ordered three years of supervised release and a $100 mandatory assessment fee. Under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA), Derus is required to register as a sex offender in every jurisdiction where he resides, works, and attends school, including after his release from custody.
Derus was convicted of Third-Degree Sexual Assault in Wisconsin on March 20, 2017. As part of his sentence, he was required to register as a sex offender with the Wisconsin Department of Corrections and comply with strict travel notification requirements. Specifically, he was mandated to notify the Registry at least 21 days prior to any international travel. However, Derus failed to meet this requirement when he traveled abroad in early 2025.
On February 17, 2025, Derus arrived in Guam and subsequently traveled to Palau. Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) became aware of his travel and his planned flight to the Philippines. Philippine authorities were notified of his intended travel in advance and denied his entry into the country.
Upon returning from the Philippines on March 1, 2025, Derus was interviewed by the Guam Customs and Quarantine Agency. During the interview, he stated that he had previously visited Guam, traveled to Palau for a fishing trip, and went to the Philippines to meet his Filipina girlfriend.
Further investigation confirmed that Derus never notified the Wisconsin Sex Offender Registry about his international travel, as required. On March 4, 2025, the U.S. Department of State revoked Derus's passport after it was discovered that he had failed to disclose his status as a convicted sex offender when applying for his passport. This failure violated International Megan’s Law, which mandates convicted sex offenders to self-identify as such when applying for passports. Derus’s passport therefore lacked an identifier for individuals convicted of sex offenses, as required by 22 U.S.C. § 212b.
On March 18, 2025, U.S. Marshals arrested Derus at A.B. Won Pat International Airport in Guam while he was attempting to board a flight to Honolulu. During the arrest, his passport was seized. Further examination revealed that the passport contained stamps documenting his travel to Palau, including entry on February 21, 2025, and departure on February 25, 2025. However, there were no stamps indicating his entry into the Philippines, confirming that he had been denied entry to the country.
“Guam is not a safe haven for sex offenders seeking to evade SORNA enforcement,” stated United States Attorney Anderson. “Derus's failure to comply with SORNA’s travel notification requirements and his attempt to conceal his status as a convicted sex offender led to his arrest and conviction, and the revocation of his passport. This case underscores the importance of laws that monitor the location and travel of convicted sex offenders.”
“Homeland Security Investigations is steadfast in its commitment to leading the nationwide initiative to combat child exploitation and abuse," said Homeland Security Investigations Special Agent in Charge Lucy Cabral-DeArmas. “We will stop at nothing to protect the most vulnerable members of our communities and pursue justice against those who commit these heinous crimes."
Investigation was conducted by the United States Marshals Service, Homeland Security Investigations, United States Customs and Border Protection, and Guam Customs and Quarantine Agency.
This case was prosecuted by Devarup Rastogi, Assistant United States Attorney in the District of Guam.
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.
Two women charged in separate complaints with illegal re-entryRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, N.Y. –U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Ancelma Contreras Pano, 40, a citizen and national of Mexico, and Ana Castro Castro, 38, a citizen and national of Ecuador, were arrested and charged in separate criminal complaints with re-entry of a removed alien, which carries a maximum penalty of ten years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael J. Smith, who is handling the case, stated that according to the complaint against Contreras Pano, on July 31, 2025, she was a passenger in a van that was pulled over by Border Patrol Agents in Amherst, NY. Through questioning, agents determined that Contreras Pano is a citizen and national of Mexico and does not have any documents that would allow her to be or remain in the United States lawfully. Contreras Pano was previously removed from the United States in June 2015.
According to the complaint against Castro, on August 1, 2025, she was a passenger in a vehicle pulled over by Lancaster, NY, police officers. Through questioning, it was determined that Castro is a citizen and national of Ecuador and does not have any documents that would allow her to be or remain in the United States lawfully. Castro was previously removed from the United States in July 2021.
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.
Contreras Pano and Castro made an initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jeremiah J. McCarthy and were detained.
The complaints are the result of an investigation by U.S. Border Patrol, under the direction of Patrol Agent-in-Charge David Banks.
The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
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Two Estonian fraud defendants sentenced for $577 million fraud schemeRead the Press Release
Seattle – Two Estonian nationals were sentenced today to 16 months in prison for orchestrating a massive cryptocurrency Ponzi scheme that defrauded hundreds of thousands of victims worldwide, including in the United States. The men have already served 16 months in custody; in addition to the custodial term, U.S. District Judge Robert S. Lasnik ordered each to pay a $25,000 fine and complete 360 hours of community service while on supervised release. The men are expected to return to Estonia to serve their terms of supervised release.
The sentences also incorporated the forfeiture of cryptocurrency, funds, vehicles, real property, and cryptocurrency mining equipment—seized by the United States and its foreign law enforcement partners—which are collectively valued at over $450 million. The forfeited assets will be available for a remission process to compensate victims of the crime. Details about the remission process will be announced at a later date.
According to court documents, Sergei Potapenko and Ivan Turõgin, both 40, operated a purported cryptocurrency mining service called HashFlare, which sold contracts promising customers a share of the profits generated from cryptocurrency mining. Cryptocurrency mining is the process of using specialized computers to validate and record transactions on a blockchain network in exchange for a reward of newly generated cryptocurrency.
Between 2015 and 2019, Hashflare sales totaled more than $577 million, relying on fake online dashboards that falsely reported mining activity and returns. HashFlare lacked the computing capacity to mine the vast majority of cryptocurrency it claimed to generate. Potapenko and Turõgin used investor funds to purchase real estate, luxury vehicles, and to fund investment and cryptocurrency accounts for their personal use. The United States has seized or restrained the majority of those assets, which have been preliminarily forfeited.
“These defendants were operating a classic Ponzi scheme, involving a glitzy asset: a mirage of cryptocurrency mining,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Teal Luthy Miller. “And just like a classic Ponzi, they diverted millions of dollars to their own benefit, purchasing their own bitcoin, real estate, luxury cars, expensive jewelry, and more than a dozen trips on chartered private jets. Meanwhile, the vast majority of their victims suffered losses — in many cases, losses that had a serious impact on their financial and emotional well-being.”
Prosecutors had argued for a ten-year prison term. The Department of Justice is considering whether to appeal the sentence.
The Criminal Division thanks the Cybercrime Bureau of the Estonian Police and Border Guard for its support with this investigation. The Estonian Prosecutor General and Ministry of Justice and Digital Affairs provided substantial assistance with the extradition. The Criminal Division’s Office of International Affairs provided extensive assistance with the investigation and the extradition of the defendants.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Andrew Friedman and Sok Tea Jiang for the Western District of Washington are prosecuting the case with Trial Attorneys Adrienne E. Rosen and David Ginensky of the Criminal Division’s Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jehiel Baer for the Western District of Washington is handling asset forfeiture aspects of the case.
Individuals who believe they may have been a victim in this case should visit www.fbi.gov/hashflare.
Traffic stop results in conviction for Guatemalan national illegally in U.S.Read the Press Release
VICTORIA, Texas – A 32-year-old Guatemalan man who illegally resided in College Station has been convicted of felony reentry after removal, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
The federal jury sitting in Victoria returned the guilty verdict against Miguel Angel Puac-Ramirez following a one-day trial and approximately 23 minutes of deliberation.
The jury heard that Osvaldo Vasquez-Vasquez was driving a 2015 Jeep near Yoakum May 9 when he disregarded traffic signals. Puac-Ramirez was the passenger. Law enforcement conducted a traffic stop and requested Vasquez-Vasquez’s driver’s license as well as identification from Puac-Ramirez. Both men provided Guatemalan identification cards which indicated an address in College Station.
Authorities determined both men were Guatemalan citizens with no legal documentation to be in the United States.
Testimony revealed Puac-Ramirez told Vasquez-Vasquez he had been deported. He replied by saying he should not have said he had identification or shown it to authorities and that doing so caused their “problem.”
The defense attempted to convince the jury the case against Puac-Ramirez lacked the foundation for a conviction by literally piling bricks at the jury box. The illustration was ineffective. They did not believe those claims and found Puac-Ramirez guilty as charged.
U.S. District Judge David S. Morales presided over the trial and has set sentencing for Nov. 21. At that time, Puac-Ramirez faces up to 20 years in federal prison and a possible $250,000 maximum fine.
He has been and will remain in custody pending that hearing.
Vasquez-Vasquez is considered a fugitive, and a warrant remains outstanding for his arrest.
Customs and Border Protection conducted the investigation with the assistance of Lavaca County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Patti Hubert Booth is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces and Project Safe Neighborhood.
Three Chinese-Owned Companies to Pay More Than $21.6M to Resolve False Claims Act Allegations Relating to Paycheck Protection Program LoansRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON — BWI North America Inc., BWI Indiana Inc., and BWI Chassis Dynamics (NA) Inc. (together, the BWI Entities), have agreed to pay $21,660,983 to resolve allegations that they violated the False Claims Act by submitting false claims to obtain Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans for which they were not eligible.
Congress created the PPP in March 2020 to provide emergency financial assistance to Americans suffering from the economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. Under the PPP, eligible businesses could receive forgivable loans guaranteed by the Small Business Administration (SBA). Regulations provide various eligibility requirements for the PPP, including limitations on the number of individuals the borrower and its affiliated entities employed and exclusions for certain types of businesses, like those that are owned by government entities. In their loan applications, borrowers were required to certify that they were eligible for the PPP and that the information they provided was accurate.
The BWI Entities are part of a large multinational corporation that supplies automotive brake and suspension systems worldwide. At the time they applied for and received their PPP loans, the BWI Entities were each majority-owned and controlled by government enterprises of the People’s Republic of China, including the State-Owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission of Beijing.
In applying for their PPP loans, the BWI Entities certified that they were eligible for the PPP The United States alleges that the BWI Entities were not eligible for their PPP loans because they were affiliated with other companies in China, Europe, and elsewhere, and together with their affiliates across the globe, the BWI Entities employed more individuals than permitted by SBA’s size standard for their industry. The United States also contends that the BWI Entities were not eligible because they were ultimately owned by a government entity.
The BWI Entities cooperated with the United States’ investigation by identifying individuals involved in or responsible for the conduct and disclosing facts and documents gathered during their own investigation. As a result, the BWI Entities received credit under the Department’s guidelines for taking disclosure, cooperation and remediation into account in False Claims Act cases.
“The United States Attorney’s Office takes seriously its obligation to combat fraud and protect American taxpayers,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Richard G. Frohling for the Eastern District of Wisconsin. “This settlement demonstrates that businesses and individuals who abuse government programs like the Paycheck Protection Program will be held accountable.”
“The SBA is committed to rooting out every dollar of PPP fraud,” said SBA General Counsel Wendell Davis. “Alongside the Department of Justice Civil Fraud Section, US Attorney’s Office in the Eastern District of Wisconsin, and our other law enforcement partners, the agency will aggressively pursue bad actors to hold them accountable and recover pandemic relief funds improperly obtained from the program.”
The civil settlement includes the resolution of claims brought under the qui tam or whistleblower provisions of the False Claims Act, which permit private parties to file an action on behalf of the United States and receive a portion of any recovery. The lawsuit was filed by GNGH2 Inc., which will receive $2,166,098.30 in connection with this settlement.
The resolution obtained in this matter was the result of a coordinated effort between the Justice Department’s Civil Division, Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section, and the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, with assistance from the SBA’s Office of General Counsel and Office of the Inspector General.
Trial Attorney Lindsey Roberts of the Civil Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Carter for the Eastern District of Wisconsin handled the matter.
The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only. There has been no determination of liability.
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Three Chinese-Owned Companies to Pay More Than $21.6M to Resolve False Claims Act Allegations Relating to Paycheck Protection Program LoansRead the Press Release
BWI North America Inc., BWI Indiana Inc., and BWI Chassis Dynamics (NA) Inc. (together, the BWI Entities), have agreed to pay $21,660,983 to resolve allegations that they violated the False Claims Act by submitting false claims to obtain Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans for which they were not eligible.
Congress created the PPP in March 2020 to provide emergency financial assistance to Americans suffering from the economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. Under the PPP, eligible businesses could receive forgivable loans guaranteed by the Small Business Administration (SBA). Regulations provide various eligibility requirements for the PPP, including limitations on the number of individuals the borrower and its affiliated entities employed and exclusions for certain types of businesses, like those that are owned by government entities. In their loan applications, borrowers were required to certify that they were eligible for the PPP and that the information they provided was accurate.
The BWI Entities are part of a large multinational corporation that supplies automotive brake and suspension systems worldwide. At the time they applied for and received their PPP loans, the BWI Entities were each majority-owned and controlled by government enterprises of the People’s Republic of China, including the State-Owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission of Beijing.
In applying for their PPP loans, the BWI Entities certified that they were eligible for the PPP. The United States alleges that the BWI Entities were not eligible for their PPP loans because they were affiliated with other companies in China, Europe, and elsewhere, and together with their affiliates across the globe, the BWI Entities employed more individuals than permitted by SBA’s size standard for their industry. The United States also contends that the BWI Entities were not eligible because they were ultimately owned by a government entity.
The BWI Entities cooperated with the United States’ investigation by identifying individuals involved in or responsible for the conduct and disclosing facts and documents gathered during their own investigation. As a result, the BWI Entities received credit under the Department’s guidelines for taking disclosure, cooperation and remediation into account in False Claims Act cases.
“The United States Attorney’s Office takes seriously its obligation to combat fraud and protect American taxpayers,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Richard G. Frohling for the Eastern District of Wisconsin. “This settlement demonstrates that businesses and individuals who abuse government programs like the Paycheck Protection Program will be held accountable.”
“The SBA is committed to rooting out every dollar of PPP fraud,” said SBA General Counsel Wendell Davis. “Alongside the Department of Justice Civil Fraud Section, U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Eastern District of Wisconsin, and our other law enforcement partners, the agency will aggressively pursue bad actors to hold them accountable and recover pandemic relief funds improperly obtained from the program.”
The civil settlement includes the resolution of claims brought under the qui tam or whistleblower provisions of the False Claims Act, which permit private parties to file an action on behalf of the United States and receive a portion of any recovery. The lawsuit was filed by GNGH2 Inc., which will receive $2,166,098.30 in connection with this settlement.
The resolution obtained in this matter was the result of a coordinated effort between the Justice Department’s Civil Division, Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section, and the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, with assistance from the SBA’s Office of General Counsel and Office of the Inspector General.
Trial Attorney Lindsey Roberts of the Civil Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Carter for the Eastern District of Wisconsin handled the matter.
The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only. There has been no determination of liability.
Thirteen Individuals Charged for Operating Transnational Elder Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
BOSTON – Thirteen individuals have been charged in connection with a transnational elder fraud scheme that allegedly involved a “call center” operation in the Dominican Republic that tricked hundreds of elderly victims in the United States into believing that their grandchildren or other close family members were in trouble and needed money. In total, the investigation identified over 400 victims with an average age of 84, including at least 50 in Massachusetts, and more than $5 million in losses.
According to the charging documents, the defendants, led by defendant Oscar Manuel Castanos Garcia, ran a sophisticated “call center” operation in the Dominican Republic that tricked hundreds of elderly victims in the United States into believing that their grandchildren and other close family members were in trouble and needed money. Once the defendants obtained the money, they allegedly laundered their illicit proceeds back to the Dominican Republic.
Castanos Garcia allegedly oversaw call centers in the Dominican Republic, where he employed co-conspirators who spoke English and carried out what are commonly known as “grandparent scams.” These scams would begin with an “Opener” employee, who would call victims and pretend to be a grandson or granddaughter who was in an accident. Then, a “Closer” would allegedly follow up with another call, pretending to be their grandchild’s attorney, asking for a sum of money to pay for their grandchild’s fees due to the accident. Castanos Garcia allegedly ran these call center locations with the help of several managers who allegedly supervised, instructed and paid the employees.
As alleged in the indictment, callers for Castanos Garcia’s call centers would instruct elderly victims to provide cash to “runners” in the United States. Most often, the callers would instruct victims to give the packages with cash to rideshare drivers who were ordered to the victim’s house by a runner. The runners would then have the unsuspecting rideshare drivers deliver the packages to the runners at nearby locations. In some cases, the callers would direct the victims to ship packages of cash to specified addresses via mail or commercial carriers.
Often times, the call center would allegedly call victims again and ask for additional funds for their grandchildren, sometimes two or three additional times. For example, callers allegedly would claim that there had been a “mix up” or that a “pregnant women’s baby was lost in the crash.”
At times, co-conspirators would allegedly order unwitting rideshare drivers to drive the elderly victims to the bank to withdraw additional funds.
It is further alleged that, at the direction of Castanos Garcia’s and others, the runners would engage in financial transactions with the victims’ money, including depositing cash into bank accounts and delivering it to co-conspirators in New York and elsewhere. Operators of the scheme relied on money launderers in the United States and the Dominican Republic to transmit proceeds from victims in the United States to Castanos Garcia and others in the Dominican Republic.
Members of the public who believe they may be victims of this case, or other elder fraud scams, should contact [email protected] or call 1-800-CALL-FBI (1-800-225-5324). Suspected fraud can also be reported on the FBI’s IC3 Elder Fraud Complaint Center.
The charge of Conspiracy to Commit Mail Fraud and 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 loss to the victim. The charge of money laundering conspiracy provides for up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $500,000 or twice the amount of laundered funds, 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. Valuable assistance was provided by the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs; the Dominican National Police; División Especial de Investigación del Crimen Organizado Internacional (DEICROI); Central de Investigaciones Criminales (DICRIM); and the Ministerio Publico. Assistant U.S. Attorney David M. Holcomb of the Criminal Division is prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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ADDENDUM
Defendant
Alleged Role
Charges
Status
Oscar Manuel Castanos Garcia, 33, of the Dominican RepublicCall Center OperatorConspiracy to commit mail fraud and wire fraud; and money laundering conspiracy.In CustodyJoel Jose Cruz Rodriguez, a/k/a “Paflow,” 33, of the Dominican RepublicCall Center ManagerConspiracy to commit mail fraud and wire fraud; and money laundering conspiracy.In CustodyEdward Jose Puello Garcia, 44, of the Dominican RepublicCall Center ManagerConspiracy to commit mail fraud and wire fraud; and money laundering conspiracy.In CustodyJoan Manuel Mathilda Leon, 27, of the Dominican Republic and the Bronx, N.Y.Recruited and oversaw “runners”; runnerConspiracy to Commit Mail Fraud and Wire Fraud
Money Laundering Conspiracy.
In CustodyLuis German Santos
Burgos, a/k/a “Mambo Flow,” 32, of the Dominican Republic and Dorchester, Mass.
Call Center AffiliateConspiracy to commit mail fraud and wire fraud; and money laundering conspiracy.In CustodyGerardo Heriberto Nuñez Nuñez, 41, of the Dominican RepublicMoney LaundererMoney laundering conspiracy.In CustodyRansel St Arlin Tavarez Jimenez, 26, of the Bronx, N.Y.Recruited and organized “runners”; runnerConspiracy to commit mail fraud and wire fraud; and money laundering conspiracy.At-LargeJoel Francisco Mathilda Leon, 26, of the Bronx, N.Y.RunnerConspiracy to commit mail fraud and wire fraud; and money laundering conspiracy.At-LargeAndry Joel Baez Santana, 31, of the Bronx, N.Y.RunnerConspiracy to commit mail fraud and wire fraud; and money laundering conspiracy.In CustodyJose Osvaldo Polanco Batista, a/k/a “Obbi,” 28, of Winter Park, Fla.RunnerConspiracy to commit mail fraud and wire fraud; and money laundering conspiracy.At-LargeChaman Samael Silverio Balbuena, a/k/a “Chammy,” 31, of Defiance, Mo.RunnerConspiracy to commit mail fraud and wire fraud; and money laundering conspiracy.In CustodyManuel Nicolas Rivera Cueto, 25, of Santa Clara, Cal.RunnerConspiracy to commit mail fraud and wire fraud; and money laundering conspiracy.In CustodyJose Arony Fermin Vasquez, a/k/a “Chiky,” 31, of N.J.RunnerConspiracy to commit mail fraud and wire fraud; and money laundering conspiracy.At-LargeTampa Businessman Sentenced to Three Years in Prison for Fraudulent Tax ReturnsRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Mary S. Scriven today sentenced Brian Davison to three years in federal prison for making false and fraudulent statements on tax returns. As part of his sentence, the court also ordered restitution to the Internal Revenue Service in the amount of $6,293,592, the amount of tax loss to the United States. Davison pleaded guilty on March 24, 2025.
According to court documents, Davison was the co-founder and former CEO of the Tampa-based real estate investment firm Equialt, LLC, which was placed into judicial receivership following a U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission complaint in February 2020. Between October 2018 and December 2020, Davison caused multiple personal tax returns to be filed, which in total underreported his income from Equialt, LLC and other business entities by at least $29.7 million. This willful underreporting resulted in a tax loss to the United States of $6,293,592.
This case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation, in conjunction with the Federal Bureau of Investigation – Tampa. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Adam J. Duso.
Superseding Indictment Against Pittsburgh Health Care Facility Owner Adds Charges of Social Security Fraud and Concealing Material Facts Related to Health Care MattersRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, Pa. - A federal grand jury in Pittsburgh has returned a Superseding Indictment against a Pittsburgh resident on charges of health care fraud, making false statements relating to health care matters, concealment of material facts related to health care matters, money laundering, and misuse of Social Security benefits by a representative payee, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.
The 40-count Superseding Indictment named Kelley Oliver-Hollis, 61, of the East Hills as the sole defendant.
According to the Superseding Indictment, from December 2016 to July 2023, Oliver-Hollis, as owner of SerenityCare LLC, located in Penn Hills, schemed to overbill Pennsylvania Medicaid in connection with services SerenityCare provided to residents with intellectual disabilities. Oliver-Hollis was initially indicted on 33 counts in April 2024 (read the Indictment news release here).
The law provides for a maximum total sentence of up to 10 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000 on the health care fraud and money laundering charges, and up to five years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000 on the false statements relating to health care matters, concealment of material facts relating to health care matters, and Social Security fraud charges. Under the federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorney Gregory C. Melucci is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation, Internal Revenue Service, Department of Health and Human Services, Social Security Administration - Office of the Inspector General, U.S. Department of Labor, Allegheny County District Attorney’s Office, and Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General conducted the investigation leading to the Superseding Indictment.
A superseding indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
The United States Attorney’s Office’s efforts to combat healthcare fraud are frequently made possible by tips from the community. To report suspected fraud, please contact the FBI’s healthcare fraud tipline at [email protected] or the Department of Health and Human Services at 1-800-HHS-TIPS.
Stamford Nurse Who Stole and Tampered with Hydromorphone and Fentanyl Vials Sentenced to PrisonRead the Press Release
David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that KRISTEN CAROTENUTO, 35, of Pelham, New York, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Vernon D. Oliver in Hartford to five months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for tampering with vials of hydromorphone and fentanyl at a surgical clinic in Stamford where she was employed as a nurse. Judge Oliver also ordered Carotenuto to pay a $5,000 fine.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Carotenuto was employed as a nurse at an outpatient surgical center in Stamford. As part of her employment, she was granted access to a secure location used by the surgical center to store controlled substances, including hydromorphone and fentanyl. In December 2024, Carotenuto removed several vials, each containing hydromorphone or fentanyl, from the secure storage area. She then took the vials home, removed the controlled substances using a syringe, and used the drugs. She then refilled the vials with either saline or water and returned the tampered vials to the storage area in a location where they could be distributed for patient use. There is no evidence that any patients received the tampered medications.
On August 7, 2025, Carotenuto pleaded guilty to tampering with a consumer product.
Carotenuto, who is released on a $25,000 bond, is required to report to prison on October 1. She has surrendered her nursing license.
This matter was investigated by the Food and Drug Administration, Office of Criminal Investigations; the DEA’s Hartford Diversion Control Division; and the Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection, Drug Control Division. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ray Miller.
Springfield Man Sentenced for Producing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
EUGENE, Ore.—Dusty Jacaway, 29, of Springfield, Oregon, was sentenced to 250 months in federal prison today for producing child pornography.
According to court documents, in October 2024, Lane County Sheriff’s Office deputies located Jacaway in a vehicle with a 13-year-old child (MV1). Officers secured the cell phones of Jacaway and MV1. Subsequent analysis of the cell phones revealed two videos Jacaway had curated, displaying him sexually assaulting MV1 in the back seat of his car.
A forensic interview with MV1 revealed the extent of Jacaway’s abuse. Jacaway met MV1 online when the child was 12 years old and began sexually abusing MV1 soon after. Jacaway also provided MV1 with methamphetamine. He would regularly traffic MV1 to a local pornography shop where he accepted money and drugs from men in exchange for allowing them to sexually abuse MV1. Jacaway kept the money and threatened to kill MV1 if he were ever arrested.
Following the completion of his prison sentence, Jacaway will begin a life term of supervised release. He must also pay $3,000 in restitution to the victim.
The case was investigated by the Lane County Sheriff’s Office and the FBI. It was prosecuted by Adam Delph, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon.
Spanish Man Pleads Guilty to Illegally Reentering the Country After Prior RemovalRead the Press Release
BANGOR, Maine: A Spanish man pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in Bangor to reentry after removal.
According to court records, Jose Angel Hidalgo-Torres, 20, was found in Calais shortly after illegally entering the United States on July 18, 2025. He was previously removed from the country in May 2024.
Hidalgo-Torres faces up to two years in prison and a maximum fine of $250,000. He will be sentenced after the completion of a presentence investigative report by the U.S. Probation Office. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The U.S. Border Patrol investigated the case.
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).
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Serbian Student Enrolled at Erie University Charged with Receipt and Possession of Material Depicting the Sexual Exploitation of a MinorRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, Pa. - A Serbian national residing in Syracuse, New York, has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh on charges of violating federal laws relating to the sexual exploitation of minors, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.
The two-count Indictment named Lav Adamov, 20, of Zrenjanin, Serbia—who is in the United States on a student visa to attend an Erie, Pennsylvania, university—as the sole defendant.
According to the Indictment, from on or about January 13, 2025, to on or about May 15, 2025, Adamov received material depicting the sexual exploitation of a minor. The Indictment further alleges that, in May of 2025, Adamov was found to be in possession of material depicting the sexual exploitation of a minor.
As to the receipt charge, the law provides for a maximum total sentence of 20 years in prison, a fine of $250,000, or both. As to the possession charge, the law provides for a maximum total sentence of 10 years in prison, a fine of $250,000, or both. Under the federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorney Christian A. Trabold is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation, the City of Erie Police Department, and the university’s police conducted the investigation leading to the Indictment.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
An indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Scott County Man Sentenced for the Production of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
LEXINGTON, Ky. – A Georgetown, Ky., man, George Michael Brock Jr., 49, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Karen Caldwell to 348 months in prison, for the production of child pornography.
In 2016, law enforcement received reports that an adult male, later identified as Brock, used a social media application, MeetMe, to lure underage victims into nude modeling. In 2018, Brock was convicted of use of an electronic communication system to procure a minor. When he was released from prison, in July 2019, Kentucky law subjected Brock to sex offender supervision and registration requirements for five years.
According to his plea agreement, on January 11, 2023, while still subject to sex offender registration requirements, Brock used Skype to begin communication with a minor victim. Brock directed the minor to capture sexually explicit images of themselves. The victim complied with Brock’s requests and Skype records also revealed similar conversations with multiple other minors. Brock shared with his friend many of the sexually explicit images that he obtained from the minor victims via the internet.
Under federal law, Brock must serve 85 percent of his prison sentence. Upon his release from prison, he will be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for life.
Paul McCaffrey, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; Olivia Olson, Special Agent in Charge, FBI, Louisville Field Division; and Chief Darin Allgood, Georgetown Police Department, jointly announced the sentence.
The investigation was conducted by the FBI and Georgetown Police Department with assistance from the Kentucky Division of Probation and Parole. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mary Melton is prosecuting the case on behalf of the United States.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted this case 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 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.
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Schenectady Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for Firearm and Religious Hate Crimes Involving the Firing of Shots Outside of Temple IsraelRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Mufid Fawaz Alkhader, age 29, of Schenectady, New York, was sentenced today to 120 months in prison for conspiring to illegally straw purchase a firearm, obstructing the free exercise of religious beliefs with a dangerous weapon, and brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence.
Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon stated, “The Department of Justice stands firmly against antisemitism and all hate crimes. We are committed to protecting everyone in our communities and upholding the freedom of religion as enshrined in the First Amendment of the Constitution.”
Acting U.S. Attorney John A. Sarcone III stated, “This shooting, outside of a synagogue on the eve of a Channukah celebration, was unfortunately emblematic of the anti-Semitic violence, rhetoric and practices that have swept this country over the last few years. This year, the Justice Department has emphatically said – through its words and actions – no more. My Office, with our law enforcement partners, will do everything within our powers to make sure everyone in the Northern District of New York can exercise their right to practice their religion without fear of violence and hatred.”
As part of his prior guilty plea, Alkhader admitted that, between November 1 and November 6, 2023, he and Andrew Miller agreed that Miller would purchase a shotgun for Alkhader by lying to a firearms dealer and falsely representing that Miller was the purchaser of the gun. On November 5, 2023, Alkhader and Miller drove to a federal firearms dealer in Albany and illegally purchased a Kel-Tec KS7 12-gauge pump-action shotgun.
On December 7, 2023, Alkhader took an Uber from his home to Temple Israel, a synagogue in Albany. Upon arriving at the synagogue, at approximately 2 p.m., Alkhader walked up the walkway toward the front entrance, brandished the Kel-Tec shotgun, and then twice fired the shotgun into the air while shouting “Free Palestine!” Alkhader attempted to fire a third time, but the shotgun jammed. After the shotgun jammed, Alkhader attempted to tear an Israeli flag from a flagpole in front of Temple Israel. Albany Police Officers responded to the scene and arrested Alkhader outside of a nearby hospital. As a result of Alkhader’s actions, Temple Israel was forced to cancel a planned concert and candle lighting ceremony to celebrate Chanukah that evening, and its congregants were afraid to return to their place of worship.
United States District Judge Anne M. Nardacci also imposed a 5-year term of supervised release to begin after Alkhader is released from prison.
FBI Special Agent in Charge Craig L. Tremaroli stated, “Mr. Alkhader’s violent actions were fueled by hatred for individuals simply because of their faith. That hatred caused tremendous terror within the Temple Israel community – and the Jewish community as a whole – as they were preparing for the first night of Channukah. We hope this sentence can play an important part in the community’s continued healing process, but can also serve as a notice that violence, especially borne from hate, will not be tolerated by the FBI. We will continue to work tirelessly with our law enforcement partners to thoroughly investigate these hateful incidents and bring justice to the victims, so no one has to live in fear.”
ATF Special Agent in Charge Bryan Miller stated, “This sentencing reflects our commitment to stopping those who unlawfully obtain firearms to cause fear and chaos in our communities. When individuals conspire to bypass gun laws and use firearms to intimidate others, they will be held accountable. This case highlights the importance of our ongoing work to disrupt illegal firearm activity before it turns deadly. I’m grateful for the partnership between ATF NY Albany Field Office, FBI Albany, the Albany Police Department, the New York State Police and U.S. Attorney’s Office Northern District of NY — a united front in keeping our communities safe.”
Albany Police Chief Brendan Cox stated, “The sentencing in this case sends a clear message that violence and crimes of hate targeting any community, including those of our Jewish community, will not be tolerated. The Albany Police Department remains committed to protecting all communities and to hold those accountable who seek to spread fear and hate.”
Andrew Miller previously pled guilty and was sentenced to 14 months of imprisonment for his role in the straw purchase of the shotgun.
The FBI’s Albany Field Office, in conjunction with the ATF and the Albany Police Department, investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Richard Belliss and Alexander Wentworth-Ping for the Northern District of New York, Trial Attorney Trevor Kempner of the Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division, and Trial Attorney Jennifer Levy of the Department of Justice’s National Security Division prosecuted the case. Additionally, Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael Perry and Michael Gadarian provided counsel in the investigation and prosecution of this case.
Salem Sex Offender Sentenced to Prison for Receiving Child PornographyRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Ore.— A previously-convicted sex offender was sentenced to federal prison today after pleading guilty to one count of receiving child pornography.
U.S. District Judge Michael Simon sentenced John Christopher Christensen, 49, to 210 months in prison, followed by a 15-year term of supervised release.
According to court documents, in December 2022, investigators with the Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) gained access to an online chatroom dedicated to trading in images of child sexual abuse. Christensen was one of many participants in the chatroom. Investigators eventually determined Christensen’s true name, and discovered that he was a registered sex offender living in Salem, Oregon who had previously been convicted of a sex offense against a minor. They also learned he had been arrested by Salem police on January 1, 2023, and charged with new offenses involving minors. In mid-January 2023, investigators served a federal search warrant at Christensen’s residence and recovered several devices that contained child pornography, including some of the same child pornography that had been posted in the chatroom.
Christensen appeared in federal court in August 2024 after serving a state sentence for luring a minor. He pleaded guilty to receiving child pornography in federal court in May 2025.
The federal case was investigated by HSI, with assistance from the Salem Police Department. It was prosecuted by Gary Sussman, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon.
Anyone who has information about the physical or online exploitation of children are encouraged to contact HSI at (866) 347-2423 or submit a tip online at report.cybertip.org.
Federal law defines child pornography as any visual depiction of sexually explicit conduct involving a minor. It is important to remember child sexual abuse material depicts actual crimes being committed against children. Not only do these images and videos document the victims’ exploitation and abuse, but when shared across the internet, re-victimize and re-traumatize the child victims each time their abuse is viewed. To learn more, please visit the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children at www.missingkids.org.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Rio Grande Valley man sentenced to 108 months after downloading and uploading child sexual abuse materialRead the Press Release
McALLEN, Texas – A 23-year-old Donna resident has been ordered to federal prison following his conviction of receipt of child pornography, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
Miguel Angel Del Valle pleaded guilty Feb. 28.
Chief U.S. District Judge Randy Crane has now imposed a 108-month term of imprisonment. In handing down the sentence, the court noted that this type of offense is one of the most serious federal crimes that can be committed. Judge Crane told Del Valle that if people like him didn’t download child pornography, then there wouldn’t be production of it and the victimization of children. Del Valle was ordered to serve five years on supervised release following completion of his prison term. During that time, he will have to comply with numerous requirements designed to restrict his access to children and the internet. Del Valle will also be ordered to register as a sex offender.
The investigation began in July 2022 when Del Valle uploaded child sexual abuse material (CSAM) from his Google account. The images included minors between the ages of eight and 12 engaging in sexual activity with adults and/or other minors.
He admitted to downloading and distributing hundreds of files of CSAM using his Google account as well as WhatsApp and Telegram over an 18-month period beginning during COVID.
A forensic examination of Del Valle’s cellphone and laptop revealed 124 videos and 31 images of CSAM. One of the videos depicted an adult male sexually abusing a toddler.
“There is no place in our community for people like Mr. Del Valle,” said Ganjei. “This conviction and sentence is the latest example of how the Southern District of Texas will do whatever it takes to protect children and hold offenders accountable.”
Del Valle will remain in custody pending transfer to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
U.S. Secret Service conducted the investigation.
Assistant U.S. Attorney M. Alexis Garcia prosecuted the case, which was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood (PSC), a nationwide initiative the Department of Justice (DOJ) launched in May 2006 to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section leads PSC, which marshals federal, state and local resources to locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children and identifies and rescues victims. For more information about PSC, please visit DOJ’s PSC page. For more information about internet safety education, please visit the resources tab on that page.
Resident of Trinidad and Tobago Extradited to U.S. to Face Drug ChargesRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that Shurlan Guppy, aka Shurlan Gorin, Rafael Oquendo, Christopher Hughes Matthews, and Marc Roman, 48, of Trinidad and Tobago, was arrested and charged by indictment with conspiracy to distribute one kilogram or more of heroin and cocaine and related drug offenses.
Guppy made his initial appearance in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania last week, following his extradition from Trinidad and Tobago. He was ordered detained in federal custody at a detention hearing this afternoon.
The indictment alleges that, from approximately 2017 to July 2022, in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, the District of Delaware and elsewhere, Guppy conspired with others to distribute bulk amounts of various controlled substances, including heroin and cocaine.
The indictment further alleges that Guppy distributed such controlled substances in person and by other means, including through various delivery services in exchange for cash.
Guppy and the others communicated with each other in person and via cell phones, the indictment alleges, sometimes on Facetime and through encrypted internet/phone application WhatsApp, to discuss pricing, availability, and delivery and payment arrangements for controlled substances, sometimes using coded language to describe their drug trafficking activities.
If convicted of all charges, the defendant faces a maximum possible sentence of life imprisonment, with a mandatory minimum term of 10 years’ imprisonment.
The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Lizmar Bosques.
Significant assistance with the extradition was provided by the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service and its Transnational Organized Crime Unit, the Trinidad and Tobago Central Authority of the Office of the Attorney General and Ministry of Legal Affairs, Trinidad and Tobago Customs and Immigration, the Airports Authority of Trinidad and Tobago, the U.S. Marshals Service, Customs and Border Protection, the U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service, and the Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs.
The charges and allegations contained in the indictment are merely accusations. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty in court.
Recidivist Sex Trafficker Sentenced to 15 Years in Prison for Sex Trafficking Four VictimsRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Massachusetts man was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for sex trafficking four separate female victims.
Trevor Jones, 47, of Everett, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Allison D. Burroughs to 15 years in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release. The defendant was also ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $639,500. In May 2025, Jones pleaded guilty to four counts of sex trafficking by force, fraud, or coercion. Jones was arrested on related state charges on March 23, 2023. He was later indicted by a federal grand jury in May 2023.
“Justice was served today. Trevor Jones’s decades-long criminal career is defined by his willingness to exploit women and profit from their pain. He preyed on women struggling with addiction, fueled their dependence and inflicted violence and fear to maintain control. The victims in this case endured unimaginable abuse at his hands,” said United States Attorney Leah B. Foley. “This case is a stark reminder of the devastating intersection between drug trafficking and human trafficking, and why we will continue to aggressively pursue offenders who operate at that intersection. Today’s sentence should send a clear message that this office will dismantle those who traffic in human lives with the same relentlessness they show their victims.”
“We thank the brave women who came forward in this case to help us put Trevor Jones behind bars for more than a decade. This career criminal is both a predator and a coward, who manipulated and abused his victims, both physically and emotionally, and forced them to sell their bodies to strangers for his own financial gain,” Ted E. Docks, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division. “No sentence can ever make up for the significant harm this man inflicted, but it does punish him for his crimes and protects the public.”
“The Massachusetts State Police shares the unwavering commitment of our local, state, and federal partners to end all forms of human trafficking,” said Colonel Geoffrey D. Noble, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police. “We will not tolerate this modern form of slavery in the Commonwealth. Whether we serve in public safety functions or in other professional services, each of us should educate ourselves to recognize the signs of exploitation, report them via 911 to police, and stand together in support of victims.”
“It is my hope that the courageous women who came forward to help hold this defendant accountable get some measure of comfort and healing with today’s sentence. The criminal behavior exhibited by this defendant in preying upon vulnerable victims is deserving of the strong sentence he now faces,” said Essex County District Attorney Paul F. Tucker.
In 2007, Jones was convicted of deriving support from prostitution, for which he received a sentence of two to five years in state prison. Almost immediately after completing his prison sentence in that case, Jones resumed trafficking women at least as early as 2016.
From at least 2016 until 2023, Jones ran a sex trafficking operation targeting victims who were suffering from substance use disorder. As part of his sex trafficking operation, Jones provided his victims with controlled substances, including heroin, fentanyl and cocaine to intensify their drug dependence and gain their compliance, while prohibiting the victims from obtaining controlled substances from other sources.
Jones demanded “loyalty” and “dedication” from his victims, enforcing his requirements by punishing victims with acts of violence, threats of violence and withholding controlled substance from drug-dependent victims. At times, to compel some women to follow his rules, Jones used his fists or other weapons – including a belt, cane, metal rod and pistol. In one instance, the violence he inflicted on a victim resulted in a broken nose and missing teeth. Jones beat another victim with a belt causing bruising throughout her body. When confronted with the injuries he caused, Jones told the victim that she deserved the abuse. Jones was also verbally abusive toward another victim, locking her out of the house, demanding to know where her “loyalty” was and berating her for not “contributing everything” she was making. Another victim experienced degradation from Jones, with him telling her that she needed to “make daddy proud” and scolding her for being “disobedient.”
U.S. Attorney Foley, FBI SAC Docks, MSP Colonel Noble and Essex DA Tucker made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Revere, Arlington and Boston Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth Riley, Chief of the Human Trafficking & Civil Rights Unit and Assistant United States Attorney Torey B. Cummings of the Human Trafficking and Civil Rights Unit prosecuted the case along with Essex County Assistant District Attorneys Jessica Strasnick and Marina Moriarty, who were sworn in as Special Assistant United States Attorneys.
Putnam County Man Sentenced for Fraudulently Obtaining Unemployment and COVID-19 BenefitsRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – James Lomax, 34, of Hurricane, was sentenced today to three years of federal probation, including four months on home detention, and ordered to pay $13,312 in restitution for theft of public money, property or records. Lomax admitted that he fraudulently obtained $13,312 in unemployment benefits, including COVID-19 supplementary funds.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on or about March 24, 2020, and during the COVID-19 pandemic, Lomax applied for unemployment compensation after he was laid off as a sales manager at a St. Albans auto dealership. Lomax legitimately received unemployment benefits until the week ending April 25, 2020, when he returned to work, but continued to apply for unemployment benefits through at least July 18, 2020. As part of his guilty plea, Lomax admitted that he falsely certified to WorkForce West Virginia, which administers the unemployment compensation program for the State of West Virginia, for 13 consecutive weeks that he was entitled to unemployment benefits. Lomax submitted the false certification answers while using his personal electronic device in St. Albans.
Lomax fraudulently obtained approximately $13,312 in unemployment benefits, including supplementary funds provided by the Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation Program (FPUC) of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act). Lomax admitted that he used the fraudulently obtained unemployment benefits to make purchases and pay his bills.
Two of Lomax’s co-workers, his father Gary Lomax, 63, of Hurricane, and Christopher Grant, 42, of Buckhannon, previously pleaded guilty to similar pandemic-related unemployment compensation fraud schemes. Gary Lomax was sentenced on November 19, 2024, to five years of federal probation, including four months on home detention, and ordered to pay $29,592 in restitution for theft of public money, property or records. Grant was sentenced on November 25, 2024, to five years of federal probation, including four months on home detention, and ordered to pay $35,168 in restitution for conspiracy to steal public money, property or records.
Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the WorkForce West Virginia Integrity Section, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration Office of Inspector General (NASA OIG), the Litigation Financial Analyst with the U.S. Attorney’s Office, and the West Virginia State Police – Bureau of Criminal Investigation (BCI).
NASA OIG is an active member of the Pandemic Response Accountability Committee (PRAC) Fraud Task Force. The PRAC was established to promote transparency and facilitate coordinated oversight of the federal government’s COVID-19 pandemic response. The PRAC’s 20 member Inspectors General identify major risks that cross program and agency boundaries to detect fraud, waste, abuse, and mismanagement in the more than $5 trillion in COVID-19 spending, including spending via the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), and Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program. This case was also supported by the PRAC’s Pandemic Analytics Center of Excellence, which applies the latest advances in analytic and forensic technologies to help OIGs and law enforcement pursue data-driven pandemic relief fraud investigations.
United States District Judge Irene C. Berger imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Andrew J. Tessman and former Assistant United States Attorney J. Parker Bazzle II prosecuted the case.
Individuals with information about allegations of fraud involving COVID-19 are encouraged to report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud Hotline at 866-720-5721, or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:25-cr-57.
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Pennsylvania Man Admits to Firearms ChargeRead the Press Release
WHEELING, WEST VIRGINIA – Tomez Faulkner, 38, of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, has admitted to unlawfully possessing a firearm.
According to court documents and police records, Ohio County Sheriff’s deputies checked on a driver who stopped on the side of Interstate 70 with hazard lights flashing. Deputies encountered Faulkner in the vehicle with a 9mm pistol. Faulkner is prohibited from having firearms due to prior drug and assault convictions.
Faulkner faces up to 15 years in federal prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Clayton Reid is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms and the Ohio County Sheriff’s Office investigated.
U.S. Magistrate Judge James P. Mazzone presided.
Oklahoma Man Sentenced to 25 Years for Methamphetamine Trafficking in Southwest MissouriRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – An Oklahoma City, Ok., man was sentenced in federal court today for his role in a conspiracy to distribute large quantities of methamphetamine in southwest Missouri.
Edward Uribe, 37, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge M. Douglas Harpool to 300 months in federal prison without parole. Uribe was also ordered to forfeit $210,000 in drug trafficking proceeds to the government.
On Nov. 25, 2024, Uribe pleaded guilty to one count each of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and conspiracy to commit money laundering.
Uribe admitted that he participated in a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine in Barry, Stone, Polk, Lawrence, Green, Jasper, and Newton counties which lasted from Nov. 1, 2020, to April 28, 2022. According to court documents, Uribe served as a main source of methamphetamine supply for the drug trafficking organization from Feb. 1, 2022, to April 28, 2022. During that time, Uribe facilitated the distribution of more than 460 pounds of methamphetamine from Oklahoma into southwest Missouri.
Uribe, who was incarcerated in the Oklahoma Department of Corrections for a previous methamphetamine trafficking conviction, used a contraband cell phone to communicate with his co-conspirators. He used a messaging app on the phone to schedule transportation and delivery of the methamphetamine and provide instructions on how to prepare the drug for sale. Uribe also used the app and proceeds from his drug trafficking to arrange the purchase of a drone with the intent to smuggle drugs and other contraband into prison.
Uribe is among 20 defendants in this case who have pleaded guilty. Uribe is the eighteenth defendant to be sentenced.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica R. Eatmon. It was investigated by the Missouri State Highway Patrol, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the FBI, the Bureau of Indian Affairs, the Ozarks Drug Enforcement Team, the Barry County, Mo., Sheriff’s Office, the Stone County, Mo., Sheriff’s Office, the Combined Ozark Multi-Jurisdictional Enforcement Team (COMET), the Oklahoma Highway Patrol, the Greene County, Mo., Sheriff’s Office, the Polk County, Mo., Sheriff’s Office, the Ottawa County, Okla., Sheriff’s Department, the Bolivar, Mo., Police Department, the Cassville, Mo., Police Department, the Kimberling City, Mo., Police Department, the Springfield, Mo., Police Department, and the U.S. Marshals Service.
Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force
This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
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New York Man Who Made Numerous Threatening Communications is SentencedRead the Press Release
David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that ELIJAH WHYTE, 30, of White Plains, New York, was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Judge Kari A. Dooley in Bridgeport to five years of probation for making numerous harassing and threatening communications.
According to court documents and statements made in court, between August and October 2023, Whyte sent a Connecticut resident 1,330 text messages, made 72 phone calls, and left three voicemail messages. Many of the messages were threatening and harassing, discussing the victim getting killed and raped, the victim’s children, and the victim’s home and hometown.
Whyte has been detained since November 1, 2023. On May 16, 2025, he pleaded guilty to making repeated harassing telephone communications.
This matter was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel George.
New York Man Sentenced for Firearm and Religious Hate Crimes Involving the Firing of Shots Outside of Temple Israel in AlbanyRead the Press Release
Mufid Fawaz Alkhader, 29, of Schenectady, New York, was sentenced today to 10 years in prison for conspiring to illegally straw purchase a firearm, obstructing the free exercise of religious beliefs with a dangerous weapon, and brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence.
On Dec. 7, 2023, Alkhader took an Uber from his home to Temple Israel, a synagogue in Albany. Upon arriving at the synagogue, at approximately 2:00 p.m., Alkhader walked up the walkway toward the front entrance, brandished the Kel-Tec shotgun, and then twice fired the shotgun into the air while shouting “Free Palestine!” Alkhader attempted to fire a third time, but the shotgun jammed. After the shotgun jammed, Alkhader attempted to tear an Israeli flag from a flagpole in front of Temple Israel. Albany Police Officers responded to the scene and arrested Alkhader outside of a nearby hospital. As a result of Alkhader’s actions, Temple Israel was forced to cancel a planned concert and candle lighting ceremony to celebrate Chanukah that evening, and its congregants were afraid to return to their place of worship.
“The Department of Justice stands firmly against antisemitism and all hate crimes,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “We are committed to protecting everyone in our communities and upholding the freedom of religion as enshrined in the First Amendment of the Constitution.”
“This shooting, outside of a synagogue on the eve of a Channukah celebration, was unfortunately emblematic of the anti-Semitic violence, rhetoric and practices that have swept this country over the last few years,” Acting U.S. Attorney John A. Sarcone III for the Northern District of New York. “This year, the Justice Department has emphatically said – through its words and actions – no more. My office, with our law enforcement partners, will do everything within our powers to make sure everyone in the Northern District of New York can exercise their right to practice their religion without fear of violence and hatred.”
“Mr. Alkhader’s violent actions were fueled by hatred for individuals simply because of their faith. That hatred caused tremendous terror within the Temple Israel community – and the Jewish community as a whole – as they were preparing for the first night of Channukah,” said Special Agent in Charge Craig L. Tremaroli of the FBI Albany Field Office. “We hope this sentence can play an important part in the community’s continued healing process, but can also serve as a notice that violence, especially borne from hate, will not be tolerated by the FBI. We will continue to work tirelessly with our law enforcement partners to thoroughly investigate these hateful incidents and bring justice to the victims, so no one has to live in fear.”
“This sentencing reflects our commitment to stopping those who unlawfully obtain firearms to cause fear and chaos in our communities,” said Special Agent in Charge Bryan Miller of the ATF New York Field Division. “When individuals conspire to bypass gun laws and use firearms to intimidate others, they will be held accountable. This case highlights the importance of our ongoing work to disrupt illegal firearm activity before it turns deadly. I’m grateful for the partnership between ATF NY Albany Field Office, FBI Albany, the Albany Police Department, the New York State Police and U.S. Attorney’s Office Northern District of NY — a united front in keeping our communities safe.”
“The sentencing in this case sends a clear message that violence and crimes of hate targeting any community, including those of our Jewish community, will not be tolerated,” said Albany Police Chief Brendan Cox. “The Albany Police Department remains committed to protecting all communities and to hold those accountable who seek to spread fear and hate.”
As part of his prior guilty plea, Alkhader admitted that, between Nov. 1 and Nov. 6, 2023, he and Andrew Miller agreed that Miller would purchase a shotgun for Alkhader by lying to a firearms dealer and falsely representing that Miller was the purchaser of the gun. On Nov. 5, 2023, Alkhader and Miller drove to a federal firearms dealer in Albany and illegally purchased a Kel-Tec KS7 12-gauge pump-action shotgun.
U.S. District Judge Anne M. Nardacci for the Northern District of New York also imposed a five-year term of supervised release to begin after Alkhader is released from prison.
Andrew Miller previously pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 14 months of in prison for his role in the straw purchase of the shotgun.
The FBI’s Albany Field Office, in conjunction with the ATF and the Albany Police Department, investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Richard Belliss and Alexander Wentworth-Ping for the Northern District of New York, Trial Attorney Trevor Kempner of the Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division, and Trial Attorney Jennifer Levy of the Department of Justice’s National Security Division prosecuted the case. Additionally, Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael Perry and Michael Gadarian for the Northern District of New York provided counsel in the investigation and prosecution of this case.
New Orleans Man Sentenced for Federal Drug and Gun ChargesRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – Acting United States Attorney Michael M. Simpson, announced that FLOYD JONES (“JONES”), age 38, a resident of New Orleans, was sentenced on August 5, 2025, by United States District Judge Greg Gerard Guidry, after previously pleading guilty to Counts Three, Four, and Five of an eight-count superseding indictment pending against him. Counts Three and Four charge JONES with distribution of methamphetamine, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1) and 841(b)(1)(B). Count Five charges JONES with being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 922(g)(1) and 924(a)(8).
JONES was sentenced to eighty (80) months imprisonment as to Counts 3, 4, and 5, to be served concurrently. Judge Guidry also ordered that JONES be placed on supervised release for four (4) years and pay a $300 mandatory special assessment fee.
According to court documents, on October 3, 2024, JONES was arrested for suspected narcotics and firearm trafficking. On July 15 and August 22, 2024, JONES distributed over 50 grams or more of methamphetamine to undisclosed persons. Additionally, JONES sold a Ruger Model Security-9, nine-millimeter caliber pistol, loaded with 8 rounds of ammunition. JONES knew he was a convicted felon and prohibited from possessing the firearm and ammunition.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Acting United States Attorney Simpson praised the work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the New Orleans Police Department. This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Troy Bell of the Violent Crime Unit.
New Jersey Man Pleads Guilty to Failing to Stop for Inspection at Calais International Port of EntryRead the Press Release
BANGOR, Maine: A New Jersey man pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in Bangor to failing to report his arrival and present himself for inspection at the international port of entry in Calais.
According to court records, on July 1, 2025, Jason Brenner, 52, drove a vehicle traveling outbound from the United States and entered Canada. After a brief encounter with Canadian immigration officials, Brenner turned his vehicle around and sped back towards the U.S. Instead of stopping his vehicle and presenting himself for inspection at the Calais port of entry, Brenner entered the U.S. by traveling in the outbound lane in the wrong direction, bypassing the incoming traffic inspection lanes. Following a pursuit where Brenner reached speeds of over 100 mph, he crashed the vehicle and was found in the woods with a loaded firearm, two loaded magazines, and wearing body armor. Another loaded firearm was found inside the vehicle.
Brenner faces up to one year in prison, a fine of up to $100,000, and up to one year of supervised release. He will be sentenced after the completion of a presentence investigative report by the U.S. Probation Office. A federal magistrate judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection investigated the case with assistance from U.S. Border Patrol and the Baileyville and Indian Township police departments.
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Natick Roofer Sentenced for Tax EvasionRead the Press Release
BOSTON – The owner of a commercial and residential roofing business was sentenced today for concealing $1.6 million in income from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS).
Jake Miller, 42, of Natick, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Brian E. Murphy to one year and one day in prison, to be followed by one year of supervised release. The defendant was also ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $449,329. In February 2025, Miller pleaded guilty to one count of tax evasion.
Miller owned and operated Kostas Roofing, a business that he conducted under the alias “Paul Kostas” rather than under his own name. Between 2013 and 2021, Miller cashed the checks that he received from roofing customers and deposited the proceeds into his personal bank accounts. Despite receiving at least $1.6 million from the roofing business during this period, Miller filed no income tax return for any of these years. As a result, Miller evaded income taxes of approximately $450,000.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Tom Demeo, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigation in Boston; and Ketty Larco-Ward, Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service’s Boston Division, made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney David M. Holcomb of the Criminal Division prosecuted the case.
Missouri Man Who Stole the Identities of 13 People Sentenced to 4 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge Henry E. Autrey on Tuesday sentenced a man who stole the identities of 13 people to apply for loans and obtain other things of value to four years in prison and ordered him to repay $26,812.
Deleon Ford, 32, of Ferguson, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in St. Louis in March to one count of wire fraud and one count of aggravated identity theft. He admitted using the identities of multiple people to open financial accounts, obtain unsecured loans, rent a U-Haul truck and open a cell phone account. Ford submitted online credit applications to various lenders, transmitted or hand-delivered identification documents bearing his picture and the stolen identifiers of others and created fake pay stubs, utility bills and bank statements to further his scheme.
Ford also helped an Illinois jail inmate to obtain loans in the name of others.
In all, Ford admitted stealing the identity of 13 people in an attempt to obtain more than $40,000, including loans, cellphone service and the rental truck.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the Ellisville (Missouri) Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Tracy Berry prosecuted the case.
Michigan resident sentenced for cross-country narcotics dealRead the Press Release
McALLEN, Texas – A 61-year-old man has been ordered to federal prison for possession with the intent to distribute 14 kilograms of cocaine, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
Walter Lee Houze pleaded guilty March 31.
U.S. District Judge Drew B. Tipton has now ordered Houze to serve 120 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by five years of supervised release. In handing down the sentence, the court noted the seriousness of Houze possessing a firearm in connection with a narcotics offense.
On May 9, 2023, Houze drove his Volkswagen Tiguan to the Border Patrol (BP) checkpoint in Sarita. Jose Taurus Burks was in the passenger seat. Authorities referred them to secondary inspection where a K-9 alerted to the rear cargo area of the vehicle. There, law enforcement discovered 14.26 kilograms of cocaine concealed in a black suitcase intermingled with clothing and laundry detergent beads belonging to Houze.
Burks admitted he was to be paid for traveling from Michigan to assist Houze in the purchase and transportation of cocaine from Hidalgo County.
Previously released on bond, Houze was taken into custody following the sentencing where he will remain pending transfer to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
Burks, 52, Harrison Township, Michigan, pleaded guilty March 31. He also remains in custody pending his sentencing Sept. 9.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement - Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation with the assistance of BP. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexa D. Parcell prosecuted the case.
Mexican citizen sentenced to 10 years following discovery of child-sized dolls and sexual abuse materialRead the Press Release
McALLEN, Texas – A 36-year-old Mexican man who resided in McAllen has been sent to prison for receipt of child pornography involving infants and toddlers, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
Jose Julian Garcia Garza pleaded guilty April 2.
U.S. District Judge Drew B. Tipton has now ordered Garza to serve a 120-month prison term. At the hearing, the court heard additional information detailing Garza’s use of a virtual private network to hide his illegal activity and the likelihood that he used child sex dolls to recreate videos he was downloading. Garza was further ordered to pay a total of $104,500 in restitution to 14 victims and will be on supervised release for 10 years following completion of his prison term. During that time, he will have to comply with numerous requirements designed to restrict his access to children and the internet. He will also be ordered to register as a sex offender. Not a U.S. citizen, Garza is expected to face removal proceedings following his imprisonment.
In July 2024, law enforcement discovered Garza was using a peer-to-peer file sharing program to download and upload files of child sexual abuse material (CSAM). The files included videos of infants and toddlers engaged in sexual conduct.
Authorities conducted a search of Garza’s bedroom and discovered the bottom portion of an infant-sized doll as well as two child-sized, lifelike sex dolls and various sex toys. A forensic examination of his custom hard drive revealed a total of 997 images and videos of CSAM.
“The facts underlying this investigation are as telling as they are disturbing,” said Ganjei. “By all accounts, Garza appears to be the kind of person who would not be satisfied by only passively viewing CSAM. Fortunately, law enforcement was able to locate and arrest Garza before he could start physically preying on children.”
Garza has been and will remain in custody pending transfer to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
FBI conducted the investigation.
Assistant U.S. Attorney M. Alexis Garcia prosecuted the case, which was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood (PSC), a nationwide initiative the Department of Justice (DOJ) launched in May 2006 to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section leads PSC, which marshals federal, state and local resources to locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children and identifies and rescues victims. For more information about PSC, please visit DOJ’s PSC page. For more information about internet safety education, please visit the resources tab on that page.
Mexican National Sentenced to Imprisonment for Fentanyl Trafficking in UtahRead the Press Release
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – Sabino Osvaldo Gomez-Perez, 36, of Mexico, was sentenced today to 57 months’ imprisonment by a U.S. District Court Judge after he admitted to trafficking fentanyl, specifically 58,000 fentanyl pills seized by the FBI Wasatch Metro Drug Task Force.
In addition to Gomez-Perez’s sentence of imprisonment, upon his release, he will be remanded to the custody of the Federal Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement for deportation proceedings. Gomez-Perez pleaded guilty on May 29, 2025 to possession of fentanyl with intent to distribute.
According to court documents and statements made at Gomez-Perez’s change of plea and sentencing hearings, on October 9, 2024, he knowingly possessed 5,857 grams of fentanyl (approximately 58,000 fentanyl pills) and had distributed narcotics in Arizona and Utah prior to his arrest in Utah.
Acting U.S. Attorney Felice John Viti of the District of Utah made the announcement.
The case was investigated by the FBI Wasatch Metro Drug Task Force (WMDTF).
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah prosecuted the case.
The case was investigated under the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF). OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. For more information about Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces, please visit Justice.gov/OCDETF.
Mexican National Charged with Assault on a Federal Officer and Destruction of Government PropertyRead the Press Release
SAN DIEGO – Rolando Nava PACHECO, a Mexican National, was charged in federal court today for assaulting a federal officer and damaging government property.
According to a complaint, on August 11, 2025, agents assigned to the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) conducted a joint operation to arrest an individual, suspected of immigration violations. During their operation, federal agents conducted a traffic stop on a white truck. Agents wearing visible law enforcement identifiers verbally announced themselves as federal agents and requested identification from vehicle’s driver. The driver of the white truck attempted to flee by accelerating the truck and striking a federal agent and federal government vehicle. As the white truck recklessly tried to flee the area, a federal agent driving a government vehicle attempted to block the path of the white truck. The driver of the white truck proceeded to strike the federal agent’s vehicle head on. Shortly after, the driver of the vehicle was arrested and identified as Rolando Nava Pacheco.
“Our office is committed to protecting our federal law enforcement partners,” said U.S. Attorney Adam Gordon, “Put plainly, those who attempt to injure or evade law enforcement will face federal charges.”
“This operation demonstrates the commitment of ERO officers to enforcing federal immigration laws and protecting public safety,” said ERO San Diego Field Office Director Patrick Divver. “Despite the challenges encountered, our officers remain dedicated to carrying out their duties with professionalism.”
DEFENDANTS Case Number 25cr-MJ-04358
Rolando NAVA PACHECO Age: 19 Mexico
SUMMARY OF CHARGES
Assault on a Federal Officer – Title 18, U.S. C., Section 111 (a)(1)
Maximum penalty: 8 years in prison; a maximum $250,000 fine
Assault on a Federal Officer resulting in bodily injury – Title 18, U.S. C., Section 111 (b)
Maximum penalty: 20 years in prison; a maximum $250,000 fine
Destruction of Government Property – Title 18, U.S.C., Section 1361 (Felony)
Maximum penalty: 10 years in prison; a maximum $250,000 fine
INVESTIGATING AGENCIES
Homeland Security Investigations
*The charges and allegations contained in an indictment or complaint are merely accusations, and the defendants are considered innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Metro Nashville Public Schools Agrees to Settle Allegations It Violated the Americans with Disabilities Act by Discriminating Against Students with Type 1 Diabetes and to Modify Policies for Students with Type 1 DiabetesRead the Press Release
NASHVILLE – The United States has reached an agreement with Metro Nashville Public Schools (“MNPS” or the “District”) and Ross Early Learning Center (“Ross ELC”) to resolve allegations that they violated the Americans with Disabilities Act (“ADA”), announced Acting United States Attorney Robert E. McGuire for the Middle District of Tennessee. MNPS and Ross ELC are alleged to have refused to allow certain communications related to continuous glucose monitoring on behalf of a three-year-old student with Type 1 Diabetes (“T1D”).
“Enforcing federal law on behalf of vulnerable children makes our community stronger,” said Acting United States Attorney Robert E. McGuire. “This agreement is a win for MNPS students and parents.”
According to the complaint allegations, the complainant parents’ child, who attended Ross ELC at the time of the complaint for much of the 2023-2024 school year and remained an MNPS student through the 2024-25 school year, has T1D and was prescribed a continuous glucose monitor (CGM) by their treating physician to monitor the child’s blood glucose levels. CGMs are approved by the federal Food and Drug Administration to be used without follow-up “finger stick” blood testing. When the child’s blood glucose level is too high or too low, the monitor transmits an alarm from the device to a wireless receiver, such as a smartphone or tablet.
The complainants alleged that they requested the school and school nurse to monitor the CGM while their child is in school or at school-sponsored activities, but Ross ELC refused the request in part, thereby requiring the parents and/or child to be responsible for monitoring the child’s CGM in the afternoons after the school nurse had left the school. Ross ELC also initially told the student’s mother that the parents could provide a device for the school to monitor the child’s CGM, which the parents provided. But Ross ELC later told her that they could no longer use the device provided by the parents and could not communicate with a child’s parents during school about the CGM other than by phone calls or password-protected emails. Following this development, the parents removed the child from Ross ELC for approximately one month due to the school and MNPS communication policy. Afterwards, the parents allowed their child to return to Ross ELC, but only for a half-day in the morning – rather than the full school day – due to Ross ELC’s nurse departing the school after lunch. At different times, the child had experienced dangerously low or high blood glucose levels, resulting in adverse physical effects and requiring the parents’ prompt response by either visiting or calling the school to ensure their child received the requisite care.
As part of the settlement, Ross ELC and MNPS have agreed, consistent with the requirements of the ADA, to ensure that no qualified individual with a disability will, on the basis of disability, be excluded from participation in or be denied the benefits of the services, programs, or activities of the District or be subjected to discrimination by the District. Specifically, Ross ELC and MNPS have agreed to modify the District’s policies, practices and/or procedures to permit the use of CGMs by children diagnosed with T1D who are prescribed such devices by a physician (or an advanced practice provider), to purchase or use existing equipment owned by the District to monitor blood glucose alerts transmitted from CGMs of children with T1D, to provide appropriately trained staff in the MNPS school attended by the complainants’ child with a cellphone or other appropriate device, so that the complainant family may more efficiently communicate with MNPS during school about the child’s CGM, and to modify the District’s policies, practices and/or procedures to ensure that school nurses and other appropriate trained staff members monitor blood glucose alerts transmitted by the CGM of a child with T1D to a dedicated receiver, tablet/smartphone application, or other appropriate technology during the school day and during school-sponsored activities. MNPS also agreed to make all policies and procedures about CGMs available on its website under the “Policies and Procedures” section of its webpage.
MNPS also will pay the complainants $1,000 as part of the resolution.
Assistant United States Attorney Ellen Bowden McIntyre in the United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Tennessee investigated the complaint and negotiated the resolution. MNPS worked collaboratively with the United States Attorney’s Office to resolve this complaint.
The civil claims settled by this resolution are allegations only, and there has been no determination of liability.
The ADA was passed on July 26, 1990. The Act reaffirmed our nation’s commitment to ensuring that people with disabilities have the right to live, work, and full participate in the community alongside their fellow citizens.
More information about the ADA is available at the Justice Department’s toll-free ADA Information line at (800) 514-0301 or (800) 514-0383 (TTY) and via the ADA website at http://www.ada.gov or through contacting the U.S. Attorney’s civil rights hotline at 313-226-9151. ADA complaints may be filed by email to [email protected].
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Media Advisory - U.S. Attorney to Announce Office PrioritiesRead the Press Release
RALEIGH, N.C. – United States Attorney W. Ellis Boyle, will hold a press conference tomorrow to announce the offices priorities for the coming year.
WHERE: U.S. Attorney’s Office 150 Fayetteville St., Suite 2100, Raleigh, NC 27601
WHEN: Tomorrow at 3:30PM
Media, please arrive at our office by 3:00PM for set up.
For logistical information in advance of the media availability, please contact Katie Holcomb Vollmer at [email protected].
Milton Felon Charged with Possession of a Firearm and AmmunitionRead the Press Release
PENSACOLA, FLORIDA – Willie Curtis Slack, Jr., 49, of Milton, Florida has been indicted in federal court for possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon. John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida announced the charges.
Slack is scheduled to appear before United States Magistrate Judge Hope T. Cannon on August 13, 2025, at 11:00 a.m. for his arraignment at the United States Courthouse in Pensacola, Florida.
If convicted, he faces a minimum mandatory term of 15 years’ imprisonment under the Armed Career Criminal Act.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Alicia H. Forbes.
An indictment is merely an allegation by a grand jury that a defendant has committed a violation of federal criminal law and is not evidence of guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial, during which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial.
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.
Kanawha County Woman Sentenced for COVID-19 Relief Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Krista Marie Menchaca, 32, of Cross Lanes, was sentenced today to three years of federal probation and ordered to pay $21,963.96 in restitution for receipt of stolen money. Menchaca received $19,395 in proceeds from a criminally derived Paycheck Protection Plan (PPP) loan, guaranteed by the Small Business Administration (SBA) under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act).
According to court documents and statements made in court, on May 12, 2021, an individual submitted a PPP loan application on Menchaca’s behalf to a program lender in Arizona. As part of her guilty plea, Menchaca admitted that the application and an Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Form 1040, Schedule C Profit or Loss from Business, filed with it falsely represented that Menchaca was a self-employed health practitioner who received $93,100 in gross income during 2000. Menchaca further admitted that the IRS Form 1040 was fake and created solely to obtain a fraudulent PPP loan.
The lender approved the fraudulent loan application and $19,395 was deposited in Menchaca’s personal bank account on or about July 2, 2021. While in West Virginia, Menchaca spent more than $5,000 of the PPP loan proceeds on her personal expenses.
The CARES Act made forgivable PPP loans available to qualifying sole proprietors, independent contractors and self-employed individuals adversely impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, to replace their normal income and for certain other expenses. Applicants were required to certify that they were in operation on February 15, 2020, and provide documentation showing their prior gross income from either 2019 or 2020.
Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the West Virginia State Police – Bureau of Criminal Investigation (BCI).
Senior United States District Judge David A. Faber imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Jonathan T. Storage prosecuted the case.
Individuals with information about allegations of fraud involving COVID-19 are encouraged to report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud Hotline at 866-720-5721, or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:25-cr-68.
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Justice Department Settles Lawsuits Challenging Race-Based Admissions at West Point and Air Force AcademyRead the Press Release
The Justice Department today announced the settlement of litigation challenging former race-based admissions practices at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point and the U.S. Air Force Academy. The settlement results in dismissal of two lawsuits brought by plaintiff Students for Fair Admissions Inc. The lawsuits challenged race-based admissions at the two military academies as unconstitutional under the Fifth Amendment.
“This Department is committed to eliminating DEI practices throughout the federal government,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “We are proud to partner with the Department of Defense to permanently end race-based admissions at West Point and the Air Force Academy — admission to these prestigious military institutions should be based exclusively on merit.”
“America is the land of equal opportunity, in spirit and in law,” said U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton for the Southern District of New York. “Today’s agreement ensures that our future military leaders will carry on the greatness that is born of opportunity, effort, and a level playing field.”
The Department’s agreement with Students for Fair Admissions avoids the need for continued litigation in these two cases. It includes agreed-upon terms that help ensure that admission to these prestigious institutions is based exclusively on merit, not race or ethnicity. Earlier this year, the Department resolved similar litigation in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit regarding the U.S. Naval Academy’s former race-based admissions practices.
Combatting unlawful discrimination is a top priority of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. Additional information about the Civil Division is available at www.justice.gov/civil.
Justice Department Finds Suffolk County Police Department in Substantial Compliance with 2014 AgreementRead the Press Release
CENTRAL ISLIP, NY – The Justice Department announced today the successful completion of an agreement between Suffolk County, New York, Police Department (SCPD) and the Department of Justice. Entered into in 2014, the agreement called for SCPD to improve bias-free policing, increase community engagement, and develop additional policies and training, among other things. With support from the Justice Department, as set forth in a report issued today, SCPD has now achieved sustained substantial compliance with all of the agreement’s terms.
“The Suffolk County Police Department is to be commended for taking the steps necessary to achieve the objectives of the 2014 agreement with the Department of Justice and our Office,” said U.S. Attorney Joseph Nocella Jr. for the Eastern District of New York. “Policing in Suffolk County has been enhanced and become more responsive to community needs. The partnership between our Office and the SCPD has strengthened the safety of all residents of the County.”
“Suffolk County Police Department’s commitment to protecting the public in a constitutionally compliant way is commendable,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “This Department of Justice is committed to collaborating with law enforcement to make American communities safer.”
SCPD implemented language assistance policies and deployed resources to ensure that people with Limited English Proficiency have meaningful access to police services. It improved reporting and supervision throughout the department. It also improved policies, training, and tracking to better handle hate crimes and misconduct complaints.
Please click here to read the Cover Letter and Final Suffolk Report.
Justice Department Finds Suffolk County Police Department in Substantial Compliance with 2014 AgreementRead the Press Release
The Justice Department announced today the successful completion of an agreement between Suffolk County, New York, Police Department (SCPD) and the Department of Justice. Entered into in 2014, the agreement called for SCPD to improve bias-free policing, increase community engagement, and develop additional policies and training, among other things. With support from the Justice Department, as set forth in a report issued today, SCPD has now achieved sustained substantial compliance with all of the agreement’s terms.
“Suffolk County Police Department’s commitment to protecting the public in a constitutionally compliant way is commendable,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “This Department of Justice is committed to collaborating with law enforcement to make American communities safer.”
“The Suffolk County Police Department is to be commended for taking the steps necessary to achieve the objectives of the 2014 agreement with the Department of Justice and our Office,” said U.S. Attorney Joseph Nocella Jr. for the Eastern District of New York. “Policing in Suffolk County has been enhanced and become more responsive to community needs. The partnership between our Office and the SCPD has strengthened the safety of all residents of the County.”
SCPD implemented language assistance policies and deployed resources to ensure that people with Limited English Proficiency have meaningful access to police services. It improved reporting and supervision throughout the department. It also improved policies, training, and tracking to better handle hate crimes and misconduct complaints.
Please click here to read the Cover Letter and Final Suffolk Report
Justice Department Finds George Washington University Deliberately Indifferent to Antisemitic DiscriminationRead the Press Release
Today, the Department of Justice finds George Washington University (GWU) in violation of federal civil rights law by acting deliberately indifferent to the hostile educational environment for Jewish, American-Israeli, and Israeli students and faculty.
The Civil Rights Division’s investigation was conducted pursuant to Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibits discrimination, harassment, and abuse based on race or national origin, by recipients of federal financial assistance. The Division finds that GWU took no meaningful action and was instead deliberately indifferent to the complaints it received, the misconduct that occurred, and the harms that were suffered by its Jewish and Israeli students and faculty. The Justice Department will seek immediate remediation with GWU for its civil rights violations.
“Every student has the right to equal educational opportunities without fear of harassment or abuse,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “No one is above the law, and universities that promulgate antisemitic discrimination will face legal consequences.”
You may view the Notice of Findings here.
Jessamine County Man Sentenced for Armed Methamphetamine Trafficking and Illegal Firearm PossessionRead the Press Release
FRANKFORT, Ky. – A Nicholasville, Ky., man, Jacob Clem, 37, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Gregory Van Tatenhove to 228 months in prison for possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
According to his plea agreement, on September 11, 2024, law enforcement observed a vehicle with expired registration tags, driven by Clem, and conducted a traffic stop. Clem was placed under arrest due to an active arrest warrant. He admitted to having a firearm holster and knives on his person. Law enforcement found a fully loaded magazine and two small fentanyl pills on his person. A search of the vehicle located an additional loaded magazine and a pistol. Additionally, a backpack in the car contained two grocery bags of 953 grams of methamphetamine and two digital scales. Clem admitted to possessing the drugs and that he knowingly possessed the firearm in furtherance of the drug trafficking crime.
Under federal law, Clem must serve 85 percent of his prison sentence. Upon his release from prison, he will be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for five years.
Paul McCaffrey, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; Jim Scott, Special Agent in Charge, DEA, Louisville Field Division; Col. Phillip J. Burnett, Jr., Commissioner of the Kentucky State Police; and Sheriff Kevin Grimes, Jessamine County Sheriff’s Office, jointly announced the sentence.
The investigation was conducted by the DEA, KSP, and Jessamine County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mary Melton is prosecuting the case on behalf of the United States.
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Human smuggler in custody after flight from police and crashRead the Press Release
McALLEN, Texas – A 34-year-old man has been taken into federal custody following a crash into a law enforcement vehicle during an alleged smuggling attempt through the Rio Grande Valley, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
Previously in custody on related charges, Cesar Rafael Leon, Pharr, is expected to make his initial appearance in federal court before U.S. Magistrate Judge Scott Hacker at 9:45.
According to the charges, Leon picked up five illegal aliens who had just crossed the Rio Grande River by raft in Mercedes. He allegedly failed to yield to law enforcement when they attempted to stop his vehicle, prompting them to successfully deploy a vehicle immobilization device. However, he continued to flee and eventually struck a Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) unit and drove the wrong way down the highway, according to the complaint.
The complaint further alleges the pursuit lasted approximately 15 minutes and ended in a shopping plaza in Weslaco. Law enforcement allegedly apprehended Leon after a short foot pursuit and also took the five illegal aliens into custody, according to the charges.
“As this office has stated on numerous prior occasions, human smugglers do not care about the lives or safety of those they transport. The people being smuggled are nothing more than cargo to these predators,” said Ganjei. “The Southern District of Texas urges all those who would consider placing themselves or their loved ones into the hands of these criminals to think twice. Stay home, stay safe.”
The smuggling charges include an enhancement for placing the lives of the aliens in jeopardy. If convicted, Leon faces up to 20 years in federal prison and a possible $250,000 maximum fine.
Border Patrol conducted the investigation with the assistance of Texas DPS, Hidalgo County Constables Office and Hidalgo County District Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Devin V. Walker 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.