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Thursday 27 August 2026
Career Criminal Sentenced to 12 Years in Federal Prison for Indianapolis Bank RobberyRead the Press Release
INDIANAPOLIS- Brinton Lenell Yates, 58, of Indianapolis, has been sentenced to 12 years and seven months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, after pleading guilty to one count of bank robbery. Yates was also ordered to pay $1,583 in restitution.
According to court documents, on the morning of December 2, 2025, at approximately 10:54 a.m., Yates robbed the Chase Bank located on North Meridian Street in Indianapolis. Upon approaching the teller counter, Yates removed a robbery demand note from his wallet that read, “This is a robbery 100s and 50s,” and pressed it against the glass. He then instructed the teller to “Give all the money you have” and motioned toward his waistband, stating, “You think I'm playing with you?”
The teller retrieved $1,583 in cash from the top drawer and handed it to Yates, who placed the money in his jacket pockets before leaving the bank and driving away in a red Dodge Dakota.
Approximately one hour later, the Federal Bureau of Investigation Violent Crimes Task Force located the vehicle near West 30th Street and arrested Yates. Investigators found an apartment key inside the truck, and subsequent search of Yates’ apartment by IMPD officers uncovered the disguise he wore during the robbery.
“Today’s sentence once again demonstrates Department of Justice commitment to seek lengthy sentences for violent repeat offenders. Regardless of the amount taken, any act of violence or intimidation against our financial institutions will be met with serious federal consequences,” said Tom Wheeler, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana. “Those who choose to endanger the safety of our communities will be met with swift justice and held fully accountable.”
“Threatening an employee and robbing a bank is a serious crime, and Yates’ lengthy criminal history makes clear that this was not an isolated incident,” said FBI Indianapolis Special Agent in Charge Timothy J. O’Malley. “This sentence removes a repeat offender from our community and holds him accountable for his actions. The FBI and our law enforcement partners will continue to pursue career criminals who put our communities at risk and work to ensure they face justice in federal court.”
The Federal Bureau of Investigation and IMPD investigated this case. U.S. Attorney Wheeler thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Jayson McGrath who prosecuted this 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.
California Fentanyl Trafficker Sentenced to 15 Years in Federal Prison for Flooding North Carolina with Deadly PoisonRead the Press Release
RALEIGH, N.C. – A federal judge sentenced Raul Ramirez, 44, to 15 years in federal prison for supplying hundreds of thousands of fentanyl pills to Raleigh drug dealers. On September 15, 2025, Ramirez, also known as “Ralph,” pleaded guilty to conspiring to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl.
“Cartels and out‑of‑state criminals have remorselessly flooded Eastern North Carolina with poison for far too long. They piped hundreds of thousands of deadly fentanyl pills directly into our backyards and schools, destroying families and ruining lives. For what? A few measly bucks. Not under my watch. Law and order wins every time. We caught this high‑level bad hombre, exposed his network, and secured a 15‑year federal prison sentence. If you bring death and destruction to Eastern North Carolina, we will track you down, lock you up, and ensure you pay a very heavy price,” said U.S. Attorney Ellis Boyle.
A multi‑agency investigation that began in January 2022 revealed that Ramirez supplied hundreds of thousands of fentanyl pills to a Raleigh‑based drug trafficking organization (DTO) responsible for distributing 77 pounds of pressed fentanyl pills. DTO members routinely flew to California to buy fentanyl pills from Ramirez, and then shipped them back to North Carolina. Investigators used controlled purchases, search warrants, interstate package seizures, electronic surveillance, and cooperator interviews to unravel the operation. Even though authorities arrested several dealers possessing thousands of fentanyl pills repeatedly during the investigation, Ramirez kept shamelessly selling pills right up until his arrest.
“Thanks to a collaborative effort, a cross-country network bringing deadly drugs into our communities has been wiped out,” said ATF Special Agent in Charge Alicia Jones. “We greatly improve the safety of our communities when careless and dangerous drug traffickers are caught and put out of business for good.”
Ellis Boyle U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina announced the sentence after the Honorable U.S. District Judge James C. Dever III issued it. ATF, the Raleigh Police Department, and the United States Postal Inspection Service collaborated on the multi‑year investigation.
A copy of this press release is located on our website. Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:24-CR-200-D.
Burlington Man Sentenced to 35 Years in Federal Prison for Attempted Enticement of a Minor as a Registered Sex OffenderRead the Press Release
DAVENPORT, Iowa – A Burlington, Iowa man was sentenced on August 26, 2026, to 35 years in federal prison for two counts of attempted enticement of a minor and offense by a registered sex offender.
According to public court documents and evidence presented, in June 2025, Jermaine Robert Hill, 39, began chatting on Facebook Messenger with two undercover officers who posed as 14-year-old girls. During the chats, Hill explicitly described various sex acts he wished to engage in with them and sent explicit photographs and videos of himself. A few hours later, Hill arranged to meet them at a park in Burlington to engage in sex acts and was arrested. Hill was required to register as a sex offender at the time of this offense due to a 2015 conviction from Ohio.
In March 2026, following a two-day trial, a jury found Hill guilty.
After completing his term of imprisonment, Hill will be required to serve a ten-year term of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
United States Attorney David C. Waterman of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. The Des Moines County Sheriff's Office, with assistance from the Burlington Police Department investigated 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 Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
Brownsville cocaine trafficker sent to prison in Homeland Security Task Force investigationRead the Press Release
BROWNSVILLE, Texas – A 27-year-old man has been sentenced for possession with intent to deliver cocaine and conspiracy to launder monetary instruments.
Eduardo Rodriguez Jr. pleaded guilty Nov. 5, 2024.
U.S. District Judge Rolando Olvera ordered Rodriguez to serve 125 months in federal prison at a hearing Aug. 26, which will be immediately followed by five years of supervised release.
The investigation began in January 2024 when authorities identified Rodriguez as a large-scale cocaine trafficker coordinating the smuggling, transportation, and distribution of multi-kilogram quantities of cocaine from Mexico into the United States.
On March 1, 2024, law enforcement discovered an expected cocaine delivery at a residence in Brownsville. During surveillance operations, they observed Daniel Roldan enter the residence, return with a large box, and place it in a vehicle.
Authorities seized the box and discovered approximately 24 kilograms of cocaine. Evidence showed Rodriguez coordinated the shipment, which was destined for New York.
Roldan, 39, Brownsville, and Andres Malave III, 45, Bronx, New York, pleaded guilty in the case and have also been sentenced.
Rodriguez has been and will remain in custody pending transfer to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
The Drug Enforcement Administration, Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations, and FBI conducted the investigation with assistance from Brownsville Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Oscar Ponce prosecuted the case.
This operation is part of the Homeland Security Task Force initiative, established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of U.S. law enforcement toward identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF South Texas comprises agents and officers from Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations; the FBI; the Drug Enforcement Administration; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives; the U.S. Marshals Service; the U.S. Postal Inspection Service; the Department of Transportation/IRS; Interpol/the Department of State; and the Naval Criminal Investigative Service, with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Texas leading the prosecution.
Berkeley County Woman Sentenced for Defrauding Small Business Out of Nearly $300,000Read the Press Release
MARTINSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – A Martinsburg, West Virginia, woman will spend nearly four years in federal prison for defrauding a small business out of nearly $300,000, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew L. Harvey.
Brittaney Allura Hall, 37, was sentenced to 46 months in federal prison for wire fraud. Hall worked as an office manager and accountant for a business in Martinsburg, giving her access to accounts and financial information for the company. Hall caused overpayments of payroll in reimbursements and commissions for her own benefit, wrote checks to herself without authority, and created false invoices which caused unauthorized payments to be made in her name.
Hall was ordered to pay $258,143.51 in restitution.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Eleanor Hurney prosecuted the case on behalf of the government.
The FBI and the Berkeley County Sheriff’s Office investigated.
U.S. District Judge Gina M. Groh presided.
Behavioral Health Worker Pleads Guilty to Billing D.C. Medicaid for Therapy Sessions That Never HappenedRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Said Nassor, 46, of Silver Spring, Maryland, pleaded guilty yesterday in U.S. District Court in connection with a scheme to bill D.C. Medicaid for mental health services that were never provided or were grossly inflated, causing a loss to Medicaid exceeding $250,000, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
Nassor pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Emmet G. Sullivan to one count of conspiracy to commit health care fraud.
According to court documents, Nassor was employed beginning in August 2022 as a Community Support Worker at a D.C. Medicaid provider authorized to deliver mental health rehabilitative services to youth and adolescent beneficiaries.
From approximately January 2022 through at least February 2025, Nassor conspired with company employees along with other community support workers, to submit false and fraudulent claims for reimbursement to D.C. Medicaid.
According to court documents, Nassor and other community support workers were directed by company employees to bill the maximum number of units allowed for each consumer regardless of medical necessity or whether the services were performed.
Community support workers were instructed to bill a full hour for every telehealth encounter no matter how long the call actually lasted, and were trained to shave a few minutes off each claim, for example billing 54 minutes instead of 60, to make the calls appear more realistic. Workers were also directed to bill three hours, and later one hour, for diagnostic assessments regardless of how much time was spent with the consumer.
From July 27, 2022, through June 23, 2023, Nassor documented over 701 hours of telehealth services across six patients when, according to call records, he only actually spent roughly 172 minutes with them on the telephone.
On October 21, 2024, Nassor created and billed for three telehealth encounters to an undercover FBI employee who posed as a patient. None of the telehealth encounters took place.
Investigators determined that Nassor’s participation in the conspiracy resulted in a loss to Medicaid of over $250,000.
The investigation was conducted by the FBI Washington Field Office and the D.C. Office of the Inspector General’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit. The matter was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jason Facci of the Fraud, Public Corruption, and Civil Rights Section.
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Beaver Falls Felon Sentenced to More Than Seven Years in Prison for Possessing Firearm and AmmunitionRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, Pa. - A resident of Beaver Falls, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty in federal court to a charge of possessing a firearm and ammunition as a felon and was sentenced to 88 months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, on his conviction, United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.
Senior United States District Judge David Stewart Cercone imposed the sentence on Jayvon Turner, 24.
According to information presented to the Court, on August 16, 2025, members of the Pittsburgh Bureau of Police’s Violence Prevention Unit encountered the defendant on Pittsburgh’s South Side carrying a loaded, stolen 9mm semi-automatic pistol. Turner had previously been convicted on a state robbery charge. Federal law prohibits possession of a firearm or ammunition by a convicted felon.
Assistant United States Attorney V. Joseph Sonson prosecuted this case on behalf of the United States.
United States Attorney Rivetti commended the Pittsburgh Bureau of Police and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Turner.
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.
Beaumont felon convicted of federal firearms offense in the Eastern District of Texas for illegally possessing a firearmRead the Press Release
BEAUMONT, Texas – A Beaumont convicted felon has been found guilty of a federal firearms violation in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs.
David Michael Gilliam, 45, was found guilty by a jury of being a felon in possession of a firearm following a trial before U.S. District Judge Marcia A. Crone on August 27, 2026.
According to information presented in court, on November 15, 2024, local law enforcement responded to a burglary alarm at an apartment complex on Magnolia Road in Beaumont. As the officer arrived, he observed an apartment with broken windows and a door that appeared to have been forced open. Upon entering the apartment, the officer encountered Gilliam, who stated he had been evicted from the apartment the previous day. Gilliam gave consent to be searched, which resulted in the discovery of a firearm in a cross-body bag he was wearing. Further investigation revealed Gilliam was a convicted felon and prohibited from owning or possessing firearms or ammunition.
Gilliam faces up to 15 years in federal prison at sentencing. The maximum statutory sentence prescribed by Congress is provided here for information purposes, as the sentencing will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the U.S. Probation Office.
Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is the Department of Justice’s nationwide initiative that brings federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement, prosecutors, and other public safety partners together to coordinate efforts to combat violent crime and make communities safe. Coordinated by U.S. Attorneys’ offices in each of the 94 federal districts, PSN is tailored to particular communities to strategically address specific violent crime and public safety challenges. As a key component of Operation Take Back America, PSN serves a central role in the Department’s commitment to make our country safe. PSN emphasizes three core principles: rapid federal response to violent crime and criminal offenders; strong, strategic partnerships among law enforcement at all levels; and accountability and deterrence through the prosecution of the most serious, readily provable offenses and other strategies. These efforts complement and strengthen President Trump’s Homeland Security Task Forces, ensuring a comprehensive federal response to the most pressing public safety issues facing communities.
This case was investigated by the Beaumont Police Department and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Russell James and Chris Jackson.
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Australian Man Indicted for “TeamPCP” Cyberattacks on Software Supply ChainRead the Press Release
SAN FRANCISCO – A federal grand jury has indicted Ruben Ian Thomson on charges of conspiracy to commit Computer Fraud and Abuse Act violations and obtaining information from a protected computer related to cyberattacks conducted in the Spring of 2026 under the moniker “TeamPCP.” Thomson was arrested yesterday by the Australian Federal Police with the assistance of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and he is currently in the custody of the Australian authorities.
According to the indictment filed on August 25 and unsealed yesterday, Thomson, 21, a national of Australia and South Africa, is alleged to have conspired with others to exploit trusted software supply chain security tools, and inject malicious software code into these companies’ tools. The exploitation of the computer systems of these companies then cascaded, affecting the companies’ downstream customers that utilized these tools. Specifically, the malicious code would scan downstream customers’ computer environments for sensitive data to steal. If sensitive data was identified, the malicious code attempted to exfiltrate that data to other infrastructure controlled by Thomson and/or his coconspirators. The malicious code also enabled them to maintain persistent access in the company’s computer environment. Following the exfiltration of data from the computer systems of the company, Thomson and/or his coconspirators extorted ransom payments in exchange for a promise to not publicly release the data exfiltrated from the company.
United States Attorney Craig H. Missakian and FBI San Francisco Special Agent-in-Charge Scott Schelble of the FBI’s San Francisco Division made the announcement.
An indictment merely alleges that crimes have been committed, and the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. If convicted, the defendant faces a maximum sentence of 5 years in prison and a fine of $250,000, or twice the gross gain or twice the gross loss from the conduct for each violation of 18 U.S.C. § 371 (Conspiracy) and 18 U.S.C. §§ 1030(a)(2)(C), (c)(2)(B), and 2 (Obtaining Information from a Protected Computer; Aiding and Abetting). Any sentence following conviction would be imposed by the court after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal statute governing the imposition of a sentence, 18 U.S.C. § 3553.
The prosecution is being handled by the National Security, Cyber & Special Prosecutions Section of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of California. Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel N. Kassabian is prosecuting the case with the assistance of Helen Yee and Kristie Yee. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation San Francisco and Las Vegas Field Offices.
Attorney General Todd Blanche Visits the Southern District of IowaRead the Press Release
DES MOINES, Iowa – On Thursday, August 20, 2026, United States Attorney David C. Waterman was honored to host Attorney General Todd Blanche at the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa.
During his visit, Attorney General Blanche met with U.S. Attorney Waterman and his leadership team, and Northern District of Iowa U.S. Attorney Leif Olson. Attorney General Blanche also spoke with prosecutors and personnel from the office. In his remarks, Attorney General Blanche expressed his appreciation for the office’s work and their commitment to protecting communities across the district.
Attorney General Blanche also met with law enforcement representatives to highlight the important role of partnerships in enforcing the rule of law and enhancing public safety.
“It was an honor to welcome Attorney General Todd Blanche to our office,” said U.S. Attorney Waterman. “We were proud to highlight recent successes, including nationally recognized drug-overdose and human-trafficking prosecutions, as well as major trial victories in fraud, drug, firearms, and human-trafficking cases. We remain committed to confronting the most serious threats, taking difficult cases to trial, and delivering justice for the people of Iowa.”
Attorney General Todd Blanche meets with U.S. Attorneys David C. Waterman for the Southern District of Iowa (right) and Leif Olsen for the Northern District of Iowa (left) on August 20, 2026.
U.S. Attorney David C. Waterman introduces Attorney General Todd Blanche at a meeting on August 20, 2026.
Attorney General Todd Blanche meets with U.S. Attorney David C. Waterman (left) on August 20, 2026.
Armed Career Criminal with Multiple Violent Felonies found Guilty of Illegally Possessing a FirearmRead the Press Release
Memphis, TN – After a two-day trial, a federal jury found Carroll Mobley, 50, of Memphis, guilty of one count of possession of a firearm as a convicted felon. United States Attorney D. Michael Dunavant, of the Western District of Tennessee, announced the verdict today.
According to information presented in court, on May 2, 2024, detectives with the Shelby County Sheriff's Office Narcotics Division executed a search warrant at a Memphis residence. Upon searching the home, detectives found cocaine and digital scales with cocaine residue on them. Detectives also found an HK 9mm firearm that belonged to Mobley, who resided at the residence, in a closet in the master bedroom.
In the second phase of the trial, the jury found that Mobley had previously been convicted of three violent felonies that occurred on separate occasions. Under federal law, due to Mobley's criminal history, he is prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition and is subject to the enhanced sentencing penalties under the Armed Career Criminal Act (ACCA).
Sentencing is set on December 4, 2026 before United States Chief District Judge Sheryl H. Lipman. Mobley faces a mandatory statutory minimum sentence of 15 years in federal prison for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and being an Armed Career Criminal (ACC). There is no parole in the federal system.
U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant said, "Convicted felons with a history of violence who possess firearms pose an inherent and imminent danger to the community, and are up to no good. This recidivist armed career criminal is one more gun-toter who will now be removed from our community for at least 15 years, and Memphis will be safer because of this verdict.”
This case was investigated by the Shelby County Sheriff's Office (SCSO) Narcotics Division as part of the Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) initiative.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jermal Blanchard and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Isihara, of the United States Army Judge Advocate General (JAG) Corps, prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
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.
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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.
Arizona Man Sentenced to 12 Years in Federal Prison for Methamphetamine Trafficking ChargeRead the Press Release
DAVENPORT, Iowa – An Arizona man was sentenced on August 26, 2026, to 12 years in federal prison for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine.
According to public court documents and evidence presented at sentencing, Rickie Manuel Soria, 37, also known as “Slikk,” conspired with other individuals to transport methamphetamine to the Quad Cities from Arizona. On May 18, 2022, Soria was stopped in Kansas on his way to the Quad Cities with more than 23 pounds (10.58 kilograms) of methamphetamine.
After completing his term of imprisonment, Soria will be required to serve a five-year term of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
United States Attorney David C. Waterman of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. The Drug Enforcement Administration investigated the case.
Annapolis Felon Sentenced for Illegally Possessing FirearmRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – A Maryland felon received a federal-prison term, today, for firearm-possession charges.
Judge Brendan A. Hurson sentenced Dalonte Ray Jones, 22, of Annapolis, to 42 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for possession of a firearm by a prohibited person.
Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the sentence with Special Agent in Charge Jimmy Paul, FBI Baltimore Field Office, and Acting Chief Amy Miguez, Annapolis Police Department (APD).
According to court documents, on November 11, 2024, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Jones’s apartment. During the search, law enforcement found a Glock 17 semi-automatic handgun, with an extended magazine, in Jones’s bedroom. The magazine, which can hold 45 rounds of ammunition, was loaded with 17 live rounds. In 2023, the firearm was reported stolen. Jones’s DNA, along with the DNA of three other individuals, was on the firearm.
Investigators also searched Jones’s iPhone pursuant to a warrant. Law enforcement uncovered numerous videos of Jones holding a variety of firearms, including the firearm he possessed on November 11.
Jones’s previous felony convictions prohibited him from possessing a firearm and ammunition and included two separate convictions for second-degree assault in January 2023 and April 2023. Jones was on probation for the April 2023 assault conviction at the time he possessed the handgun in this 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.
U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the FBI and APD for their work in the investigation. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul E. Budlow who prosecuted this federal case.
For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit justice.gov/usao-md.
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Anaheim Woman Pleads Guilty to Submitting More Than $2.2 Million in Fraudulent Hospice Care Claims to MedicareRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – An Orange County woman pleaded guilty today to submitting more than $2.2 million in fraudulent claims to Medicare for hospice services for beneficiaries who were not terminally ill, on which Medicare paid her company more than $2.1 million.
Lynn Galbraith, 60, of Anaheim, pleaded guilty to one count of health care fraud.
According to her plea agreement, Galbraith was the co-owner and operator of the Garden Grove-based Azure Hospice Care Inc. from September 2019 to July 2022, after which time she became the company’s sole owner until February 2024. During this time, she knowingly and willfully submitted and caused the submission to Medicare for reimbursement of hospice services for beneficiaries who did not have a terminal illness with a life expectancy of six months or less if the illness ran its normal course.
In submitting the false claims to Medicare, Galbraith either knew the beneficiaries did not qualify for hospice or knew that they did not have sufficient medical records supporting a diagnosis and prognosis that qualified them for hospice benefits. She did not routinely coordinate with the beneficiaries’ primary care physicians about their purported conditions or terminal prognoses.
Galbraith knew and intended that Medicare would rely on her false representations that the patients were eligible for hospice services, and that the false representation would cause Medicare to send payment to Azure Hospice Care for the claimed services.
For example, in October 2022, Galbraith submitted a claim to Medicare for $6,600 for reimbursement of hospice services provided to a beneficiary, knowing that there was insufficient medical record documentation to establish Medicare hospice eligibility for this beneficiary.
In total, Galbraith submitted a total of approximately $2,266,694 in false claims to Medicare on behalf of Azure Hospice Care. Of this total, Medicare ultimately paid approximately $2,140,606 to Azure.
United States District Judge John A. Kronstadt scheduled a December 3 sentencing hearing, at which time Galbraith will face a statutory maximum sentence of 10 years in federal prison.
The United States Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG) is investigating this matter.
On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division. The Fraud Division is laser-focused on investigating and prosecuting those who commit fraud against the American people. The Department’s work to combat fraud supports President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs.
Assistant United States Attorney Rosalind Wang of the Orange County Office is prosecuting this case.
Alexandria Man Indicted as Armed Career Criminal on Drug and Firearm ChargesRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA – On August 19, 2026, a federal grand jury returned a superseding indictment charging Cartez Dotson, 39, of Alexandria, with Possessing a Controlled Substance with Intent to Distribute, Possessing a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime, and two counts of Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition by a Convicted Felon. Dotson faces a mandatory minimum of 15 years and up to life in federal prison.
The indictment alleges that on January 14, 2026, Dotson knowingly possessed a controlled substance, including five grams or more of methamphetamine and an additional fifty grams or more of a mixture containing methamphetamine, with intent to distribute. Dotson was also allegedly found in possession of two pistols and ammunition, with the indictment further alleging that he carried a firearm in furtherance of his drug trafficking activities. Court records show that Dotson has prior qualifying convictions that subject him to enhanced penalties under the Armed Career Criminal Act, including three prior serious drug or violent felonies committed on separate occasions.
U.S. Attorney Zachary A. Keller for the Western District of Louisiana made the announcement.
This case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Lauren L. Nickel with assistance from Legal Assistant Christy Angelle.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
This case is being prosecuted as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the Department of Justice’s nationwide initiative that brings federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement, prosecutors, and other public safety partners together to coordinate efforts to combat violent crime and make communities safe. Coordinated by U.S. Attorneys’ offices in each of the 94 federal districts, PSN is tailored to particular communities to strategically address specific violent crime and public safety challenges. As a key component of Operation PSN emphasizes three core principles: rapid federal response to violent crime and criminal offenders; strong, strategic partnerships among law enforcement at all levels; and accountability and deterrence through the prosecution of the most serious, readily provable offenses and other strategies. These efforts complement and strengthen President Trump’s Homeland Security Task Forces, ensuring a comprehensive federal response to the most pressing public safety issues facing communities.
You may find a copy of this press release (and any updates) on the website of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Louisiana at www.justice.gov/usao-wdla.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Western District of Louisiana at www.lawd.uscourts.gov or at https://www.lawd.uscourts.gov/cmecf-pacer.
The case number for this matter is 1:26-CR-00209.
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CONTACT:
Public Affairs: [email protected]
United States Attorney’s Office: www.justice.gov/usao-wdla
X: @USAO_WDLA
Facebook: USAO_WDLA
(337) 262-670481 Members of a Violent Gang in Puerto Rico Charged with Drug Trafficking and Firearms Violations as Part of Homeland Security Task Force InitiativeRead the Press Release
Note, the release has been updated to include an FBI Director quote and changes to the lede. No factual changes were made.
Today in Puerto Rico, Attorney General Todd Blanche announced 81 members of a violent drug trafficking organization have been charged federally following a Homeland Security Task Force investigation. The FBI and the Puerto Rico Police Department successfully led the takedown and arrest yesterday of 70 defendants charged who are members of this violent drug trafficking organization that had been active for years throughout the West side of Puerto Rico.
“These 81 defendants are alleged drug traffickers of ‘Los Baja Deo’ also known as ‘LBD,’ who maintained a steady supply of highly addictive and potentially lethal substances that endangered the community, fueled addiction and exposed entire public housing projects in Mayagüez and nearby neighborhoods to violence and chaos,” said Attorney General Todd Blanche. “During this investigation, law enforcement seized 21 firearms. It is estimated that during the span of the conspiracy, this drug trafficking organization was responsible for the distribution of at least 340 kilograms of fentanyl or fentanyl-laced narcotics, and at least 2,200 kilograms of cocaine, among other drugs, generating over $49 million in proceeds. Let this be a warning to those that are terrorizing our communities, our Homeland Security Task Forces around the country are unified to end the presence of criminal cartels, foreign gangs, and transnational criminal organizations throughout the United States.”
“These arrests reflect our commitment to remove violent gangs from our communities,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Ramírez-Carbó for the District of Puerto Rico. “The U.S. Attorney’s Office, together with our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners, will continue to aggressively pursue these gangs that poison our communities with dangerous drugs wherever they operate and will not relent until our neighborhoods are safe.”
“This is yet another huge success for the FBI, the Homeland Security Task Force, and all of our law enforcement partners in San Juan,” said FBI Director Kash Patel. “Over 80 indictments of a Mayagüez transnational criminal organization involved in large‑scale narcotics trafficking across Puerto Rico - including sending controlled substances to the continental United States through the U.S. Postal Service, generating millions in illicit proceeds annually. The FBI and our partners mobilized a massive amount of resources for this takedown including 13 SWAT teams, CIRG pilots, and more and as always they executed brilliantly. These arrests disrupted one of western Puerto Rico’s most violent drug‑trafficking organizations, dismantled its leadership and distribution networks, and cut off yet another key pipeline of dealt drugs flowing into our country. Outstanding work by our FBI personnel, law enforcement partners, and DOJ.”
“This takedown is the result of lengthy, meticulous work by our teams out in Aguadilla, and it’s only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to this FBI’s efforts to crush violent crime and defend the homeland,” said Special Agent in Charge Carlos R. Goris of the FBI’s San Juan Field Office. “The people of Puerto Rico can trust that this FBI will continue to tear away at the foundations of these criminal enterprises until our communities can enjoy real peace. I’d like to thank our Police of Puerto Rico colleagues, the US Attorney’s Office for the District of Puerto Rico, and our HSTF partner agencies for their continued support to the FBI mission.”
“The Puerto Rico Police remains committed to working hand in hand with the Homeland Security Task Force to dismantle violent criminal and drug trafficking organizations that threaten the safety of our communities and spread fear,” said Joseph González, Puerto Rico Police Superintendent. “Our officers are an essential part of these joint efforts with our federal partners, and we recognize the dedication and courage of those who carry out this critical mission every day. Together, we will continue working tirelessly to protect the people of Puerto Rico and those responsible accountable.”
The indictment alleges that from 2021, the drug trafficking organization distributed heroin, fentanyl, cocaine base (crack), cocaine, and marijuana, and within 1,000 feet of the Sábalo Gardens Public Housing Project (PHP), Cuesta Las Piedras PHP, Yagüez PHP, Franklin Delano Roosevelt PHP, Colombus Landing PHP, Jardines de Concordia PHP, Monte Isleño PHP, Mar y Sol PHP, El Maní Ward, La Salud Ward, Buena Vista Sector, Liceo Sector, Broadway Ward, La Chorra Ward, Balboa Ward, Paris Ward, La Quinta Ward, Río Hondo Ward, La Mineral Sector, Villas del Oeste Neighborhood, El Seco Ward, Río Cristal Cluster, and Dulces Labios Ward, and other areas nearby, all for significant financial gain and profit.
The object of the conspiracy was to distribute wholesale quantities and street-amount quantities of controlled substances and trafficking illegal firearms and ammunitions. The defendants communicated with each other using two-way radios, cell phones, instant messaging, and social media. When members of the gang perceived threats to the organization or its members, they committed violence including shootings, kidnappings, and murders to protect themselves and their organization. The gang members also transported and distributed kilogram quantities of cocaine and fentanyl.
The defendants acted in different roles to further the goals of the drug trafficking conspiracy, including as leaders, drug point owners, suppliers, enforcers, runners, sellers, lookouts, and facilitators. Twenty-one defendants are facing one charge of possession of firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. The co-conspirators charged in the indictment are:
- José Onairam Medina-Marrero, also known as “La O,” “Omayra,” and “Onairam;”
- Jeffrey Omar Delgado-López, also known as “Jeffrey Menor” and “Menor;”
- Christian Oneil Meléndez-López, also known as “Chucky;”
- Josué Lee Obregón-Vargas, also known as “Josu,” “Chaco,” and “Cha Corta;”
- Ulises Irizarry-Santiago, also known as “Viejo,” “El Viejo Ulises,” “Patrón,” and “Chapo;”
- Anfernee Jonans Martínez-Pérez, also known as “Penny;”
- Ramón Miguel Rodríguez-Pacheco, also known as “Piti,” “Pitín,” “Ramoncito Pacheco,” and “Ramón el Gordo;”
- Nelson Rafael Vargas Valentín-Rivera, also known as “Junito;”
- Cristian Joel Mercado-Rodríguez, also known as “Yoyin;”
- Alexis Omar Millón-García, also known as “Millán,” “Millo,” and “La M;”
- Saturnino Barbosa-Ortiz, also known as “El Viejo” and “Nino;”
- Jeremy Omar González-Díaz;
- Rafael Orlando Martínez-Mercado, also known as “Rafita” and “Rafito;”
- Luis Ezequiel Bayron-Hernández, also known as “Seco” and “El Zorro;”
- Israel Enrique Rivera-Díaz, also known as “Isra” and “Guajiro;”
- Jexiel Rivera-Echandy, also known as “J. Echandy” and “La J;”
- Wiljaniel Echandy-Ortiz, also known as “Lenta” and “Will;”
- Andrés De Jesús-Camacho, also known as “Panda,” “Zeta,” “Cheo,” and “Tres Z;”
- Delvis Habanell Torres-Acevedo, also known as “Delvin” and “Habanell;”
- José Israel Román-Irizarry, also known as “Siki;”
- Jiam Maico Ramos-Vega, also known as “Jan;”
- Ricardo Alexis Torres-Rodríguez, also known as “Balita” and “Bala;”
- Héctor Lucas Zaragoza-Alicea, also known as “Lucas” and “Mostrito;”
- Alexandre Pérez-Díaz, also known as “Alex Quijá,” “Quijú,” and “Quijá;”
- Kevin Oneal Román-Zapata, also known as “Kevin Walter;”
- Miguel Ángel Rodríguez-Pacheco, also known as “Pitin Junior,” “Piti Junior,” and “Piti;”
- Luis Ángel Cruz-Pérez, also known as “Cecilio” and “La S;”
- Ashley Angely Martell-Prosper, also known as “La Rubia;”
- Caridad Migdali Ferrer-Carrero, also known as “Cari” and “Claribel;”
- Betsy Santiago-Almodovar, also known as “La Rubia” and “La Rubia de Cuestas;”
- Nelson Rafael Vargas-Alers;
- Cristal Yarits Rivera-Matías;
- Louwark Giovanni Rodríguez-Ramírez, also known as “Delvis;”
- Christian Javier Medina-Marrero;
- Christopher José Medina-Marrero;
- Kevin Bryan Ruiz-Millán, also known as “Kevin El Gordo;”
- Christian Oneil Flores-Ramos, also known as “Pollito” and “Pollo;”
- Lester Roberto Rodríguez;
- Joshua Omar Cornier-Valentín, also known as “Ojos Bellos,” “Joshi,” and “Jota Cornier;”
- José Medina-Padilla, also known as “Joselito;”
- Arístides Lorenzo Ruperto;
- José Antonio Rivera-Barbosa, also known as “Chiquitín;”
- Abdiel Omar Sánchez-Negrón, also known as “Blanquito;”
- Félix Alberto Esteves-Vargas, also known as “Felo;”
- Moisés Isaac González-Bayron, also known as “Moi;”
- Neftalí Santiago-Santiago, also known as “Gordo Papá;”
- Jeremy Oneell Rivera-Flores, also known as “Mon” and “Negro;”
- Joshua Méndez-Montes;
- Ryan Lowell Moreno-Ortiz, also known as “Scarface” and “Motorita;”
- Héctor M. Cotto-Rodríguez, also known as “Tello;”
- Gary Jayson Bonet-Martell;
- Dwight Yonice Carrero-Ramírez, also known as “Tripi;”
- Keithy Enid Rosas;
- John Emmanuel Vélez-Borrero, also known as “John el Negro” and “Johnsoto;”
- José Manuel Vélez-Torres, also known as “José El Barroso” and “Ubija;”
- Waleska Morales-Martínez;
- Kelvin Camuy Gonzélez, also known as “Camuy;”
- Diego Andrés Rivera-Ballester;
- Ángel Yandel Figueroa-Rivera, also known as “Dona;”
- Walter Jesús Colón-Rodríguez, also known as “Walter el Viejo;”
- José Joel Morales-Bayron, also known as “John Goti” and “Peste a Sobaco;”
- Amniel Josué Miró-Núñez, also known as “John Zeta;”
- Michael José Díaz-Deriux, also known as “Michael el Mono;”
- Amarilys Torres Rivera;
- Abiezer Bayron Vargas;
- Jean Michael Cruz-Robles, also known as “Jean Carlos;”
- Ezequiel Jamuel Soler-Vélez;
- Plimo Aníbal Picart-Padilla;
- Eriel Omar Rodríguez;
- Jesse Lucre Rodríguez, also known as “Macho” and “Machito;”
- Dereck Alberto Carrero-Torres;
- Santos Alexis Goden-Rodríguez, also known as “Alex Goden;”
- Zuleika Marie Fred-Echevarría, also known as “La Tuca;”
- Elizabeth Díaz-Fábregas, also known as “La Patrona;”
- Edwin Javier Acosta-Ortiz, also known as “Dayan” and “El Pato;”
- Victor González-Ramírez;
- Christy Marie Alicea-Torres, also known as “Marie;”
- Lydia Odalys Pagán-Martínez, also known as “La Flaca” and “La Boxeadora;”
- Roberto Jr. Granell-López;
- Rubi Cristina Rodríguez-Quiñones, also known as “La Rubia;” and
- Abdiel Manuel Ruiz-Lucena, also known as “Nacho.”
If convicted on the drug charges, the defendants face a minimum penalty of 10 years in prison and a maximum penalty of life in prison. If convicted of both the drug and firearms charges in count seven, the defendants face a minimum penalty of 15 years in prison and a maximum penalty of life in prison. All defendants are facing a narcotics forfeiture allegation of more than $49.7 million in U.S. currency.
This investigation was led by the FBI, the Puerto Rico Police Department (PRPD) Mayagüez Strike Force, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), as part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) Initiative. Today, the following agencies collaborated during the arrests: U.S. Marshals Service, U.S. Border Patrol, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP)–Office of Field Operations, CBP-Special Response Team (SRT), Puerto Rico National Guard–Counterdrug Program, Guaynabo Police Department–Special Response Team (SRT), and the Puerto Rico Police Department–SWAT Team.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Alberto López-Rocafort, Teresa Zapata-Valladares, Natalia Quiñones-Cruz, María López-Aponte, and Frank Norris for the District of Puerto Rico are prosecuting the case.
This prosecution is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF San Juan comprises agents and officers from the following federal partners: FBI, ICE-HSI, CBP (OFO, AMO and Border Patrol), the U.S. Marshals Service for Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, DEA, ATF, IRS, U.S. Coast Guard, U.S. Coast Guard Investigative Service, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Department of State, and the U.S. Secret Service, the Puerto Rico/U.S. Virgin Islands HIDTA, TSA, FAA, and the U.S. Attorney’s Offices for the Districts of Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The HSTF also has the following state and local law enforcement partners as participating agencies: the Puerto Rico Police Department; the San Juan, Carolina, Guaynabo, Barceloneta, and Ponce Municipal Police Departments, the Puerto Rico National Guard – Counter Drug Program; the Puerto Rico Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation; the Puerto Rico Internal Revenue Service (Hacienda); the Puerto Rico Port Authority; and the Virgin Islands Police Department.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Wednesday 26 August 2026
Woman Charged with Health Care Fraud After Submitting False Claims to Utah Medicaid and Receiving Millions in PayoutRead the Press Release
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – A federal grand jury in Salt Lake City returned an indictment today charging Jazzamin Clark with health care fraud after she allegedly submitted fraudulent claims to Utah Medicaid for therapy services that were either not rendered; rendered by unqualified, unlicensed providers; or non-covered therapy services. This resulted in Utah Medicaid paying over $4 million in claims.
According to allegations in court documents, from July 2024 through October 2025, Jazzamin Tashay Clark, 43, of Salt Lake City, Utah and Las Vegas, Nevada, allegedly defrauded the federal health care benefit program, Medicaid, to obtain money for her own financial benefit.
Medicaid receives both federal and state funding and is intended to provide health care benefits to indigent individuals, including certain people who are aged, blind, disabled, or have dependent children. The Medicaid program in Utah is overseen and administered by the United States Department of Health and Human Services and Utah Medicaid.
As alleged, Clark established businesses purportedly to treat individuals facing substance abuse use disorder in Salt Lake City. In order to obtain federal funds, she recruited Medicaid-eligible beneficiaries, often drawn from people experiencing homelessness, and claimed to provide them with Medicaid-reimbursable services. Medicaid claims are required to include, among other things, the National Provider Identifier (NPI) number for the healthcare provider who ordered, supervised, or performed the billed services. Clark caused Medicaid to be billed for therapy and other services under the NPI numbers for several out-of-state providers, many of whom were unqualified to provide such services and were not even aware that their NPI numbers were being used in this way.
As another part of the alleged scheme, Clark rented houses in West Valley City and elsewhere to purportedly serve as “sober living homes.” In reality, however, these homes left Medicaid beneficiaries who struggled with substance abuse to fend for themselves rather than helping them maintain sobriety. Throughout the scheme, Clark caused Medicaid to be billed for services that were never provided, services provided by unqualified and unlicensed individuals, and services that were otherwise not eligible for reimbursement, totaling over $4 million.
Clark is charged with health care fraud, wire fraud, and money laundering. Her initial appearance on the indictment is scheduled for September 9, 2026, at 1:00 p.m. in courtroom 8.4 before a U.S. Magistrate Judge at the Orrin G. Hatch United States District Courthouse in downtown Salt Lake City.
“This administration—and my office—remains firmly committed to pursuing individuals who attempt to steal from taxpayer funded programs,” said U.S. Attorney Melissa Holyoak for the District of Utah. “I am grateful for the dedication of our law enforcement partners and our prosecutors, whose collaborative efforts are essential in combating fraud and ensuring justice for all victims.”
The case is being investigated jointly by the FBI Salt Lake City Field Office, Medicaid Fraud Control Unit (MFCU) of the Utah Attorney General’s Office, and the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI).
Assistant United States Attorneys Mark Y. Hirata, Sachi J. Jepson, and Special Assistant United States Attorney Kaye Lynn Wooton, of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah, are prosecuting the case.
On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division (“Fraud Division”). The Fraud Division is laser-focused on investigating and prosecuting those who commit fraud against the American people. The Department’s work to combat fraud supports President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs.
An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Attachments:
jazzamin_t._clark.indictment.pdfWashington man sentenced to 19 years for trafficking fentanyl into Montana while armedRead the Press Release
MISSOULA – A Washington man who trafficked fentanyl from Seattle to Missoula while carrying a loaded handgun was sentenced today to 19 years in prison, followed by five years of supervised release, Acting U.S. Attorney Mark Steger Smith said.
Tyreece Kingsley Dunbar, 42, pleaded guilty in January 2026 to possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug crime.
U.S. District Judge Dana L. Christensen presided.
The government alleged in court documents that several sources had informed law enforcement that Dunbar was moving fentanyl from Seattle to Missoula by bus in early 2025. Agents arrived at the Greyhound bus station there on March 15, 2025, and found Dunbar wearing a face covering and body armor. He was also carrying a loaded Ruger .40 caliber pistol with a round in the chamber and a half pound of fentanyl.
“This defendant flooded our streets with deadly synthetic drugs, putting lives at risk for profit,” said Special Agent in Charge Justin Gerken of the FBI Billings Field Office. “The sentence holds him accountable and furthers our commitment to protecting our communities from the devastating effects of illegal drug trafficking.”
The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case. The FBI’s Montana Regional Violent Crime Task Force conducted the investigation.
Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is the Department of Justice’s nationwide initiative that brings federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement, prosecutors, and other public safety partners together to coordinate efforts to combat violent crime and make communities safe. Coordinated by U.S. Attorneys’ offices in each of the 94 federal districts, PSN is tailored to particular communities to strategically address specific violent crime and public safety challenges. PSN serves a central role in the Department’s commitment to make our country safe. PSN emphasizes three core principles: rapid federal response to violent crime and criminal offenders; strong, strategic partnerships among law enforcement at all levels; and accountability and deterrence through the prosecution of the most serious, readily provable offenses and other strategies. These efforts complement and strengthen President Trump’s Homeland Security Task Forces, ensuring a comprehensive federal response to the most pressing public safety issues facing communities.
Vinita Man Sentenced for Raping a 16-Year-OldRead the Press Release
TULSA, Okla. – A Vinita man was sentenced today after being found guilty by a federal jury in April for raping a 16-year-old, announced U.S. Attorney Christopher J. Nassar.
U.S. District Judge John F. Heil, III, sentenced Garret Lee Monroe, 38, who was convicted of Aggravated Sexual Abuse by Force in Indian Country. Monroe was ordered to serve 360 months imprisonment, followed by lifetime supervised release. Upon release, Monroe will also be required to register as a sex offender.
“Garrett Monroe is a sexual predator and career criminal who preyed upon and violently sexually assaulted an innocent sixteen-year-old girl,” stated U.S. Attorney Christopher J. Nassar. “Thanks to the efforts of our AUSAs and investigators, he will now spend a well-deserved thirty years in federal prison. I want to commend the victim for her brave testimony at trial, and I’m thankful that our office was able to bring her some measure of justice.”
"The courageous testimony of the young victim in this case was critical to securing the conviction and the significant sentence imposed today," said FBI Oklahoma City Special Agent in Charge Doug Goodwater. "The FBI and our partners remain steadfast in our mission to remove sexual predators from our communities and ensure they face the full weight of the federal justice system."
At trial, evidence was presented that in November 2025, Vinita Police officers were dispatched to a fight in progress. When officers arrived, they broke up a fight between Monroe and another man. Officers spoke with the man, who stated that he was contacted by the 16-year-old minor victim, who asked him to come home as soon as possible because something bad had happened. The man explained that the minor victim told him that Monroe had strangled, raped, and threatened to kill her. The man confronted Monroe for raping the minor victim and a fight ensued.
Officers then spoke with the 16-year-old minor victim. She told officers that Monroe woke her up in the middle of the night by covering her mouth and strangling her. When the minor victim testified, she explained to the jury that while Monroe was strangling her, she could not breathe and thought she was going to die. She began screaming, and Monroe put a knife to her throat and threatened to kill her. Monroe then proceeded to rape the minor victim. After he was finished, Monroe told the victim he was afraid he was “gonna go back to prison” and offered to pay the victim $500 a week not to tell anyone.
When the sexual assault nurse testified at trial, she went through her detailed reports and explained to the jury what the minor victim reported to her. The nurse took DNA swabs and photographed the 16-year-old’s injuries. The photographs were shown to the jury, including photos of bruises and abrasions to her neck and of the petechiae in the victim’s eyes and on her face caused by the strangulation.
When a DNA expert with the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation testified, they confirmed that the swabs taken from the minor victim matched the victim and Monroe’s DNA.
Court dockets show that Monroe is a prior felon and was previously convicted of serious offenses, including assault and battery on an officer, assault and battery with a deadly weapon, and robbery. When Monroe was sentenced in 2007 for robbery, he was sentenced to 20 years in the Department of Corrections, with 16 years suspended. Monroe did not comply with the terms of his release and his sentence was revoked. He served more than 14 years in prison, and court records show that he was released seven months prior to the rape.
Monroe is a citizen of the Northern Arapaho Tribe of Wyoming and will remain in custody pending transfer to the U.S. Bureau of Prisons.
The FBI, the Vinita Police Department, the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation, and the Tulsa Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Stacey Todd and Blithe Cravens prosecuted the case.
This case was prosecuted as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, local, and tribal resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit Justice.gov/PSC.
United States Files Complaint Against Trinity Public Utilities District for Allegedly Igniting a Wildfire That Burned Hundreds of Acres in Shasta-Trinity National ForestRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — The United States filed a lawsuit against the Trinity Public Utilities District alleging that its equipment sparked the Hobo Fire — a wildfire that burned approximately 450 acres in the Shasta-Trinity National Forest, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced today.
According to the complaint, the fire began on Aug. 31, 2020, when electrical equipment owned, maintained, and operated by Trinity Public Utilities District came into contact with nearby vegetation, igniting the surrounding area. The wildfire spread through the forest, resulting in more than $2.3 million in fire suppression costs.
The lawsuit alleges that Trinity Public Utilities District failed to take measures to prevent its power lines and related equipment from triggering a wildfire. These failures include not adequately inspecting its electrical infrastructure, not removing or trimming hazardous trees, and not maintaining appropriate vegetation clearance from its electrical infrastructure, among other failures. The United States also asserts that Trinity Public Utilities District breached the terms of its special use permit, including a strict liability provision for up to $1 million per occurrence, with any liability for injury, loss or damage in excess of that maximum to be determined by the laws governing negligence.
This matter is being handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Tara Amin.
U.S. Attorney's Office Welcomes Three Newly Sworn Assistant United States AttorneysRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Ellis Boyle administered the oath of office to three Assistant United States Attorneys who will serve in the Eastern District of North Carolina. Covering 44 counties from the Triangle to the coast, the Eastern District handles a broad range of federal criminal and civil matters, partnering closely with local communities and law enforcement agencies. The newly appointed prosecutors will help uphold the rule of law, protect constitutional rights, and strengthen public trust across this diverse and expansive district.
U.S. Attorney Raybould announces DOJ funding to strengthen regional law enforcement partnerships and support public safety in Tarrant CountyRead the Press Release
FORT WORTH, Texas — United States Attorney for the Northern District of Texas, Ryan Raybould, announced new federal awards through the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant Program, designed to deepen multijurisdictional partnerships and ensure that federal resources directly support local efforts to fight crime and improve community safety.
As Fort Worth and the surrounding Tarrant County region continue to experience unprecedented growth, the Department of Justice is investing in key public safety initiatives to help law enforcement meet the evolving needs of a rapidly expanding metropolitan area.
U.S. Attorney Raybould underscored that strong multijurisdictional partnerships are essential for a county facing the challenges of rapid development, diverse needs, and increasing calls for service.
“As Fort Worth and Tarrant County continue to grow, effective public safety depends on deepening partnerships across jurisdictions and making sure federal resources are brought to bear where they’re needed most. These grants represent one of many steps the Department of Justice is taking to support local law.”
These grants reflect an important commitment: as cities grow, public safety must grow with them. In Tarrant County, one of the fastest growing regions in Texas, strengthening coordination among agencies and giving officers the tools they need to effectively serve a larger and more complex community are essential.
Under these awards, jurisdictions across Tarrant County will receive targeted federal support to modernize forensic systems, expand mental health crisis response, and strengthen officer readiness.
- Fort Worth has been awarded $577,626 to acquire a new Laboratory Information Management System to enhance forensic efficiency and evidence processing, allowing investigators to manage rising case volumes in a rapidly growing city.
- Tarrant County has been awarded funding to expand mental health assistance for police calls, ensuring that officers responding to individuals in crisis have expert support.
- Arlington will bolster officer safety by purchasing Glock MOS pistols with red dot sights, strengthening readiness in a city that plays a major role in the county’s public safety ecosystem.
- North Richland Hills has been awarded $12,033 to implement an indoor drone program, an innovative tool that improves situational awareness, supports de-escalation, and reduces risks during building searches, barricaded suspect events, and other complex operations.
“Every dollar we receive from the Department of Justice is investment in public safety,” said Fort Worth Police Chief Eddie Garcia. “Modernizing our laboratory systems allows our investigators and forensic professionals to work faster, smarter, and more efficiently, helping us deliver justice to our community. We are grateful for our partnership with the Department of Justice and for their investment in keeping Fort Worth Safe.”
“I’ve said for years that the Tarrant County Jail is the largest mental health facility in our county, and the continued rise in mental health incidents shows just how urgent this challenge has become,” said Tarrant County Sheriff Bill E. Waybourn. “This new funding equips our deputies with the tools, training, and support they need to respond with understanding — keeping the individual in crisis safe, as well as the deputy and the community we serve.”
“Effective policing means building strong partnerships and the federal funding available through the JAG grant is a strong example of the support our community receives through the Department of Justice,” said North Richland Hills Police Chief Jeff Garner. “Our department prioritizes the sanctity of all human life, and this indoor drone program will create additional response options that support both officer and community safety.”
The Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) Program is a formula grant program which serves as the leading source of federal justice funding to state and local jurisdictions. It was named after Edward “Eddie” R. Byrne, an officer in the New York City Police Department who was murdered while protecting a witness in a drug case. The JAG Program provides states, tribes, and local governments with critical funding necessary to support personnel, equipment, supplies, contractual support, training, technical assistance, and information systems for criminal justice or civil proceedings.
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Tulsa Man Pleaded Guilty to Manufacturing DMT in his ApartmentRead the Press Release
TULSA, Okla. – A Tulsa man pleaded guilty in federal court to manufacturing the dangerous drug, DMT, in his apartment, announced U.S. Attorney Christopher J. Nassar.
Aaron Michael Bennett, 41, pleaded guilty to Manufacturing a Controlled Substance; Maintaining a Drug-Involved Premises; and being a Felon in Possession of Ammunition.
In January 2025, agents with Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) received information that N,N-Dimethyltryptamine (DMT) was being manufactured and sold out of an apartment in Tulsa. During the narcotics investigation, agents partnered with the Broken Arrow Police Department and conducted surveillance. They discovered that Bennett resided in the apartment and produced large amounts of the dangerous chemical.
When HSI obtained a search warrant for the apartment, they partnered with the Oklahoma Highway Patrol and the Oklahoma National Guard to safely execute the warrant and dispose of the chemical. In Bennett’s bedroom, law enforcement discovered nearly one pound of DMT.
Additionally, Bennett unlawfully possessed ammunition while manufacturing this dangerous chemical. Court dockets show that Bennett was previously convicted of a felony, and it is unlawful for him to possess ammunition.
Bennett’s sentencing will be scheduled at a later date. Prior to sentencing, a federal district court judge will determine the sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Bennett will remain in custody pending sentencing.
Homeland Security Investigations and the Broken Arrow Police Department investigated the case. The Oklahoma Highway Patrol and the Oklahoma National Guard assisted during the execution of the search warrant. Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen Flynn prosecuted the case.
Three illegal aliens, who each returned after removal multiple times and committed other crimes, sentenced in federal courtRead the Press Release
Seattle – Three men were sentenced this week in U.S. District Court in Seattle for repeatedly returning to the U.S. after being removed and committing other crimes while here, announced First Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles Neil Floyd. Defendant Marlon Arteaga-Calix, 42, a citizen of Honduras, was given a two-year sentence for illegally returning after removal. He was arrested while trying to flee from authorities at Joint Base Lewis McChord and leading police on a footrace across I-5. When arrested Arteaga-Calix had fentanyl in his possession.
At his sentencing hearing on Tuesday August 25th, U.S. District Judge James L. Robart said, “Fentanyl is an extremely dangerous substance and triggers a pattern that people die… I need to protect the public from further crimes of this defendant because of what he does when he returns to the U.S.”
According to records filed in the case, this is Arteaga-Calix’ fourth federal prison sentence for returning after removal. He has been sentenced to prison for that crime in Oregon, Utah, and Colorado. He has been removed from the U.S. in 2005, 2008, 2011, 2015, 2018, and 2021. After returning he has convictions for multiple drug offenses involving cocaine, crack cocaine, and fentanyl. He also was convicted of an assault on a health care worker. Arteaga-Calix will likely be removed following his prison term.
On Monday August 24, 2026, Dimas Alexander Mejia Garah, 35, a citizen of Honduras was sentenced to time-served for his return after removal. Garah will now be returned to the custody of Snohomish County where he faces 40 months in prison for being arrested in connection with drug trafficking.
Mejia Garah has been removed from the U.S. in 2009, twice in 2012, in 2014, and again in 2023. Mejia Garah was found in Snohomish County in 2025 when law enforcement served a search warrant at his residence. Mejia Garah has twice been convicted in Utah of trafficking narcotics and had another drug possession conviction in Colorado. At the time of his arrest in Snohomish County, there was a warrant for Mejia Garah’s arrest in California. Following his prison sentence in the drug case, Mejia Garah will likely be removed to Honduras again.
And finally, today, Yair Ramirez Aguilar, 32, a citizen of Mexico, was sentenced to time served for returning after removal. Ramirez Aguilar has illegally re-entered the U.S. four times after being removed. In November 2019 he attempted to enter the U.S. at Douglas, Arizona using someone else’s identification. He was convicted of illegal entry and removed. Twelve days later he was caught attempting to enter at Calexico, California, and was removed. In February 2020 and March 2020, he was caught again attempting to enter at Calexico and was removed both times.
Over the last five years, Ramirez Aguilar has been repeatedly arrested for a variety of criminal offenses. In 2021 he was arrested by the Burien Police Department for DUI and Negligent Driving – First Degree. In 2022 and 2023 he had arrests for Physical Control of Vehicle Under the Influence, DUI, and Hit and Run Attended Vehicle. He was convicted in 2025. He has a pending DUI charge from 2026. He also has pending domestic violence assault charges from arrests in 2024 and 2025.
In imposing the time served sentence Judge Lauren King said, “You have been repeatedly removed from the U.S., but your brief time here has been marked by repeated crimes.”
“Each of these cases take federal resources and court time because sanctuary policies in Washington prohibits cooperation with immigration enforcement,” said First Assistant U.S. Attorney Neil Floyd. “But for our intervention, the public would never know about the immigration history of these defendants, and they would have been released back into the community, to sell drugs, drive drunk, or commit assaults just as they did before we were able to get them into custody.”
Each of these cases were investigated by Homeland Security Investigations’ Immigration and Customs Enforcement (HSI-ICE).
Three Sentenced for Trafficking Large Quantities of MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
MARTINSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Methamphetamine trafficking in the Northern District of West Virginia has sent three people to federal prison for decades, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew L. Harvey.
Dustin Thomas Socks, 43, of Hagerstown, Maryland, was sentenced to 150 months in prison. Socks, also known as “Dutch,” was convicted following a long‑term drug trafficking investigation spanning from Washington County, Maryland, to Berkeley County, West Virginia. Investigators documented multiple sales of methamphetamine and cocaine base by Socks. Throughout the investigation, Socks coordinated drug deals across state lines and repeatedly met for sales at locations in Hagerstown, Maryland. Socks has multiple prior drug convictions.
Mercedes Danielle Waye, 33, of Moorefield, West Virginia, was sentenced to 60 months in prison for trafficking methamphetamine in Hampshire County. U.S. Postal Inspection Service personnel intercepted a parcel containing more than 430 grams of high‑purity methamphetamine addressed to Waye at a Romney, West Virginia address. Waye and co-defendant Charles Muffley, III, attempted to pick up the package the following day and was detained. Searches of Waye’s and Muffley’s vehicles and belongings uncovered additional methamphetamine, drug paraphernalia, digital scales, and multiple cellular devices. Muffley was convicted of his crimes at trial in March 2026 and is scheduled for sentencing in November 2026.
Alvie William Woods, 64, was sentenced to 36 months in prison. U.S. Postal Inspection Service personnel intercepted a suspicious USPS Priority Mail parcel and obtained a search warrant. Inside the package, officers found nearly two pounds of methamphetamine. The parcel had been mailed from Moreno Valley, California, and was addressed to “K. Myers” at a Flatwoods residence. Woods and co-defendant Kelly Myers arrived to retrieve the package and were arrested. Investigators later determined that Woods had received additional methamphetamine shipments at his home from the same California address. Myers was sentenced on August 5, 2026, to 12 months in prison for her role in the scheme.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lara Omps-Botteicher, Kyle Kane, and Andrew Cogar prosecuted the cases on behalf of the government.
Investigative agencies include the Eastern Panhandle Drug Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative; The Federal Bureau of Investigation; the Drug Enforcement Administration; the Potomac Highlands Drug Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative; the Hampshire County Sheriff’s Office; and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service.
These cases are a part of Operation Take Back America a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime, and repel the invasion of illegal immigration.
U.S. District Judge Gina M. Groh presided over the Socks and Waye sentencings. Chief U.S. District Judge Thomas S. Kleeh presided over the Woods sentencing.
Three Men Sentenced for Providing Material Support to Separatists in CameroonRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Three individuals have been sentenced in federal court for their roles in a conspiracy to provide material support or resources to kill, kidnap, and maim persons and use weapons of mass destruction (WMDs) in a foreign country. The defendants conspired to provide funds and equipment to separatist fighters in Cameroon to allow them to construct and use IEDs against various targets in the Northwest Region of Cameroon.
Francis Chenyi, Sr., 52, of Saint Paul, Minn. and Lah Nestor Langmi, 49, of Buffalo, N.Y., both citizens of Cameroon, were sentenced to 180 months each in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release.
Claude Ngenevu Chi, 43, of Kansas City, Mo., was sentenced to 63 months, followed by three years of supervised release.
Previously, Chenyi and Langmi, both of whom are U.S. citizens of Cameroonian origin, were found guilty after a federal jury trial of one count of a conspiracy to provide material support or resources intended to be used to carry out conspiracies to kill, kidnap, and maim persons in a foreign country and to use a WMD outside the United States. Chenyi and Langmi were also found guilty of one count of being involved in an international money laundering conspiracy that transferred funds from the United States to Cameroon to promote conspiracies to kill, kidnap, and maim and use WMDs abroad. Additionally, Chenyi was convicted of conspiring to provide material support and resources to use a WMD abroad.
Chi previously pleaded guilty to one count of conspiring to provide material support and resources to use WMDs abroad.
According to court documents and evidence from trial, Langmi sent an audio message to separatist fighters requesting they kidnap a traditional leader in Cameroon. Following a battle with Cameroonian forces, separatists took the traditional leader along with the Catholic Cardinal Christian Tumi, who was traveling with the traditional leader, from their vehicles. Following the kidnapping, Chenyi, provided the interrogation questions to be asked of the traditional leader and the Cardinal and approved the transferring of funds through peer-to-peer transactions to the separatist fighters in Cameroon to further the kidnapping.
Chenyi was involved in ransom payments by individuals outside of Cameroon for the release of family members taken in Cameroon and communicated with Langmi about these payments. Multiple instances occurred in which co-conspirators, including Langmi, requested funds to purchase IEDs or components of IEDs for construction and use in Cameroon that were approved and funded by Chenyi. Chenyi also coordinated with individuals in Cameroon to ensure separatist fighters he supported obtained training on IED use. The defendants corresponded with co-conspirators in Cameroon to coordinate development, payment for, and logistical support toward IED use upon targets in Cameroon.
Around Dec. 3, 2020, Chenyi was requested to provide funds for construction of multiple IEDs to be used in connection with efforts to enforce a lockdown of an area before an upcoming election. Chenyi, along with Chi, agreed to provide funds for the IEDs’ construction and Chenyi coordinated the transfer of funds from the United States through peer-to-peer transactions to the separatist fighters in Cameroon.
Langmi coordinated with, and provided funds to, an unindicted co-conspirator to develop IEDs and rocket-propelled grenades (RPGs) in Cameroon and kept Chenyi apprised of the IED and RPG development. Langmi also attempted to coordinate attacks near the 2021 African Cup of Nations soccer tournament hosted in Cameroon, as well as various cities throughout the Northwest Region in the spring of 2022.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sean T. Foley and Joseph M. Marquez for the Western District of Missouri, with the assistance of the Justice Department’s National Security Division. The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation-Kansas City Field Office.
The Villages Health System LLC Agrees to $541.5M Settlement to Resolve False Claims Act AllegationsRead the Press Release
The Villages Health System LLC (TVH), a healthcare provider group headquartered in The Villages, Florida, has agreed to a $541.5 million settlement to resolve self-disclosed allegations that it violated the False Claims Act by causing the submission of false diagnosis codes in order to increase payments that they received from the Medicare Advantage program.
“The Medicare Advantage program relies on accurate diagnoses to protect the federal fisc,” said Assistant Attorney General Brett A. Shumate of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “Today’s settlement reflects that we will hold accountable entities that inflate payments through invalid diagnoses; at the same time, we will continue to credit organizations that disclose wrongdoing, take appropriate remedial actions, and fully cooperate with the government’s investigation.”
“The Villages Health System LLC knowingly submitted false diagnosis codes to increase their payments from the Medicare Advantage program and increase their profits,” said U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe for the Middle District of Florida. “Our Office will continue protecting the integrity of the Medicare program and hold those who seek to defraud federal health care programs accountable.”
“The accuracy of diagnosis information submitted to Medicare Advantage is vital to protecting taxpayer dollars,” said Acting Deputy Inspector General for Investigations Miranda L. Bennett of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “This case underscores that entities will be held accountable when they submit unsupported information that inflates payments. The provider’s use of the OIG Self Disclosure Protocol and its cooperation were important factors in resolving this matter, and the protocol remains available for managed care entities and other providers that bill managed care entities that seek to disclose potential liability.”
Under the Medicare Advantage (MA) Program, also known as Medicare Part C, Medicare beneficiaries may opt out of traditional Medicare and enroll in private health plans offered by insurance companies known as Medicare Advantage Organizations, or MAOs. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) pays the MAOs a fixed monthly amount for each Medicare beneficiary enrolled in their plans. CMS adjusts these monthly payments to account for various “risk” factors that affect expected health expenditures for the beneficiary. In general, CMS pays MAOs more for sicker beneficiaries expected to incur higher healthcare costs and less for healthier beneficiaries expected to incur lower costs. To make these “risk adjustments,” CMS collects medical diagnosis codes from the MAOs. The diagnoses must be supported by the medical record from a face-to-face visit between a patient and a provider, and for outpatient visits, must have required or affected patient care, treatment, or management at the visit. Providers generally submit diagnosis codes to MAOs that are, in turn, submitted to CMS to increase payments. At times, MAOs agree to pay provider groups like TVH a set percentage of what the MAO receives from CMS. Under such agreements, the provider groups receive more reimbursement for sicker beneficiaries expected to incur higher healthcare costs and less reimbursement for healthier beneficiaries expected to incur lower costs.
On Dec. 27, 2024, TVH made a submission pursuant to the HHS-OIG’s Health Care Fraud Self-Disclosure Protocol disclosing that it had submitted invalid diagnosis codes to multiple MAOs for certain beneficiaries enrolled in their plans and that these diagnosis codes increased the capitated payments made by CMS to the MAOs under the MA program.
The settlement announced today resolves allegations that, from 2020 through 2024, TVH violated the False Claims Act, 31 U.S.C. §§ 2729-3733, by knowingly submitting false diagnosis codes to MAOs and causing MAOs to submit false diagnosis codes to the MA program resulting in inflated payments from CMS to MAOs. The diagnosis codes were invalid because they did not have adequate support in the patient’s medical record or were based on amendments to the medical record that were not initiated by the rendering provider and were not timely or were not approved by the rendering provider. TVH’s knowing submission of the unsupported and/or undocumented codes identified above caused CMS to make inflated payments to the MAOs, which inflated the MAOs’ payments to TVH.
In connection with the settlement, the United States acknowledged that TVH took a number of significant steps entitling them to credit for cooperating with the government. TVH promptly took remedial actions and self-disclosed the invalid diagnoses to HHS-OIG. TVH also provided the government with a detailed and thorough written disclosure and cooperated with the government throughout its investigation.
On July 3, 2025, TVH filed a Chapter 11 bankruptcy petition in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Middle District of Florida. In re Villages Health System, LLC, Case No. 6:25-bk-04156-LVV (Bankr. M.D. Fla.). The bankruptcy court approved the settlement announced today on Aug. 25.
TVH submitted the invalid diagnosis codes covered by the settlement announced today to three MAOs: Humana Inc., UnitedHealthcare (UnitedHealthcare Insurance Company, United Healthcare of Florida Inc., Preferred Care Partners Inc., and Care Improvement Plus South Central Insurance Company, Inc.), and GuideWell Mutual Holding Corporation (Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Florida Inc. and Florida Blue Medicare Inc.). Pursuant to their contracts with CMS, the MAOs are returning overpayments they received as a result of TVH’s conduct by deleting invalid codes and/or by entering into agreements with the Department of Justice and CMS to return the funds.
This year the Administration launched the Task Force to Eliminate Fraud and the National Fraud Enforcement Division to enhance the administration’s war on fraud, waste, and abuse in federal programs. When unscrupulous actors exploit these programs for their own financial gain, they defraud the government, harm the people these programs are designed to aid and protect, and undermine American businesses that play by the rules. The Civil Division’s FCA enforcement plays a critical role in combatting such fraudulent schemes, recovering billions of dollars for the American taxpayers, and holding wrongdoers accountable. FCA matters will continue to be on the forefront of the battle against fraud, and the Civil Division’s FCA work will support and advance the mission of the Task Force to Eliminate Fraud and the National Fraud Enforcement Division.
The resolution obtained in this matter was the result of a coordinated effort between the Justice Department’s Civil Division, Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section and the United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida, with assistance from HHS-OIG.
The investigation and resolution of this matter illustrate the government’s emphasis on combating healthcare fraud. One of the most powerful tools in this effort is the False Claims Act. Tips and complaints from all sources about potential fraud, waste, abuse and mismanagement, can be reported to the Department of Health and Human Services at www.oig.hhs.gov/fraud/report-fraud/ or 800-HHS-TIPS (800-447-8477).
The matter was handled by Fraud Section Attorneys Edward Crooke and Martha Glover and Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Emden for the Middle District of Florida.
The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only and there has been no determination of liability.
Note: Read the agreements with United here and Florida Blue here.
Surro Connections Owner, Business Manager, and Spouse Charged with Fraud in Collapse of Surrogacy AgencyRead the Press Release
OAKLAND — Megan Hall-Greenberg, 49, and Jeffrery Greenberg, 45, of Washougal, Washington, and Heather Morgan, 47, of Camas, Washington, have been charged by indictment with wire fraud and conspiracy to commit wire fraud, alleged to have conspired to misappropriate millions of dollars of funds from Surro Connections. Hall-Greenberg and Greenberg were also charged with money laundering and conspiracy to commit money laundering.
As part of the scheme, the defendants are alleged to have concealed the misappropriation from Surro Connections’ clients, the intended parents and the surrogates. Surro Connections collected and held funds, often totaling over $100,000 per client, that were pledged to be used to cover the costs of surrogacies, including legal fees, medical costs, compensation to surrogates, travel, and other costs.
Instead, as alleged in the indictment, Hall-Greenberg and Greenberg spent over $1.1 million in misappropriated funds on personal expenses, including gambling debts, cruises, a vacation at an adults-only resort in Mexico, and trips to Las Vegas. In addition, Hall-Greenberg and Greenberg spent over $60,000 on luxury items, including Louis Vuitton purses, Bucherer, Rolex and LVMH watches, diamonds and other jewelry.
“The victims in this case entrusted their hopes and dreams of starting a family—not to mention their hard-earned savings—to these defendants. But instead of the child they dreamed of, they got heartache and disappointment,” said United States Attorney Craig Missakian. “These defendants took advantage of vulnerable families, and they should pay a steep price for their callous and unbridled greed.”
“Families placed extraordinary trust into Surro Connections during one of the most meaningful moments of their lives. The defendants’ alleged actions not only broke that trust—they caused real harm to parents and surrogates who relied on them,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Scott Schelble. “The FBI is committed to uncovering the truth, protecting victims, and ensuring that those who exploit vulnerable individuals for personal gain are held fully accountable.”
The indictment alleges that for over 19 months, Hall-Greenberg, Greenberg, and Morgan conspired to conceal the misappropriation by falsely representing to clients of Surro Connections that their funds were being held safely in an escrow account, when in fact those accounts had been drained. According to the indictment, defendants Hall-Greenberg and Morgan repeatedly sent “balance statements” to Surro Connections clients that falsely represented that their funds were being held in escrow.
Instead, as alleged in the indictment, the escrow account was essentially empty, and the defendants were attempting to forestall the company’s collapse by using over $4.7 million in high-interest loans, incoming client payments, and credit cards, in an attempt to pay outstanding costs and conceal the misappropriation.
The indictment alleges that on December 5, 2025, Hall-Greenberg sent an email to Surro Connections intended parents, surrogates, and employees that stated the company was ceasing operations immediately and “has no ability to provide any further performance pursuant to any contractual or other Company obligations.”
The defendants are scheduled to make an initial appearance in U.S. district court in Oakland, California, on September 3, 3026 at 10:30 a.m. before the Honorable U.S. Magistrate Judge Ajay S. Krishnan. The case is assigned to the Honorable U.S. District Judge Araceli Martinez-Olguin for further proceedings.
An indictment merely alleges that crimes have been committed, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. If convicted, the defendants face a maximum sentence of twenty years in prison for wire fraud and conspiracy to commit wire fraud, and ten years in prison for money laundering and conspiracy to commit money laundering. The defendants also face a fine of up to $250,000, and potential forfeiture and restitution. Any sentence following conviction would be imposed by the court after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal statute governing the imposition of a sentence, 18 U.S.C. § 3553.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys David Ward and Ivana Djak are prosecuting the case with the assistance of Amala James and Jessie Chelsea. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the FBI.
Sturgis Man Sentenced to over 6 Years in Federal Prison for Child Pornography ChargesRead the Press Release
RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced today that Chief Judge Roberto A. Lange, U.S. District Court, has sentenced a Sturgis, South Dakota, man convicted of Receipt of Child Pornography and Possession of Child Pornography. The sentencing took place on August 17, 2026.
Carl Wahl, 55, was sentenced to six years and three months in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund for each charge. Wahl was also ordered to pay $30,285 in restitution and forfeiture was ordered.
Wahl was indicted for the charge by a federal grand jury in February 2025. He pleaded guilty on April 1, 2026.
Between May and August of 2023, the South Dakota Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force received CyberTips for investigation. A search warrant for Wahl’s residence and electronic devices was obtained. Several of Wahl’s electronic devices, including his HP laptop and his two cellphones, were examined and all three devices contained visual depictions of child sexual abuse material that Wahl knowingly and intentionally viewed, possessed, and received using the internet.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
This case was investigated by the South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation’s Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force, the Rapid City Police Department, and the Pennington County Sheriff’s Office. Former Assistant U.S. Attorney Heather Knox and Assistant U.S. Attorney Connie Larson prosecuted the case.
Wahl was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
St. Joseph Man Sentenced to 50 Years Imprisonment for Drug & Money Laundering ConspiracyRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A St. Joseph, Mo., man was sentenced in federal court today for his role in a conspiracy to commit drug trafficking and money laundering.
Montrez Dixon, 33, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Roseann A. Ketchmark to a total of 50 years in federal prison without parole for participating in a conspiracy to commit drug trafficking and money laundering.
On July 29, 2020, law enforcement officers recovered a package shipped to Kansas City, Mo. from Arizona, which contained 4,715 fentanyl pills. The investigation revealed that Dixon distributed this package and other packages to the Western District of Missouri, containing thousands of fentanyl pills. On Nov. 30, 2022, law enforcement officers with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and the Internal Revenue Service executed a search warrant on Dixon’s residence in Los Angeles, where over 7,500 fentanyl pills and a firearm were recovered. Dixon fled to Fresno, Calif., where he was ultimately arrested by the U.S. Marshals Service.
On Sept. 18, 2025, a jury found Dixon guilty of one count of conspiracy to distribute 400 grams or more of a mixture or substance containing fentanyl and one count of conspiracy to commit concealment money laundering. Three co-defendants had already pleaded guilty in this case.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Maureen A. Brackett. It was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation; U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration; Internal Revenue Services; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives; Kansas City, Missouri Police Department; Kansas City, Kansas Police Department; Buchanan County, Missouri Sheriff’s Office; Buchanan County, Missouri Drug Strike Force; St. Joseph, Missouri Police Department; Kansas City, Missouri Police Crime Laboratory; and DEA-North Central Laboratory.
Homeland Security Task Force
This prosecution is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF Kansas City comprises agents and officers from the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Homeland Security Investigations, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the United States Marshals Service, the United States Postal Inspection Service, and the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation Division with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Missouri.
South African Man Living in Jefferson County Sentenced for Distribution and Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
South African Man Living in Jefferson County Sentenced for
Distribution and Possession of Child Pornography
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Marcell M. Meyer, age 45, and a citizen of South Africa formerly residing in Sackets Harbor, New York was sentenced to 12 years in federal prison for distributing and possessing child pornography announced First Assistant United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III and Anthony Patrone, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Buffalo Field Office of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).
As part of his previously entered guilty plea, Meyer admitted to using an internet-based social networking application installed on his cellular telephone to distribute multiple videos of child pornography to another user of the platform who Meyer believed to be a 13-year-old child, but who was actually an undercover HSI agent. Meyer also possessed child pornography on his cellular telephone on the day of his arrest.
In addition to the term of imprisonment, United States District Judge, Anthony J. Brindisi, also sentenced Meyer to serve a 5-year term of supervised release which will begin after Meyer is released from prison, at which time Meyer will also be required to register as a sex offender. Meyer was also ordered to pay $21,000 restitution to the victims of his offenses. Upon his release from federal prison Meyer will be immediately eligible for deportation proceedings.
First Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarcone said: “Our law enforcement partners specialized cyber‑crimes units are dedicated to identifying, tracking, and arresting those who exploit and harm children online. Thanks to their relentless work, and our office’s prosecution, this defendant will serve 12 years in federal prison and will be subject to deportation afterward. We will continue to pursue anyone who preys on children and ensure they face lengthy prison sentences as a result of their crimes.”
Acting Special Agent in Charge Patrone stated: “Marcell Meyer’s sentence reflects the gravity of his crimes and the lasting harm caused by those who trade in child sexual abuse material. By distributing graphic abuse videos to someone he believed was a child and keeping this material on his phone, Meyer helped fuel a cycle of exploitation that revictimizes children every time these files are shared. HSI Syracuse will continue to pursue offenders who prey on children online and work with our partners to ensure victims are protected and predators are held accountable.”
The case was investigated by HSI Syracuse and HSI Portland, Maine with the assistance from the New York State Police, and U.S. Customs and Border Patrol. and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maine. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Adrian S. LaRochelle as a part of Project Safe Childhood.
Project Safe Childhood is a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
Sioux Falls Man Sentenced to over 13 Years in Federal Prison for Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance and Possessing a Firearm as a FelonRead the Press Release
SIOUX FALLS - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced today that Chief Judge Roberto A. Lange, U.S. District Court, sentenced a Sioux Falls, South Dakota, man convicted of Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance and Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person. The sentencing took place on August 24, 2026.
Lorenzo Rene Portillo, 37, was sentenced to 13 years and 5 months in federal prison, followed by 5 years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $200 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Portillo was indicted by a federal grand jury in July 2025. He pleaded guilty on May 5, 2026.
Portillo was a member of a conspiracy distributing more than 500 grams of methamphetamine in Sioux Falls between September 2024 and February 2025. He also obtained methamphetamine from co-conspirators to distribute to others who would then sell it. He was arrested on February 10, 2025, when law enforcement officers conducted a search of a residence where he was temporarily staying and discovered a handgun. Portillo is prohibited from possessing firearms based upon his multiple felony convictions.
“Collaborating with all levels of law enforcement, our dedicated federal prosecutors and their teams are working overtime to do everything possible to protect our communities from the deadly combination of career criminals, drugs, and guns,” said U.S. Attorney Parsons. “The conviction of this repeat felon and the long prison sentence he will serve represent another step forward toward accomplishing that mission. It doesn’t matter who you are or where you came from; if you are selling illegal drugs in South Dakota, we are coming for you and this is your fate.”
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). Through PSN, the District of South Dakota seeks to bring together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce gun violence and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Sioux Falls Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Joyce prosecuted the case.
Portillo was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Seaside Postmaster Charged with Distribution & Possession of Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Ore.—The Seaside, Oregon, Postmaster has been charged with possession and distribution of child sexual abuse material and production of obscene visual representations of child sexual abuse, announced U.S. Attorney Scott E. Bradford for the District of Oregon.
Ryan Sherman, 36, has been charged by criminal complaint and made his initial appearance in federal court today.
According to court documents, Sherman was in possession of dozens of images and videos of child sexual abuse material. In addition to possessing images and videos Sheman produced obscene child sexual abuse images for people he talked to on the internet, taking innocuous photographs of children and using artificial intelligence (AI) to turn them into obscene images. Sherman exchanged child abuse material on SimpleX with other members of a chat group. When asked by an individual seeking obscene images whether he had any limit to the images he would or could create, defendant bragged that he had “none.” Sherman occupies a position of trust as the Postmaster for Seaside, Oregon.
On August 25, 2026, Sherman was arrested in Seaside, Oregon.
Sherman made his first appearance in federal court today before a U.S. magistrate judge. He was ordered detained pending further court proceedings.
The FBI and Clatsop County Sheriff’s Office are investigating the case, with assistance from the Seaside Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Natasha Geiling is prosecuting the case.
This case was brought in collaboration with Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
A criminal complaint is only an accusation of a crime, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Robstown resident sentenced after fleeing from police in high-speed chase following drug transactionRead the Press Release
CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – A 50-year-old man has been ordered to prison for his role in the distribution of cocaine.
Michael Casas pleaded guilty May 27.
U.S. District Judge David S. Morales has now ordered Casas to serve 60 months in federal prison followed by four years of supervised release.
The investigation revealed Casas was planning to sell two kilograms of cocaine March 17. On that date, law enforcement attempted to conduct a traffic stop on his vehicle. Casas initially pulled over but accelerated as authorities approached, leading them in a high-speed pursuit on Highway 44 in Corpus Christi.
At one point, Casas was traveling in excess of 100 miles per hour.
During that time, authorities observed Casas throw a brick‑shaped package from the vehicle. He eventually stopped and surrendered.
Law enforcement recovered the package and found it to contain two kilograms of cocaine.
Casas was permitted to remain on bond and voluntarily surrender to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
The Drug Enforcement Administration conducted the investigation with assistance from the Corpus Christi Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph Griffith prosecuted the case.
Recidivist Violent Offender Sentenced to Prison for Interstate ThreatsRead the Press Release
Fort Myers, Florida – Paul Richard Lukas (51, Cape Coral) was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Kyle Dudek to four years in federal prison for making interstate communications of threats to injure. Lukas pleaded guilty on May 20, 2026. United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.
According to court records, on January 30, 2026, approximately one month after Lukas was released from Florida state prison for violent offenses, Lukas made several threatening phone calls to kill multiple individuals located in Florida, Georgia, and Alaska. One of the victims reported the threat to the Federal Bureau of Investigation. FBI then requested assistance from the Cape Coral Police Department (CCPD). Less than one hour after the FBI had received notification of the threats, CCPD made contact with Lukas at his home where they located several empty rifle cases.
In imposing the sentence, the court varied upward after considering Lukas’s lengthy criminal history consisting of approximately 40 prior adult convictions, many of which involved batteries, assaults, and threats against other individuals.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Cape Coral Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Matthew Redavid.
Rapid City Man Sentenced to over 2 Years in Federal Prison for Failing to Register as a Sex OffenderRead the Press Release
RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced today that U.S. District Judge Camela C. Theeler has sentenced a Rapid City, South Dakota, man convicted of Failure to Register as a Sex Offender. The sentencing took place on August 24, 2026.
Garrett Yellow Hair, 44, was sentenced to two years and six months in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Yellow Hair was indicted by a federal grand jury in January 2026. He pleaded guilty on April 20, 2026.
Yellow Hair was convicted of Abusive Sexual Contact of a Child in August 2007, in federal court in South Dakota. The victim was a 4-year-old girl. Yellow Hair was sentenced to just over 10 years in federal prison. Based upon the conviction, he is required to register as a sex offender for the remainder of his life under the provisions of the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA). In November 2023, Yellow Hair was convicted of the federal charge of Failure to Register as a Sex Offender. On September 8, 2025, he was released from the Pennington County Jail after completing his sentence on a supervised release violation. Yellow Hair updated his address, but then did not actually reside at that address between September and October 2025. Yellow Hair knew he was in violation of the provisions of the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Marshals Service. Supervisory Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin Patterson prosecuted the case.
Yellow Hair was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Rapid City Man Sentenced to 5 Years in Federal Prison for Possessing a Firearm and Ammunition as a FelonRead the Press Release
RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced today that Chief Judge Roberto A. Lange, U.S. District Court, has sentenced a Rapid City, South Dakota, man convicted of Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition by a Prohibited Person. The sentencing took place on August 17, 2026.
Wakiyan Dreamer, 28, was sentenced to five years in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Forfeiture was also ordered.
Dreamer was indicted for Possession of Ammunition by a Prohibited Person by a federal grand jury in June 2025 and indicted by superseding indictment for Possession of Firearm and Ammunition by a Prohibited Person in July 2025. He pleaded guilty on January 23, 2026.
On May 13, 2025, in Rapid City, the Rapid City Police Department responded to a shots-fired report at a gas station. Law enforcement recovered a Norma brand 9mm Luger shell casing nearby in the middle of the street. Law enforcement reviewed video surveillance footage from outside the gas station. It showed Dreamer shooting a pistol in the middle of a street toward a group of people, where the 9mm shell casing was found by law enforcement shortly after the shooting.
Dreamer had been convicted of a crime punishable beyond a year in prison and therefore he is a convicted felon prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition. Dreamer procured this pistol by arranging for his significant other, Madeline Bloemendaal, to buy the firearm for him from a Federal Firearms Licensee (“FFL”). She gave a false statement to the FFL representing she was buying the firearm for herself, when in reality she was buying it for Dreamer. Bloemendaal has since been convicted and sentenced.
Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is the Department of Justice’s nationwide initiative that brings federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement, prosecutors, and other public safety partners together to coordinate efforts to combat violent crime and make communities safe. Coordinated by U.S. Attorneys’ offices in each of the 94 federal districts, PSN is tailored to particular communities to strategically address specific violent crime and public safety challenges. As a key component of Operation Take Back America, PSN serves a central role in the Department’s commitment to make our country safe. PSN emphasizes three core principles: rapid federal response to violent crime and criminal offenders; strong, strategic partnerships among law enforcement at all levels; and accountability and deterrence through the prosecution of the most serious, readily provable offenses and other strategies. These efforts complement and strengthen President Trump’s Homeland Security Task Forces, ensuring a comprehensive federal response to the most pressing public safety issues facing communities.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Rapid City Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin Schroeder prosecuted the case.
Dreamer was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Owner of West Camp Dog Fighting Venture Sentenced to More Than 17 Years in Federal Prison for Dog Fighting and Domestic ViolenceRead the Press Release
TULSA, Okla. – A Tulsa man was sentenced for six counts related to running a dog fighting venture in his home and for beating his then-girlfriend with a golf club, announced U.S. Attorney Christopher J. Nassar.
U.S. District Judge Sara E. Hill sentenced Julius Deane Griffin, 44, for five counts of Possession of a Dog for an Animal Fighting Venture; Causing an Individual Under the Age of 16 to Attend an Animal Fighting Venture; Assault with a Dangerous Weapon with Intent to do Bodily Harm in Indian Country; and Tampering with Evidence by Corrupt Persuasion. Griffin was ordered to serve 210 months imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release.
“Julius Griffin engaged in a sustained pattern of harming animals and people alike. And then when he was finally brought to justice, he tried to destroy evidence of his crimes,” said U.S. Attorney Chris Nassar. “This sentence sends a strong message that engaging in dog fighting and domestic violence will not be tolerated in the Northern District of Oklahoma and will be met with significant consequences.”
In 2024, law enforcement began investigating Griffin for drug activities. When agents obtained a search warrant on Griffin’s social media account, they discovered that he was fighting dogs under the name “West Camp.” Agents then executed a search warrant at Griffin’s home and seized 17 live pit bull-type dogs and other fighting dogs, and one deceased dog. Agents seized over $16,000 in cash, electronic devices, dog-fighting trophies, dog treadmills, kennels, digital scales to weigh the dogs, dog food, injectable steroids, syringes, and dog medications.
The dogs seized were placed with outside caregivers and received immediate medical attention. Some dogs had missing and damaged body parts, visible scars, and open wounds, consistent with dog fighting. The deceased dog exhibited visible scars and open wounds, consistent with dog fighting, and was recently deceased.
Court documents show that Griffin admitted to possessing 18 dogs in his backyard and basement of his house located in Tulsa. During sentencing, the prosecutor stated that Griffin would take a dog into his basement for “training.” While in the dark basement, the dog would be starved and run on a treadmill several times to prepare for an upcoming fight.
The investigation revealed that Griffin possessed 1,000s of images and videos documenting his dog-fighting venture. At sentencing, prosecutors showed several graphic images and videos of dogs injured or fighting. A brief video showed a dog that appeared to be lifeless, muzzled by duct tape, and attacked by a separate dog, as Griffin cheered on the prevailing dog.
Griffin admitted to traveling between Oklahoma and Kansas to fight the dogs and to buying or selling dogs in Oklahoma, Illinois, Missouri, Texas, Georgia, Arkansas, and Pennsylvania. During one of his dog fights, Griffin admitted he allowed two children, ages 4 and 2, to watch the dog fight.
After being arrested in April 2025, Griffin contacted a friend and directed them to log in to his accounts and delete data from his cloud-based devices. Griffin knowingly directed his friend to conceal and delete videos, conversations, and pictures related to his animal-fighting venture.
Additionally, in December 2023, Griffin admitted to assaulting the woman he was dating at that time. He struck her several times with a golf club. The assault left the victim with a fractured wrist, ankle swelling, arm and knee lacerations, as well as rib pain.
During sentencing proceedings, it was mentioned that Griffin scored in the highest criminal history category because of his prior criminal convictions. Court records show that Griffin was previously convicted of more than 21 crimes, including being convicted in 2005 for his involvement in a separate dog fighting ring. He was sentenced to five years and served approximately two years. He has also previously been convicted of six assault and domestic assault related crimes since 2009.
Griffin will remain in custody pending transfer to the U.S. Bureau of Prisons.
Homeland Security Investigations, the U.S. Marshal Service, the USDA-OIG, the Creek County Sheriff’s Office, and the Tulsa Police Department investigated the case. The U.S. Marshal Service National Seized Animal Program, the City of Tulsa Animal Services, and the Humane Society of Tulsa assisted in the medical treatment of the dogs and their recovery. Assistant U.S. Attorney Niko Boulieris prosecuted the case.
Nevada, Missouri Man Sentenced for Embezzling Approximately $1.5 Million from Employer and Filing a False Tax ReturnRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Nevada, Mo., man was sentenced in federal court yesterday for a fraud scheme and filing false income tax returns.
Justin Marquardt, 55, was sentenced by United States District Judge Greg Kays, to 48 months in federal prison, followed by a three-year term of supervised release, for a fraud scheme in which he embezzled approximately $1.5 million from his employer and for failing to disclose the embezzled funds as income on his federal income tax returns. Marquardt was also ordered to pay full restitution to the victims of his crimes. This successful prosecution is one of many federal fraud cases pursued under the leadership of President Donald Trump and through the establishment of the Task Force to Eliminate Fraud.
Marquardt previously admitted that he stole approximately $1.5 million from his employer’s bank accounts and used those funds for his personal benefit. Marquardt held the title of executive director at his employer’s company and by virtue of his position, had access to all company finances and financial accounts from 1994 to 2023. As part of his scheme, Marquardt, without authorization, transferred funds from his employer’s bank accounts to his personal accounts and wrote himself unauthorized checks from business bank accounts. Marquardt spent most of the money on personal expenses, including travel and gambling both online and at casinos. To hide his embezzlement, Marquardt omitted these unauthorized transactions from the business’s QuickBooks ledger he provided to an accountant and tax preparer. Marquardt recorded false and fraudulent payments as business expenses in the QuickBooks records to conceal his embezzlement. Marquardt embezzled at least $1,387,926.39 and has been ordered to pay this amount as restitution to his former employer.
For tax years 2017 – 2020 and 2023, Marquardt filed United States federal income tax returns on Forms 1040 in which he willfully failed to report his embezzled income. As a result of his false tax returns, he has been ordered to pay restitution of $322,596 to the Internal Revenue Service and Missouri Department of Revenue.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Brent Venneman. It was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation.
National Fraud Enforcement Division
On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division (“Fraud Division”). The Fraud Division is laser-focused on investigating and prosecuting those who commit fraud against the American people. The Department’s work to combat fraud supports President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs
Montgomery Man Sentenced to 25 Years in Federal Prison for Series of Armed RobberiesRead the Press Release
MONTGOMERY, Ala. — A Montgomery man was sentenced today to 300 months in federal prison for his role in a series of armed robberies targeting businesses throughout Montgomery.
On August 26, 2026, a federal judge sentenced 21-year-old Najari Denarka Mitchell of Montgomery to 25 years in federal prison. Mitchell previously pleaded guilty to multiple federal robbery and firearm charges arising from armed robberies committed during the summer of 2025. Following his prison sentence, Mitchell will serve five years of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
United States Attorney Thomas Govan and Special Agent in Charge Christopher R. Flowers with the FBI Mobile Division made the announcement.
“Mr. Mitchell participated in multiple armed robberies that terrorized employees and customers and put innocent people at risk,” said U.S. Attorney Govan. “His 25-year federal sentence reflects the seriousness of his conduct and should serve as a warning to others who choose to use firearms to commit violent crimes.”
“Our partnerships remain essential to driving violent crime down to historic lows,” said Special Agent in Charge Flowers. “Today’s sentence of Mr. Mitchell reflects the strength of those collaborations and our shared commitment to protecting the public. This case is a clear example of what happens when federal, state, and local agencies work as one team. Together with our partners, we remain committed to supporting victims and strengthening stability across the region.”
According to his plea agreement and other court records, between June 5 and July 28, 2025, Mitchell committed four armed robberies targeting a cell phone store and three gas stations throughout Montgomery, including businesses located on Troy Highway, Eastern Boulevard, and Virginia Loop Road.
Mitchell later partnered with co-defendant Rayshon Frances Demonta Hall in three additional armed robberies. On August 1, 2025, Mitchell and Hall robbed a fast-food restaurant on Troy Highway while threatening an employee with a firearm. The following day, they robbed an auto parts store on Fairview Avenue. On August 4, 2025, Mitchell and Hall robbed a gas station on Troy Highway. Mitchell also pleaded guilty to his role in an attempted robbery of an auto parts store in Montgomery involving Hall.
In addition to the robbery offenses, Mitchell pleaded guilty to two counts of brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a federal crime of violence.
Mitchell’s co-defendant, Hall, was convicted by a federal jury on May 20, 2026, of three counts of robbery and three counts of brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a federal crime of violence. Hall is scheduled to be sentenced on September 9, 2026.
The FBI and Montgomery Police Department investigated this case, with assistance from the United States Marshals Service. Assistant United States Attorneys Mark E. Andreu and Eric M. Counts prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) and the Middle District of Alabama’s Violent Offender Intervention and Deterrence (VOID) program.
PSN is the Department of Justice’s nationwide initiative that brings federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement, prosecutors, and other public safety partners together to coordinate efforts to combat violent crime and make communities safe. Coordinated by U.S. Attorneys’ offices in each of the 94 federal districts, PSN is tailored to particular communities to strategically address specific violent crime and public safety challenges.
As a key component of Operation Take Back America, PSN serves a central role in the Department’s commitment to make our country safe. PSN emphasizes three core principles: rapid federal response to violent crime and criminal offenders; strong, strategic partnerships among law enforcement at all levels; and accountability and deterrence through the prosecution of the most serious, readily provable offenses and other strategies. These efforts complement and strengthen President Trump’s Homeland Security Task Forces, ensuring a comprehensive federal response to the most pressing public safety issues facing communities.
VOID aims to reduce violent crime by enhancing coordination, communication, and collaboration with law enforcement partners. The program focuses on working directly with local agencies and traditional federal partners to prosecute violent offenders and armed felons, dismantle drug trafficking organizations, and build proactive cases targeting gangs and repeat violent offenders. VOID prioritizes the most serious violent crime cases and fosters close working relationships with state and local prosecutors and law enforcement throughout the Montgomery River Region.
Mexican Illegal Alien Indicted for Illegal Re-Entry of Removed AlienRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – JOSE DE JESUS NIEVES-Juarez (“NIEVES-JUAREZ”), age 32, a native of Mexico, was indicted on August 21, 2026, for illegal re-entry of a removed alien, in violation of Title 8, United States Code, Section 1326(a), announced U.S. Attorney David I. Courcelle.
According to the indictment, the defendant was found in the United States on August 14, 2026, having reentered the United States, without authorization from the Attorney General of the United States, after being previously deported on February 25, 2019. NIEVES-JUAREZ faces up to two years imprisonment, a fine of up to $250,000, up to one year of supervised release, and a mandatory special assessment fee of $100.00 for re-entry of a removed alien.
U.S. Attorney Courcelle reiterated that an indictment is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.
Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is the Department of Justice’s nationwide initiative that brings federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement, prosecutors, and other public safety partners together to coordinate efforts to combat violent crime and make communities safe. Coordinated by U.S. Attorneys’ offices in each of the 94 federal districts, PSN is tailored to particular communities to strategically address specific violent crime and public safety challenges. As a key component of Operation Take Back America, PSN serves a central role in the Department’s commitment to make our country safe. PSN emphasizes three core principles: rapid federal response to violent crime and criminal offenders; strong, strategic partnerships among law enforcement at all levels; and accountability and deterrence through the prosecution of the most serious, readily provable offenses and other strategies. These efforts complement and strengthen President Trump’s Homeland Security Task Forces, ensuring a comprehensive federal response to the most pressing public safety issues facing communities.
U.S. Attorney Courcelle praised the work of the Homeland Security Investigations in investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Carter K.D. Guice, Jr. of the General Crimes Unit is in charge of the prosecution.
Massachusetts State Representative Charged with Pandemic Loan Fraud and Money LaunderingRead the Press Release
BOSTON – The Massachusetts State Representative for the 16th Essex District, representing Lawrence and Methuen, was arrested today and charged with fraudulently obtaining over $700,000 in COVID unemployment insurance benefits and small-business loans, and using the proceeds to buy real estate and loan money to clients of his mortgage business, before he was elected to public office.
Francisco Paulino, 46, of Methuen, Mass., is charged in an 11-count indictment returned by a federal grand jury in Boston. Paulino is charged with eight counts of wire fraud and three counts of money laundering. Paulino will make an initial appearance in federal court in Boston at 2 p.m. today.
According to the indictment, Paulino fraudulently obtained Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) benefits in 2020-2021 in the name of an unknowing 77-year-old relative. The PUA program, which was created during the COVID pandemic, provided unemployment benefits for people who were ineligible for regular unemployment benefits, including independent contractors.
In April 2020, Paulino allegedly submitted an online PUA application to the Massachusetts Department of Unemployment Assistance (DUA) for his relative, in which Paulino falsely claimed that the relative had worked for Paulino’s business, Madison Tax, LLC, in 2019. Paulino allegedly submitted fabricated documents in support of the PUA application and submitted false weekly certifications to the DUA. It is further alleged that Paulino directed the DUA to electronically deposit the PUA benefits into a bank account held solely in Paulino’s name. As a result, between April 2020 and September 2021, the DUA paid over $44,000 in PUA benefits. Paulino allegedly used the money to pay for real estate expenses, loan payments and transfers into his political campaign account.
According to the indictment, Paulino also committed fraud in connection with three Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDLs). During COVID, the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) offered taxpayer-funded EIDLs to eligible small businesses experiencing substantial financial disruptions due to the pandemic. The interest rate on EIDLs was 3.75% and the loan use was limited. A business could only use EIDL proceeds as working capital to alleviate economic injury caused by COVID.
According to the charging documents, Paulino incorporated a business called Jackson Enterprise, Inc. as a “fast food restaurant cafe” on Nov. 25, 2019. Jackson Enterprise allegedly had no revenue prior to August 2020. Although Madison Tax filed tax returns with the IRS stating that Jackson Enterprise’s revenues were $0 in 2019 and $116,925 in 2020, Paulino allegedly submitted an EIDL application to the SBA in June 2020 falsely representing that Jackson Enterprise’s revenues for the 12 months ending Jan. 31, 2020 were $426,755. The SBA granted the application and deposited $136,600 in EIDL proceeds into Jackson Enterprise’s bank account in July 2020. Paulino allegedly used $18,000 of the funds toward the purchase of real estate in Lawrence.
Paulino also allegedly obtained a $109,200 EIDL for Madison Tax in May 2020, and later asked the SBA for an increase in the loan amount. In June 2021, the SBA increased the Madison Tax EIDL by $292,600, bringing the total loan amount to $401,800. In October 2021, after the SBA deposited the $292,600 into Madison Tax’s bank account, Paulino allegedly transferred $100,000 of the EIDL funds into the bank account of Madison Mortgage, Inc.– another of his businesses, and used the money to help fund a $600,000 mortgage to two individuals for their purchase of a house in Methuen. Then, in December 2021, Paulino allegedly transferred $120,000 of the EIDL funds from his Madison Tax account to his Madison Mortgage account and used the money to help fund a $460,000 mortgage from Madison Mortgage to an LLC for the purchase of a house in Lawrence. It is further alleged that Paulino not only used $220,000 of Madison Tax EIDL funds for an impermissible purpose, but also that he profited by charging 5.5% and 7.94% interest on the loans he made with the EIDL funds and by charging $25,000 in “loan origination fees” to the home purchasers.
The indictment further alleges that Paulino obtained a fraudulent EIDL modification for one of his Madison Tax clients. In June 2020, Paulino allegedly recommended that a client apply for an EIDL and told the client that he would handle the paperwork and the client would not need to do anything. It is alleged that the client agreed and Paulino obtained a $104,300 EIDL for the client’s business. Paulino allegedly asked the SBA for an increase to the client’s EIDL without the client’s knowledge and in September 2021, the SBA approved an increase of $243,200. Paulino allegedly told the client that he had obtained more government loan money for the client’s business, that the client should leave the money in the client’s business account and that he was going to propose a business deal for the client. It is further alleged that Paulino later told the client to lend him $200,000 and together they transferred $200,000 from the client’s account to Paulino’s Madison Tax account. Paulino then allegedly used the $200,000 to help fund a $680,000 mortgage to another Madison Mortgage client for the purchase of real property in Lawrence, charging an interest rate of 6.25% and a “loan origination fee” of $17,000.
The charges of wire fraud each provide for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The charges of money laundering each provide for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Tom Demeo, Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigation in Boston; Ted E. Docks, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; Anthony D’Esposito, Inspector General, Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General; and Jeffrey S. Shapiro, Inspector General, Office of the Inspector General, Commonwealth of Massachusetts made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kistina E. Barclay and Christine Wichers of the Public Corruption Unit are prosecuting the case.
On March 26, 2026, United States Attorney Leah B. Foley announced the creation of the Benefit & Voter Fraud Team, a district-wide initiative established in response to the rampant fraud being uncovered across Massachusetts. Members of the public are encouraged to report suspected benefit fraud in Massachusetts by calling 1-855-SCAM-MA-1 (855-722-6621).
On April 7, 2026, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division. The Fraud Division is investigating and prosecuting those who commit fraud against the American people. The Department’s work to combat fraud supports President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste and abuse within federal benefit programs.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in the court of law.
Massachusetts Mayor Indicted by Federal Grand Jury for Pandemic Loan Fraud and Money LaunderingRead the Press Release
BOSTON – The Mayor of Lawrence, Mass., has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Boston. The 11-count indictment, unsealed today, charges the Mayor with allegedly obtaining over $1.5 million in COVID small-business loans. It is alleged that the money was used to fund his campaign account, pay personal taxes and pay more than $880,000 in high-interest, hard-money mortgages on properties he owned in Lawrence.
Brian A. DePena, 61, was indicted on four counts of wire fraud and seven counts of money laundering. DePena was previously charged by criminal complaint and arrested on Aug. 14, 2026. DePena will appear in federal court for an arraignment at a later date.
DePena was elected as Mayor of Lawrence in November 2021 and was reelected in November 2025. He previously served on the Lawrence City Council from 2016 until 2021.
According to the charging documents, in 2020 and 2021, DePena applied for Economic Injury Disaster Loans (“EIDL”) for Tenares Tire Services Inc., a tire sales and automotive services business he owned in Lawrence. The interest rate on EIDLs was 3.75% and the loan use was limited. A business could only use EIDL proceeds as working capital to alleviate economic injury caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. DePena allegedly caused Tenares Tire to apply for and obtain an EIDL in the amount of $150,000 in June 2020 and then used the majority of those funds as working capital for the business. According to the charging documents, DePena needed cash by early 2021. His mayoral campaign was struggling to pay bills; he owed the IRS for back taxes; and he owed almost $900,000 to two private, hard money lenders who were charging DePena 12% and 8% interest – significantly more than the EIDL rate of 3.75% – on loans that encumbered various properties DePena owned in Lawrence.
In April 2021, DePena allegedly caused a request for an increase of the Tenares Tire EIDL and on July 14, 2021, the SBA approved an increase of the loan by $350,000, bringing the total Tenares Tire EIDL to $500,000. While waiting for the EIDL funds to be released, DePena allegedly texted (originally in Spanish, here translated to English) his accountant and financial advisor, who had been assisting with the Tenares Tire EIDL application and modification:
July 22, 2021: Brother, call me, I’m in trouble. I don’t want to pressure you, but I don’t have time to wait for this loan. I’m in your hands. 🙏
July 25, 2021: Brother, I need your help with this loan. I’ve been trying to reach you all week because I haven’t been able to get it resolved. I know I’m bothering you a lot, but I have no other option. Only you can give me what I need. 🙏🙏🙏🙏
July 28, 2021: Brother call me 🙏🙏🙏
The $350,000 in EIDL funds were electronically deposited into the Tenares Tire bank account on Aug. 16, 2021. The pre-deposit balance in the account was $20.23. Shortly thereafter, DePena allegedly paid $85,000 of the EIDL funds to the IRS to pay off personal tax debts, and transferred $120,000 to a personal account and used that money to write checks totaling $90,000 to The Committee to Elect Brian DePena. It is alleged that these checks were deposited in the DePena mayoral campaign account, and characterized as loans to the campaign, in September and October 2021.
In October 2021, DePena allegedly caused a request for a second EIDL modification and on Oct. 27, 2021, the SBA approved the modification which increased the loan by $1,154,400 bringing the total Tenares Tire EIDL to $1,654,400.
On Nov. 30, 2021, $1,154,188 in EIDL funds were electronically deposited in the Tenares Tire account and on the same day, DePena allegedly transferred the entire amount to one of his personal accounts which had a balance of $1,401. It is alleged that DePena used $42,112.96 of the EIDL funds for his mayoral campaign, writing checks to the campaign for $10,000 and $32,112.96. The first check was deposited into his campaign account on Dec. 2, 2021, when the account had allegedly been overdrawn for approximately 20 days.
DePena allegedly used $883,293 of the EIDL funds to pay off his debts to the hard money lenders. On Dec. 9, 2021, DePena bought a $538,109.03 treasurer’s check and used it to pay off one of the loans, and on Dec. 18, 2021, he bought a $345,184.13 treasurer’s check and used it to pay off the other loan. According to the charging documents, as of Aug. 5, 2026, DePena had made only 16 payments on the Tenares Tire EIDL. The outstanding principal balance was approximately $1,654,420.
The charges of wire fraud each provide for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The charges of money laundering each provide for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Tom Demeo, Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigation in Boston; Ted E. Docks, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; Anthony D’Esposito, Inspector General, Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General; and Jeffrey S. Shapiro, Inspector General, Office of the Inspector General, Commonwealth of Massachusetts made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kistina E. Barclay and Christine Wichers of the Public Corruption Unit are prosecuting the case.
On March 26, 2026, United States Attorney Leah B. Foley announced the creation of the Benefit & Voter Fraud Team, a district-wide initiative established in response to the rampant fraud being uncovered across Massachusetts. Members of the public are encouraged to report suspected benefit fraud in Massachusetts by calling 1-855-SCAM-MA-1 (855-722-6621).
On April 7, 2026, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division. The Fraud Division is investigating and prosecuting those who commit fraud against the American people. The Department’s work to combat fraud supports President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in the court of law.
Maryland Man Sentenced to 198 Months in 2023 Violent Kidnapping and Rape of Former PartnerRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Brandon Tyriq White, 31, of Maryland, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court to 198-months in federal prison in connection with the violent kidnapping, choking, and sexual assault of his former girlfriend, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
“Brandon White’s victim fought to escape her attacker twice, and twice White caught her, bound her, and terrorized her,” said U.S. Attorney Pirro. “Domestic violence will not be tolerated. White is now a convicted felon and will spend more than 16 years in federal prison.”
White pleaded guilty on Feb. 18, 2025, to a charge of kidnapping. In addition to the 198-month prison term, U.S. District Court Judge Amit P. Mehta ordered White to serve five years of supervised release and to register as a sex offender. Federal prosecutors had requested a 210-month prison sentence.
According to court documents, White was in a romantic relationship with a woman with whom he lived in October and November 2023. The woman left White without telling him in late November. Following her departure, she terminated the relationship. She left some of her belongings at White’s home.
The next month, the woman sought to recover her belongings and arranged to meet White at a restaurant in Prince George’s County. They sat at a table and ordered drinks and food. The woman received a phone call and stepped away. She returned to the table to find the food was gone, the check had been paid, and White had left the restaurant.
White approached the woman in his car as she walked through the restaurant parking lot. The two argued about her taking the phone call. The dispute intensified and White forced the woman against her will into the back of his car. The woman tried to escape. White bound her with zip-ties. Then he drove her from Maryland to a residence in Southeast D.C.
When they arrived in the District, the woman tried to escape by running away and crying for help. White caught her on the front steps of the residence and choked her. He released her when she promised not to scream or run. White led the woman to a bedroom on the second floor. He placed a firearm on a bedside table and sexually assaulted her.
The woman convinced White to drive her back to Maryland. On the way, they stopped at a convenience store. The woman attempted to flee. A surveillance camera captured images of White trying to force her back into his car. She slipped from his grasp and ran. White caught her, beat her, and broke her front tooth. Ultimately the woman escaped. White drove away. The woman later was treated at local hospital.
Police arrested White on Dec. 23, 2023, in Charles County, Maryland, and recovered a Glock semi-automatic pistol from the hotel where he was staying. The gun was registered to White in the state of Maryland, but White had no valid license or registration to carry the gun within the District.
This case was investigated by the FBI Washington Field Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Janani Iyengary.
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Luverne, Minnesota Man Sentenced to 13 Years in Federal Prison for Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled SubstanceRead the Press Release
SIOUX FALLS - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced today that U.S. District Judge Karen E. Schreier has sentenced a Luverne, Minnesota, man convicted of Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance. The sentencing took place on August 24, 2026.
Shaun Mitchell, 38, was sentenced to 13 years and four months in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Mitchell was indicted for Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance by a federal grand jury in January 2024.
Investigators discovered that Mitchell worked with a co-conspirator to obtain large quantities of fentanyl pills from Denver and then sell them around the Sioux Falls area. The two men shared a phone and customers. Investigators utilized an informant to make two controlled purchases of fentanyl pills from Mitchell’s co-conspirator and also to conduct a controlled purchase of 48 fentanyl pills from Mitchell. Eventually, investigators learned Mitchell had a storage unit in Sioux Falls, obtained a warrant for the unit, and ultimately discovered approximately 11,777 fentanyl pills inside the storage unit. In total, investigators believe Mitchell and his co-conspirator were responsible for trafficking approximately 40,000 fentanyl pills.
“This was a whole lot of fentanyl taken off the streets by these agents and officers, which means that lives were saved,” said U.S. Attorney Parsons. “I’m grateful for our federal prosecutors and their teams, who have been working so hard to put drug dealers like this out of business and behind bars. Stayed tuned—there’s a lot more to come.”
This case was investigated by the South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation, the Sioux Falls Area Drug Task Force, and the South Dakota Highway Patrol. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Hodges 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). Through PSN, the District of South Dakota seeks to bring together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce gun violence and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone.
Mitchell was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Loan broker sentenced to 58 months in federal prison for multi-year bank fraud schemeRead the Press Release
DALLAS — United States Attorney for the Northern District of Texas, Ryan Raybould announced that Kwanghee Anh, 46, from Dallas, was sentenced today to nearly 5 years in federal prison for her role in a multi‑year bank fraud conspiracy that defrauded lenders of more than $8.3 million.
On March 17, Anh pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud.
“This was not a victimless paperwork scheme,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan Raybould. “Ms. Anh and her partners flooded lenders with false documents and manipulated credit reports to steal millions. Their actions undermine confidence in the financial markets that North Texans and Main Street families rely on every day. My office will continue to aggressively prosecute anyone who threatens the stability of our region’s banking system and the financial security of hardworking consumers.”
“The sentence imposed demonstrates the lengths Ms. Ahn took to defraud North Texas lenders, several of which were federally insured, to benefit herself and her clients.” said FBI Dallas Special Agent in Charge R. Joseph Rothrock. “The FBI remains committed to investigating and holding accountable those who abuse their roles to further fraudulent schemes.”
According to plea documents, from January 2014 through March 2016, Anh and other charged co‑conspirators employed at Preferred Marketing Group, created and supplied fraudulent financial documents including false IRS Forms W‑2, fabricated paystubs and fictitious employment records to inflate clients’ incomes and misrepresent their jobs. Anh helped clients prepare loan applications that included this false information and assisted in transmitting fraudulent materials to lenders across North Texas.
Over the course of the conspiracy, Anh and her co-defendants caused lenders—many federally insured—to issue at least $10 million in fraudulently obtained loans and credit products.
At today’s sentencing hearing, the government explained that Anh fled the United States in 2017, shortly after initial plea discussions but before she could be indicted. She remained abroad for years until authorities arrested her in South Korea in September 2025 and transferred to U.S. custody in November 2025 to face federal charges.
U.S. District Judge David C. Godbey sentenced her to 58 months’ imprisonment and ordered her to pay $8,340,647.46 in restitution to affected financial institutions.
The FBI Dallas Division conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elise Aldendifer from the Fraud section prosecuted the case.
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Life Sentence in Pensacola Federal Murder CaseRead the Press Release
Pensacola, Florida – Charles Carson-Dowdy, 31, of Mobile, Alabama, was sentenced in federal court to life imprisonment for cyberstalking, interstate domestic violence, murder through use of a firearm, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon in relation to the death of Starmichael L. Tucker in Pensacola in early 2025. The sentence was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “My heart goes out to the victim’s family members and friends, who were robbed of Ms. Tucker’s presence in their lives by the depraved actions of this violent thug. We cannot lessen the profound sadness caused by Ms. Tucker’s murder, but thanks to this aggressive prosecution by my office that secured a life sentence for Carson-Dowdy’s heinous crimes, we can guarantee that this criminal will spend the rest of his pathetic life locked behind bars where he belongs.”
Court documents reveal that Carson-Dowdy, who resided in Mobile, Alabama, and the victim, Ms. Tucker, who resided in Pensacola, Florida, began dating in or about October 2024. During the dating relationship, Carson-Dowdy used cellular telephones, the internet, and a ridesharing business to engage in a course of conduct with the intent to harass and intimidate the victim. At the end of December 2024, Ms. Tucker flew to California to visit family for the holidays. During her trip, Ms. Tucker and Carson-Dowdy had an escalating series of arguments via text message.
On January 1, 2025, as Ms. Tucker traveled back to Florida from California, she and Carson- Dowdy had a conversation via text message during which the victim attempted to end the relationship with Carson-Dowdy. In response, Carson-Dowdy hailed a ride via the Uber ridesharing service to travel from his residence in Mobile, Alabama, to the victim’s residence in Pensacola, Florida, to confront her about their relationship. Despite being a convicted felon prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition, Carson-Dowdy brought a Taurus handgun and an extra loaded magazine with him as he traveled from Alabama to Florida.
Upon his arrival in Pensacola, Carson-Dowdy entered Ms. Tucker’s home without her permission. She returned home to discover Carson-Dowdy waiting for her in the apartment. At approximately 8:00 p.m. on January 2, 2025, Ms. Tucker left her apartment, but Carson-Dowdy followed her outside and shot her in the back with his Taurus handgun, causing her to collapse in the parking lot. Carson-Dowdy then walked over to where Ms. Tucker was lying wounded on the ground and shot her approximately ten more times at close range. Carson-Dowdy then entered the victim’s vehicle parked nearby, and deliberately drove the car over Ms. Tucker’s body. He then reversed the car to drive over her body again, and then drove forward running over the victim’s body a third time. Carson-Dowdy then fled from the apartment complex in the victim’s vehicle. Ms. Tucker died from the injuries inflicted by Carson-Dowdy.
Carson-Dowdy was ultimately located by law enforcement in the victim’s vehicle in Spanish Fort, Alabama. He was taken into custody, and the Taurus handgun used to murder the victim was found inside the car.
“This defendant’s actions took an innocent life and devastated a family,” said ATF Tampa Field Division’s Special Agent in Charge Kirk Howard. “Today’s sentence holds him accountable and hopefully, helps the victim’s family take one step toward closure.”
The case involved a joint investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office, the State Attorney’s Office, and the Spanish Fort Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys David L. Goldberg and Jordane New.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndfl.
Levittown Man Pleads Guilty to Child Pornography OffensesRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that Gary Margerum, 69, of Levittown, Pennsylvania, entered a plea of guilty today before United States District Chief Judge Wendy Beetlestone to one count of distribution and attempted distribution of child pornography and one count of possession of child pornography.
The defendant was charged with those offenses by indictment in June of last year.
As detailed in court filings and statements, on or about January 2, 2025, the Bucks County District Attorney’s Office received a CyberTip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. The tip concerned a messaging app account, later identified as belonging to defendant Margerum, that had shared child sexual abuse material (“CSAM”), specifically, a sexually explicit image of a prepubescent female.
On or about April 4, 2025, Bucks County investigators, along with agents of Homeland Security Investigations (“HSI”), executed a search warrant at the defendant’s residence, with his iPhone among the items seized. During a forensic examination of the phone, law enforcement recovered approximately 187 images that qualify as child pornography. These images depicted prepubescent children, including children as young as infants and toddlers, being sexually abused by adults.
The defendant is scheduled to be sentenced on December 17 and faces a maximum possible term of 40 years in prison and up to a lifetime of supervised release, with a mandatory minimum of five years’ imprisonment and five years of supervised release. In addition, he faces mandatory financial penalties and mandatory registration as a sex offender under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (“SORNA”) and Megan’s Law.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit projectsafechildhood.gov.
The case was investigated by the Bucks County Detectives and HSI and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Ruth Mandelbaum and Alisa Shver.
KKR Agrees to Pay Record $250M Penalty for Serial Violations of Federal Premerger Review LawRead the Press Release
The Justice Department filed a proposed settlement today requiring KKR & Co. GP LLC to pay a civil penalty of $250,000,000 to resolve allegations that KKR repeatedly flouted the premerger antitrust review process. The United States’ Complaint alleged KKR evaded antitrust scrutiny for at least 16 separate transactions by failing to comply with the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act of 1976 (HSR Act).
“This historic $250 million civil penalty – more than 20 times any prior HSR penalty obtained by the DOJ – sends a powerful message: the Department is committed to vigorous enforcement of the Act,” said Associate Attorney General Stanley E. Woodward Jr. “The Act’s requirements protect competition by giving the Justice Department an opportunity to investigate potentially unlawful transactions. Companies that disregard their legal obligations will face serious consequences.”
The HSR Act requires parties to a merger, acquisition, or other transaction above a certain size to submit a premerger filing to the Department of Justice’s Antitrust Division and the Federal Trade Commission to facilitate the agencies’ enforcement of Section 7 of the Clayton Act, which prohibits mergers and acquisitions that threaten to harm competition. As a sophisticated private equity firm in the business of buying and selling companies, KKR is familiar with the HSR Act and its requirements. Since 2021, KKR was required to make more than 100 premerger filings under the HSR Act.
The Division’s Complaint alleged that in 2021-2022, KKR failed to make complete and accurate premerger filings for at least 16 transactions. Specifically, KKR violated the HSR Act by altering documents in HSR filings for at least eight of those transactions, failing to make any HSR filing for at least two of those transactions, and systematically omitting required documents in HSR filings for at least 10 of those transactions.
The HSR Act authorizes civil penalties for violations of the Act at more than $50,000 per day per violation. The proposed $250 million penalty is the largest civil penalty ever assessed for violating the HSR Act.
KKR is a global investment firm headquartered in New York, New York. It is one of the world’s largest investment firms with over $744 billion in total assets under management.
Note: See the Proposed Final Judgment here, the Stipulation and Order here, the Explanation of Procedures here, and the Competitive Impact Statement here.
Justice Department and FBI Seize Platforms Operated and Used by China State-Sponsored Hackers to Target U.S. Critical InfrastructureRead the Press Release
SAN DIEGO — The Justice Department and FBI announced court-authorized domain seizures today to deny malicious cyber actors access to two complementary hacking platforms known as “QScan” and “QTRouter,” used to target U.S. critical infrastructure and other sensitive networks.
As described in court documents unsealed in the Southern District of California, a People’s Republic of China (PRC) state-sponsored group known as “QTFY,” employed by China-based Nanjing Xinjiuwei Network Technology Company (南京鑫玖维网络科技有限公司), created and operated QScan and QTRouter. Among the victims of QTFY computer intrusion activity are the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Federal Reserve, Department of Energy, Department of Justice, Department of Health and Human Services, National Institutes of Health, and the U.S. Senate.
“State-sponsored malicious hackers preying on America’s critical infrastructure will be stopped and prosecuted. We are here to ensure security for the American people and will use every tool we have to keep that promise,” said Attorney General Todd Blanche. “Federal law enforcement investigated and disabled the PRC’s malicious software, the latest in a series of technical operations to dismantle indiscriminate hacking activities sponsored by the People’s Republic of China.”
“Today we announced the disruption of a global botnet and hacking platform used by Chinese state-sponsored hackers to target U.S. critical infrastructure,” said FBI Director Kash Patel. “These tools were used by PRC cyber actors to hide the origin of their attacks. Thanks to the work of FBI San Diego, FBI Cyber Division, and DOJ partners, we seized adversary infrastructure and shut these platforms down. Today’s action is just the latest technical operation against PRC-sponsored hacking - and in support of President Trump’s Cyber Strategy for America, the FBI is surging efforts to shape adversary behavior and defend the homeland in cyberspace.”
“Today’s announcement demonstrates the Justice Department’s steadfast commitment to going on the offensive against cyber threats to the national security,” said Assistant Attorney General for National Security John A. Eisenberg. “These court-authorized seizures deny PRC-linked hackers access to tools they use to mount online attacks against our Nation’s critical infrastructure.”
“We’re taking the fight to PRC-sponsored cybercriminals to protect the critical services Americans rely on every day,” said U.S. Attorney Adam Gordon for the Southern District of California.
“The FBI remains relentless in our efforts to counter nation state cyber actors, taking decisive action against those threatening the United States and our critical infrastructure,” said Special Agent in Charge Mark Remily of the FBI San Diego Field Office. “Through complex investigations, aggressive technical operations, and strong partnerships, FBI San Diego will continue to identify, disrupt, and impose costs on our cyber adversaries. We are committed to dismantling the tools behind these state-sponsored crimes and protecting the American people from malicious cyber activity.”
According to court documents, QTFY offers computer hacking services to its paying customers, including the PRC’s Ministry of State Security and the People’s Liberation Army. These computer hacking services include QScan and QTRouter, which work in conjunction. QScan scans and automatically infects thousands of “internet-of-things” (IoT) devices worldwide, which are then added to the QTRouter network of QTFY-controlled devices. QTRouter consists of these compromised IoT devices, as well as commercial proxy service devices and leased virtual private servers. QTRouter then serves as an “obfuscation network” – meaning it allows QTFY and other malicious cyber actors to conceal the PRC-origin of their computer intrusion activities because the malicious communications appear to originate from computers (such as those compromised by QScan) that are outside of the PRC and may even be local to the targeted networks. Because the seized domains were hard-coded into both the QScan and QTRouter malware and used for essential tasks such as communication and authentication, the court-authorized seizures made QScan and QTRouter inoperable.
This disruption announced today is among a series of court-authorized technical operations against indiscriminate hacking activities by the PRC. In 2025, the FBI removed PlugX surveillance malware from over 4,000 U.S. computers after they had been infected by the PRC-sponsored hacker group Mustang Panda. In 2024, the FBI disabled a botnet consisting of hundreds of thousands of infected internet-of-things devices, which the PRC-sponsored hacking group Flax Typhoon was providing to customers in the Chinese government. In 2023, the FBI disrupted a different botnet used by the PRC-sponsored hacking group Volt Typhoon to conceal their exploitation of U.S. and foreign critical infrastructure. Also today, the FBI and National Security Agency published a cybersecurity advisory providing indicators-of-compromise by QTFY based on their analysis of QTFY malicious cyber activity dating back to at least 2018. In addition, Lumen Technologies’ threat intelligence group, Black Lotus Labs, published a description of QTFY’s tactics, techniques, and procedures.
The FBI’s San Diego Field Office and Cyber Division, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of California, and the National Security Cyber Section of the Justice Department’s National Security Division investigated this hacking activity and led this disruption effort.
Note: View the affidavit here.