Latest Records
Newest first across public DOJ and U.S. Attorney press releases.
Tuesday 12 August 2025
Honduran National Sentenced for Illegally Reentering the CountryRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Maine: A Honduran national was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Portland for reentry after removal.
U.S. District Judge John A. Woodcock, Jr. sentenced Maynor David Casalegno Escobar, 29, to time served (124 days). He pleaded guilty on May 30, 2025.
According to court records, on April 10, 2025, U.S. Border Patrol Agents encountered Casalegno Escobar in Portland during a traffic stop. Post-arrest, Casalegno Escobar acknowledged that he was born in Honduras, was not a U.S. citizen, and that he did not have any authorization to be in the country. Casalegno Escobar also admitted that he had been previously deported from the U.S., which was confirmed through records checks.
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).
###
Hidalgo man receives 9 years for distributing child sexual abuse material to a minorRead the Press Release
McALLEN, Texas – A 29-year-old Rio Grande Valley resident has been sentenced for distributing videos of sexual activity to a minor, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
Rogelio Pruneda III pleaded guilty June 2.
Chief U.S. District Judge Randy Crane has now ordered Pruneda to serve 108 months in federal prison. At the hearing, the court heard testimony from the victim’s parent asking for Pruneda to be held accountable and receive the appropriate treatment. The court also heard about Pruneda engaging in similar conduct with a minor relative and that he used that relationship to locate and recruit the victim into exchanging goods for sex. In handing down the prison term, the court found Pruneda attempted to obstruct justice by attempting to contact witnesses in the investigation. The court noted the age gap between Pruneda and the victim.
Pruneda was further ordered to pay $3,000 in restitution to the victim and will 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. Pruneda will also be ordered to register as a sex offender.
The investigation revealed Pruneda used a minor relative to find the female victim. The family member told the victim he would treat her like a “sugar daddy.”
From approximately July through October 2022, Pruneda utilized Facebook Messenger to contact the minor female victim. He offered her money and THC vape cartridges in exchange for sexual acts which he subsequently recorded. Pruneda later sent two of the videos to her.
The victim’s parent discovered the relationship and reported it to authorities.
The minor female confirmed the videos depicted sex acts between herself and Pruneda in his vehicle.
“Here, Pruneda sought out a victim online and plied her with offers of money and other goods. This methodical plan demonstrates just how dangerous and calculating he is,” said Ganjei. “The Southern District of Texas will do whatever it takes to protect the innocence of the children of our community and punish—to the maximum extent the law allows—those who take that innocence away.”
Pruneda 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 with the assistance of Hidalgo Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexa D. Parcell is prosecuting 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.
Harrison County Man Admits to Fentanyl ChargeRead the Press Release
CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – William Joseph Russell, 51, of Clarksburg, West Virginia, has admitted to the distribution of fentanyl and p-Fluorofentanyl.
According to court documents, Russell was selling fentanyl and p-Fluorofentanyl in Harrison County.
Russell faces at least one year and up to 40 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 William Rhee is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government.
The Greater Harrison Drug Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative investigated.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael John Aloi presided.
Haitian Gang Leader ‘Barbecue’ Indicted for Conspiracy to Violate U.S. SanctionsRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON — An indictment was unsealed today in U.S. District Court in Washington D.C. charging Jimmy Cherizier, 48, of Port-au-Prince, Haiti, and Bazile Richardson, 48, a naturalized U.S. citizen, with leading a conspiracy to transfer funds from the United States to Cherizier, aka “Barbecue,” to fund his gang activities in Haiti in violation of the U.S sanctions imposed on Cherizier, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
Cherizier is a fugitive believed to be in Haiti.
Richardson, aka “Fredo,” “Fred Lion,” “Leo Danger,” and “Lepe Blode,” was arrested on July 23 in Pasadena, Texas, and is expected to make his initial court appearance today in the District of Columbia.
Concurrent with the indictment, the U.S. Department of State’s Transnational Organized Crime Rewards Program is offering a reward of up to $5 million for information leading to the arrest or conviction of Cherizier. Anyone possessing such information should contact Rewards for Justice here.
“There’s a good reason that there’s a $5 million reward for information leading to Cherizier’s arrest. He’s a gang leader responsible for heinous human rights abuses, including violence against American citizens in Haiti,” said U.S. Attorney Pirro. “The U.S. government sanctioned Cherizier in 2020 because he was responsible for an ongoing campaign of violence, including the 2018 La Saline massacre, in which 71 people were killed, more than 400 houses were destroyed, and at least seven women raped by armed gangs. The U.S. Attorney’s office is committed to apprehending Cherizier and bringing him to justice, along with individuals like defendant Richardson, who has sent money and other support to Cherizier from the United States in violation of U.S. sanctions. Our office is committed to keeping Americans safe anywhere in the world, and the gang violence that has ravaged Haiti must end.”
“Cherizier and a U.S. associate sought to raise funds in the United States to bankroll Cherizier’s violent criminal enterprise, which is driving a security crisis in Haiti,” said Assistant Attorney General for National Security John A. Eisenberg. “The National Security Division does not tolerate criminal gang fundraising in the United States, and will continue to pursue those who enable Haiti’s violence and instability.”
"The FBI is committed to confronting foreign terrorist organizations wherever they operate, and Jimmy ‘Barbecue’ Cherizier’s gang is no exception," said FBI Criminal Investigative Division Acting Assistant Director Darren Cox. "Through intelligence, partnerships and the full weight of federal law, we are dismantling FTO’s and rooting out those who threaten the safety of our communities.”
“The unsealing of this indictment marks the results of a lengthy investigation into Jimmy Cherizier’s criminal activities,” said acting ICE Director Todd M. Lyons. “His actions to fund the oppression and slaughter of Haitians, including firearm procurement and trafficking networks, fundraising activities, movement and usage of U.S. dollars, and violations of sanctions, are unconscionable — but today marks a step towards accountability.”
“The FBI is dedicated to disrupting and dismantling transnational gangs, such as Viv Ansanm, who spread violence and engage in illicit finance activities – whether here or overseas,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Brett Skiles of FBI Miami. “I commend the dedication and collaboration of our partners in this investigation to include HSI Washington Field Office, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Drug Enforcement Administration. We especially thank the U.S. Embassy Port au Prince for their close cooperation and the Department of State’s Transnational Organized Crime Rewards Program for their robust $5 million reward for Cherizier.”
According to court documents, Cherizier is a former officer in the Haitian National Police and the leader of a gang known as the Revolutionary Forces of the G9 Family and Allies who helped to forge a gang alliance called Viv Ansanm that united Haiti’s many criminal gangs to oppose the legitimate government of Haiti. On Dec. 10, 2020, the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) of the U.S. Treasury Department sanctioned Cherizier and designated him as a Specially Designated National (SDN) for his role in serious human rights abuses in Haiti. As a result of the SDN designation, U.S. persons are generally prohibited from engaging in transactions with or for the benefit of Cherizier absent approval from OFAC in the form of a license.
As alleged in the indictment, since Cherizier’s SDN designation in December 2020, Cherizier and Richardson together have led a wide-ranging conspiracy with individuals in the United States, Haiti, and elsewhere to raise funds for Cherizier’s gang activities in violation of the sanctions imposed on Cherizier.
In particular, Cherizier and Richardson directly solicited money transfers from members of the Haitian diaspora located in the United States. After sending funds to intermediaries in Haiti for Cherizier’s benefit, the U.S. and Haitian co-conspirators would send Cherizier images of receipts from the money transfers. Cherizier used these funds principally to pay salaries to the members of his gang and to acquire firearms from illicit firearms dealers in Haiti.
The FBI Miami Field Office and HSI Washington Field Office are investigating the case, with substantial assistance from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Drug Enforcement Administration. Providing valuable support are the FBI Houston, Boston, and Charlotte Field Offices and the HSI Miami Field Office.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas N. Saunders for the District of Columbia and Trial Attorney Beau Barnes of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section are prosecuting the case, with valuable assistance from former Assistant U.S. Attorney Kimberly Paschall, Assistant U.S. Attorney Karen Seifert, and former Trial Attorney Benjamin Koenigsfeld. Significant support was provided by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Texas, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of North Carolina, and the Department of State and U.S. Embassy in Port-au-Prince.
25cr0202
Haitian Gang Leader ‘Barbecue’ Indicted for Conspiracy to Violate U.S. SanctionsRead the Press Release
An indictment was unsealed today in U.S. District Court charging Jimmy Cherizier, also known as Barbecue, 48, of Port-au-Prince, Haiti, and Bazile Richardson, also known as Fredo, Fred Lion, Leo Danger, and Lepe Blode, 48, a naturalized U.S. citizen, with leading a conspiracy to transfer funds from the United States to Cherizier to fund his gang activities in Haiti in violation of the U.S sanctions imposed on Cherizier. Cherizier is a fugitive believed to be Haiti. Richardson was arrested on July 23 in Pasadena, Texas, and is expected to make his initial court appearance today in the District of Columbia.
Concurrent with the indictment, the U.S. Department of State’s Transnational Organized Crime Rewards Program is offering a reward of up to $5 million for information leading to the arrest or conviction of Cherizier. If you have information, please contact the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI or online at www.tips.fbi.gov. Information may also be provided to HSI at 1-866-DHS-2-ICE or online at www.ice.gov/webform/ice-tip-form.
“Cherizier and a U.S. associate sought to raise funds in the United States to bankroll Cherizier’s violent criminal enterprise, which is driving a security crisis in Haiti,” said Assistant Attorney General for National Security John A. Eisenberg. “The National Security Division does not tolerate criminal gang fundraising in the United States, and will continue to pursue those who enable Haiti’s violence and instability.”
“There’s a good reason that there’s a $5 million reward for information leading to Cherizier’s arrest. He’s a gang leader responsible for heinous human rights abuses, including violence against American citizens in Haiti,” said U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro for the District of Columbia. “The U.S. government sanctioned Cherizier in 2020 because he was responsible for an ongoing campaign of violence, including the 2018 La Saline massacre, in which 71 people were killed, more than 400 houses were destroyed, and at least seven women raped by armed gangs. The U.S. Attorney’s office is committed to apprehending Cherizier and bringing him to justice, along with individuals like defendant Richardson, who has sent money and other support to Cherizier from the United States in violation of U.S. sanctions. Our office is committed to keeping Americans safe anywhere in the world, and the gang violence that has ravaged Haiti must end.”
“The FBI is committed to confronting foreign terrorist organizations wherever they operate, and Jimmy ‘Barbecue’ Cherizier’s gang is no exception,” said Acting Assistant Director Darren Cox of the FBI Criminal Investigative Division. “Through intelligence, partnerships, and the full weight of federal law, we are dismantling FTOs and rooting out those who threaten the safety of our communities.”
“The unsealing of this indictment marks the results of a lengthy investigation into Jimmy Cherizier’s criminal activities,” said Acting Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Director Todd M. Lyons. “His actions to fund the oppression and slaughter of Haitians, including firearm procurement and trafficking networks, fundraising activities, movement and usage of U.S. dollars, and violations of sanctions, are unconscionable — but today marks a step towards accountability.”
“The Department of State is offering a reward of up to $5 million for information leading to the arrest and/or conviction of Jimmy Cherizier, the leader of Foreign Terrorist Organization Viv Ansanm,” said Senior Bureau Official Chris Landberg of the Department of State’s Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs. “The State Department will continue to apply its tools, including rewards programs, to combat the scourge of transnational organized crime and its violence — especially to stop the worst of the worst criminal ringleaders threatening the people of our hemisphere.”
According to court documents, Cherizier is a former officer in the Haitian National Police and the leader of a gang known as the Revolutionary Forces of the G9 Family and Allies who helped to forge a gang alliance called Viv Ansanm that united Haiti’s many criminal gangs to oppose the legitimate government of Haiti. On Dec. 10, 2020, the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) of the U.S. Treasury Department sanctioned Cherizier and designated him as a Specially Designated National (SDN) for his role in serious human rights abuses in Haiti. As a result of the SDN designation, U.S. persons are generally prohibited from engaging in transactions with or for the benefit of Cherizier absent approval from OFAC in the form of a license.
As alleged in the indictment, since Cherizier’s SDN designation in December 2020, Cherizier and Richardson have together led a wide-ranging conspiracy with individuals in the United States, Haiti, and elsewhere to raise funds for Cherizier’s gang activities in violation of the sanctions imposed on Cherizier.
In particular, Cherizier and Richardson directly solicited money transfers from members of the Haitian diaspora located in the United States. After sending funds to intermediaries in Haiti for Cherizier’s benefit, the U.S. and Haitian co-conspirators would send Cherizier images of receipts from the money transfers. Cherizier used these funds principally to pay salaries to the members of his gang and to acquire firearms from illicit firearms dealers in Haiti.
The FBI Miami Field Office and HSI Washington Field Office are investigating the case, with substantial assistance from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Drug Enforcement Administration. Providing valuable support are the FBI Houston, Boston, and Charlotte Field Offices and the HSI Miami Field Office.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas N. Saunders for the District of Columbia and Trial Attorney Beau Barnes of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section are prosecuting the case, with valuable assistance from former Assistant U.S. Attorney Kimberly Paschall, Assistant U.S. Attorney Karen Seifert, and former Trial Attorney Benjamin Koenigsfeld. Significant support was provided by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Texas, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of North Carolina, and the Department of State and U.S. Embassy in Port-au-Prince.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Guhaad Hashi Said Pleads Guilty to His Involvement in Feeding Our Future Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – Guhaad Hashi Said, age 49, pled guilty yesterday in U.S. District Court to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering for his role in the massive fraud scheme that exploited a federally funded child nutrition program during the COVID-19 pandemic, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Joseph H. Thompson.
“The conviction of the 52nd defendant in the Feeding our Future case is yet another reminder of the vast reach of this fraud and the scale of the crisis we face in Minnesota,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Joseph H. Thompson. “These crimes are not isolated events. They are part of a web of schemes targeting programs that are intended to lift up Minnesotans and bleeding them dry. From where I sit, the scale of the fraud in Minnesota is staggering, and every rock we turn over reveals more. We must be honest and clear-eyed about the scope of this problem, because ending it will take an unyielding, all-hands-on-deck effort from all of us.”
According to court documents, from December 2020 through January 2022, Said conspired with others to participate in a fraudulent scheme to obtain and misappropriate millions of dollars in Federal Child Nutrition Program funds that were intended as reimbursements for the cost of serving meals to underprivileged children.
Said purported to operate a Federal Child Nutrition Program site under the name Advance Youth Athletic Development. Said incorporated Advance Youth Athletic Development on February 26, 2021 and listed its registered office at a residential apartment unit in the Central Avenue Lofts, an apartment building in Northeast Minneapolis. Said purported to run a federal child nutrition program site from this apartment building.
Beginning in March 2021, Said and the Advance Youth Athletic Development site submitted meal count sheets claiming to have served 5,000 meals a day to children, seven days a week. Between approximately March and December 2021, Said and the Advance Youth Athletic Development submitted claims for serving more than 1 million meals. In reality, Advance Youth Athletic Development and Said’s claims were grossly inflated and Said only served a fraction of those meals for which he claimed and received reimbursements. In support of their false claims, Said prepared and submitted fraudulent meal counts, attendance rosters, and invoices.
From August 2020 through 2022, Said also participated in a money laundering conspiracy. The purpose of the conspiracy was to conceal, hide, and launder the proceeds of the fraudulent scheme to obtain Federal Child Nutrition Program funds. Said and his conspirators created non-profits and limited liability companies for use in hiding the source and ownership of proceeds of the fraudulent scheme to obtain Federal Child Nutrition Program funds. After laundering the proceeds of their scheme, Said and his co-conspirators used their shell companies to purchase real estate, cars, and other personal items. For example, Said registered Advance Youth Athletic Development as a non-profit on or about February 26, 2021. On or about April 1, 2021, he opened a bank account for Advance Youth Athletic Development. Between August 2021 and December 2021, Said transferred more than $2.1 million from Advance Youth Athletic Development bank accounts to S & S Catering. These payments were purportedly for providing meals and food for Advance Youth Athletic Development to serve to children.
In total, Said and his co-conspirators received approximately $2,906,740 in Federal Child Nutrition Program funds based on their fraudulent scheme.
Said will be sentenced at a later date and faces up to 25 years in prison.
“Yesterday, Guhaad Said pleaded guilty to charges related to his role in a sprawling fraud scheme designed to financially enrich the defendants at the expense of hungry children,” said FBI Minneapolis Special Agent in Charge Alvin M. Winston, Sr. “Said stole money, falsified paperwork submitted to the government, and was reimbursed millions of dollars to which he was not entitled. The FBI, together with our law enforcement partners, will ensure this fraud stops, and we will ensure that every defendant in this investigation is held fully accountable for their conduct.”
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI, IRS – Criminal Investigation, and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service.
Acting U.S. Attorney Joseph H. Thompson and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matthew S. Ebert, Harry M. Jacobs, and Daniel W. Bobier are prosecuting these cases. Assistant U.S. Attorney Craig Baune is handling the seizure and forfeiture of assets
Guatemalan man arrested, charged with illegal re-entryRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, N.Y. –U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Edin Julian Hernandez Mejia, 22, a citizen and national of Guatemala, was arrested and charged by criminal complaint 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 on August 5, 2025, Hernandez Mejia was a passenger in a vehicle pulled over by law enforcement. When questioned regarding citizenship and legal status in the United States, Hernandez Mejia confirmed that he is a citizen and national of Guatemala, and not a national of the United States. He was physically removed from the United States on two prior occasions, in February and March of 2024.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
Hernandez Mejia made an initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge H. Kenneth Schroeder, Jr. and was detained.
The complaint is the result of an investigation by U.S. Border Patrol, under the direction of Patrol Agent-in-Charge David Banks.
The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
# # # #
Guatemalan National Sentenced for Illegally Reentering the CountryRead the Press Release
BANGOR, Maine: A Guatemalan man was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Bangor for reentry after removal.
U.S. District Judge Nancy Torresen sentenced Geremias Josue Sanchez-Velasquez, 31, to time served (110 days). He pleaded guilty on June 11, 2025.
According to court records, on April 23, 2025, a U.S. Border Patrol Agent encountered Sanchez-Velasquez in Palmyra, Maine. Sachez-Velasquez acknowledged that he was not a U.S. citizen and that he did not have any authorization to be in the country. Records checks revealed that Sanchez-Velasquez has a previous conviction for illegal entry and had been removed from the United States in 2019.
Sanchez-Velasquez was turned over to immigration authorities at the conclusion of the proceedings.
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).
###
Guatemalan National Sentenced for Illegal Reentry into the United StatesRead the Press Release
Jackson, MS – A Guatemalan national was sentenced on August 6, 2025, to seven months in federal prison for unlawfully reentering the United States after being removed from the country.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Felino Fernando Perez-Jimenez, 25, was found by law enforcement officials to be unlawfully present in the country on or about January 11, 2025, when he was arrested by the Carthage Police Department for simple assault, resisting arrest, public drunk, and failure to comply with an officer. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) encountered Perez-Jimenez at the Leake County Jail in Carthage, Mississippi, on January 12, 2025. A records check identified the defendant to be a citizen of Guatemala by virtue of birth, and not in possession of valid immigration documents allowing him to be or remain in the United States legally. Perez-Jimenez had been previously removed from the United States in 2023.
Perez-Jimenez was indicted by a federal grand jury on February 4, 2025, and pleaded guilty on May 2, 2025.
Acting U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Mississippi, Patrick A. Lemon; Eric P. DeLaune, Special Agent-in-Charge for Homeland Security Investigations in New Orleans, Louisiana; and Brian Acuna, Acting Field Office Director of ICE/ERO in New Orleans, made the announcement.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matthew Wade Allen and Kimberly T. Purdie prosecuted the case.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security investigations as 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).
Grand Jury Returns IndictmentsRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. - A federal grand jury in the Western District of Wisconsin, sitting in Madison, returned the following indictments on August 6, 2025. You are advised that a charge is merely an accusation, and a person named as defendant in an indictment is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Wausau Investment Advisor Charged With Wire Fraud and Money Laundering
Stanley Pophal, 63, Wausau, Wisconsin, is charged with seven counts of wire fraud and three counts of money laundering. The indictment alleges that between May 2019 and June 2025, Pophal accepted money from investors and promised to invest their funds in one of his various business ventures, including using the money to purchase commercial properties and office buildings and convert them into residential apartments. However, the indictment alleges that Pophal failed to invest the money as promised. Instead, he allegedly used most of the money for his own purposes, including the purchase of hundreds of snowmobiles.
If convicted, Pophal faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison for each count of wire fraud. He faces a maximum of 10 years in prison for each money laundering count.
The charges against him are the result of an investigation conducted by IRS Criminal Investigations and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Aaron Wegner is handling the case.
Chippewa Falls Man Charged With Illegally Possessing Firearms, Ammunition, and Unregistered Silencers
Michael A. Raskie Jr., 42, Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin, is charged with possessing a firearm and ammunition as a convicted felon and possessing silencers not registered to him in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record. The indictment alleges that Raskie possessed these items on January 14, 2025.
If convicted, Raskie faces a maximum penalty of 15 years on the felon in possession charge and 10 years on the unregistered silencers charge.
The charges against Raskie are the result of an investigation conducted by the ATF Madison Crime Gun Task Force, Lake Hallie Police Department, and the Chippewa County Sheriff’s Office. The ATF Madison Crime Gun Task Force is comprised of federal agents from ATF and Task Force Officers from state and local agencies throughout the Western District of Wisconsin. Assistant U.S. Attorney Colleen Lennon is handling the case.
Milwaukee Felon Charged With Illegally Possessing Machinegun and Ammunition
Jevon Smith, 31, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, is charged with possessing a firearm and ammunition as a felon and possessing a machinegun. The indictment alleges that on June 15, 2025, Smith possessed a loaded Glock 29 10mm handgun, 10mm ammunition, and a machinegun conversion device.
A machinegun conversion device is an illegal after-market device that converts a semi-automatic handgun into a fully functioning machinegun. A handgun with a machinegun conversion device is extremely dangerous, even for experienced firearms users, because it is difficult to control and is capable of firing 50 rounds in four seconds with a single pull of the trigger.
If convicted, Smith faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison on the felon in possession charge, and 10 years in prison on the machinegun charge.
The charges against him are the result of an investigation conducted by the Fitchburg Police Department and the ATF Madison Crime Gun Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Corey Stephan is handling the case.
Fitchburg Man Charged With Illegally Possessing Firearm and Ammunition
Kavant D. Smith, 24, Fitchburg, Wisconsin, is charged with possessing a firearm and ammunition as a felon. The indictment alleges that Smith possessed the firearm and ammunition on January 27, 2025.
If convicted, Smith faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison. The charge against him is the result of an investigation conducted by the Fitchburg Police Department and the ATF Madison Crime Gun Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Corey Stephan is handling the case.
Chippewa County Felon Charged With Methamphetamine Trafficking and Illegally Possessing a Firearm in Furtherance of Drug Trafficking
Patrick J. Buswell, 50, Holcombe, Wisconsin, is charged with possessing methamphetamine intended for distribution, possessing a firearm and ammunition as a convicted felon, and possessing the same firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking activity. The indictment alleges that Buswell possessed the methamphetamine and firearm on June 15, 2025.
If convicted of the methamphetamine charge, Buswell faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. If convicted of the felon in possession charge, he faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison. If convicted of the charge involving possessing a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking activity, Buswell faces a mandatory minimum penalty of 5 years in prison.
The charges against him are the result of an investigation conducted by the ATF Madison Crime Gun Task Force and the Rusk County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Colleen Lennon is handling the case.
The gun and drug cases in the press release are part of Operation Take Back America a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
Georgia Man Sentenced to Prison for Federal Gun CrimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Jeremiah Clinton Gray, 43, of Blue Ridge, Georgia, was sentenced today to one year and four months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for being a felon in possession of a firearm.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on July 22, 2024, law enforcement responded to reports of a man inside a Jackson County, Ohio, business with a firearm, body armor and a badge. The individual, later identified as Gray, left the business in a vehicle without a license plate and fled from an attempted traffic stop by law enforcement. The resulting pursuit led law enforcement into West Virginia, where the vehicle was stopped in Charleston with the assistance of spike strips. Gray was arrested and officers found a loaded Taurus model 1911 Officer 9mm pistol on his person and a loaded Mossberg model 590 Shockwave .410-gauge shotgun in the vehicle.
Federal law prohibits a person with a prior felony conviction from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Gray knew he was prohibited from possessing a firearm because of his prior felony conviction for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute in excess of 500 grams of cocaine in United States District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee on October 20, 2023.
Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the West Virginia State Police and the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office.
Senior United States District Judge David A. Faber imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney JC MacCallum prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) and Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN).
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-35.
###
Fugitive Extradited from Mexico to Face Drug Trafficking Charges After Almost Seven Years on the RunRead the Press Release
SAN DIEGO – Rosa De Arcos, an alleged drug trafficker who fled to Mexico in 2018, was extradited from Mexico Friday and arraigned in federal court on a four-count indictment charging her with importation of, and conspiracy to distribute, methamphetamine, fentanyl and cocaine.
According to public records, De Arcos was arrested in May 2017 for concealing more than 34 pounds of fentanyl in her 2008 Jeep Wrangler. De Arcos was released on bond over the United States’ objection. Unbeknownst to De Arcos, law enforcement had previously obtained and received wiretap communications of De Arcos, and her co-defendant Maria Elena Urena Cervantes and others, discussing their drug trafficking exploits. This included the importation of methamphetamine and cocaine by Urena, aided by De Arcos, months earlier in January 2017, which was later seized by law enforcement.
Urena was arrested months later in December 2017 and was also released on bond. Both defendants made court appearances in 2017 and 2018. The case was scheduled for a jury trial on December 11, 2018, with a status hearing set for November 19, 2018. However, neither of the defendants appeared at the status hearing. Instead, both fled to Mexico. A judge issued no bail arrest warrants. The United States moved to forfeit the bonds.
On December 4, 2018, the grand jury returned the indictment against the women which included bail jumping charges. The United States sought extradition of both defendants. Following Urena’s arrest in Mexico in September 2023, she was extradited to the United States in December 2023 and pleaded guilty in July 2024, admitting to drug trafficking offenses with De Arcos. She is scheduled to be sentenced on December 15, 2025.
For two more years, law enforcement continued to search for De Arcos until April 2025 when she was arrested in Mexico. On August 8, 2025, De Arcos was extradited to the United States.
De Arcos is scheduled for a status hearing on August 25, 2025, at 9:30 a.m. before the Honorable Thomas J. Whelan.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joseph Orabona and Shauna Prewitt. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs provided significant assistance in securing the defendant’s arrest and extradition from Mexico.
DEFENDANT Case Number 17CR1409-W
Rosa De Arcos Age: 45 Jalisco, Mexico
SUMMARY OF CHARGES
Conspiracy to Distribute Controlled Substances – Title 21, U.S.C., Sections 841(a) and 846
Maximum penalty: Life in prison, mandatory minimum of ten years in prison, $10 million fine
Importation of Methamphetamine, and Cocaine – Title 21, U.S.C., Sections 952 and 960
Maximum penalty: Life in prison, mandatory minimum of ten years in prison, $10 million fine
Importation of Fentanyl – Title 21, U.S.C., Sections 952 and 960
Maximum penalty: Life in prison, mandatory minimum of ten years in prison; $10 million fine
Bail Jumping – Title 18, U.S.C., Sec. 3146
Maximum Penalty: Ten years in prison and $250,000 fine
INVESTIGATING AGENCIES
Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations
Drug Enforcement Administration
Customs and Border Protection
United States Marshal Service
Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department
San Bernardino Police Department
U.S. Department of Justice’s, Office of International Affairs
*The charges and allegations contained in an indictment or complaint are merely accusations, and the defendants are considered innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Four St. Louis Area Residents Sentenced for Fraud Committed with Checks Stolen from the MailRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – Four people, including a former U.S. Postal Service employee, have been sentenced for their role in a conspiracy that stole checks from the mail to commit bank fraud, U.S. Attorney Thomas C. Albus announced Tuesday.
The four defendants received sentences of between 12 and 80 months in prison. All have been ordered to pay restitution of $44,135.
U.S. District Judge Matthew T. Schelp sentenced former U.S. Postal Service mail carrier Wynter Hinton to 12 months in prison on August 5. On July 17, Ryan McKinney received a 28-month sentence. Jayden Burklow was sentenced in June to 57 months. Johnathan Barnett was sentenced in April to 80 months.
During a conspiracy that lasted from January of 2022 to September of 2023, Barnett bought a key to U.S. Postal Service collection boxes from Hinton. Barnett and others, including McKinney and Burklow, used that key to steal mail from collections boxes in St. Louis County. Hinton also stole checks from the mail while on her postal route.
Barnett, Burklow and McKinney then altered the stolen checks and recruited others to allow their bank accounts to be used to deposit the fraudulent checks. They withdrew the money before the banks realized the checks were fraudulent. Barnett, Burklow and McKinney tried to commit at least $800,000 worth of fraud this way.
Barnett, who was already a convicted felon, was caught with an AR-15-style rifle with a high-capacity drum magazine, four other firearms and check-making equipment on Sept. 15, 2023, when investigators were conducting a court-approved search of his home.
“The U.S. Postal Inspection Service is charged with defending the nation’s mail system from illegal use. With the collaborative efforts of our federal law enforcement partners, Postal Inspectors investigate fraudsters who utilize the U.S. Mail to perpetuate financial schemes to defraud others to enrich themselves. Postal Inspectors seek justice for victims including those most vulnerable,” said Inspector in Charge, Ruth Mendonça, who leads the Chicago Division of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, which includes the St. Louis Field Office.
“This sentencing represents the hard work and dedication by USPS OIG Special Agents working with the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and the U.S. Attorney’s Office to bring charges on this significant mail theft investigation,” said Special Agent in Charge Dennus Bishop, U.S. Postal Service, Office of Inspector General, Central Area Field Office. The OIG, along with our law enforcement partners, remains committed to safeguarding the U.S. Mail and ensuring the accountability and integrity of U.S. Postal Service employees.”Barnett, 30, of University City, pleaded guilty in December to one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud, one count of possession of stolen mail and one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm. Hinton, 29, of St. Ann, pleaded guilty to unlawful use of a mail key. McKinney, 25, of St. Louis, and Burklow, 21, of O’Fallon, Illinois, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud and one count of possession of stolen mail.
The U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Creve Coeur Police Department and the University City Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Gwen Carroll is prosecuting the case.
Former children’s hospital doctor charged with federal child pornography crimesRead the Press Release
CINCINNATI – A former children’s hospital doctor is charged federally with transporting and possessing child pornography.
Howard M. Saal, 73, of Cincinnati, appeared in federal court in Cincinnati this afternoon. Saal was previously employed as a geneticist and dysmorphologist at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital.
According to charging documents, a Hamilton County Sherriff’s Office detective working on the FBI’s Child Exploitation Task Force investigated a cyber tip regarding image searches for child pornography that originated from Saal’s IP address. The cyber tip image depicted two naked females, approximately 10 years old, engaged in sexual conduct.
To date, as part of an ongoing review of Saal’s electronic devices, the FBI has thus far identified more than 153,000 images and 470 videos of child sexual abuse material. Some of the child pornography involves child victims as young as a newborn.
At this time, investigators have not located any evidence of child pornography involving patients or children associated with Cincinnati Children’s Hospital.
“I am incredibly proud of the work of our Regional Electronics and Computer Investigations unit and their diligence in investigating this individual,” said Hamilton County Sheriff Charmaine McGuffey. “We encourage anyone who thinks they may be a victim of Dr. Saal to contact our detectives. We will continue to seek out dangerous individuals and bring justice to victims’ families.”
“The FBI and our partners will continue to fiercely investigate those who attempt to sexually exploit children,” stated FBI Cincinnati Special Agent in Charge Elena Iatarola. “I want to thank the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office for their work on this investigation and for their strong partnership. Law enforcement is always more effective when we work together to address crime issues impacting our community.”
Transporting child pornography is a federal crime punishable by at least five and up to 20 years in prison. Possessing child pornography carries a potential maximum penalty of up to 20 years in prison.
Dominick S. Gerace II, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Elena Iatarola. Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division; Hamilton County Sheriff Charmaine McGuffey and other members of the FBI’s Child Exploitation Task Force and Ohio ICAC announced the charges. Assistant United States Attorney Danielle E. Margeaux is representing the United States in this case.
A criminal complaint merely contains allegations, and defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.
# # #
Former children’s hospital doctor charged with federal child pornography crimesRead the Press Release
CINCINNATI – A former children’s hospital doctor is charged federally with transporting and possessing child pornography.
Howard M. Saal, 73, of Cincinnati, appeared in federal court in Cincinnati this afternoon. Saal was previously employed as a geneticist and dysmorphologist at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital.
According to charging documents, a Hamilton County Sherriff’s Office detective working on the FBI’s Child Exploitation Task Force investigated a cyber tip regarding image searches for child pornography that originated from Saal’s IP address. The cyber tip image depicted two naked females, approximately 10 years old, engaged in sexual conduct.
To date, as part of an ongoing review of Saal’s electronic devices, the FBI has thus far identified more than 153,000 images and 470 videos of child sexual abuse material. Some of the child pornography involves child victims as young as a newborn.
At this time, investigators have not located any evidence of child pornography involving patients or children associated with Cincinnati Children’s Hospital.
“I am incredibly proud of the work of our Regional Electronics and Computer Investigations unit and their diligence in investigating this individual,” said Hamilton County Sheriff Charmaine McGuffey. “We encourage anyone who thinks they may be a victim of Dr. Saal to contact our detectives. We will continue to seek out dangerous individuals and bring justice to victims’ families.”
“The FBI and our partners will continue to fiercely investigate those who attempt to sexually exploit children,” stated FBI Cincinnati Special Agent in Charge Elena Iatarola. “I want to thank the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office for their work on this investigation and for their strong partnership. Law enforcement is always more effective when we work together to address crime issues impacting our community.”
Transporting child pornography is a federal crime punishable by at least five and up to 20 years in prison. Possessing child pornography carries a potential maximum penalty of up to 20 years in prison.
Dominick S. Gerace II, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Elena Iatarola. Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division; Hamilton County Sheriff Charmaine McGuffey and other members of the FBI’s Child Exploitation Task Force and Ohio ICAC announced the charges. Assistant United States Attorney Danielle E. Margeaux is representing the United States in this case.
A criminal complaint merely contains allegations, and defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.
# # #
Former Rochester bus driver going to prison for 10 years on child pornography chargeRead the Press Release
ROCHESTER, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Tomas Rosario, 76, of Rochester, NY, who was convicted of attempting to receive child pornography, was sentenced to serve 120 months in prison and seven years supervised release by U.S. District Judge Frank P. Geraci.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Meghan K. McGuire, who handled the case, stated that Rosario was a school bus driver in Monroe County. On March 11, 2022, without any other adults or children present, Rosario transported a 13-year-old (victim) to school. During the ride, Rosario allowed the victim to sit in the front seat and proceeded to engage her in personal and sexually explicit conversation, including asking the victim if she had ever engaged in sexual conduct with her boyfriend. At the end of the day, Rosario picked the victim up from school and again allowed her to sit in the front seat. Rosario continued to engage in sexually explicit conversation with the victim and ultimately subjected her to instances of sexual contact. In addition, Rosario gave the victim his phone number, showed the victim his home, and encouraged the victim to call and visit if she ever wanted to skip school. Rosario’s actions were recorded on the bus surveillance system. In one instance, Rosario instructed the victim to take sexually explicit photos of herself and send them to him. On the following day, Rosario encountered the victim in a convenience store and warned her not to tell anyone what he had done the day before. That encounter was captured by the store’s security cameras.
The sentencing is the culmination of an investigation by the Rochester Police Department, under the direction of Police Chief David Smith, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Child Exploitation Human Trafficking Task Force, under the direction of Acting Agent-in-Charge Mark Grimm.
# # # #
Former Massachusetts State Trooper Sentenced to Prison for Conspiracy to Falsify CDL Test ScoresRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A former Massachusetts State Police (MSP) trooper was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for his role in a conspiracy to falsify records by giving passing scores to certain Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) applicants even if they failed the CDL test or took less than the full test required by federal law.
Calvin Butner, 64, of Halifax, Mass., was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Indira Talwani to three months in prison, to be followed by one year of supervised release with the first three months in home confinement. The government recommended a sentence of 15 months in prison.
In April 2025, Butner pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to falsify records, three counts of falsifying records and aiding and abetting and five counts of making false statements. In January 2024, Butner was charged in a 74-count indictment along with five others in the conspiracy and related schemes.
Members of MSP’s CDL Unit were responsible for administering CDL skills tests. Test requirements for CDLs are established by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, which is part of the U.S. Department of Transportation. The CDL skills test is a demanding, in-person test which includes: Vehicle Inspection, in which an applicant is tested on their knowledge of the vehicle; Basic Control Skills, in which an applicant is tested on their ability to perform certain maneuvers; and the Road Test, in which an applicant is tested on their ability to drive a commercial vehicle on an open roadway. Only drivers who pass the test and thereby prove they are qualified to drive a commercial vehicle may be issued a CDL, with the primary goal of public safety.
Between in on or about May 2019 and January 2023, Butner and three other members of the CDL Unit conspired to give preferential treatment to at least 17 CDL applicants by agreeing to give passing scores on their CDL tests regardless of whether or not they actually passed. Butner and the co-defendants used the code word “golden” to identify these applicants. Butner gave passing scores to applicants and texted the following comments to a co-conspirator:
• “This guys a mess. . . . Lol. He owes u a prime rib 6inch.”
• “Golden mess. ??????”
• “He’s a mess Class A truck 2psi loss with truck running truck cut our again while timing ????”
• “Total mess this guy[.] i think some time[s] we should just do what we can but not golden. I’ll tell you about it later.”In addition, Butner gave passing scores to three applicants who failed the CDL test, and to five applicants who did not take the test at all.
All CDL recipients identified as not qualified during the course of this investigation have been reported to the Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Michael J. Krol, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England; and Christopher A. Scharf, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Department of Transportation Office of Inspector General, Northeast Region made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christine J. Wichers and Adam W. Deitch of the Public Corruption & Special Prosecutions Unit are prosecuting the case.
Former Maritime Training School Owner Pleads Guilty to Defrauding the Coast GuardRead the Press Release
DETROIT – A St. Clair County man pleaded guilty today to a felony charge related to falsifying records connected to a course he administered to students seeking to become credentialed merchant mariners, announced United States Attorney Jerome F. Gorgon Jr.
Gorgon was joined in the announcement by Captain Richard Armstrong, Commander, U.S. Coast Guard Sector Detroit, and Special Agent in Charge Josh Packer, Coast Guard Investigative Service, Central Field Office, Detroit.
Mel Stackpoole, 62, entered his guilty plea this afternoon, before United States District Judge Terrence G. Berg, to one count of knowingly altering and falsifying records and documents with the intent to impede the proper administration of a matter within the jurisdiction of the United States Coast Guard.
According to court records, Stackpoole was the owner and lead instructor of Great Lakes Charter Training, a marine training school that offered Coast Guard approved training courses for the issuance of merchant mariner credentials (MMC). In August of 2020, Stackpoole provided the students enrolled his Master 100 Ton Captain’s Course with less than 50 hours of classroom instruction, rather than the required 80 hours. He also instructed the students to provide false information regarding their prior sea service, medical history, and recreational drug use on their MMC applications to the Coast Guard. Further, Stackpoole improperly provided the students with the answers to certain examination questions; changed students’ incorrect test answers into correct answers; and inflated the students’ test scores in order to reflect passing, rather than failing, grades. Stackpoole ultimately issued course completion certificates to the students, falsely signifying their successful completion of the course to the Coast Guard.
“Mel Stackpoole has endangered the safety of everyone who uses the waterways of our Great Lakes by deliberately circumnavigating the Coast Guard’s training and certification protocols and facilitating the issuance of credentials to unskilled and unqualified mariners.” U.S. Attorney Gorgon said.
“Integrity is the cornerstone of our maritime profession. When that trust is broken, it jeopardizes individual careers and the safety and security of our waterways. The U.S. Coast Guard stands firm in ensuring that those who choose to deceive or falsify their merchant mariner credential, or those who subvert the credentialing process, will be held accountable” said Captain Richard Armstrong, Commander, U.S. Coast Guard Sector Detroit.
“As the leading maritime investigative agency, CGIS plays a vital role in investigating complex fraudulent schemes perpetrated against the U.S. Coast Guard and the public. This plea represents our investigative commitment to the maritime community in ensuring CGIS pursues those that would seek to take advantage of programs designed to enhance maritime safety,” said Special Agent in Charge Packer.
The sentencing hearing is set for December 18, 2025, at 2pm, at which Stackpoole faces a statutory maximum penalty of 20 years of imprisonment and a $250,000 fine.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Coast Guard and the Coast Guard Investigative Service. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Timothy J. Wyse and Special Assistant United States Attorney Corinne M. Lambert
Former First Community Bank Vice President Sentenced to Five Years in Prison for Embezzlement SchemeRead the Press Release
HUNTSVILLE, Ala. – A Cullman woman has been sentenced for her involvement in an embezzlement scheme, announced U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona.
U.S. District Court Judge Liles C. Burke sentenced Kellie L. Johnson, 54, of Cullman, Alabama, to 60 months in prison followed by 60 months supervised release. In May, Johnson pleaded guilty to bank embezzlement.
According to the plea agreement, Johnson was employed with First Community Bank for approximately 25 years. Between July 2013 and June 2023, Johnson embezzled money from First Community Bank’s Federal Reserve account to pay personal expenses, primarily credit card bills. To conceal her scheme, Johnson falsified transactions to reconcile the balance of the Federal Reserve account in the bank’s general ledger and deleted her ACH transactions. Johnson also altered account statements sent by the Federal Reserve that she was required to provide to the bank president, auditors, and others. The scheme ended when the bank president received a call from the Federal Reserve notifying him that the bank’s ACH account was overdrawn. When the bank president asked Johnson to provide the latest account statement, she provided a fraudulent statement showing a positive balance in the account. Over the decade that she stole money from the bank, Johnson conducted approximately 273 fraudulent ACH transactions totaling over $2.3 million. Additionally, Johnson deprived the bank of $138,185.40 in interest income to the Federal Reserve account.
The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Laura D. Hodge prosecuted the case.
Former Federal Employee and Two Other Women Plead Guilty in Pandemic Fraud CasesRead the Press Release
ATLANTA – Rena Barrett, a former Small Business Administration (“SBA”) loan officer, pled guilty on August 11, 2025 to making false statements to the SBA in connection with applications for more than $550,000 in fraudulent COVID-19 pandemic loans.
“The Economic Injury Disaster Loan program provided critical relief to small businesses and supported our economy during the COVID-19 pandemic,” said United States Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg. “It is intolerable that Barrett—who was entrusted to process loans for desperate small businesses—placed her personal greed ahead of doing her job honestly. With the help of our law enforcement partners, we are committed to rooting out and punishing government employees who betray the public’s trust.”
“Abusing authority to fraudulently obtain Economic Injury Disaster Loan funds betrays the trust of small businesses relying on critical relief,” said Special Agent-in-Charge Amaleka McCall-Brathwaite of SBA Office of the Inspector General’s Eastern Region. “OIG is committed to protecting taxpayer dollars and ensuring accountability for those who exploit vital programs for personal gain.”
“Government employees who exploit their positions for personal gain betray the public trust and undermine critical programs designed to help those in need,” said Steven N. Schrank, the Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Georgia and Alabama. “HSI remains steadfast in its commitment to working with our partners to hold accountable those who abuse their authority and harm the integrity of pandemic relief efforts.”
According to U.S. Attorney Hertzberg, the charges, and other information presented in court: Rena Barrett, 45, of Covington, Ga., became an SBA employee in October 2020. In May 2021, she submitted a fraudulent Economic Injury Disaster Loan (“EIDL”) application for $170,000. SBA initially declined to approve this loan, but in July 2021, Barrett approved the loan herself. SBA shortly thereafter discovered that Barrett had abused her position by approving that loan and other loans she or her relatives submitted. Barrett received nearly half of the approximately $550,000 she sought to obtain and resigned from the SBA after her wrongdoing was discovered.
In a related case, on April 15, 2025, Sheena Thompson, 49, of Conyers, Ga., pled guilty to a criminal information charging her with making false statements to the SBA. Thompson admitted to trying to obtain more than $150,000 in fraudulent EIDL loans. Barrett is scheduled to be sentenced on November 12, 2025, and Thompson is scheduled to be sentenced on August 28, 2025.
Separately, on August 12, 2025, Detra Lewis, 40, of Atlanta, Ga., pled guilty to making false statements to the SBA. Lewis obtained more than $1.25 million after submitting a false Paycheck Protection Program loan application on behalf of God’s Anointed Youth Ministry. Lewis is scheduled to be sentenced on November 14, 2025.
The case against Barrett and Thompson is being investigated by the United States Small Business Administration, Office of Inspector General, and Homeland Security Investigations. The case against Lewis is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Assistant United States Attorney Alex R. Sistla is prosecuting each case.
On May 17, 2021, the Department of Justice established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the Department’s resources in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, among other methods, augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the Department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus.
Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at [email protected] or (404) 581-6185. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.
Former Chief Deputy for Stone County Sheriff's Office Sentenced to Federal Prison for Selling a Stolen Firearm and Extortion Under Color of Official RightRead the Press Release
LITTLE ROCK—Zachary Hunter Alexander, former Chief Deputy for the Stone County Sheriff’s Office, will spend the next 33 months in federal prison for selling a stolen firearm and extortion under color of official right. Jonathan D. Ross, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas, announced the sentence, which was handed down today by United States District Judge Lee P. Rudofsky.
On May 3, 2022, a federal grand jury indicted Alexander, 40, of Lakeview, in an 11-count indictment. Count 1 and counts 8 through 11 of the indictment charged Alexander with bank fraud, count 2 charged Alexander with selling a stolen firearm, and counts 3 through 7 charged Alexander with extortion under color of official right. On August 14, 2023, Alexander plead guilty to selling a stolen firearm and extortion under color of official right.
An investigation revealed that on May 31, 2019, Alexander purchased two Remington 700, 6.5 Creedmore sniper rifles. On June 3, 2019, Alexander received a cashier’s check from the Stone County Sheriff’s Foundation for $1,465.90 for the purchase of two Remington 700, 6.5 Creedmore sniper rifles for the Stone County Sheriff’s Office. In December 2019, Alexander sold one of the sniper rifles that belonged to the Stone County Sheriff’s Office for his personal benefit.
On approximately February 19, 2020, Alexander misused his authority as the Chief Deputy for the Sheriff’s Office to obtain $3,809.10 from the Stone County Treasurer. Alexander stated it was to reimburse a pawn shop for rifles, ammunition, and equipment purchased for the Sheriff’s Office. However, Alexander took the check to the owner of pawn shop, who accompanied Alexander to the bank, then endorsed the check and let Alexander keep the cash. As in other similar instances alleged in the indictment, no items were actually purchased from the pawn shop.
In addition to the 33-month sentence, Judge Rudofsky also sentenced Alexander to two years’ supervised release. Judge Rudofsky also ordered Alexander to pay restitution in the amount of $153,786.84, which primarily reflects pawn shop checks improperly cashed and dispensed to Alexander, fraudulent credit card purchases for personal items by Alexander on a Sheriff’s Office credit card, and Alexander’s fraudulent check kiting at various banks. There is no parole in the federal system.
This case was investigated by the Arkansas State Police, with assistance from the Stone County Sheriff’s Office, Stone County Sheriff’s Foundation, Stone County Treasurer’s Office, 16th Judicial District Prosecuting Attorney’s Office, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
# # #
Additional information about the office of the
United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas, is available online at
https://www.justice.gov/edar
X (formerly known as Twitter):
@USAO_EDAR
Florida Man Sentenced to Prison for Federal Gun CrimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Marcas Cory Anglin, 30, of Tampa, Florida, was sentenced today to three years and four months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for being a felon in possession of a firearm.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on October 2, 2020, Anglin was driving a vehicle on U.S. Route 19 in Fayette County, West Virginia, when law enforcement officers attempted a traffic stop in response to reports of a vehicle driving erratically. Anglin fled from officers in his vehicle, leading them on a chase through Fayette County and into Nicholas County where he wrecked the vehicle. Anglin then fled on foot and was apprehended in a barn in the Pool area. Officers seized a loaded Glock model 27 .40-caliber pistol, which they determined was reported stolen, when they arrested Anglin.
Anglin fled from officers while being transported for processing following his arrest but was recaptured. Officers found Anglin was wanted on an outstanding arrest warrant issued in Florida.
Federal law prohibits a person with a prior felony conviction from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Anglin knew he was prohibited from possessing a firearm because of his prior felony conviction for armed burglary of a dwelling in Hillsborough County, Florida, Circuit Court on June 19, 2014.
Anglin has a criminal history that also includes prior convictions for aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, battery, burglary, grand theft of a motor vehicle, and grand theft of a firearm.
Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the West Virginia State Police.
Senior United States District Judge David A Faber imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney JC MacCallum prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:24-cr-153.
###
Five-Time Felon and Domestic Abuser Convicted for Possessing FirearmRead the Press Release
A Cedar Rapids man who possessed a firearm after five felony convictions and a conviction for a misdemeanor domestic abuse offense was convicted by a jury today after a two-day trial in federal court in Cedar Rapids.
Kirby Joe Truesdell, age 48, from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, was convicted of possession of a firearm by prohibited person based on his prior felony convictions and domestic abuse offense. The verdict was returned this morning following just over an hour of jury deliberations.
The evidence at trial showed that Truesdell was observed in a residence that was not occupied at the time. When Cedar Rapids police officers arrived on scene to investigate, they located Truesdell coming out of the garage. Truesdell was not cooperative with officers and was taken into custody. Officers located a loaded revolver inside a backpack in Truesdell’s possession. Truesdell was previously convicted of the following felony offenses: OWI 3rd Offense (on two occasions), burglary, theft, and forgery. He was also previously convicted of assault causing bodily injury - domestic abuse-penalty enhanced.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America (https://www.justice.gov/dag/media/1393746/dl?inline) a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
This case 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.
Sentencing before United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Truesdell remains in custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing. Truesdell faces a possible maximum sentence of 15 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and 3 years of supervised release following any imprisonment.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Emily Nydle and Special Assistant United States Attorney Michael Hudson and was investigated by the Cedar Rapids Police Department, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms, and the Linn County Sheriff’s Department with assistance from the US Marshal Service and the Iowa Department of Criminal Investigation.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 25-cr-00006.
Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.
Federal Operation Targets Nebraska Human Trafficking Ring at Area HotelsRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Lesley A. Woods announced that five people were charged by complaint for a range of federal violations that center around their alleged conspiracy to engage in labor trafficking, sex trafficking, and harboring of aliens at several hotel locations across the Omaha metro area and into central Nebraska. The defendants own, operate and manage several hotels in the Omaha metro area located at the following locations where federal search warrants were executed in the early morning hours of August 12, 2025:
- The AmericInn, 2920 S 13 Ct., Omaha;
- The Inn (formerly Super 8), 9305 S 145th St., Omaha;
- The New Victorian, 10728 L St., Omaha; and
- Roadway Inn, 1110 Fort Crook Rd S, Bellevue, NE.
The five charged and arrested on August 12, 2025, are:
- Kentakumar Chaudhari, a/k/a Ken Chaudhari, age 36, of Elkhorn, NE;
- Rashmi Ajit Samani, a/k/a Falguni Samani, age 42, of Elkhorn, NE;
- Amit Prahladbhai Chaudhari, a/k/a Amit, age 32, of Omaha;
- Amit Babubhai Chaudhari, a/k/a Matt, age 33, of Omaha; and
- Maheshkumar Chaudhari, a/k/a Mahesh, age 38, of Norfolk, NE.
The redacted complaint affidavit contains a more complete summary of the allegations. Criminal Complaints are charging documents that contain one or more individual counts that are merely accusations. Every defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Federal, state, and local law enforcement partners worked together today to safely execute search warrants at 14 business premises and two residential locations associated with the defendants. Four of those premises were either hotels or motels, and the remaining businesses were “Brow and Lash” salons located in the Westroads Mall and at other Omaha metro area locations.
During the operation, law enforcement officers rescued 10 minors from an alleged labor trafficking conspiracy that involved putting children under the age of twelve years old to work at the hotels for long hours with little to no pay. Seventeen adult victims were also rescued from the same conspiracy. The complaint affidavit details the allegedly exploitative conditions these victims were subjected to while being required to pay the defendants for their lodging at the hotels. The lodging accommodations were unclean, unsafe, and unhealthy. Online reviews for the hotel locations detail the firsthand accounts of travelers who occupied the same locations briefly. On one occasion, a source working with the federal government entered a hotel room where immigrant victims were sleeping on the floor of the room with cockroaches crawling on the victims as they slept.
Separately, the United States Attorney’s Office has alleged that one or more of the defendants were engaged in a sex trafficking conspiracy that allegedly victimized both minors and adults. Sex trafficking was not only allowed at the hotels according to complaint affidavit allegations but also encouraged, protected from law enforcement detection, and sex trafficking victims at the hotels were subjected not only to the traditional perpetrators of a sex trafficking scheme but also to hotel management and employees victimizing them as well.
Beyond these allegations, multiple defendants are alleged to have maintained these hotels as premises to conduct drug trafficking freely. Drug traffickers allegedly received protection from law enforcement in the same manner in which human traffickers were also shielded by the hotel owners and managers. Overdoses were a common problem, and at least one hotel had to keep Narcan at the front desk as a result. One source cited described a stairwell of one of the hotels as being littered with drug needles. Drug use was open and notorious in the parking lots according to eyewitnesses and to some online guest reviews.
At least one of the defendants is charged with a conspiracy to defraud the United States government by instigating a criminal scheme designed to obtain U visas under fraudulent circumstances. The U nonimmigrant status (U visa) is set aside for victims of certain crimes who have suffered mental or physical abuse and are helpful to law enforcement or government officials in the investigation or prosecution of criminal activity. Allegations in the complaint affidavits reveal that one hotel owner hired a worker at a hotel to stage a fictitious robbery of one of the Brow and Lash salons in 2022. The goal was to secure a U visa for one of the other defendants by making her a “victim” of the robbery.
The complaint further alleges one of the defendants engaged in conversations involving questions about what it would cost to bring someone from India to America and negotiating various prices. A number of hotel employees crossed the Arizona border several years ago and reported to Customs and Border Patrol they would be residing at one or more of the defendant’s hotels, thereby indicating those arrangements were made prior to entering the country illegally. Furthermore, the complaint alleges that aliens were being transported by co-conspirators between the State of Nebraska and the State of Washington for the purpose of fraudulently obtaining Washington state driver’s licenses for around $1,000 per identification document.
The various alleged conspiracies generated significant illegal proceeds, and as part of today’s operation, significant cash assets were seized to include more than $565,000 in U.S. currency that are alleged to be involved in money laundering. The United States filed a notice of pending lawsuit on the hotel properties to prevent their sale or transfer while this investigation is ongoing. The United States Marshals Service is actively recovering assets in this investigation alleged to have been illegally acquired and hoarded by the defendants. Also, seized during this operation was an undetermined amount illicit drugs that will be quantified as this investigation progresses.
Several vigilant citizens made complaints to Human Trafficking Hotlines about child workers and sex trafficking issues at one or more of these hotels, and we commend the members of our community who help shine a light on these unspeakable crimes and give a voice to the voiceless.
Due to the number of victims already identified in this ongoing federal investigation and the breadth and combination of the alleged charges, the FBI has requested that anyone having additional information on the crimes occurring at these locations or other business locations in Nebraska where similar crimes occurred, please contact the Omaha FBI field office to report that information.
United States Attorney Lesley Woods said, “There is no evil greater than the evil that seeks to trap, oppress, and exploit human beings for profit or pleasure. Where that evil exists, Nebraska law enforcement working together at the federal, state, and local levels, as occurred in this case, will seek it, find it, root it out, and ensure every rescued victim has an opportunity to obtain justice and freedom from their captors.”
U.S. Attorney Woods commends the unparalleled investigative coordination and accomplishment of this case achieved by the combined efforts of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Department of Homeland Security, the Sarpy County Sheriff’s Office, the Omaha Police Department, the Nebraska State Patrol, the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation Branch, the United States Marshals Service, and the Nebraska State Attorney General’s Office. U.S. Attorney Woods added, “When so many law enforcement agencies come together as one team, united in their relentless pursuit of justice, there is no organized crime network operating within Nebraska’s borders that can escape identification and accountability.”
Special Agent in Charge Eugene Kowel, leader of the Omaha FBI Field Office, stated, “Human trafficking is a form of modern-day slavery. This investigation revealed victims right here in the heart of the heartland forced into sexual activity, living and working in dangerous and filthy conditions, and extorted to work in grueling jobs with little to no pay. We will always stand shoulder to shoulder with our partners to aggressively identify and apprehend perpetrators of human trafficking, hold them accountable, and obtain justice for victims. Our approach to these horrific cases is always centered on the victims. We encourage anyone who may be a victim or have information about human trafficking to call us. We will continue to surge resources to arrest violent offenders in our community as part of the FBI’s Summer Heat Initiative.”
“There is nothing more reprehensible than exploiting human beings, particularly children, for sex, abusive labor conditions or deliberately violating U.S. immigration laws to profit from their suffering,” said Special Agent in Charge Mark Zito of ICE HSI Kansas City, which covers Nebraska. “These criminals hide in the shadows, prey on the vulnerable and show no regard for the laws or values of our nation. Their crimes are calculated to be difficult to uncover but HSI and our federal partners have no intention of stopping until these predators are brought to justice and every victim is freed from their grip. ”
Do Kwon Pleads Guilty to FraudRead the Press Release
United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Jay Clayton, announced today that DO HYEONG KWON, the co-founder and former chief executive officer of Terraform Labs PTE, Ltd. (“Terraform”), pled guilty to one count of conspiring to commit commodities fraud, securities fraud, and wire fraud; and one count of committing wire fraud in connection with fraudulent schemes at Terraform. KWON touted Terraform as a self-contained and decentralized financial world that leveraged proprietary blockchain technology to offer its own cryptocurrencies, payment system, stock market, and savings bank. In reality and unbeknownst to Terraform investors and users, the core suite of Terraform products did not work as advertised and had been manipulated to create the illusion of a functioning and decentralized financial system. KWON pled guilty today before U.S. District Judge Paul A. Engelmayer.
“Do Kwon used the technological promise and investment euphoria around cryptocurrency to commit one of the largest frauds in history,” said U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton. “Kwon attracted tens of billions in funds to Terraform’s ecosystem by promising a self-stabilizing stablecoin. By the time the markets discovered the ecosystem was unstable, it was too late: the system collapsed, and investors around the world suffered billions in losses. Kwon’s plea represents an important milestone in this Office’s continuing efforts to bring integrity and accountability to the digital asset markets. It would not have been possible without the dedicated work of our law enforcement partners at the FBI and the assistance of our allies abroad.”
According to the allegations contained in the Superseding Indictment and statements made in public filings and in public court proceedings:
Terraform was a blockchain and cryptocurrency company co-founded by KWON in 2018. Terraform distinguished the Terra blockchain from other competing blockchains by issuing so-called algorithmic stablecoins pursuant to what it called the “Terra Protocol.” According to KWON and others, Terraform stablecoins maintained a steady value even under changing market conditions. In or around September 2020, Terraform publicly announced the launch of Terraform’s stablecoin pegged to the U.S. dollar, TerraUSD (“UST”). Terraform promotional materials claimed that, under the Terra Protocol, one UST could always be exchanged for $1 worth of LUNA, the Terra blockchain’s native token. Conversely, $1 worth of LUNA could always be exchanged for one UST.
Over time, Terraform and its affiliated entities developed and launched various purportedly decentralized finance applications and entities designed to increase the number of users and transactions on the Terra blockchain, including:
- Chai, a Korean payment platform that purportedly began using the Terra blockchain to process financial transactions in or around June 2019;
- Mirror Protocol, a platform launched around December 2020 that allowed for the creation, buying, and selling of synthetic versions of financial assets, such as stocks listed on United States securities exchanges, using the Terra blockchain;
- Anchor Protocol, a platform launched in or around March 2021 that allowed for borrowing and lending UST, and that offered an approximately 20% annual return for UST deposited in Anchor;
- And the Luna Foundation Guard Ltd. (“LFG”), an entity incorporated publicly and launched in or around January 2022 that eventually maintained billions of dollars’ worth of financial reserves in the form of other cryptocurrencies such as bitcoin (the “LFG Reserve”) to purportedly support UST’s peg to the dollar.
KWON solicited and obtained investments from several investment firms in the United States and other locations, with the investments primarily consisting of agreements for the purchase or loan of Terraform’s cryptocurrencies built on the Terra blockchain. Through his work at Terraform, KWON became one of the most prominent business leaders in the cryptocurrency industry. In truth, KWON’s constructed financial world was built on lies and manipulative and deceptive techniques used to mislead investors, users, business partners, and government regulators regarding Terraform’s business:
- The Stablecoin Misrepresentations: KWON made misrepresentations about the effectiveness of the Terra Protocol, which purportedly used a computer algorithm to maintain the value of one UST at $1. But as KWON knew, after the Terra Protocol failed to cause the restoration of UST’s $1 peg in May 2021, KWON reached an agreement with executives at a high-frequency trading firm (the Trading Firm) so that the Trading Firm would purchase large amounts of UST in order to artificially support UST’s $1 peg.
- The LFG Misrepresentations: KWON claimed LFG was managed by an independent governing body and was tasked with deploying billions of dollars’ worth of financial reserves to defend UST’s peg. But as KWON knew, he controlled both the LFG and Terraform. In addition, KWON misappropriated hundreds of millions of dollars in assets from the LFG.
- The Mirror Misrepresentations: KWON claimed that Mirror operated in a decentralized manner and that he and Terraform played no role in Mirror’s governance. But as KWON knew, he and Terraform secretly maintained control over Mirror, and used automated trading bots to manipulate the prices of synthetic assets that Mirror issued. KWON also caused Terraform to inflate key user metrics to deceive investors.
- The Chai Misrepresentations: KWON falsely claimed that the Terra blockchain was being used to process billions of dollars in financial transactions for Chai. In doing so, KWON claimed that the Terra blockchain had “real world” applications or uses, as distinct from competing cryptocurrency platforms. But as KWON knew, Chai processed transactions through traditional financial processing networks, not the Terra blockchain.
- The Genesis Coin Misrepresentations: KWON made misrepresentations about the use of a supply of one billion stablecoins programmed into the Terra blockchain at its creation (the Genesis Stablecoins), which were purportedly held in reserve for Terraform for certain specified uses. But KWON used at least $145 million worth of Genesis Stablecoins, among other things, to fund fake Chai blockchain transactions and trading bots to manipulate the prices of synthetic assets that Mirror issued.
At its peak in the spring of 2022, the total apparent market value of all UST and LUNA exceeded $50 billion. Much of this growth followed KWON’s misrepresentations about Terraform and its technology, including efforts in May 2021 by KWON and his associates to secretly manipulate the market for UST. By May 2022, the UST market was approximately nine times larger in terms of market capitalization and more than eight times larger in terms of daily trading volume relative to May 2021. In May 2022, UST’s peg began to break down as it had a year prior. While KWON was able to cover up the weaknesses of the Terra Protocol in May 2021, he was not able to do so in May 2022. As a result, the value of UST and LUNA crashed, and investors suffered over $40 billion in losses. After the crash of UST and LUNA in May 2022, KWON caused the distribution of a misleading “third party audit” report to cover up his crimes.
On or about March 23, 2023, KWON was arrested in Europe while traveling on a false passport. U.S. authorities submitted a formal request for the arrest and extradition of KWON on March 25, 2023. On December 31, 2024, KWON was extradited from Montenegro to the United States.
* * *
KWON, 33, of the Republic of Korea, pled guilty to one count of conspiring to commit commodities fraud, securities fraud, and wire fraud; and one count of committing wire fraud, which combined carry a maximum sentence of 25 years in prison. As part of his plea, KWON has agreed to forfeit over $19 million in proceeds from his illegal schemes, including his interest in Terraform and its cryptocurrencies. KWON is scheduled to be sentenced by Judge Engelmayer on December 11, 2025.
The maximum potential sentence in this case is prescribed by Congress and provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the judge.
Mr. Clayton praised the outstanding work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), FBI’s Virtual Assets Unit, FBI’s Economic Crimes Unit, FBI’s International Operations Division and Legal Attaché office covering Montenegro, the Ministry of Justice of the Republic of Montenegro, the Ministry of Interior of the Republic of Montenegro, the Montenegro Supreme State Prosecutor's Office, and the Montenegro Special State Prosecutor's Office. Mr. Clayton also gave special thanks to the Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs for securing the extradition.
The case is being overseen by the Office’s Securities and Commodities Fraud Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Marguerite B. Colson, Sarah Mortazavi, Kimberly Ravener, and Andrew Thomas are in charge of the prosecution.
Deming, Washington man sentenced to more than 13 years in prison for receipt and possession of images of child sexual abuseRead the Press Release
Seattle – A 47-year-old resident of Deming, Whatcom County, Washington was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Seattle to 160 months in prison for two federal felonies related to his receipt and possession of child sexual abuse material, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Teal Luthy Miller. Robert J. Howell Jr. came to the attention of law enforcement in late 2019 when a foreign country police organization alerted Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) that an IP address associated with Howell Jr’s residence had accessed a website devoted to child sexual abuse material. Following a two-day jury trial in April 2025, jurors deliberated about an hour before finding Howell Jr. guilty. U.S District Judge John C. Coughenour ordered Howell Jr. to pay $141,000 in restitution to the 47 child victims exploited in the sexual abuse imagery.
Judge Coughenour imposed the sentence of more than 13 years in prison saying it was driven by the quantity and violent nature of the child sexual abuse material. Judge Coughenour noted Howell Jr. “poses a danger to the community and has a complete lack of contrition.” Howell Jr. will be on twenty years of supervised release following his prison term.
According to records filed in the case and testimony at trial, after getting the tip from a foreign law enforcement organization, HSI agents sought information on the account associated with the IP address. The IP address was linked to Howell’s home in Deming. On September 15, 2020, federal agents executed a search warrant and seized several dozen electronic devices. A forensic review determined there were more than 90,000 files depicting child sexual abuse on some 21 electronic devices. Many of the images were of the sexual abuse of very young children and included depictions involving extreme violence.
At trial, prosecutors proved that between 2016 and 2019, Howell Jr. received five specific files of child sexual abuse material and knowingly possessed many more.
In all, more than 75 electronic assets including computers, phones, tablets, hard drives, storage devices, gaming devices, and CDs were seized by law enforcement and have been forfeited to the government.
The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Matthew Hampton and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica M. Ly.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
D.C. Child Psychotherapist Charged with Distributing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Victor Renato Blythe, 60, of the District of Columbia, has been charged by federal complaint with allegedly distributing and possessing child pornography to another individual, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
Blythe is employed as a psychotherapist and specializes in working with children and adolescents. Blythe previously was employed in the Psychiatry Department at Children’s National Medical Center.
According to the complaint, Blythe is alleged to have communicated with another individual regarding his interest in the sexual abuse of children. During the course of those communications, Blythe is alleged to have distributed child pornography to that other individual. Blythe is also alleged to have possessed additional videos depicting child pornography on his electronic devices.
The case is being investigated by the FBI Washington Field Office and the Metropolitan Police Department with the assistance of the Fairfax County Police Department. It is being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia.
Anyone with information is asked to contact the FBI at [email protected].
This case is being brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by 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.justice.gov/psc.
A criminal complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
25mj136
Chinese national sent to federal prison after bringing child sexual abuse material into the U.S.Read the Press Release
McALLEN, Texas – A 19-year-old woman from China caught illegally entering the United States has been sentenced for possession of child pornography, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
Jinyi Zheng pleaded guilty June 2.
Chief U.S. District Judge Randy Crane has now ordered Zheng to serve 24 months in federal prison. Not a U.S. citizen, she is expected to face removal proceedings following her prison term. If not immediately removed from the United States after her imprisonment, she must also serve an additional 24 months on home confinement. Zheng will also be on supervised release for five years following the completion of her imprisonment, during which time she will have to comply with numerous requirements designed to restrict her access to children and the internet. Zheng will also be ordered to register as a sex offender.
On Feb. 12, authorities encountered Zheng near Hidalgo after she illegally enter the United States from Mexico. At that time, they located an Apple iPhone 14 belonging to her. A forensic examination of the phone revealed six videos of prepubescent minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct.
“This case shows why border security is so imperative,” said Ganjei. “Zheng is not the kind of person who we want walking around free in American communities, with the ability to prey on children. Fortunately, swift action by our law enforcement partners prevented this would-be predator from ever gaining access to our nation’s interior.”
Zheng has been and will remain in custody pending transfer to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement - Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation with the assistance of Border Patrol.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexa D. Parcell is prosecuting 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.
Child Predator Convicted of Failing to Register as a Sex OffenderRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – Following a trial before District Judge Susan Richard Nelson, a federal jury convicted Randy Joe Fuller, 54, of failure to register as a sex offender, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Joseph H. Thompson.
“Sex offender registration laws exist for one reason—to protect our communities and our children from known threats,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Joseph H. Thompson. “When offenders ignore these requirements, they undermine a system designed to keep our families safe. Our duty is to protect children from those who prey on them, and we will use every power under federal law to do exactly that.”
Randy Joe Fuller is a convicted sex offender subject to predatory offender status. According to the public record, in 1990, Fuller was convicted in Fillmore County, Minnesota of first-degree criminal sexual conduct for sexually assaulting a child. Fuller received a sentence of 54 months in prison.
In 2006, as a part of the Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act, a comprehensive national sex offender registration system was established called the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA). SORNA aims to close gaps and loopholes that existed under prior laws, and to strengthen the nationwide network of sex offender registrations to protect the public from known sexual predators. SORNA requires that qualifying sex offenders provide important information about their locations and employment to local and federal authorities.
Following his release from prison, Fuller had a duty under SORNA to register as a sex offender and to keep his registration current until 2039.
Fuller did not keep his registration current. In fact, Fuller has three prior Minnesota state convictions—2000, 2010, and 2013—for failing to keep his registration current.
In December 2024, Fuller moved from Iowa to Houston, Minnesota. However, he chose not notify state and federal authorities that he moved back to Minnesota, as required to do under SORNA. In January 2025, officers from the Houston, Minnesota Police Department were called to Fuller’s home because of a verbal altercation; they learned that Fuller was living in Minnesota and contacted federal authorities.
After being arrested and charged for failure to register, Fuller was housed at the Sherburne County jail. On June 30, 2025, while in custody and on a recorded jail call, Fuller discussed the federal charges pending against him. At one point in the conversation, Fuller acknowledged, “I am guilty of failure to register.”
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the United States Marshals Service (USMS), with assistance from the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA), the Houston, Minnesota Police Department, and the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation (DCI).
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Evan B. Gilead and Matthew D. Evans prosecuted the case.
Charlotte Man Sentenced for Stealing Firearms from A Licensed DealerRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Reginald Maraeus Moses, 21, of Charlotte, was sentenced today for stealing multiple firearms from a licensed firearms dealer in Charlotte, announced Russ Ferguson, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. Moses was ordered to serve 27 months in the Federal Bureau of Prisons followed by two years under court supervision.
Alicia Jones, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Charlotte Field Division, and Chief Johnny Jennings of the Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Department (CMPD), join U.S. Attorney Ferguson in making today’s announcement.
According to court records, on February 20, 2024, Moses crashed a stolen a vehicle into Carolina Sporting Arms Company, Inc., located at 8055 South Boulevard, in Charlotte, with the intent to steal firearms. After breaking into the store, Moses and an accomplice stole 20 firearms, including 18 handguns and two long guns.
Moses pleaded guilty to theft of a firearm from a licensed dealer and aiding and abetting the same.
In making today’s announcement, U.S. Attorney Ferguson thanked the ATF and CMPD for their investigation of the case.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
Cedar Rapids Felon Who Tosses Gun During High-Speed Chase Sentenced to Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
A felon who discarded a loaded firearm while fleeing from the police was sentenced today to more than five years in federal prison. Lawrence Curtis Glover, age 42, from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, received the prison term after a March 10, 2025 guilty plea to one count of possession of a firearm by a felon.
Information at sentencing showed that on January 6, 2024, law enforcement stopped a car that Glover was driving in Cedar Rapids. After Glover realized that officers were going to search his car, he fled and led officers on a high-speed pursuit. He reached speeds of at least 80 miles per hour in a 35-mile-per-hour zone. During the chase, he tossed a loaded firearm out the window of his car. Glover then pulled over. Officers later searched his car and found psilocybin chocolates and marijuana. Glover has a 2011 federal conviction for distribution and aiding and abetting the distribution of 5 grams or more of cocaine base.
Glover was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams. Glover was sentenced to 66 months’ imprisonment and must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
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.
Glover is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Devra T. Hake and investigated by the Cedar Rapids Safe Streets Task Force. The task force is composed of representatives from the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Cedar Rapids Police Department, and the Marion Police Department.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 25-CR-3.
Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.
Career Offender Sentenced to Eight Years in Federal Prison for Threatening a Federal Judge and a Federal ProsecutorRead the Press Release
COEUR D’ALENE – Nathanael Michael West, 28, was sentenced to 96 months in federal prison and three years’ supervised release on July 31, 2025, for, with the intent to retaliate, threatening to murder, assault, or kidnap a federal judge and a federal prosecutor, announced U.S. Attorney Scott E. Bradford for the District of Oregon. The court ordered the sentence to be served consecutively to two prior sentences in 2020 and 2022 for similar convictions in the District of Idaho.
According to court records, in October 2022, West was sentenced to federal prison for mailing threatening communications to three state prosecutors. In February 2023, while serving a state sentence for burglary at an Idaho state prison, West sent a threatening letter to Assistant United States Attorney David Robins, who prosecuted the two cases that led to West’s incarceration. The letter contained graphic descriptions of West’s threat to assault, kidnap, torture, mutilate, and murder the prosecutor. Less than two weeks later, in March 2023, West sent another threatening letter to Chief U.S. District Judge David C. Nye, who sentenced West in October 2022. That letter vividly described West’s threat to assault and murder the judge.
On August 14, 2024, a federal grand jury in Idaho returned a four-count indictment, charging West with mailing threatening communications, threatening to assault, kidnap, or murder a federal law enforcement officer with intent to retaliate, and threatening to assault or murder a United States Judge with intent to retaliate. On July 31, 2025, West pleaded guilty to all four counts of the indictment.
“The 96-month sentence in this case is appropriate and justified, reflecting the seriousness, brazen, and violent nature of the defendant’s persistent threats,” said Scott E. Bradford, U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon. “The defendant’s deliberate actions were not only incredibly personal to the victims in this case, but they were also an assault on the integrity of the criminal justice system.”
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Idaho was recused from this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas H. Edmonds from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Oregon was appointed as Special Attorney to the United States Attorney General to prosecute the case. He reports to and acts under the direction of the Deputy Attorney General, or his delegee, or U.S. Attorney Bradford in the case.
U.S. Attorney Bradford commended the work of the FBI, which conducted the investigation.
###
Armed Convicted Felon Is Sentenced to Prison for Gun ChargesRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Michael Anthony Cornwell, 30, and a convicted felon, was sentenced today to 106 months in prison and two years of supervised release for firearms offenses, announced Russ Ferguson, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina.
Alicia Jones, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Charlotte Field Division, and Chief Johnny Jennings of the Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Department (CMPD), join U.S. Attorney Ferguson in making today’s announcement.
According to court documents and court proceedings, on September 13, 2022, Cornwell was arrested by CMPD officers on an outstanding warrant. Law enforcement also executed a search warrant at Cornwell’s residence, where they seized multiple rounds of various ammunition, a .40 caliber drum magazine, multiple rifle magazines, a gun sight, digital scales, and distribution quantity of marijuana. Law enforcement also seized a loaded 40 caliber Glock semi-automatic pistol from Cornwell’s vehicle. Cornwell has prior felony convictions, and he is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition.
On January 10, 2025, Cornwell pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking. He is in federal custody and will be transferred to the custody of the federal Bureau of Prisons upon designation of a federal facility.
In making today’s announcement, U.S. Attorney Ferguson thanked the ATF and CMPD for their investigation of the case.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
Alta Iowa Man Pleads Guilty to Illegal Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
A man who illegally possessed a firearm pled guilty August 11, 2025, in federal court in Sioux City.
Taxavier Ford, 29, from Alta, Iowa, was convicted of one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm. Ford was previously convicted of possession of a narcotic drug, in the State of Indiana in 2017, and possession of marijuana, with intent to deliver and possession of a firearm by a felon, in the Iowa District Court for Buena Vista County in 2021. Both of these convictions prohibit a person from possessing any firearm.
At the plea hearing, evidence showed that on March 14, 2025, in Storm Lake, Iowa, law enforcement observed a vehicle, driven by Ford, with illegal window tint and initiated a traffic stop. Officers measured the window tint which revealed it was in excess of Iowa state law. When measuring the window tint, officers smelled the odor of marijuana coming from the vehicle. During a search of the vehicle and Ford, officers found a metal object in Ford’s waistband. Ford admitted he had a loaded firearm in his waistband.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
This case is also 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).
Sentencing before United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Ford remains free on bond previously set pending sentencing. Ford faces a possible maximum sentence of 15 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and no more than three years of supervised release following any imprisonment.
The case was investigated by the Storm Lake Police Department, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kraig R. Hamit.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 25-4028. Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.
Albany Man Sentenced to 42 Years in Prison for Sexually Abusing a ToddlerRead the Press Release
EUGENE, Ore.— An Albany, Oregon man was sentenced to federal prison today for sexually abusing a toddler on at least five separate occasions and sharing videos of the abuse online.
Kevin Walter Taylor, 35, was sentenced to 504 months in federal prison and a life term of supervised release.
“The sexual abuse of this young child is reprehensible and is deserving of every month of the sentence that has been imposed by the court,” Scott E. Bradford, U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon. “The U.S. Attorney’s Office recognizes and thanks the Albany police officers and HSI special agents for rescuing this child within hours of learning of the abuse.”
“HSI is unwavering in our commitment to protecting children and ensuring that those who exploit them are brought to justice,” said ICE Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Seattle Acting Special Agent in Charge Colin Jackson. “I am proud of the dedication and expertise demonstrated by our agents, analysts, and law enforcement partners in rescuing the victim from horrific sexual exploitation.”
According to court documents, on the morning of September 8, 2023, special agents from HSI discovered material online depicting child sexual abuse and determined that Taylor was likely committing the abuse from his home in Albany.
Within hours, HSI agents obtained and executed a federal search warrant on Taylor’s residence with the assistance of officers from the Albany Police Department. The same night, HSI and Albany Police arrested Taylor and rescued the toddler victim, who was still wearing the clothes depicted in the abuse material produced and distributed by Taylor just hours earlier.
Upon review of Taylor’s cell phone, agents discovered evidence of the abuse that occurred the day of his arrest as well as videos taken almost every day during the preceding week. Agents also discovered chats in which Taylor openly discussed his abuse of the toddler victim and shared the videos he made.
Agents discovered additional chats in which Taylor discussed his plans to kidnap and rape other children as well as his interest in filming children in stores in the community. Consistent with those chats, agents discovered videos taken in what appeared to be grocery stores, focused and zoomed in on children’s mid-sections. Agents also discovered videos in which Taylor recorded himself tossing fluids onto unaware women in public. The children and women filmed without their knowledge could not be identified.
On October 19, 2023, a federal grand jury in Eugene returned a ten-count indictment charging Taylor with sexually exploiting a child, distributing child pornography, and possessing child pornography. On December 10, 2024, Taylor pleaded guilty to sexually exploiting a child, distributing child pornography, and possessing child pornography.
This case was investigated by HSI Portland in conjunction with HSI Charlotte, the Boone Police Department in North Carolina, and the Albany Police Department. It was prosecuted by William M. McLaren, Assistant United States Attorney for the District of Oregon, in coordination with the Linn County District Attorney’s Office.
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.
26 Fugitives Wanted for Violent and Serious Crimes Returned to the United States from Mexico Including Leaders of Foreign Terrorist Organizations and Alien Smuggling OrganizationRead the Press Release
The United States announced today that it has taken into custody 26 fugitives from Mexico facing a range of federal and state criminal charges from around the country, including charges relating to drug-trafficking, hostage-taking, kidnapping, illegal use of firearms, human smuggling, money laundering, the murder of a sheriffs’ deputy, and other crimes. Among the fugitives taken into U.S. custody today are leaders and managers of dangerous drug cartels, such as those designated as Foreign Terrorist Organizations and Specially Designated Global Terrorists, including the Sinaloa Cartel, Cártel de Jalisco Nueva Generación (CJNG), and Cártel del Noreste (formerly Los Zetas). These fugitives are collectively alleged to have imported into the United States tonnage quantities of dangerous drugs, including cocaine, methamphetamine, fentanyl, and heroin.
“Today is the latest example of the Trump administration's historic efforts to dismantle cartels and foreign terrorist organizations,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “These 26 men have all played a role in bringing violence and drugs to American shores -- under this Department of Justice, they will face severe consequences for their crimes against this country. We are grateful to Mexico’s National Security team for their collaboration in this matter.”
Included in today’s transfer are the following fugitives:
- Abigael Gonzalez Valencia also known as “Cuini” – is one of the leaders of Los Cuinis, a major Mexican drug cartel responsible for trafficking multiple tons of cocaine from South America, through Mexico, into the United States.
- Kevin Gil Acosta and Martin Zazueta Perez – According to court documents, Gil Acosta and Zazueta Perez are leaders of the security apparatus for the Chapitos, a powerful faction of the Sinaloa Cartel that engages in prolific fentanyl trafficking. Both men have led sicarios armed with military-style weapons – such as AK-47s, M-16s, AR-15s, and grenade launchers – in attacks on Mexican government and military officials. Gil Acosta leads sicarios tasked with protecting fentanyl labs and distribution routes while Zazueta Perez provides personal security for a leader of the Chapitos.
- Abdul Karim Conteh, a national of Sierra Leone, allegedly led a human smuggling organization that smuggled thousands of migrants to the United States through Mexico. These smuggled migrants originated from countries around the world, including Iran, Afghanistan, Uzbekistan, Pakistan, Kazakhstan, Turkey, Somalia, Cameroon, Senegal, Mauritania, Ethiopia, Egypt, and others. The migrants paid smuggling fees, often tens of thousands of dollars. Conteh allegedly oversaw the migrants’ unlawful entry into the United States by various surreptitious and unlawful means, including the use of ladders and tunnels.
- Leobardo Garcia Corrales is believed to be an important figure in the Sinaloa Cartel who has trafficked kilogram quantities of fentanyl into the United States, sometimes in exchange for military-grade weapons such as AK-47s, grenades, and submachine guns. He claims to be close friends and associates with Joaquín Archivaldo Guzmán Loera, aka “El Chapo.”
- Luis Raul Castro Valenzuela also known as “Chacho,” a member of the Sinaloa Cartel, has been charged with kidnapping and holding hostage a U.S. citizen.
- Juan Carlos Felix Gastelum also known as “El Chavo Félix,” a major Sinaloa Cartel cell leader and son-in-law to former Sinaloa Cartel leader Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada, is alleged to be a principal operator of the Sinaloa Cartel’s clandestine methamphetamine manufacturing laboratories located in the Sierra Madre Mountains of Sinaloa and Durango, Mexico involved in the manufacturing and distribution of large quantities of methamphetamine and cocaine from Mexico into the United States.
- Roberto Salazar is wanted in connection with the murder of Los Angeles County Sheriff's Deputy Juan Escalante, who was killed in 2008 when he was leaving his home during the early morning hours.
- Pablo Edwin Huerta Nuno, also known as “Flaquito,” is a violent Tijuana Plaza boss who has operated with impunity during the last 15 years. Huerta-Nuno is alleged to have supplied thousands of kilograms of methamphetamine, fentanyl, and cocaine to distributors and cells located throughout San Diego and Los Angeles. And in return, millions of dollars in narcotics proceeds were delivered to him and his organization via shipments of bulk cash from San Diego into Tijuana.
Below is a complete list of fugitives, as well as the districts in which they are charged and will appear in federal court in the coming days:
FugitiveArraignment JurisdictionStatutory MaximumEnrique Arballo TalamantesDistrict of New MexicoUp to life imprisonmentBenito Barrios MaldonadoDistrict of ArizonaUp to life imprisonmentLuis Raul Castro ValenzuelaDistrict of DelawareUp to life imprisonmentFrancisco ChavezDistrict of ColoradoUp to life imprisonmentAbdul Karim ContehSouthern District of California45 years’ imprisonmentBaldomero Fernandez BeltranDistrict of ArizonaUp to life imprisonmentIsmael Enrique Fernandez VazquezEastern District of TexasUp to life imprisonmentLeobardo Garcia CorralesSouthern District of New YorkUp to life imprisonmentAbigael Gonzalez ValenciaDistrict of ColumbiaUp to life imprisonmentJose Carlos Guzman BernalDistrict of AlaskaUp to life imprisonmentAnton Petrov KulkinDistrict of MassachusettsUp to life imprisonmentRoberto Omar LopezNorthern District of GeorgiaUp to life imprisonmentJose Francisco Mendoza GomezEastern District of VirginiaUp to life imprisonmentHernan Domingo Ojeda LopezDistrict of ColumbiaUp to life imprisonment
Daniel Perez RojasDistrict of ColumbiaUp to life imprisonmentJuan Carlos Sanchez GaytanSouthern District of TexasUp to life imprisonmentDavid Fernando Vasquez BejaranoEastern District of VirginiaUp to life imprisonmentJose Antonio Vivanco HernandezNorthern District of IllinoisUp to life imprisonmentMauro Alberto Nunez OjedaDistrict of ColumbiaUp to life imprisonmentJuan Carlos Felix GastelumSouthern District of CaliforniaUp to life imprisonmentJesus Guzman CastroEastern District of New York and District of South CarolinaUp to life imprisonmentPablo Edwin Huerta NunoSouthern District of CaliforniaUp to life imprisonmentServando Gomez MartinezSouthern District of New YorkUp to life imprisonmentKevin Gil AcostaSouthern District of New YorkUp to life imprisonmentRoberto SalazarCA: Los Angeles CountyUp to life imprisonmentMartin Zazueta PerezSouthern District of New YorkUp to life imprisonmentAttorney General Pamela Bondi thanked the law enforcement officers of the Drug Enforcement Administration, FBI, U.S. Marshal’s Service, and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations, the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, and the Los Angeles County Police Department for their valuable contributions to these investigations.
The Attorney General also thanked the Justice Department Criminal Division’s Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section, as well as the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices for the District of Alaska, District of Arizona, Southern District of California, District of Columbia, District of Colorado, Middle District of North Carolina, District of Delaware, Northern District of Georgia, Northern District of Illinois, District of Massachusetts, District of New Mexico, Eastern District of New York, Southern District of New York, District of South Carolina, Eastern District of Virginia, Northern District of Texas, Eastern District of Texas, Southern District of Texas, and Western District of Texas and Los Angeles County for handling the prosecutions of these cases. The Attorney General also thanked the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs which provided critical assistance in securing the transfer of these fugitives to the United States to face justice.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Monday 11 August 2025
Wyoming Man Found Not Guilty in Federal CourtRead the Press Release
RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced that a Gillette, Wyoming, man was acquitted of Transportation of a Minor with Intent to Engage in Criminal Sexual Activity and Aggravated Sexual Abuse with Children following a federal jury trial in Rapid City, South Dakota, on July 25, 2025.
Richard Wayne Gray, age 41, was indicted by a federal grand jury in December 2024. The charges related to the alleged transportation of a minor across state lines to engage in a sexual act.
The investigation was conducted by the Pennington County Sheriff’s Office and the Campbell County Sheriff’s Office in Wyoming. The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case.Waterbury Armed Drug Trafficker Sentenced to 5 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that ROBERT HARRISON, also known as “Firm” and “Lox,” 39, of Waterbury, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Victor A. Bolden in New Haven to 60 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for a drug-related firearm offense.
According to court documents and statements made in court, between March and June 2024, the Drug Enforcement Administration New Haven Task Force and the Waterbury Police Department investigated a drug trafficking organization headed by Harrison. During that time, investigators made eight controlled purchases of narcotics from Harrison and his associates. On June 20, 2024, law enforcement executed federal search warrants for locations connected to Harrison’s organization. A search of Harrison’s residence on Frost Road, his auto repair business on Todd Hollow Road in Waterbury, and a recording studio he operated on Woodtick Road in Waterbury, revealed more than 370 grams of cocaine, narcotic pills, four loaded handguns, gun magazines, numerous rounds of ammunition, and approximately $18,208 in cash.
Harrison has been detained since his arrest on related state charges on June 20, 2024. On April 14, 2025, he pleaded guilty in federal court to possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
This matter has been investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration New Haven Task Force and the Waterbury Police Department. The Task Force includes members from the DEA, U.S. Marshals Service, Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation Division, Connecticut State Police and the New Haven, Waterbury, East Haven, Branford, West Haven, Ansonia, Meriden, Naugatuck, and Shelton Police Departments.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Natasha M. Freismuth.
W. Ellis Boyle Sworn in as United States AttorneyRead the Press Release
RALEIGH, N.C. – W. Ellis Boyle. has taken the oath of office to become the United States Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina. The oath was administered by United States District Judge Terrence W. Boyle at the Terry Sanford Courthouse in Raleigh. Attorney General Pamela Bondi appointed Mr. Boyle as the interim U.S. Attorney on August 7, 2025.
As U.S. Attorney, Mr. Boyle is the lead federal law enforcement official in the Eastern District of North Carolina, which includes the 44 eastern most counties of North Carolina. He oversees a staff of 119 employees, including 58 attorneys and 61 non-attorney support personnel. The office is responsible for prosecuting federal crimes across the district, including crimes related to immigration, gang violence, National Security, drug trafficking, and violent crime. The office also defends the United States in civil cases and collects debts owed to the United States.
Before becoming the U.S. Attorney, Mr. Boyle practiced law at Ward and Smith, P.A., where he practiced litigation, representing businesses, government entities, and individuals in complex matters. He also served as General Counsel and Deputy Secretary at the North Carolina Department of Public Safety (DPS), which employs over 27,000 people. The department oversees the state's prison and probation/parole systems, the State Highway Patrol, Emergency Management, the National Guard, and the juvenile justice system.
Prior to his role at DPS, Mr. Boyle was an Assistant United States Attorney (AUSA) in the Eastern District of North Carolina for two years. During his time in the Civil Division, he tried many cases in federal court. He gained extensive experience representing the United States in cases involving negligence and medical malpractice claims for personal injuries under the Federal Tort Claims Act (FTCA), as well as in bankruptcy cases.
Before serving as an AUSA, Mr. Boyle was an associate in the business litigation practice group of Womble, Carlyle, Sandridge & Rice in Winston-Salem, where he primarily represented companies in matters related to business disputes and dissolution.
Mr. Boyle is from northeastern North Carolina, born and raised in Edenton. He earned a degree in history from Davidson College. After graduating, he was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant into the Army where he served as an infantry officer for four years, eventually rising to the rank of Captain. Following his time in the Army, Mr. Boyle earned a law degree from Wake Forest University Law School. After graduating, he spent a year as a law clerk for the Honorable Claude Hilton, a U.S. District Court Judge in the Eastern District of Virginia.
Violent Bridgeport Gang Member Sentenced to 40 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
LORENZO CARTER, also known as “Zo” and “Skiii,” 30, of Bridgeport, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Kari A. Dooley in Bridgeport to 480 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for his involvement in a violent Bridgeport street gang.
Today’s announcement was made by David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut; Joseph T. Corradino, State’s Attorney for the Fairfield Judicial District; Bridgeport Police Chief Roderick Porter; P.J. O’Brien, Special Agent in Charge of the New Haven Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation; Bryan DiGirolamo, Acting Special Agent in Charge, ATF Boston Field Division; Jarod Forget, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration for New England; and Acting Chief Deputy U.S. Marshal John Iverson.
According to court documents and the evidence presented during the trial, the FBI, ATF, DEA, U.S. Marshals Service, Connecticut State Police and Bridgeport Police have been investigating multiple Bridgeport-based gangs whose members are involved in narcotics trafficking, murder, and other acts of violence. Carter was a member of the Original North End (“O.N.E.”), a gang based in the Trumbull Gardens area of Bridgeport that committed acts of violence against rival gangs, including the East End gang, the East Side gang, and the PT Barnum gang. O.N.E. members also robbed drug dealers, customers, and others, sold narcotics, and stole cars from inside and outside Connecticut, often using the cars to commit crimes. They frequently used social media to promote and coordinate their criminal activities.
On August 9, 2018, O.N.E. members stole a Jeep Grand Cherokee in Newburgh, New York, and drove it back to Bridgeport. In the following days, O.N.E. members conspired to use the car to kill East End gang members and their allies who they had learned through social media were at a deli on Stratford Avenue in Bridgeport. Although that plan fell through, in the early morning hours of August 13, 2018, Carter and other O.N.E. members drove the stolen Jeep to Stratford and Union Avenues in Bridgeport where they shot and killed Len Smith, 25, who they mistook for a rival East End member, and shot and seriously wounded Smith’s female companion, both of whom were seated in a parked car. After the shooting, Carter and other O.N.E. members transported the Jeep to Indian Well State Park in Shelton where they burned the vehicle in an effort to destroy evidence of the murder.
O.N.E. members committed other violent crimes, including murder. Carter and other O.N.E. members, posted videos to social media in which they and others brandished firearms, celebrated violent gang culture, and referenced rivals who were killed.
Carter has been detained since May 21, 2021. On November 21, 2023, he was convicted after trial of racketeering conspiracy.
Carter’s criminal history includes state and federal firearm convictions. In 2016, he was sentenced in New Haven federal court to 21 months of imprisonment for unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon.
Approximately 47 members and associates of multiple Bridgeport-based gangs have been convicted of federal offenses stemming from this investigation, which has solved eight murders and approximately 20 attempted murders.
This investigation has been conducted by the FBI’s Safe Streets and Violent Crimes Task Forces, ATF, DEA, U.S. Marshals Service, Bridgeport Police Department, Connecticut State Police and the Bridgeport State’s Attorney’s Office, with the assistance of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Connecticut Forensic Science Laboratory, and the police departments from Norwalk, Stamford, Fairfield, Stratford, Ansonia, Monroe, Waterbury, Naugatuck, Eastchester (N.Y.), Rye (N.Y.), and Newburgh (N.Y.). The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Karen L. Peck, Jocelyn C. Kaoutzanis, Stephanie T. Levick, and Rahul Kale.
This prosecution is a part of the Justice’s Department’s Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), Project Longevity and Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) programs.
United States Obtains More Than $1.4 Million Judgment Against Family Medical Practitioner for Fraudulent BillingRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland –The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland (USAO-MD) announced that it obtained a judgment of $1,407,493.23 against Dr. Richard Akoto, M.D., a family medical doctor, and his practice, Richard O. Akoto, M.D. PC, located in Takoma Park, Maryland. The U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland found that Akoto submitted, or caused the submission of, false claims to the Medicare program in connection with his use of auricular stimulation (P-Stim) devices.
U.S. Attorney Kelly O. Hayes announced the judgment with Special Agent in Charge Maureen Dixon, Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG).
In his practice, Dr. Akoto used a P-stim device to treat patients for pain. A P-Stim device provides electrical acupuncture to treat pain symptoms and is applied externally to the patient, generally behind the patient’s ear using an adhesive to hold the device in place. Acupuncture, electrical or otherwise, is not reimbursable by Medicare. The United States filed a complaint against Dr. Akoto alleging he falsely billed Medicare using a code for an implantable neurostimulator device, which is surgically implanted into a patient and typically performed by a surgeon in an operating room. Dr. Akoto fraudulently billed Medicare for this complex neurosurgical procedure numerous times from approximately January 17, 2019 to May 1, 2019.
“Dr. Akoto knowingly submitted false claims by billing non-invasive P-Stim devices as surgical implants—an unconscionable and blatant misrepresentation to exploit the Medicare system,” Hayes said. “This type of fraud not only wastes taxpayer dollars, it also undermines trust in our healthcare system. The U.S. Attorney’s office is committed to continuing to work with our partners to identify and eliminate this kind of waste and abuse of our federal health care programs.”
“Accurately billing for services provided to Medicare enrollees is required of all health care providers participating in the program,” Dixon said. “HHS-OIG and the U.S. Attorney’s Office will continue to evaluate and pursue inaccurate billings related to P-Stim and similar devices.”
U.S. Attorney Hayes commended HHS-OIG for its work in the investigation. Ms. Hayes also thanked Thomas F. Corcoran, Chief, USAO-MD Civil Division, and Investigator Ann Thiel, for their investigation and litigation of this case.
For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to report fraud, visit justice.gov/usao-md and justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.
# # #
United States Department of Justice Transfers 14 Mexican Nationals with Drug Convictions to Mexico Pursuant to the U.S.-Mexico International Prisoner Transfer TreatyRead the Press Release
The U.S. Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs, with the assistance of the Department’s Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP), transferred 14 Mexican nationals serving prison sentences for drug distribution-related convictions in the United States to their home country on Friday. The transfer was made pursuant to the United States’ prisoner transfer treaty with the Government of Mexico.
“Friday’s transfer of 14 federal inmates to correctional authorities in Mexico has saved the United States over $4 million by eliminating the need to pay incarceration costs for the 96 years remaining on their combined sentences,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew R. Galeotti of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “The Justice Department will continue such transfers – pursuant to our treaty with Mexico – to reduce incarceration costs and relieve overcrowding in our federal prisons.”
All 14 inmates transferred Friday were serving sentences relating to the distribution of controlled substances. The inmates will complete the remainder of their sentences in Mexico pursuant to the treaty. The inmates requested to be transferred to their home country, and the governments of both the United States and Mexico approved these transfers.
The transfer was part of the United States’ congressionally enacted International Prisoner Transfer Program. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs’s International Prisoner Transfer Unit (IPTU) administers the program and coordinates all treaty-based international prisoner transfers.
Under the program, approved foreign national inmates in federal and state prisons are transferred, under certain circumstances, to complete their prison sentences in their native countries’ prisons. The United States has entered into 10 additional bilateral transfer agreements and two multilateral transfer conventions. These international agreements give the United States transfer treaty relationships with more than 85 countries.
To learn more about the International Prisoner Transfer Program, visit: www.justice.gov/criminal/criminal-oia/iptu
United Nuclear Corporation and General Electric to Perform $63M Cleanup of Uranium Mine Waste at Northeast Church Rock Mine and UNC Mill Sites in New Mexico and Navajo NationRead the Press Release
The United Nuclear Corporation (UNC) and General Electric Company (GE) have agreed to a consent decree with the United States, Navajo Nation, and the State of New Mexico under the federal Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act, also known as the Superfund law.
This agreement requires UNC and GE to excavate and remove approximately one million cubic yards of uranium mine waste from the Northeast Church Rock Superfund Site, located on the Navajo Nation, and transfer it to the UNC Mill Site, a federally licensed uranium mill and tailings disposal facility located adjacent to Navajo Nation in northwestern New Mexico. The Navajo Nation and the State of New Mexico are also parties to the agreement as co-plaintiffs with the United States. The cleanup is expected to cost nearly $63 million and take more than a decade to complete.
“Today’s settlement will achieve tangible remediation of the Mine and Mill Sites and protect human health from radioactive wastes,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Adam Gustafson of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division (ENRD). “Consistent with this administration’s enforcement principles and priorities, the settlement follows CERCLA’s text, focuses on the affected locations, and assigns the cost of cleanup to the settling defendants, not taxpayers.”
“This agreement ensures that the companies responsible for the contamination will bear the cost of cleanup, not the community,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison for the District of New Mexico. “It is a decisive measure reflecting years of inaction, and while nothing erases the damage done, this cleanup is necessary to protect public health and right a persistent wrong.”
“This extraordinary cleanup agreement will improve the lives of the Navajo people, benefiting their children, grandchildren, and future generations,” said Regional Administrator Josh F.W. Cook of EPA’s Pacific Southwest Region. “The consent decree will ensure the removal of contaminated mine waste from their community and make their land suitable for future residential use.”
“This agreement represents extensive cooperation between EPA, the Navajo Nation, and the state of New Mexico. Each partner plays a critical role in working toward a safer environment for communities of Western New Mexico,” said Regional Administrator Scott Mason of EPA’s South Central. “With this historic settlement, we are ensuring cleanup progress will continue at the NECR mine site while improving existing protections at the UNC mill site.”
“This settlement sends a message that federal, sovereign, and state governments can come together to improve the lives of both New Mexican and Navajo Nation residents,” said Secretary for the New Mexico Environment Department James Kenney. “It’s the result of our regulatory partners' unwavering commitment to addressing the longstanding risks faced by communities impacted by uranium mining waste.”
The Northeast Church Rock Mine operated from 1967 to 1982 and served as the principal source of uranium ore for the UNC Mill. These mining operations left behind uranium mine waste piles, several former ponds and former mill tailings storage areas. Although EPA has required several shorter-term cleanup actions to be completed at the NECR Mine site, conditions at the site continue to present a risk of releases of hazardous substances to the air, surrounding soils, sediments, surface water and groundwater.
The UNC Mill site is a former uranium mill which operated from 1977 to 1982, generating mill tailings containing radionuclides and other hazardous substances. Disposal of about 3.5 million tons of tailings took place in on-site impoundments. Studies performed under EPA oversight have demonstrated that the transfer of Northeast Church Rock mine waste to the UNC Mill site, and placement of the waste over the tailings disposal area, would improve the cover and enhance erosion controls at the Mill site.
The agreement is the culmination of two decades of coordination between EPA’s Pacific Southwest and South Central Regional offices, the Department of Energy, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, the Department of the Interior, state and Tribal stakeholders, and UNC and GE. EPA continues to work closely with federal partner agencies, Navajo Nation, and adjacent states to address impacts from uranium contamination at 523 abandoned uranium mines on or near Navajo land. This EPA work includes the assessment and cleanup of abandoned uranium mines, consultation with Navajo elected officials, and gathering input from affected communities throughout the cleanup process.
EPA investigated the case.
ENRD’s Environmental Enforcement Section is handling the case.
The proposed consent decree was lodged in the U.S. District Court for the District of New Mexico. The settlement is subject to a public comment period and final court approval. The consent decree will be available for viewing on the Justice Department’s website at: www.justice.gov/enrd/consent-decrees.
United Kingdom Citizen Sentenced to over 15 Years in Prison for Enticement of a MinorRead the Press Release
MIAMI – A citizen of the United Kingdom was sentenced in federal court after pleading guilty to enticement of a minor to engage in sexual activity.
Chief U.S. District Judge Cecilia M. Altonaga ordered Jack Edward Coles, 40, to serve 188 months in federal prison, followed by 20 years of supervised release.
According to court records, in October 2024, Coles met a 14-year-old boy through a dating app. Coles arranged for an Uber to pick up the minor victim from his residence and bring him to the hotel where Coles was staying. Upon the minor victim’s arrival, Coles engaged in sexual acts with him. Coles later attempted to arrange additional meetings with the minor victim in October and November 2024, and again in February 2025. In November 2024, Coles also enticed the minor victim to send him sexually explicit photographs.
United States Attorney Hayden P. O’Byrne and Acting Special Agent in Charge José R. Figueroa of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Miami made the announcement.
HSI Miami investigated the case with assistance from the City of Miami Police Department and the State Attorney’s Office, Criminal Investigation Division.
Assistant United States Attorney Dwayne Williams prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov, under case number 25-cr-20073.
###
Two Mexican Nationals Charged for Bribing State-Owned Energy OfficialsRead the Press Release
An indictment was unsealed today in the Southern District of Texas charging two Mexican businessmen for their roles in an alleged bribery scheme to retain and obtain business related to Petróleos Mexicanos (PEMEX), the state-owned oil company of Mexico, and PEMEX Exploración y Producción (PEP), PEMEX’s wholly owned exploration and production subsidiary.
“The defendants — foreign nationals residing in the U.S. — are alleged to have bribed Mexican officials in order to rig the bidding process to secure millions of dollars of lucrative contracts and other advantages,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew R. Galeotti of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “This indictment should send a clear message that the Criminal Division will not tolerate those who enrich corrupt officials for personal gain and to the detriment of the fair market.”
“Bribery harms fair competition, erodes public trust, and will not be tolerated,” said Assistant Director Jose A. Perez of the FBI Criminal Investigation Division. “Today’s indictment underscores the commitment of the FBI, and our law enforcement partners, to fairness for communities in Texas and beyond.”
According to court documents, Ramon Alexandro Rovirosa Martinez, 46, of The Woodlands, Texas, a Mexican citizen and U.S. lawful permanent resident, and Mario Alberto Avila Lizarraga, 61, of Spring, Texas, a Mexican citizen and U.S. lawful permanent resident, together with others, allegedly conspired to pay and offered to pay at least $150,000 in bribes to officials at PEMEX and PEP in order to obtain and retain business from PEMEX and PEP for companies associated with Rovirosa.
Between at least 2019 and continuing into at least 2021, Rovirosa, Avila, and their co-conspirators allegedly offered to pay and paid bribes in the form of luxury goods, including from Louis Vuitton and Hublot, cash payments, and other valuable items, to at least three PEMEX and PEP officials in exchange for those officials taking certain actions to help companies associated with Rovirosa obtain and retain business with PEMEX and PEP. Those improper advantages helped companies associated with Rovirosa obtain contracts with PEMEX and PEP worth at least $2.5 million.
Rovirosa and Avila are each charged with one count of conspiracy to violate the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) and three substantive violations of the FCPA. If convicted, each defendant faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison for each count. A federal judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Following his arrest, Rovirosa was arraigned today. Avila is a fugitive and remains at large.
The FBI and HSI are investigating the case, with assistance from the Office of the Inspector General for the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs provided critical assistance in this case.
Trial Attorneys Lindsey D. Carson, Abdus Samad Pardesi, and Paul G. Ream of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Brad Gray for the Southern District of Texas are prosecuting the case.
The Fraud Section is responsible for investigating and prosecuting FCPA and Foreign Extortion Prevention Act (FEPA) matters. Additional information about the Justice Department’s FCPA and FEPA enforcement efforts can be found at www.justice.gov/criminal-fraud/foreign-corrupt-practices-act.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Three Men Indicted for Violating the Federal Controlled Substances ActRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LA – Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson announced today the unsealing of a seven-count indictment charging the following individuals:
- DARRYL SUMLER, (SUMLER), age 61, of Slidell, Louisiana
- DARRYL GOODMAN, (GOODMAN), age 47, of New Orleans, Louisiana
- JASON SLAUGHTER, (SLAUGHTER), age 33, of Bogalusa, Louisiana
The indictment was returned Friday, June 26, 2025, and unsealed Wednesday, July 30, 2025, after all individuals were arrested by local law enforcement and Drug Enforcement Administration agents. All three individuals were indicted in Count 1 for Conspiracy to distribute, and possess with intent to distribute, 40 grams or more of fentanyl, in violation of Title 21 U.S.C. § 841(a)(1); § 841(b)(1)(B); and 846. If convicted of Count 1, they face a minimum of 5 years and up to 40 years imprisonment, up to a $5,000,000 fine, and at least 4 years of supervised release following imprisonment.
SUMLER was indicted in Counts 2, 5, 6, and 7 for distribution of 40 grams or more of fentanyl, in violation of Title 21 U.S.C. § 841(a)(1) and § 841(b)(1)(B). If convicted of any of these four counts, SUMLER faces a minimum of 5 years and up to 40 years imprisonment, up to a $5,000,000 fine, and at least 4 years of supervised release following imprisonment.
SLAUGHTER was indicted in Count 3 for possessing with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl, in violation of Title 21 U.S.C. § 841(a)(1) and § 841(b)(1)(B). If convicted, he faces a minimum of 5 years and up to 40 years imprisonment, up to a $5,000,000 fine, and at least 4 years of supervised release following imprisonment.
GOODMAN was indicted in Count 4 for distribution of a quantity of fentanyl, in violation of Title 21 U.S.C. § 841(a)(1) and § 841(b)(1)(C). If convicted of Count 4, he faces up to 20 years imprisonment, up to a $1,000,000 fine, and at least 3 years of supervised release following imprisonment. As to each count in which they are charged, SUMLER, SLAUGHTER, and GOODMAN, face payment of a $100 mandatory special assessment fee.
According to the indictment, beginning on a time unknown, but continuing until at least June 13, 2025, SUMLER, SLAUGHTER, and GOODMAN conspired to distribute, and possess with intent to distribute, fentanyl throughout the Eastern District of Louisiana.
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).
Acting United States Attorney Simpson praised the work of the Drug Enforcement Administration, Homeland Security Investigations, the Slidell Police Department, and the Louisiana State Police. The prosecution is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney Lauren Sarver of the Narcotics Unit.
Acting U.S. Attorney Simpson reiterated that an indictment is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.
Temple Hills Man Pleads Guilty to Cares Act Unemployment Insurance Fraud and Firearms and Drug Trafficking CrimesRead the Press Release
Greenbelt, Maryland – Lawrence Nathanial Harris, 33, of Temple Hills Maryland, pled guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud and aggravated identity theft, in connection with submitting fraudulent CARES Act unemployment insurance (UI) claims. Additionally, in a separate case, he pled guilty to possession of a machine gun, possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug-trafficking offense.
Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the guilty plea with Special Agent in Charge Troy W. Springer, National Capital Region, U.S. Department of Labor – Office of Inspector General (DOL-OIG); Special Agent in Charge Charles Doerrer, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF); Special Agent in Charge William J. DelBagno, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) – Baltimore Field Office; and Chief George Nader, Prince George’s County Police Department (PGPD).
According to the plea agreement, beginning in at least January 2021, and continuing until about September 2023, Harris and his co-conspirators engaged in a scheme to defraud the United States, the State of Maryland, multiple financial institutions, and multiple individuals, including identity theft victims. The co-conspirators submitted false and fraudulent UI benefits claims to the Maryland Department of Labor (MD-DOL), Maryland’s agency that is responsible for processing the claims. Harris participated in submitting UI claims resulting in losses exceeding $550,000, but less than $1.5 million, and he used debit cards issued in the names of aggravated identity theft victims to obtain UI fraud funds.
Company 1, which provided professional support services to the MD-DOL to review UI claims and administer UI benefits, employed co-conspirators Bryan Nushawn Ruffin, 27, of Woodbridge, Virginia, and Kiara Smith, 27, of Fort Washington, Maryland. As detailed in the plea agreement, Harris and his co-conspirators possessed and used computers that Company 1 issued to Ruffin and Smith to access non-public UI data and databases maintained by the MD-DOL. Ruffin and Smith then granted Harris and his co-conspirators access to MD-DOL databases which they used to change information on existing UI claims.
This included the contact email address, online account password, and payment method for existing UI claims. The co-conspirators furthered the scheme by using the identity theft victims’ personal identifying information (PII). They also used their access to the MD-DOL databases to upload and approve documents submitted in support of fraudulent UI claims, remove fraud holds on UI claims, certify weeks for determining UI benefits, and engage in other actions to facilitate the fraudulent UI benefits payments. During the scheme, MD-DOL believed it was disbursing UI benefits to the of UI applicants’ debit cards/accounts, but Harris and his co-conspirators allegedly opened and controlled those accounts.
Harris also admitted that on November 16, 2022, while law enforcement executed a residential search warrant at his home, he threw a firearm and a bag of marijuana from his room. He possessed this firearm in furtherance of his drug-trafficking activities. Law enforcement then searched an attic in the residence that Harris had access to. Authorities found three additional firearms, including one that functioned as a machinegun, stored in the attic. Harris knew that the firearm functioned as a machine gun. Law enforcement also recovered approximately 37 pounds of marijuana that Harris intended to distribute.
Harris faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison for the wire fraud conspiracy, a mandatory sentence of two years — consecutive to any other imposed sentence — for aggravated identity theft, 10 years for possession of a machine gun, 20 years for possession with intent to distribute marijuana, and life for possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking.
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. Harris’s sentencing is set for Thursday, November 6, at 2 p.m.
The District of Maryland COVID-19 Strike Force is one of five strike forces established throughout the United States by the U.S. Department of Justice to investigate and prosecute COVID-19 fraud, including fraud relating to the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. The CARES Act was designed to provide emergency financial assistance to Americans suffering the economic effects caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. The strike forces focus on large-scale, multi-state pandemic relief fraud perpetrated by criminal organizations and transnational actors. The strike forces are interagency law enforcement efforts, using prosecutor-led and data analyst-driven teams designed to identify and bring to justice those who stole pandemic relief funds.
For more information about the Department’s response to the pandemic, visit justice.gov/coronavirus. Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
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 DOL-OIG, ATF, FBI, and PGPD, for their work in the investigation and the MD-DOL for its assistance. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Harry M. Gruber, Paul A. Riley, Joseph L. Wenner, Christopher Sarma, and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Lanay Mitchell, who are prosecuting this case. She also recognized the Maryland COVID-19 Strike Force and Paralegal Specialist Joanna B.N. Huber for their valuable assistance.
For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to report fraud, visit justice.gov/usao-md and justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.
# # #
Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals Affirms 50-Year Sentence for Man Convicted of Attempted Robbery Leading to Death and Firearm CrimesRead the Press Release
Memphis, TN – The Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals has affirmed the 50-year federal prison sentence handed down to Louis Holloway, 44, following his conviction for the attempted robbery of John Stambaugh in 2002 and firearms crimes. Joseph C. Murphy, Jr., Interim United States Attorney for the Western District of Tennessee, announced the affirmation of the sentence today.
On September 8, 2002, John Stambaugh, a student at the University of Memphis, was robbed and murdered by a shotgun blast while delivering pizza in Memphis’s Cooper-Young neighborhood. Holloway was identified as a suspect and later charged with attempted robbery and gun crimes.
In 2008, after a jury trial, Holloway was found guilty of attempted robbery, discharging a firearm in furtherance of attempted robbery, and three counts of being a felon in possession of a firearm. He was sentenced to life in prison.
Due to changes in the law which went into effect in 2022, Holloway’s life sentence was vacated, and the district court scheduled a resentencing hearing. At that hearing, United States District Judge Samuel H. Mays sentenced Holloway to 50 years in federal prison, the statutory maximum sentence in light of the changes in law, followed by three years of supervised release.
The Sixth Circuit affirmed the 50-year sentence, holding that it was reasonable considering the horrific nature of the offense and Holloway’s very serious criminal history.
This case was investigated by the Memphis Police Department.
On behalf of the government, Assistant United States Attorney Tony Arvin prosecuted this case in the district court and at the post-conviction stage. AUSA Naya Bedini prosecuted this case at the post-conviction stage and on appeal.
###
For more information, please contact the Media Relations Team at [email protected]. Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office on Facebook or on X at @WDTNNews for office news and updates.
Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals Affirms 108-Month Sentence for Memphis Man Convicted of Machinegun PossessionRead the Press Release
Memphis, TN – The Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals has affirmed the 108-month federal prison sentence handed down to Jaquan Bridges, 22, following his conviction for possession of a machinegun in the Western District of Tennessee. Joseph C. Murphy, Jr., Interim United States Attorney for the Western District of Tennessee, announced the affirmation of the sentence today.
On February 1, 2022, a Shelby County Sheriff’s Deputy observed Bridges driving a gray Ford Fusion near I-240 and Walnut Grove, traveling slowly while looking at his cell phone. The deputy activated emergency equipment to alert Bridges to put his phone down. Bridges rolled down his passenger-side window and fired gunshots at the deputy’s vehicle, striking it several times. Bridges then fled at a high rate of speed, leading deputies on a 10-mile pursuit, before Bridges hit at least three other vehicles and crashed into a concrete barrier at I-240 and Highway 385. When Bridges was taken into custody, deputies recovered a Glock .40 caliber pistol with an attached machinegun conversion device (known as a “switch”) and extended magazine.
On February 6, 2024, Bridges pled guilty to possessing a machinegun. On September 17, 2024, Senior United States District Judge John T. Fowlkes sentenced Bridges to 108 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
Bridges appealed the judgment of the district court, arguing that his prosecution for machinegun possession violated his Second Amendment right to bear arms. In an opinion filed August 7, 2025, the Sixth Circuit upheld the 108-month sentence and the constitutionality of the federal statute regulating the possession of machineguns. This is the first published case in which the Sixth Circuit has addressed this issue since the Supreme Court’s holding in New York State Rifle & Pistol Association, Inc. v. Bruen, 597 U.S. 1 (2022).
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
The case was investigated by the Shelby County Sheriff’s Department.
Assistant United States Attorney Eileen Kuo prosecuted this case and handled the appeal on behalf of the government.
###
For more information, please contact the Media Relations Team at [email protected]. Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office on Facebook or on X at @WDTNNews for office news and updates.
Sioux City, Iowa Man Sentenced to 24 months’ for Failing to Register as a Sex OffenderRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Lesley A. Woods announced that Walter James Hulit, 37, of Sioux City, Iowa, was sentenced on August 7, 2025, in federal court in Omaha, Nebraska, for failing to register as a sex offender. Chief United States District Judge Robert F. Rossiter, Jr., sentenced Hulit to 24 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After Hulit’s release from prison, he will begin a six-year term of supervised release.
On June 12, 2020, in the United States District Court for the District of Nebraska, Hulit was convicted of sexual abuse of a minor. Hulit was sentenced to 41 months’ imprisonment and placed on a five-year term of supervised release. He was released from prison and began his supervision term on June 28, 2022. Hulit is required to register as a sex offender.
On November 18, 2024, Hulit was arrested in Winnebago, Nebraska, after Winnebago Children and Family Services received information that Hulit was residing in a home on the Winnebago Reservation.
A U.S. Marshals Service investigation revealed that Hulit was registered at an address in Sioux City, Iowa and not where he was residing in Winnebago. Hulit is aware of his duty to register as a sex offender. Hulit did not register or attempt to register from between approximately October 2024 to November 2024, when he was arrested.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by United States Attorney’s 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.
This case was investigated by the United States Marshals Service.