Latest Records
Newest first across public DOJ and U.S. Attorney press releases.
Friday 24 July 2026
Pensacola Registered Sex Offender Sentenced for Possession of Obscene Materials Depicting MinorsRead the Press Release
Pensacola, Florida – Jordan T. Quinones, 30, of Pensacola, Florida, was sentenced to ten years in federal prison for one count of possession of obscene materials involving minors. The sentence was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “Thanks to the vigilance of our state law enforcement partners in closely monitoring this sex offender, his continued criminal deviance was uncovered and now he will spend the next decade behind bars. Keeping our kids safe from sexual predators like this defendant remains one of my office’s top priorities, and we will continue to aggressively prosecute these cases.”
Court documents revealed that the Florida Department of Law Enforcement conducted routine checks on Quinones as a registered sex offender in late 2025. When suspicious materials were associated with Quinones, law enforcement followed up with an interview of Quinones, which led to obtaining a search warrant of his cellular telephone. Law enforcement located images that depicted obscene visual representations of the sexual abuse of children. Quinones was maintaining them in an online Google Photos account. The images were cartoon or computer generated files, which depicted sexual abuse, sadomasochistic abuse, and bestiality involving minors. Quinones was sentenced to a term of three years of supervised release after his imprisonment.
The case was jointly investigated by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement and Homeland Security Investigations. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney David L. Goldberg.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit Justice.gov/PSC.
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 theU.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndfl.
Ohio Woman Pleads Guilty to Child NeglectRead the Press Release
Pensacola, Florida – Devon Mae Witryk, 28, of Columbus, Ohio, pleaded guilty in federal court to felony child neglect occurring on Eglin Air Force Base, Florida. The plea was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “I am proud of this successful prosecution in this heartbreaking case of severe child neglect, and deeply appreciate the excellent work of the Eglin AFB Security Forces Investigations to identify and put a stop to this abusive situation.”
Court documents reveal that in June 2023, a welfare investigation was initiated for a child residing on Eglin Air Force Base. The defendant was the child’s mother and a military spouse. Due to the child not receiving appropriate care and supervision, the defendant’s home was inspected and investigators rescued the child. Witryk no longer has custody of or contact with the child.
Witryk faces up to 5 years’ imprisonment.
Sentencing is scheduled for September 17, 2026, at 9:00 a.m. at the United States Courthouse in Pensacola, Florida before United States District Judge M. Casey Rodgers.
The case involved an investigation by Eglin Air Force Base Security Forces Investigations. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Meredith L. Steer.
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.
New Orleans Man Indicted for Being a Felon in Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – United States Attorney David I. Courcelle announced that on July 24, 2026, a federal grand jury indicted TINO PIERRE, (“PIERRE”), age 25, of New Orleans, for being a prohibited person in possession of a firearm, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 922(g)(1) and 924(a)(8).
According to the indictment, on or about April 8, 2026, in the Eastern District of Louisiana, PIERRE, knowing that he had been previously convicted of crimes punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding one year, was found in possession of a firearm.
PIERRE faces a maximum fifteen (15) year term of imprisonment, a fine of $250,000, three (3) years of supervised release, and a mandatory $100 special assessment cost.
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.
U.S. Attorney Courcelle praised the work of the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the New Orleans Police Department in investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Duane A. Evans of the General Crimes Unit is prosecuting the matter.
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.
* * *
New Orleans Felon Pleads Guilty to Federal Drug-Trafficking and Firearms OffensesRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – MICHAEL BROOKS (“BROOKS”), age 30, pleaded guilty on July 23, 2026, before U.S. District Judge Brandon S. Long to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute marijuana and tapentadol, in violation of 21 U.S.C. §§ 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(C), 841(b)(1)(D), and 846; possession with intent to distribute those same substances in violation of 21 U.S.C. §§ 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(C), and 841(b)(1)(D); conspiracy to possess firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 924(o); possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 924(c)(1)(A)(i); and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 922(g)(1) and 924(a)(8), announced U.S. Attorney David I. Courcelle.
According to court documents, on August 13, 2025, BROOKS and his co-defendant were pulled over by the Louisiana State Police. Inside the car, troopers recovered over 2.5 pounds of marijuana, tapentadol pills, a digital scale, a Glock handgun equipped with a machinegun conversion device and an extended magazine, and a Romarm/CugirMini Draco, 7.62x39mm semi-automatic pistol equipped with a loaded extended magazine. BROOKS is prohibited from possessing a firearm because of prior felony convictions for first-degree robbery and aggravated battery.
As to his drug-trafficking convictions, BROOKS faces up to 20 years in prison, a $1,000,000 fine, and at least three years of supervised release up to life. As to his conviction for conspiracy to possess firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, BROOKS faces up to 20 years in prison, a $250,000 fine, and up to three years of supervised release. As to his conviction for possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime, BROOKS faces a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in prison and up to life in prison, which must run consecutively to each other and any other sentence, up to a $250,000 fine, and up to five years of supervised release. As to his conviction for being a felon in possession of a firearm, BROOKS faces up to 15 years in prison, a $250,000 fine, and up to three years of supervised release. Each count also carries a mandatory $100 special assessment fee.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Louisiana State Police. Assistant United States Attorney David Berman of the Violent Crime Unit is in charge of the prosecution.
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.
***
National of Bosnia and Herzegovina Charged with Attempting to Fraudulently Obtain U.S. Citizenship by Failing to Disclose Role in Abuse of PrisonersRead the Press Release
A federal grand jury in the District of Idaho returned an indictment last week charging Miran Kostic, 66, of Boise, Idaho, a national of Bosnia and Herzegovina, with lying while attempting to obtain U.S. citizenship.
According to court documents, Kostic was a high-level official in the so-called Autonomous Province of Western Bosnia (APZB). In that role, he pistol-whipped prisoners, beat them with wooden clubs, stakes, and his fists, and kicked them, causing them to lose consciousness. He forced prisoners to beat each other, and he also ordered other members of the APZB to beat prisoners. In his applications to become a U.S. citizen and in interviews with the FBI and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), he repeatedly lied about the abuse he participated in and ordered, and failed to disclose charges filed against him in Bosnia and Herzegovina for war crimes, among other lies.
Kostic is charged with attempted naturalization fraud and making material false statements to law enforcement agents. If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison for each charge of attempted naturalization fraud, and five years in prison for the false statements charge.
“Miran Kostic benefited from U.S. residency for decades and ultimately attempted to become a naturalized citizen, all while concealing the human rights abuses he committed in Bosnia and Herzegovina.” said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Individuals who commit atrocities abroad and lie to immigration authorities to seek safe haven in the United States will be investigated and prosecuted. The integrity of our naturalization process and the enforcement of our immigration laws are paramount concerns.”
“The U.S. Attorney’s Office is proud to work with our partners to ensure federal immigration laws are followed and are properly enforced,” said U.S. Attorney Bart M. Davis for the District of Idaho.
“Citizenship is a privilege that must be earned with honesty and integrity,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge April Miller of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Seattle. “HSI will not allow the naturalization process to be undermined by fraud. We remain steadfast in our commitment to investigate and prosecute those who conceal their criminal backgrounds to illegally obtain status.”
“Kostic’s attempt to conceal his violent history in order to obtain U.S. citizenship will not be tolerated,” said Assistant Director Heith Janke of the FBI’s Criminal Division. “We will continue working with our law enforcement partners to investigate fraud and hold individuals accountable for violating our nation’s laws.”
HSI and FBI are investigating the case, with coordination provided by the Department of Homeland Security’s Human Rights Violators and War Crimes Center and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services’ Office of Fraud Detection and National Security (FDNS), along with the FBI’s International Human Rights Unit. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs (OIA) provided significant assistance by securing the evidence for prosecution of Kostic. The Justice Department thanks the Ministry of Justice of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the United Nations International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals, which were instrumental in furthering the investigation.
Trial Attorney Elizabeth Nielsen of the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions and Assistant U.S. Attorney Kate Horwitz for the District of Idaho are prosecuting the case.
Members of the public who have information about human rights violators in the United States are urged to contact the FBI at 1-800-CALLFBI (1-800-225-5324) or through the FBI’s online tip form at tips.fbi.gov/, or Homeland Security Investigations at 1-866-DHS-2-ICE (1-866-347-2423) or through ICE’s online tip form at www.ice.gov/webform/ice-tip-form.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
###
National of Bosnia and Herzegovina Charged with Attempting to Fraudulently Obtain U.S. Citizenship by Failing to Disclose Role in Abuse of PrisonersRead the Press Release
A federal grand jury in the District of Idaho returned an indictment last week charging Miran Kostic, 66, of Boise, Idaho, a national of Bosnia and Herzegovina, with lying while attempting to obtain U.S. citizenship.
According to court documents, Kostic was a high-level official in the so-called Autonomous Province of Western Bosnia (APZB). In that role, he pistol-whipped prisoners, beat them with wooden clubs, stakes, and his fists, and kicked them, causing them to lose consciousness. He forced prisoners to beat each other, and he also ordered other members of the APZB to beat prisoners. In his applications to become a U.S. citizen and in interviews with the FBI and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), he repeatedly lied about the abuse he participated in and ordered, and failed to disclose charges filed against him in Bosnia and Herzegovina for war crimes, among other lies.
Kostic is charged with attempted naturalization fraud and making material false statements to law enforcement agents. If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison for each charge of attempted naturalization fraud, and five years in prison for the false statements charge.
“Miran Kostic benefited from U.S. residency for decades and ultimately attempted to become a naturalized citizen, all while concealing the human rights abuses he committed in Bosnia and Herzegovina.” said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Individuals who commit atrocities abroad and lie to immigration authorities to seek safe haven in the United States will be investigated and prosecuted. The integrity of our naturalization process and the enforcement of our immigration laws are paramount concerns.”
“The U.S. Attorney’s Office is proud to work with our partners to ensure federal immigration laws are followed and are properly enforced,” said U.S. Attorney Bart M. Davis for the District of Idaho.
“Citizenship is a privilege that must be earned with honesty and integrity,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge April Miller of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Seattle. “HSI will not allow the naturalization process to be undermined by fraud. We remain steadfast in our commitment to investigate and prosecute those who conceal their criminal backgrounds to illegally obtain status.”
“Kostic’s attempt to conceal his violent history in order to obtain U.S. citizenship will not be tolerated,” said Assistant Director Heith Janke of the FBI’s Criminal Division. “We will continue working with our law enforcement partners to investigate fraud and hold individuals accountable for violating our nation’s laws.”
HSI and FBI are investigating the case, with coordination provided by the Department of Homeland Security’s Human Rights Violators and War Crimes Center and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services’ Office of Fraud Detection and National Security (FDNS), along with the FBI’s International Human Rights Unit. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs (OIA) provided significant assistance by securing the evidence for prosecution of Kostic. The Justice Department thanks the Ministry of Justice of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the United Nations International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals, which were instrumental in furthering the investigation.
Trial Attorney Elizabeth Nielsen of the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions and Assistant U.S. Attorney Kate Horwitz for the District of Idaho are prosecuting the case.
Members of the public who have information about human rights violators in the United States are urged to contact the FBI at 1-800-CALLFBI (1-800-225-5324) or through the FBI’s online tip form here or Homeland Security Investigations at 1-866-DHS-2-ICE (1-866-347-2423) or through ICE’s online tip form here.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Minnesota Man Sentenced to 2 Years in Federal Prison for Sexually Abusing Subordinate During Training at Inland Empire Army BaseRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – A former member of the Minnesota National Guard was sentenced today to 24 months in federal prison for sexually abusing a subordinate during a training mission at Fort Irwin United States Army base in San Bernardino County.
Kelly Boylan, 56, of Minneapolis, was sentenced by United States District Judge Wesley L. Hsu.
At the conclusion of a four-day trial, a jury on April 9 found Boylan guilty of one count of abusive sexual contact. He has been in federal custody since that day.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, in July 2020, Boylan was a member of the Minnesota National Guard and, during a training mission at Fort Irwin, sexually abused a direct subordinate, who then was a 23-year-old woman. Both Boylan and the victim had been deployed to Fort Irwin for one month of training.
Boylan was a staff sergeant, which is a non-commissioned officer, and outranked the victim, who was a specialist, which is a junior soldier.
In the Army, non-commissioned officers are prohibited from engaging in sexual relationships with junior soldiers because of the military authority they exert over them.
The victim reported the attack to the Army’s law enforcement division, which began an investigation that led to Boylan’s arrest and prosecution.
“Military leaders are entrusted with extraordinary responsibility, and with that responsibility comes a heightened obligation to safeguard those under their command,” prosecutors argued in a sentencing memorandum. “Rather than fulfilling that obligation, [Boylan] violated it in one of the most fundamental ways possible.”
The FBI investigated this matter. The United States Army Criminal Investigation Division provided assistance.
Assistant United States Attorneys Neil P. Thakor of the Major Crimes Section and Erin C. Kiss of the Orange County Office prosecuted this case.
Maryland Man Sentenced for Role in Drug-Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
Greenbelt, Maryland – A Maryland man learned his fate in federal court, today, in connection with a drug-trafficking conspiracy.
U.S. District Judge Paula Xinis sentenced Norville Clarke, 56, of Clarksburg, Maryland, to 40 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for conspiracy to distribute controlled substances. Clarke’s co-conspirator, Daniel Cruz, 39, of Los Angeles, California, is still awaiting sentencing. In March 2026, both men pled guilty to drug-trafficking charges in connection with the conspiracy.
Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the sentence with Postal Inspector in Charge Damon E. Wood of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) – Washington Division; Special Agent in Charge Christopher C. Goumenis, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) – Washington Division; Colonel Michael A. Jackson, Secretary of State Police, Maryland State Police (MSP); Chief Marc R. Yamada, Montgomery County Police Department (MCPD); and Chief George Nader, Prince George’s County Police Department (PGPD).
According to court documents, in 2023, multiple federal agencies partnered to investigate a drug-trafficking organization (DTO) transporting and distributing large quantities of cocaine from California to Maryland. The investigation began in March 2023, when MSP seized a parcel that contained approximately two kilograms of cocaine. The parcel was mailed from the Los Angeles area and was destined for Clarke’s auto-repair shop in District Heights, Maryland. Through investigating the source of the parcel, postal inspectors and other law enforcement investigators linked Cruz to the narcotics contained within the parcel.
In January 2024, postal inspectors and other investigators identified a freight-shipment container shipped from Los Angeles, destined for Clarke’s auto-repair shop in District Heights, Maryland. Law enforcement identified Cruz on surveillance footage dropping off the freight shipment at the shipping company in California. The authorities further observed Cruz traveling to Maryland to follow the shipment for delivery.
Postal inspectors and other law enforcement investigators observed Cruz and Clarke meeting at Clarke’s auto-repair shop several days after the freight shipment was sent from California. Investigators then located the freight shipment in Dulles, Viriginia, where a law enforcement K-9 officer scanned it. After the K-9 officer indicated the presence of narcotics in the shipment, law enforcement obtained a search warrant for the freight container. Then postal inspectors and law-enforcement investigators located two automobile transmissions inside. Law enforcement found 20, one-kilogram bricks secreted in the oil pans of both transmissions that laboratory forensic tests later confirmed were more than 16 kilograms of cocaine.
Postal inspectors, DEA agents, MSP officers and other members of law enforcement then executed search warrants at Clarke’s District Heights auto-repair shop, Clarke’s Clarksburg residence, and Cruz’s hotel room in Capitol Heights, Maryland. At the auto-repair shop, law enforcement located an additional 502.4 grams of cocaine and then found two-kilogram bricks of cocaine and $45,730 in U.S. Currency at Clarke’s residence. Investigators later identified an additional nine historical freight shipments that mirrored the original shipment that contained cocaine that Cruz sent to Clarke’s auto-repair shop utilizing the same freight shipping company. In their plea agreements, Clarke and Cruz both agreed that they were involved in possessing almost 22 kilograms of cocaine in furtherance of this drug trafficking conspiracy.
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 Hayes commended the USPIS, DEA, MSP, MCPD, and PGPD for their work in the investigation. Ms. Hayes also thanked Special Assistant U.S. Attorneys Patrick Rigney and Michael Jaskiw 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.
# # #
Man Sentenced to 120 Months’ Imprisonment for Role in Bribing a Juror During Feeding Our Future TrialRead the Press Release
ST. PAUL – United States Attorney Daniel N. Rosen announced today that Abdiaziz Shafii Farah, 37, was sentenced to 120 months’ imprisonment for attempting to bribe a federal juror during his 2024 fraud trial. He was sentenced before U.S. District Judge Eric C. Tostrud in St. Paul on July 22, 2026.
Abdiaziz Farah was previously sentenced on August 6, 2025, for his role in exploiting a federally funded child nutrition program as part of the Feeding Our Future fraud scheme.
According to court documents, shortly after jury selection in Farah’s 2024 trial for his role in the Feeding Our Future fraud scheme, Farah and several of his associates, including Ladan Mohamed Ali, 33, Abdulkarim Shafii Farah, 25, Said Shafii Farah, 44, and Abdimajid Mohamed Nur 25, conspired to bribe one of the jurors in exchange for a not‑guilty verdict.
Among other things, Farah and his co‑conspirators researched the juror online, surveilled her home, and tracked her movements. On June 2, 2024, Ladan Ali delivered a bag containing $120,000 in cash to the juror’s residence, with a promise of more money if the juror voted to acquit. The juror immediately reported the bribery attempt to law enforcement.
The following morning, the Court ordered Farah to surrender his phone to law enforcement. Before doing so, however, Farah conducted a factory reset to delete evidence of his involvement in the bribery scheme.
“Tampering with a juror is an assault on the integrity of the courts and the foundation of our democracy,” said United States Attorney Daniel N. Rosen. “This sentence sends an unmistakable message that justice is not for sale.”
“Today’s sentencing highlights the seriousness of attempting to corrupt the justice system. Abdiaziz Farah was already serving a significant sentence for defrauding the Federal Child Nutrition Program, and this additional conviction shows that efforts to bribe a jury will be met with firm consequences,” said FBI Assistant Special Agent in Charge Benni Jonsson, who is in charge of the FBI Minneapolis Criminal Branch. “The FBI, along with federal prosecutors, will continue pursuing accountability for those charged in this case and anyone who attempts to undermine the integrity of our judicial process.”
“Abdiaziz Farah had already been held accountable for stealing from a program meant to feed children, yet he still chose to recruit others to help corrupt the justice system by bribing a juror,” said Adam Jobes, Special Agent in Charge, IRS Criminal Investigation, Chicago Field Office. “When someone tries to buy a verdict, they are attacking the integrity of every courtroom and every citizen who depends on a fair trial. This sentence should leave no doubt that anyone who tries to manipulate our judicial process will be found, prosecuted, and held accountable.”
“Today’s sentencing reflects the outstanding collaboration of law enforcement and the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Minnesota” said Bryan Musgrove, Inspector in Charge of the Denver Division of the United States Postal Inspection Service. “Postal Inspectors worked closely with our partners to hold Abdiaziz Farah accountable for his crimes. Despite the defendant’s efforts to abuse the legal process, justice prevailed.”
“When Farah and his co-conspirators filled that bag with money, they were attempting not only to commit bribery, but to undermine the sanctity of our criminal justice system,” said Bureau of Criminal Apprehension Superintendent Drew Evans. “I am proud of our work alongside our criminal justice partners to identify these criminals and help bring them to justice.”
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI with assistance from IRS – Criminal Investigation, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension.
Assistant United States Attorneys Rebecca E. Kline and Matthew C. Murphy prosecuted the case.
Note: Press release on the indictment of the five defendants here. Related press releases on Ladan Mohamed Ali (September 5, 2024) and Abdulkarim Shafii Farah (April 2, 2025) are linked here.
Local man charged in fentanyl overdose deathRead the Press Release
McALLEN, Texas – A 28-year-old Mercedes resident has been indicted on charges related to a death linked to the use of fentanyl.
Bryan Alexis Cedillo made his initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Juan F. Alanis, who ordered Cedillo into custody pending further proceedings.
At the hearing, the court heard that Cedillo allegedly sold narcotics to another individual that caused death. Information was also presented that alleges Cedillo was still selling narcotics after he was aware of the victim’s passing.
The indictment, returned July 21, alleges Cedillo possessed with intent to deliver fentanyl that resulted in death.
If convicted, he faces a mandatory minimum of 20 years and up to life in federal prison. He could also be ordered to pay a possible $1 million maximum fine.
Weslaco Police Department conducted the investigation with the assistance of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI). Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarina S. DiPiazza is prosecuting the case.
An indictment is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence. A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.
Lafayette Resident Pleads Guilty to False Claim of U.S. Citizenship in Employment ApplicationRead the Press Release
LAFAYETTE – On July 23, 2026, Eduardo Perez-Calderon, 34, of Mexico, pled guilty in federal court to False Claim to United States Citizenship. Perez-Calderon faces up to 3 years in federal prison for the charge and is also potentially subject to removal proceedings.
According to court documents, on March 26, 2026, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) received information from the Morgan City Police Department about identification documents submitted by an individual seeking employment at a business in Morgan City. The investigation revealed that on January 5, 2026, Perez-Calderon completed a United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) Form I 9, falsely selecting the option that indicated he was a United States citizen. He then signed the document in the name of another individual and provided a false Social Security number. Perez-Calderon admitted that he made these misrepresentations deliberately and with the intent to disobey the law.
U.S. Attorney Zachary A. Keller for the Western District of Louisiana made the announcement.
ICE and the Morgan City Police Department investigated this case. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Craig R. Bordelon with the assistance of Legal Assistant Tanya Broussard.
This case was prosecuted as part of Operation Take Back America (TBA), 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 agencies, and coordinates efforts with state and local law enforcement and Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). These efforts complement and strengthen President Trump’s Homeland Security Task Forces (HSTF), ensuring a comprehensive federal response to the most pressing public safety issues facing communities. Learn more about PSN at https://www.justice.gov/psn
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, under Case Number 6:26 CR 00163.
###
CONTACT: Public Affairs
[email protected]
United States Attorney’s Office
www.justice.gov/usao-wdla
Western District of Louisiana
Twitter @USAO_WDLAIllegal Alien, Convicted Felon, and Austell Man Face Federal Charges Following Tri-County Narcotics OperationsRead the Press Release
ATLANTA – An illegal alien from Mexico, a convicted felon, and an Austell man appeared in federal court to answer criminal complaints charging them with narcotics offenses following operations across metro Atlanta that resulted in the seizure of more than 280 pounds of methamphetamine, over four pounds of fentanyl, and two illegally possessed firearms.
“Due to quick actions and diligent work of law enforcement across the region, the operations of these three alleged drug traffickers have been dismantled,” said U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg. “My office stands committed to prosecute—to the fullest extent of the law—illegal aliens, felons, and others who poison and endanger our communities.”
“Drug traffickers continue to distribute fentanyl, methamphetamine, and other illicit drugs, which pose a significant threat to public safety,” said Jae W. Chung, Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Atlanta Field Division. “These federal charges reflect our unwavering commitment to protect the public and disrupt the criminal organizations responsible for this deadly trade. We will continue working with our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners to stop fentanyl and other dangerous drugs at every level of distribution.”
According to U.S. Attorney Hertzberg, the criminal complaints, and other information presented in court:
On July 21, 2026, DEA agents arrested Silvano Mendoza-Valencia in Morrow, Georgia, after he allegedly sold approximately two pounds of methamphetamine to a drug customer. Following his arrest, agents searched his residence and located approximately 85 pounds of methamphetamine and two pounds of fentanyl in his bedroom. The investigation further revealed that Mendoza-Valencia is allegedly an illegal alien from Mexico.
On July 22, 2026, DEA agents stopped Christian Garcia-Esparza in Austell, Georgia, after he allegedly sold more than six pounds of methamphetamine to a drug customer. Agents searched Garcia-Esparza’s car and located an additional ten pounds of methamphetamine on the floorboard and in a gift bag. Thereafter, agents searched his residence and located approximately 100 pounds of methamphetamine scattered throughout the residence and backyard.
That same day, DEA agents searched Robert Louis Burr’s College Park, Georgia apartment and found Burr next to a kitchen drawer containing two pounds of fentanyl. In the living room, agents allegedly found approximately 30 pounds of methamphetamine in a luggage case, 20 pounds of methamphetamine in a trash bag, and two firearms, including a FN57 semiautomatic pistol loaded with armor-piercing ammunition. Burr was previously convicted of multiple felony drug trafficking and weapons offenses and thus was not legally permitted to possess a firearm.
Earlier this week, Silvano Mendoza-Valencia, 40, of Mexico, and Robert Louis Burr, 45, of College Park, Georgia, appeared in federal court on separate criminal complaints charging them with conspiracy and possession with intent to distribute controlled substances. Today, Christian Garcia-Esparza, 20, of Austell, Georgia, will appear in federal court on a criminal complaint charging him with the same offenses. All three defendants are presently detained in the custody of the U.S. Marshals.
Members of the public are reminded that the criminal complaints contain only charges. The defendants are presumed innocent of the charges, and it will be the government’s burden to prove the defendants’ guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial.
These cases are being investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, with valuable assistance provided by the Alpharetta Police Department, Cobb County Police Department, Clayton County Police Department, Forsyth County Sheriff’s Office, Georgia Bureau of Investigation, Gwinnett County Sheriff’s Office, Heard County Sheriff’s Office, Hiram Police Department, Marietta-Cobb-Smyrna Narcotics Unit, Marietta Police Department, Richmond County Sheriff’s Office, Roswell Police Department, Sandy Springs Police Department, and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service.
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.
Assistant United States Attorney Steve A. Hsieh is prosecuting the cases.
For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at [email protected] or (404) 581-6185. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.
Illegal Alien from Mexico Sentenced to 60 Months’ Imprisonment for Drug Trafficking Crimes in the District of UtahRead the Press Release
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – An illegal alien from Mexico was sentenced to five years of imprisonment and four years of supervised release after he admitted to bringing heroin and fentanyl into the District of Utah for profit.
The sentence, imposed by U.S. District Court Judge Dale A. Kimball comes after Miguel Mario Soto De Santiago, 25, residing illegally in Bluffdale, Utah, pleaded guilty on May 5, 2026, to possession of heroin with intent to distribute. In addition to his term of imprisonment, upon his release, Soto De Santiago will be remanded to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) for deportation proceedings.
According to court documents and statements made at Soto De Santiago’s change of plea and sentencing hearings, on February 19, 2025, he possessed 5027 grams of fentanyl and 1103 grams of heroin. Soto De Santiago admitted he brought the fentanyl and heroin to Utah for distribution in exchange for money. See prior press release: Mexican National Facing Drug Trafficking Charges.
“Anyone who brings heroin, fentanyl, or other dangerous drugs into our community is on a direct path to federal prison — and, in this case, deportation,” said U.S. Attorney Melissa Holyoak for the District of Utah. “My office maintains zero tolerance for drug traffickers, and we will prosecute these crimes to the fullest extent of the law.”“Every drug trafficker taken off our streets is one less threat to our communities,” said Special Agent in Charge Robert Bohls of the Salt Lake City FBI. “This sentencing is a direct result of strong partnerships and a shared commitment to removing dangerous drugs from our streets and protecting the people we serve.”
The case was investigated by the Wasatch Metro Drug Task Force (WMDTF), consisting of the FBI Salt Lake City Field Office, and the Davis Metro Narcotic Strike Force (DMNSF).
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah 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.
Illegal Alien Sentenced in Del Rio to 15 Years in Federal Prison for Deadly Conspiracy to Transport Illegal AliensRead the Press Release
DEL RIO, Texas – An illegal alien from Mexico was sentenced in a federal court in Del Rio to 15 years in prison for his role in a human smuggling operation that resulted in death, announced U.S. Attorney Justin R. Simmons for the Western District of Texas.
According to court documents, on April 17, 2025, Alan Vargas-Gonzalez, 23, of Huetamo, Michoacan, Mexico, was apprehended along with five illegal aliens near Eagle Pass. An investigation revealed that Vargas-Gonzalez was the foot guide of the group of illegal aliens. Agents noted that all the individuals had a backpack with food and/or water, and that Vargas-Gonzalez was the only person not wearing camouflage clothing and the only one that did not have carpet glued to the bottom of his shoes.
Further investigation connected Vargas-Gonzalez with a previous smuggling attempt that resulted in the death of a female Guatemalan in March 2025. A forensic examination of Vargas-Gonzalez’s cellphone revealed information that corroborated his involvement in the fatal smuggling event, including conversations with other co-conspirators related to human smuggling.
Vargas-Gonzalez was arrested April 17, 2025, and indicted on May 14, 2025. A superseding indictment filed on Oct. 1 charged him with one count of conspiracy to transport illegal aliens causing serious bodily injury and one count of illegal alien transportation causing serious bodily injury. He pleaded guilty to the conspiracy charge on Nov. 17. U.S. District Judge Ernest Gonzalez presided over the case.
The U.S. Border Patrol investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Ashley Ellis-Dotson prosecuted the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Nallely Duarte handled the sentencing hearing.
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.
###
Illegal Alien Previously Convicted of Murder in Texas is Sentenced to More Than Seven Years in Federal Prison for Illegal Reentry into the United StatesRead the Press Release
OKLAHOMA CITY – JOSE OLALDE-CAMINOREAL, 49, a Mexican national found in Kay County, Oklahoma, has been sentenced to serve 87 months in federal prison for illegal reentry into the United States after two previous deportations, announced U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester.
According to public records, on August 22, 2024, Olalde was arrested by the Ponca City Police Department for falsely personating another person to create liability. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) determined that Olalde had previously been deported from the United States twice, in 2021 and 2022.
Court records also show that Olalde has multiple previous felony convictions in the United States, including a 1999 murder conviction in Travis County, Texas. In that case, Olalde was sentenced to 35 years in prison for strangling a woman to death. In 2021, Olalde was released from prison and deported.
On September 17, 2024, Olalde was charged with illegal reentry of a removed alien in the United States. On March 17, 2026, Olalde pleaded guilty (while serving a separate Texas prison sentence) and admitted he reentered the United States after having previously been removed without obtaining permission from the U.S. Government to return.
At a sentencing hearing on July 24, 2026, Chief U.S. District Judge Scott L. Palk sentenced Olalde to serve 87 months in federal prison. In announcing the sentence, Judge Palk cited the defendant's significant criminal history, including an arrest for soliciting a prostitute, repeated use of false names and identification documents when interacting with law enforcement, and various convictions, including possessing contraband in prison. Judge Palk also cited the need to protect the public, noting that Olalde illegally returned to the United States twice after the "brutal murder" for which he was convicted. Upon completion of his sentence, Olalde will be deported.
This case is the result of an investigation by ICE-ERO, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Ponca City Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brandon Hale 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.
Reference is made to public filings for additional information.
Honduran Illegal Alien Sentenced for Attempted Murder for HireRead the Press Release
Greenbelt, Maryland – A Honduran illegal alien will spend more than a decade in federal prison for crimes including an attempted murder for hire.
U.S. District Judge Paula Xinis sentenced Frelin Hernandez Guardado, 30, to 12 years in federal prison for possession with intent to distribute cocaine, possession of a firearm by a prohibited person, and murder for hire. Authorities previously removed Hernandez Guardado from the United States twice. This prosecution is part of the Trump Administration’s Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative.
Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the sentence with Special Agent in Charge Charles Doerrer, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF); Special Agent in Charge Christopher C. Goumenis, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA); Special Agent in Charge Jimmy Paul, FBI Baltimore Field Office; and Chief George Nader, Prince George’s County Police Department (PGPD).
According to court documents, in October 2021, on two occasions, Hernandez Guardado sold firearms to confidential sources. Federal law prohibits illegal aliens from possessing firearms. Then, in December 2021, law enforcement executed search warrants and arrests targeting a local drug trafficking network. After the arrests, Hernandez Guardado told two confidential sources that he intended to kill an individual that he believed cooperated with law enforcement which spurred the arrests. Hernandez Guardado offered to sell one of the confidential sources discounted cocaine in exchange for help committing the murder.
On January 12, 2022, Hernandez Guardado and a confidential source departed from his Virginia residence. Hernandez Guardado brought more than 900 grams of cocaine that he intended to sell, at a discount, to another confidential source to secure assistance with carrying out the murder. But before that plan could progress further, law enforcement stopped and arrested Hernandez Guardado in Maryland.
This prosecution is part of the 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 Baltimore is comprised of agents and officers from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI); Homeland Security Investigations (HSI); the United States Attorney’s Office (USAO) for the District of Maryland; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF); the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA); the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI); the United States Marshals Service (USMS); the Washington/Baltimore HIDTA (W/B HIDTA); the Maryland State Police (MSP); the Baltimore Police Department (BPD); and the Baltimore County Police Department (BCPD) with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland.
U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the FBI, ATF, and DEA for their work in the investigation. Ms. Hayes also thanked Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Jaskiw and Assistant U.S. Attorney Kenneth S. Clark who prosecuted the case.
For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to report fraud, visit www.justice.gov/usao-md.
# # #
Harvey Man Sentenced for Coercion and Enticement of a MinorRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – LANCE ROTOLO, JR. (ROTOLO, JR.), 20, from Harvey, Louisiana, was sentenced on July 23, 2026, to 124 months imprisonment, 10 years supervised release, and a $100 special assessment fee by U.S. District Judge Eldon E. Fallon, after pleading guilty to a one count superseding bill of information which charged him with coercion and enticement of a minor to engage in sexual activity, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 2422(b), announced U.S. Attorney David I. Courcelle.
According to court documents, beginning at a time unknown, but not later than in or around January 2025, and continuing at least until on or about February 1, 2025, in the Eastern District of Louisiana and elsewhere, ROTOLO, JR., did use a facility and means of interstate and foreign commerce and knowingly persuade, induce, entice, and coerce any individual who had not attained the age of 18 years, to engage in sexual activity for which any person can be charged with a criminal offense, such as pornography involving juveniles.
U.S. Attorney David I. Courcelle praised the work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The prosecution was handled by Assistant United States Attorney Lynn E. Schiffman of the Narcotics Unit.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.govlegitimacy 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.
* * *
Harrisburg Man Sentenced to 33 Months in Prison for Failure to Register as a Sex OffenderRead the Press Release
HARRISBURG - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Troy Darnell McFall, age 54, of Harrisburg, PA, was sentenced to 33 months in prison and five years of supervised release by United States District Judge Jennifer P. Wilson for failure to register as a sex offender.
According to United States Attorney Brian D. Miller, McFall was convicted of Aggravated Indecent Assault, Unlawful Contact with a Minor, Indecent Assault, and Corruption of Minors in Pennsylvania state court in 2005. As a result, he was required to register as a sex offender under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA). From December through July 2025, McFall traveled in interstate commerce without updating his sex-offender registration.
The United States Marshals Service investigated the case. Assistant United States Attorney Michael Scalera prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc.
# # #
Harrisburg Man Sentenced to 15 Months in Prison for Failure to Register as a Sex OffenderRead the Press Release
HARRISBURG - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Robert Hiler, age 54, of Harrisburg, PA, was sentenced to 15 months in prison and seven years of supervised release by United States District Judge Karoline Mehalchick for failure to register as a sex offender.
According to United States Attorney Brian D. Miller, Hiler was convicted of indecent assault, indecent exposure, and corruption of minors in 1995. As a result, he was required to register as a sex offender for the rest of his life under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA). From at least June of 2019 until January of 2025, Hiler failed to register after traveling in interstate commerce, moving from Pennsylvania to California.
The United States Marshals Service investigated the case. Assistant United States Attorney Michael Scalera prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc.
# # #
Grosse Ile Man Charged with Child Pornography OffensesRead the Press Release
DETROIT – Michael Wendt, 38, of Grosse Ile, Michigan was arrested on July 21, 2026, and charged with child pornography offenses, announced Jerome F. Gorgon, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Michigan. Wendt was detained after a detention hearing, July 24, 2026, in federal court in Detroit.
Gorgon was joined in the announcement by Jennifer Runyan, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Detroit Division.
According to the criminal complaint, it is alleged that in June 2026, Wendt uploaded child sexually abusive material (CSAM) to his Google Drive account. Following the execution of a search warrant, agents seized Wendt’s cell phone and during a manual review found several hundred images of CSAM, including images that depicted sexual assaults of young children, infants, and toddlers. Agents also found open websites on the phone depicting CSAM.
The FBI is aware that Wendt worked as a physician’s assistant at urgent care offices in the Detroit area. Currently, the FBI has no information suggesting that any patients were victimized. In response to numerous public inquiries, the FBI has established a website seeking relevant information from the public for the ongoing criminal investigation.
If you and/or your minor dependent(s) have information relevant to this investigation, please fill out this short form. If you or your minor dependent is identified as a victim in this case, all identities of victims will be kept confidential.
A criminal complaint is only a charging document and is not evidence of guilt. A defendant is entitled to a fair trial in which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
This case is being investigated by agents of the FBI with the assistance of the Grosse Ile Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sean King and Tara Hindelang.
Fresno County Man Pleads Guilty to Gun and Drug Crimes Days Before Trial Set to BeginRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — David Joseph Yama, 42, of Reedley, pleaded guilty today to possession of fentanyl and alprazolam (commonly known as Xanax) with intent to distribute, three counts of being a felon in possession of ammunition, and one count of carrying a firearm in relation to a drug trafficking offense, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced.
According to court documents, on Sept. 1, 2020, officers responded to a gas station in Clovis after a report of suspicious activity and contacted Yama and two associates. A search of the vehicle Yama had been driving uncovered a large amount of cash, ammunition, plastic baggies, vials containing fentanyl, more than 200 fentanyl pills, and more than 100 alprazolam pills. A search of Yama’s residence the same day revealed additional controlled substances and more than 1,000 rounds of ammunition.
In January 2021, officers stopped Yama driving the same car. Officers recovered more alprazolam pills, ammunition, a loaded ghost gun, and a silencer. Yama has five prior felony drug trafficking and firearms convictions and is prohibited from possessing firearms.
In May 2019, law enforcement discovered a clandestine drug lab in Yama’s trailer at a storage facility. Officers seized pill‑making equipment, including a pill press. Residue on the equipment tested positive for fentanyl and other controlled substances.
Yama had been scheduled to begin trial on July 27, 2026. The Court vacated the trial after accepting Yama’s guilty plea.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Fentanyl Overdose Resolution Team, a multi-agency group composed of the DEA, Homeland Security Investigations, the California Department of Justice, and the Clovis, Reedley, and Fresno Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Cody S. Chapple, Joshua B. Banister, and Justin J. Gilio are prosecuting the case.
Yama is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Troy L. Nunley on Oct. 19, 2026. Yama faces a maximum statutory penalty of 20 years in prison and a $1 million fine for possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and alprazolam; up to 15 years in prison and $250,000 for being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition; and up to five years in prison and a $250,000 fine for possession with intent to distribute alprazolam. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.
This case is part of Operation Synthetic Opioid Surge (S.O.S.) a program designed to reduce the supply of deadly synthetic opioids in high impact areas as well as identifying wholesale distribution networks and international and domestic suppliers. In July 2018, the Justice Department announced the creation of S.O.S., which is being implemented in the Eastern District of California and nine other federal districts.
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.
Four Sacramento Men Indicted for Distributing Cocaine, Fentanyl, and MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned a 10-count indictment Thursday against four Sacramento residents charging them with multiple counts of distributing controlled substances, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced.
Balentin Quintero, 27, was charged with one count of distribution of cocaine and four counts of distribution of fentanyl.
Francisco Chavez, 39, was charged with one count of distribution of cocaine, two counts of distribution of methamphetamine, and three counts of distribution of fentanyl.
Steven Ortega, 44, was charged with one count of distribution of fentanyl and one count of being a felon in possession of firearms.
Tavarius Montgomery, 41, was charged with two counts of distribution of fentanyl.
According to court documents, between January and June 2026, Quintero, Chavez, Ortega, and Montgomery sold controlled substances to a confidential source and an undercover agent eight times.
On May 1, 2026, Chavez agreed to sell the undercover agent 1 ounce of fentanyl. After stating that they needed to meet a source to obtain the fentanyl, Chavez and the undercover agent met with Ortega, who provided the fentanyl. Chavez then sold the fentanyl to the undercover agent for $900.
On June 8, 2026, Quintero agreed to sell 3 ounces of fentanyl to a confidential source. When the source arrived, Chavez obtained fentanyl from Montgomery, delivered it to Quintero, and Quintero sold it to the confidential source for $3,300.
On July 14, 2026, Ortega was found to be in possession of multiple firearms. Ortega is prohibited from possessing firearms because of prior felony convictions in Sacramento County including convictions for distribution of controlled substances, being a felon in possession of a firearm, battery with serious bodily injury, and assault with a deadly weapon.
The Drug Enforcement Administration conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicole M. Vanek is prosecuting the case.
If convicted of distribution of methamphetamine, Chavez faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison, a maximum of life in prison, and a fine up to $10 million. If convicted of distribution of fentanyl, Quintero, Chavez, and Montgomery face a mandatory minimum of five years in prison and a fine of up to $5 million. If convicted of distribution of fentanyl, Ortega faces a maximum statutory penalty of 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $1 million. If convicted of being a felon in possession of firearms, Ortega faces a maximum statutory penalty of 15 years in prison and a fine up to $250,000. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of applicable statutory factors and the federal Sentencing Guidelines, which account for numerous variables. The charges are only allegations. The defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Four Men Plead Guilty to $2M Minnesota Medicaid FraudRead the Press Release
Four Minnesota men pleaded guilty to defrauding Minnesota’s Housing Stabilization Services (HSS) program out of approximately $2.2 million and concealing the scheme by using artificial intelligence to create fake records when questioned by insurance companies.
This case is part of the ongoing collaboration between the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Minnesota and the Health Care Fraud Strike Force to combat prolific fraud on government programs in Minnesota. It also highlights a burgeoning trend of fraudsters using artificial intelligence to further a fraud scheme targeting health care programs in Minnesota and around the country.
“These defendants corruptly exploited vulnerable people and a vulnerable program to enrich themselves,” said Assistant Attorney General Colin M. McDonald of the Justice Department’s National Fraud Enforcement Division. “Taxpayer dollars designed to provide shelter and support for the homeless and needy instead went to the pockets of these men. They have now admitted their fraudulent conduct and will face justice for their crimes. In the meantime, our work to stamp out fraud in Minnesota will continue in abandon.”
“Medicaid fraud is a serious offense with real consequences. These defendants stole funds intended to support vulnerable Minnesotans who rely on housing and recovery services. Their guilty pleas underscore my office’s commitment to holding accountable those who exploit public programs,” said United States Attorney for the District of Minnesota Daniel N. Rosen.
According to court documents, Moktar Hassan Aden, 31, Mustafa Dayib Ali, 29, Khalid Ahmed Dayib, 26, and Abdifitah Mohamud Mohamed, 27, all of the Twin Cities area, set up Brilliant Minds Services LLC in the notorious Griggs-Midway Building in St. Paul, Minnesota, and enrolled the business as a Medicaid program provider. They promised to help people with disabilities – including seniors and people with mental illnesses and substance use disorders – find and maintain housing through the State’s now-defunct HSS program. Instead, they submitted thousands of HSS claims to Medicaid for services that were never provided or significantly inflated the claims for higher reimbursements.
Griggs-Midway Building in St. Paul, MinnesotaThe defendants, together, signed up approximately 350 people for HSS and then billed the program despite doing nothing to assist these Medicaid recipients. When asked to provide supporting documentation for their claims, the defendants fabricated records using ChatGPT in an attempt to conceal their theft. In total, from April 2022 through April 2025, the defendants stole approximately $2.2 million from Minnesota Medicaid for services they fraudulently claimed to have provided to these 350 Medicaid recipients.
In separate hearings held between July 7 and July 23, 2026, the defendants each pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud. They each face a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Sentencing dates have not yet been set by the Court.
FBI, the U.S. Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation, and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General are investigating the case.
Trial Attorney Raymond E. Beckering III of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Murphy for the District of Minnesota 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.
The Department of Justice’s Health Care Fraud Strike Force Program, currently comprised of nine strike forces operating in federal districts across the country, has charged more than 6,200 defendants who collectively billed federal health care programs and private insurers more than $45 billion since 2007. In addition, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, working in conjunction with the Office of the Inspector General for the Department of Health and Human Services, are taking steps to hold providers accountable for their involvement in health care fraud schemes. More information can be found at www.justice.gov/criminal-fraud/health-care-fraud-unit.
Four Men Indicted in an East Alabama Drug-Trafficking Conspiracy Led by Former Federal DefendantsRead the Press Release
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – An indictment charging four men in a drug-trafficking conspiracy based in Calhoun County has been unsealed, announced U.S. Attorney Phillip W. Williams Jr.
A 12-count indictment charges Theron Samuel Johnson, 43, Jeffrey Leon Battle, 56, and Toney Courtez Jenkins, 42—all three of Anniston, Alabama—and Samuel Lane, Jr, 49, of Oxford, Alabama, with conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute and distribution of methamphetamine, cocaine base, cocaine, and marijuana between November 2023 and April 2026. They also are charged with several counts of distribution. Samuel Lane, Jr., and Toney Courtez Jenkins were also charged with possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime and being a felon in possession of a firearm.
The indictment includes special grand jury findings regarding the amount of methamphetamine attributable to the defendants as part of the drug-trafficking conspiracy. The amount of controlled substances involved in the conspiracy attributable to all four defendants is alleged to be 50 grams or more of methamphetamine and 500 grams of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine.
The indictment also alleges enhanced penalties based on prior convictions for several of the defendants. Theron Samuel Johnson was previously convicted of Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute and Distribute Cocaine Base, Cocaine, and Marijuana; Possession with Intent to Distribute Cocaine Base and Marijuana; and Carrying a Firearm During and In Relation to a Drug Trafficking Crime, all in a 2010 federal case in the Northern District of Alabama. Jeffrey Leon Battle was previously convicted of Conspiracy to Levy War Against the United States, in a 2002 federal case in the District of Oregon. According to publicly available information, this conviction stemmed from Battle’s efforts to join the Taliban in the wake of 9/11. Samuel Lane Jr. was previously convicted of two counts of Robbery 1st Degree.
This investigation was led by the Homeland Security Task Force, with assistance from the United States Postal Inspection Service, 7th Judicial Circuit Major Crimes Unit, Alabama Law Enforcement Agency, Anniston Police Department, Oxford Police Department, and Calhoun County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Allison J. Garnett is prosecuting the case.
This operation 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. The Alabama HSTF comprises agents and officers from the Drug Enforcement Administration, Homeland Security Investigations, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the United States Marshals Service, and the Internal Revenue Service, with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Alabama.
An indictment contains only charges. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Founder of Private Equity Firm Pleads GuiltyRead the Press Release
United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Jay Clayton, announced today that JAY LUCAS, the founder and managing partner of Lucas Brand Equity LLC (“LBE”), a private equity fund based in Manhattan, pled guilty to securities fraud, investment adviser fraud, wire fraud, and money laundering in connection with a scheme to raise over $50 million from investors by falsely representing that their money would be invested in early-stage health and wellness companies. Instead, LUCAS diverted much of that money to cover personal expenses, promote unrelated ventures, and make Ponzi-like payments to earlier investors. LUCAS pled guilty today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Robyn F. Tarnofsky.
“Lucas lied to investors to induce them into investing millions of dollars in private equity funds that he created, promising to invest their money in emerging companies in the health and wellness space,” said U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton. “In reality, Lucas used much of the money to pay for personal expenses and ventures entirely unrelated to the funds, and to make Ponzi-like payments to other investors. Today’s plea reflects the continued commitment of this Office and our law enforcement partners to holding accountable investment advisers who abuse their investors’ trust to illegally enrich themselves.”
As alleged in the Indictment:
LUCAS is the founder and managing partner of LBE and three private funds: Lucas Brand Equity LP (“Fund One”), L.B. Equity Emerging Growth LP (“Fund Two”), and L.B. Equity Wellness Growth L.P. (“Fund Three”). Since 2017, LUCAS has defrauded investors by, among other things, systematically misappropriating their funds.
LUCAS told investors that LBE’s “core strategy is to invest in these small to mid-size emerging brands, provide value added services to differentiate them and catalyze growth to a sufficient scale for exit.” LUCAS raised over $50 million from investors and, instead of using the money as he promised, spent much of it on personal expenses, including alimony, rent, a vanity newspaper project in his hometown, and political consultants. He also used new investor money to pay earlier investors in Ponzi-like fashion, enriching himself while starving the Funds and portfolio companies of capital. In addition, LUCAS funneled investor money to Immunocologie, a luxury skincare business run by LUCAS’s wife, without disclosing that conflict of interest. Much of the money for Immunocologie was then spent on trips, social events, and other unprofitable ventures. Moreover, LUCAS arranged for LBE, not the Funds, to take majority ownership interest in Immunocologie, giving himself and not his clients an equity interest in the business.
LUCAS’s misconduct left the Funds chronically undercapitalized and unable to cover basic fund expenses, including salaries for LBE employees. Internally, employees continued to express frustration about LUCAS’s misuse of investor money, writing that LUCAS’s spending was “not spending on LBE,” was “literally fraudulent,” and was “a huge betrayal of investor trust and most likely illegal.”
* * *
LUCAS, 71, of Portsmouth, New Hampshire, pled guilty to one count of securities fraud, one count of wire fraud, and one count of money laundering, each of which carries a maximum prison term of 20 years, and one count of investment adviser fraud, which carries a maximum prison term of five years.
The maximum potential sentences in this case are prescribed by Congress and provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by a judge.
Mr. Clayton praised the outstanding work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Mr. Clayton also thanked the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission for its assistance and cooperation in the investigation.
This case is being handled by the Office’s Securities and Commodities Fraud Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Adam S. Hobson and David J. Robles are in charge of the prosecution.
Former University Professor Sentenced for Child Sexual Exploitation OffensesRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — Rodger Githens, 48, of West Sacramento, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Jill A. Otake to 18 years and six months in prison, for attempted enticement of a minor and receipt and distribution of child sexual abuse material, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced.
Githens was also sentenced to 10 years of supervised release, during which time, his access to the internet, computers, and minors will be restricted. Githens will also be required to register as a sex offender and pay $75,000 in fines. Githens was found guilty on May 1, 2026, following a bench trial before visiting Judge Otake.
According to court documents, Githens had been employed as a professor at a local university and had worked as a consultant for other colleges and universities. In March 2023, Githens, using the profile “Tall laid back,” initiated contact with a Grindr account controlled by an undercover agent. Githens quickly encouraged the undercover agent to establish a Telegram account, which he considered more secure. Githens stated that he “would love to have a dad or uncle invite me” and then described in graphic detail what he would like to do with the undercover agent and the agent’s fictional 7-year-old niece. Several times Githens discussed traveling to Fresno to meet the agent and the fictional niece, but on April 19, 2023, law enforcement served a search warrant at Githens’s residence and seized multiple electronic devices. Agents discovered numerous Telegram chats on Githens’s phone including several in which he was exchanging and commenting on videos of the sexual abuse of young children.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigation with assistance from the West Sacramento Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney David Gappa and McKenzie Hightower of the Department of Justice Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute those who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc.
Former Naval Undersea Warfare Center Employee Sentenced for Making ThreatsRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE – A former employee of the Naval Undersea Warfare Center (NUWC) in Middletown, Rhode Island, has been sentenced in U.S. District Court for transmitting threats in interstate commerce.
Luis Sanchez Pardella, 38, of Newport was sentenced on July 23, 2026, by U.S. District Court Judge Melissa R. DuBose to time served plus an additional 14 days, to be followed by six months in a residential reentry center, two years of supervised release, and no contact with the victim.
According to court documents, between July 2022 and February 2023, Pardella made numerous, and at times threatening, telephone calls to at least eight of his former colleagues at NUWC. In one instance, Pardella left a voicemail stating, “I will kill you and your wife when I see you on the street.”
Additionally, between December 2022 and February 2023, Pardella made multiple threatening telephone calls to the Portsmouth, Rhode Island, Police Department, stating that an officer and his wife “will be going to jail,” that “the Portsmouth Police Department is corrupt,” and, in reference to the officer’s wife, “write down (name redacted) is dead… the wife of one of your cops is dead.”
“These targeted and deeply disturbing threats are not just words — they are calculated attempts to instill fear in public servants and their families,” said First Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles C. Calenda. “No one who dedicates their career to serving their community should be subjected to this kind of harassment and intimidation. Today’s sentencing reflects our commitment to ensuring that individuals who terrorize others through threats of violence are held fully accountable.”
“No one should be subjected to repeated harassment, threats, and intimidation for simply doing their jobs, especially public servants, but that’s exactly what happened when Luis Sanchez Pardella unleashed his vitriolic words on his former colleagues,” said Ted E. Docks, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Boston Division. “His actions instilled genuine fear in the victims he targeted, disrupting their lives, and eroding their sense of security. While today’s sentence holds him accountable for his crimes, the FBI will continue working with our law enforcement partners to ensure others who engage in this kind of egregious behavior are also brought to justice.”
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul F. Daly, Jr.
The matter was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, with the assistance of the Portsmouth, Middletown, Newport, and Providence Police Departments, and the Federal Air Marshal Service.
Former Kauai Resident Indicted for Trafficking FentanylRead the Press Release
HONOLULU – United States Attorney Ken Sorenson announced that Dakota Ianniello, 55, formerly of Hanapepe, Kauai, was indicted on July 23, 2026, after being arrested in the Western District of Wisconsin on July 21, 2026, for possessing with intent to distribute fentanyl.
On May 23, 2025, law enforcement executed a search warrant on Ianniello’s vehicle and seized approximately 81.5 grams of fentanyl. After her arrest on July 21, 2026, Ianniello provided a statement to agents admitting the fentanyl seized in May 2025 was hers, she knew the substance to be fentanyl, and she distributed fentanyl to others.
If convicted, Ianniello faces at least 5 years and up to 40 years in prison, a fine of up to $5,000,000, plus a term of supervised release of at least 4 years.
The charge in the indictment is merely an accusation, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. In the case of conviction, any sentence would be imposed by a United States District Judge based on the statutory sentencing factors and the advisory United States Sentencing Guidelines.
The Drug Enforcement Administration, with assistance from the Kauai Police Department, are investigating the case.
Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Heidi Turner is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
Filipino National Charged with Unlawfully Voting as an AlienRead the Press Release
HONOLULU – United States Attorney Ken Sorenson announced that Bernadette Acaso, 19, a Filipino national residing in Honolulu, Oahu and Kahului, Maui, was charged by criminal complaint on July 22, 2026, with unlawfully voting as an alien.
According to court records, Acaso was born in the Philippines and came to the United States in or around 2018 on an immigrant visa and became a Lawful Permanent Resident. Acaso cast a mail-in ballot in the 2024 general election. Acaso admitted in a statement to law enforcement that she understood she was not a United States citizen at the time she voted.
If convicted, Acaso faces up to one year in prison, plus a term of supervised release. Acaso also faces a fine of up to $100,000.
The charge in the criminal complaint is merely an accusation, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. In the case of conviction, any sentence would be imposed by a United States District Judge based on the statutory sentencing factors and the advisory United States Sentencing Guidelines.
The FBI and Homeland Security Investigations are investigating the case.
Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Heidi Turner is prosecuting the case.
Federal Jury Convicts Michigan Man for Failing to Register as a Sex Offender in GeorgiaRead the Press Release
ATLANTA – After a trial in federal court, a jury convicted Nicholas Anthony for failing to register as a sex offender while living in Georgia after absconding from Michigan.
“Dangerous sex offenders like Anthony who refuse to register with law enforcement as required by law cannot hide in our community,” said U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg. “They will be found, arrested, and face the full prosecutorial resources of my office.”
“This conviction is a result of diligent investigative work by dedicated Deputy U.S. Marshals who support our Sex Offender Investigative Initiative here in North Georgia,” said Acting U.S. Marshal Stephen G. Serrao. “Working with state and local police and coordinating with the United States Attorney’s Office, we were able to locate, apprehend, and successfully prosecute this convicted sex offender who posed a potential threat to our community.”
According to U.S. Attorney Hertzberg, the charges, and other information presented in court: In 2011, Nicholas Anthony was arrested by police officers in Warren, Michigan, after engaging in sexual contact with a then-15-year-old child. In March 2015, Anthony pled no contest to criminal sexual conduct assault with intent to commit sex penetration based on the 2011 incident. The sentencing court ordered Anthony to register as a sex offender and comply with all conditions of sex offender registration, including a lifelong requirement to verify his address and residency status quarterly with the Michigan State Police. Anthony complied with his registration requirements until August 2016 but not thereafter.
In 2025, Deputy U.S. Marshals located Anthony after he was reported to be residing in a Doraville, Georgia hotel despite not having notified Michigan authorities that he had left the state. Hotel staff confirmed that Anthony was staying at the hotel and provided records showing that he had resided there since at least December 2024. Deputy U.S. Marshals then arrested Anthony after confirming that he had never registered as a sex offender in the State of Georgia.
On July 22, 2026, a federal jury convicted Nicholas Anthony, 41, of Pontiac, Michigan, of failing to register as a sex offender in violation of the Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act.
Sentencing is scheduled for October 29, 2026, at 10:00 a.m., before United States District Judge Tiffany R. Johnson.
This case is being investigated by the United States Marshals Service, the Michigan State Police Sex Offender Registry Unit, and the Oakland County, Michigan, Sheriff’s Office.
Assistant United States Attorneys Robert B. Shapiro, Laurel Milam, and Leanne Marek are prosecuting the case.
This case is being brought as part of Project Safe Childhood. In February 2006, the Attorney General launched Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from online exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorney’s Offices around the country, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at [email protected] or (404) 581-6185. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.
Federal Grand Jury Indicts 13 for Owensboro Methamphetamine Trafficking Conspiracy Following Homeland Security Task Force InvestigationRead the Press Release
Louisville, KY – Following a lengthy investigation by the Louisville Homeland Security Task Force, a federal grand jury in Bowling Green, Kentucky, returned an indictment on July 15, 2026, charging thirteen Owensboro based men and women as part of a methamphetamine trafficking conspiracy. All thirteen individuals were arrested this week.
U.S. Attorney Kyle G. Bumgarner of the Western District of Kentucky, Special Agent in Charge Todd C. Smith of the DEA Chicago Field Division and Special Agent in Charge Olivia Olson of the FBI Louisville Field Office made the announcement.
According to the indictment, Michael Mayfield, 68, of Owensboro, Shawn Pendleton, 29, of Owensboro, Andrew Owen, 33, of Owensboro, James Jordan McCarthy, 35, of Owensboro, Brandon Horne, 43, of Owensboro, Rodney Murch, 43, of Owensboro, Timothy Barnes, 67, of Owensboro, Byron Todd Huff, 52, of Owensboro, Brooke Love-Moss, 35, of Owensboro, Gregory Belcher, 65, of Philpot, Jonathan Boone, 41, of Owensboro, Stephan Hill, 63, of Owensboro, and Jeremy Royal, 49, of Owensboro, were all charged with one count of conspiring together and with others to possess with the intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine from November 2025 through July 14, 2026, in Daviess County, Kentucky, and elsewhere.
Additionally, Mayfield was charged with 2 counts of distributing methamphetamine; Owen was charged with 1 count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine; and Pendleton was charged with 3 counts of distributing methamphetamine and 2 counts of distributing cocaine.
On July 22, 2026, Mayfield, Pendleton, Owen, McCarthy, Horne, Belcher, Boone, and Hill made an initial court appearance before a U.S. Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Western District of Kentucky. Huff and Love-Moss are scheduled to make initial appearances on July 23, 2025. Murch and Royal will make initial appearances at a future date. Detention hearings are scheduled to take place before a U.S. Magistrate Judge beginning July 27, 2026. If convicted, each of the defendants face a minimum sentence of 10 years in prison and a maximum sentence of life in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors.
United States Attorney Kyle Bumgarner stated, “Unfortunately dope dealers in Daviess County, Kentucky, have not taken heed of previous federal drug trafficking indictments that resulted in substantial sentences. As alleged in the Indictment unsealed today, this drug trafficking organization operated for nearly nine months, distributing methamphetamine onto the streets of Owensboro, until they were taken down in a sweeping law enforcement operation conducted in the early morning hours of July 22. Now, because of tremendous work by the Owensboro Police Department, the Daviess County Sheriff’s Department, and the federal agents comprising Louisville’s Homeland Security Task Force, our Office is positioned to hold each of these defendants accountable for the methamphetamine they allegedly pushed into Daviess County. Neither this office nor or federal, state, or local law enforcement partners will stop until drug traffickers learn that Daviess County is closed for business.”
There is no parole in the federal system.
This case is being investigated by the DEA Evansville Resident Office, the FBI Owensboro Resident Office, the Owensboro Police Department and the Owensboro-Daviess County Drug Task Force with assistance from IRS-CI, the Daviess County Sheriff’s Office, HSI Bowling Green Office, Indiana State Police, Kentucky State Police.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Frank Dahl and Mark Yurchisin are prosecuting the case with assistance from Paralegal Specialist Aaron Cooper.
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 Louisville comprises agents and officers from FBI, HSI, DEA, ATF, and IRS, with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Kentucky.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
###
Fallbrook Woman Sentenced to Prison for Multi-Year Fraud Against Customers of Her Porsche Restoration and Resale BusinessRead the Press Release
SAN DIEGO – Fallbrook business owner Andrea Nicole Doherty was sentenced in federal court today to 21 months in prison for defrauding customers of her former Porsche restoration and resale business and pocketing more than $827,000.
“She took customers for a ride. Today, justice brought the trip to an end,” said U.S. Attorney Adam Gordon.
"Ms. Doherty’s long-running fraud was a deliberate scheme that exploited her customers’ trust and left her victims with significant financial losses,” said Special Agent in Charge Mark Remily of the FBI San Diego Field Office. “The FBI will relentlessly pursue anyone who chooses deception over lawful business practices through close coordination with investigative partners, such as the California Department of Motor Vehicles – Criminal Investigation, who worked this case side by side with FBI agents. Today’s sentence demonstrates that if you defraud consumers, you will be found, investigated, and held fully accountable.”
In her plea agreement, Doherty, 38, admitted that she took over CPR Classic from her father after his death in 2021. Doherty did business as CPR Classic, which was never registered as a corporation or a limited liability company, restoring classic Porsches and selling them on consignment from its storefront in Fallbrook. In December, Doherty pleaded guilty to three counts of wire fraud, relating to three specific vehicles sold on consignment by the defendant through CPR Classic.
During 2022 and 2023, Doherty sold a 1973 Porsche 911E Targa to two different buyers, accepting payment from both without informing or paying the seller. The seller eventually transferred the vehicle’s title after receiving a check from Doherty, which bounced when he attempted to cash it.
In February 2023, Doherty admitted that she agreed to sell a 1972 Porsche 911S for its owner. She found a buyer the next day who wired her $280,000 within a week. Although this buyer received the vehicle, Doherty did not transfer legal title and admitted that she had not used the wired funds to pay the seller. Instead, in October 2023, Doherty sold the vehicle again to another buyer, who wired her $275,000, part of which she used to pay the seller, who then transferred title to the October 2023 buyer, unaware of the February 2023 sale.
Also in 2023, Doherty admitted that she sold a 1983 Porsche 930T Slantnose on consignment for $130,000, without telling (or paying) the owner. To complete the sale, Doherty forged the seller’s signature on the transfer of title document. More than a year later, this buyer contacted the vehicle’s owner, who then learned that his car had been sold and delivered to the buyer despite still being listed as available for sale on the CPR Classic website.
CPR Classic’s vehicle dealer license was suspended by the California Department of Motor Vehicles in September 2024, and it ceased operations soon thereafter.
As a part of her plea agreement, Doherty agreed to pay restitution not only to her five victims but also to more than 50 additional former CPR Classic customers. By the time of her sentencing, she had agreed to make restitution to additional former customers who came forward after her guilty plea.
At the sentencing hearing this afternoon, U.S. District Judge Andrew G. Schopler ordered Doherty to pay restitution to 66 individuals in the total amount of $9,951,763.04.
This case was prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Jeffrey D. Hill.
DEFENDANT Case Number 25cr4683-AGS
Andrea Nicole Doherty Age: 38 Fallbrook, CA
SUMMARY OF CHARGES
Wire Fraud – Title 18, U.S.C., Section 1343 (three counts)
Maximum penalty: Twenty years in prison and a $250,000 fine per count
INVESTIGATING AGENCIES
Federal Bureau of Investigation
California Department of Motor Vehicles – Criminal Investigations
Erie Resident Sentenced to 12.5 Years in Prison for Possession of Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, Pa. – A resident of Erie, Pennsylvania, has been sentenced in federal court to 150 months in prison, to be followed by 10 years of supervised release, on his conviction of possessing child sexual abuse material, United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.
Chief United States District Judge Cathy Bissoon imposed the sentence on Michael Thomas Pritchard, 49, on July 23, 2026.
According to information presented to the Court, while on parole for a series of Pennsylvania child exploitation convictions, Pritchard was found to be in possession of hundreds of digital images depicting minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct.
Assistant United States Attorney Christian A. Trabold prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
United States Attorney Rivetti commended the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Pennsylvania State Police, Erie Police Department, and Pennsylvania Department of Corrections for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Pritchard.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
ENRD to Serve as Head of U.S. Delegation at Forestry Ministerial at APEC Forum in China to Grow Support for Timber Trafficking EnforcementRead the Press Release
The Justice Department today announced that Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General (PDAAG) Adam Gustafson of the Energy and Natural Resources Division (ENRD) will serve as the head of the United States’ delegation for a Ministerial Meeting on Forestry, which is part of a 2026 senior officials’ meeting of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC). Over the next week, PDAAG Gustafson will represent U.S. interests in emphasizing the importance of investigating and prosecuting timber trafficking crimes.
APEC economies account for over half of the world’s forests and approximately 80% of the international trade in forest products. The Forestry Ministerial meets every two or three years, and this is the first time the Justice Department will serve as head of the U.S. delegation, which will also include representatives from the State Department, Fish and Wildlife Service, and the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative.
“Timber trafficking is the third most profitable form of transnational crime, with revenue estimates ranging between $52 billion to $157 billion annually,” said PDAAG Gustafson. “The illegal timber trade is an economic and security threat to the United States and all APEC members. It hurts American businesses and revenue, market share, and good paying jobs. By sharing enforcement strategies at home and abroad, and by improving collaboration across the U.S. government, we are fighting the illegal harvest and trade of forest products. My message at APEC is simple: member economies should enforce their own laws — many of which are modeled off of the Lacey Act in the U.S. — to curtail timber trafficking.”
Domtar A.W. LLC Agrees to Settlement to Reduce Emissions in ArkansasRead the Press Release
Today, the Justice Department, on behalf of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and the Arkansas Department of Energy & Environment, Division of Environmental Quality (ADEQ) lodged a proposed settlement with Domtar A.W. LLC resolving alleged Clean Air Act and Arkansas Water and Air Pollution Control Act violations involving the company’s kraft pulp and paper facility in Ashdown, Arkansas.
Under the proposed consent decree, Domtar will pay a $1.5 million civil penalty, divided between the United States and the state of Arkansas. In addition, the company will implement projects to address excess emissions from its operations and correct its inadequate inspection and monitoring practices. The projects include installing the proper pollution controls on Domtar’s brown stock washer, updating leak detection and repair procedures to ensure compliance with the regulations, increasing the frequency of monitoring for leaks, and conducting performance testing on the boilers. The estimated cost to complete the required injunctive relief and bring operations into compliance is at least $2.6 million.
“Today’s settlement demonstrates the Justice Department’s commitment to protecting public health and the environment,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Adam Gustafson of the Justice Department’s Energy and Natural Resources Division (ENRD). “Domtar is moving in the right direction to resolve its Clean Air Act violations by committing to properly control pollution and monitor for leaks and substandard facility performance.”
“This settlement ensures that Domtar will take the necessary precautions to maintain and control its facility’s pollution controls among other corrective actions,” said Administrator Scott Mason of EPA Region 6. “I would like to thank the DOJ and ADEQ for their coordination on this matter and we appreciate Domtar’s cooperation in adhering to environmental laws.”
This settlement resolves Domtar’s failure to follow federal and state requirements to capture and control air emissions from its brown stock washer. A brown stock washer is used in the pulp and paper industry to separate and wash the waste liquid from pulp fibers. The complaint filed in the case alleges that Domtar did not install the appropriate pollution controls (required under the Clean Air Act’s New Source Performance Standards and the National Emissions Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants) on its brown stock washer. Without the proper controls, the brown stock washer can leak hydrogen sulfide into the air. Hydrogen sulfide has a strong rotten egg smell and is harmful to human health.
The complaint also alleges that Domtar did not follow mandatory inspection and monitoring requirements. The complaint alleges that, in one instance, Domtar failed to inspect for 53 days and failed to detect a leaking valve emitting uncontrolled and illegal amounts of pollutants. Domtar also did not conduct adequate performance testing for two of its boilers. Without proper monitoring and performance testing, the extent of the excess hazardous air pollutants (HAPs) that Domtar emitted into the air is unknown. The HAPs include volatile organic compounds (VOCs), methanol, carbon monoxide, and chlorinated compounds, including chlorine dioxide and hydrochloric acid.
Under the settlement, Domtar is taking the necessary steps to ensure that its systems control pollutants from the brown stock washer. The settlement also requires a third-party to review and revise the leak detection and repair plan to ensure Domtar’s compliance with environmental regulations. These actions will significantly reduce harmful emissions from the company’s operations.
Domtar is also undertaking two emission reduction projects to mitigate the environmental and public health harm attributable to its violations. First, Domtar will install capping valves to help prevent VOC and HAP emissions leaks. Domtar will also update its biological wastewater treatment system to capture HAPs and VOCs before they are emitted to the air.
Domtar A.W. LLC is limited liability company registered in Delaware and a wholly owned subsidiary of Domtar Corporation. Domtar is a manufacturer of diversified forest products, which includes production of pulp, paper, packaging, and tissue. Domtar describes its Ashdown Mill as one of the largest fluff pulp production facilities in the world.
The consent decree was filed with the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Arkansas and is subject to a 30-day comment period. The complaint and the proposed consent decree are available at www.justice.gov/enrd/consent-decrees.
The EPA and Arkansas Department of Energy & Environment, Division of Environmental Quality, investigated this matter.
Attorneys with ENRD’s Environmental Enforcement Section are handling this matter.
District of Arizona Charges 310 Individuals for Immigration-Related Criminal Conduct this WeekRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – During the week of enforcement operations from July 18 through July 24, 2026, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona brought immigration-related criminal charges against 310 individuals. Specifically, the United States filed 114 cases in which aliens illegally re-entered the United States, and the United States also charged 175 aliens for illegally entering the United States. In its ongoing effort to deter unlawful immigration, the United States filed 20 cases against 21 individuals responsible for smuggling illegal aliens into and within the District of Arizona.
These cases were referred or supported by federal law enforcement partners, including U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE-ERO), ICE- Homeland Security Investigations (ICE-HSI), U.S. Border Patrol, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the FBI, the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS), and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).
Recent matters of interest include:
U.S. v. Rubicel Nunez-Sanchez. Rubicel Nunez-Sanchez was charged by criminal complaint on July 20, 2026, with Transportation of an Illegal Alien for Profit. On July 19, Border Patrol Agents (BPAs) observed a Ford F-150 with North Carolina plates driving near the Mexico border in the San Rafael Valley, an area frequently used for human smuggling. Based on their observations, BPAs initiated a vehicle stop to conduct an immigration inspection, but the driver, Nunez-Sanchez, failed to yield. Nunez-Sanchez eventually pulled over to the side of the road where five subjects got out and ran away. He then continued driving, only stopping after his vehicle was incapacitated by BPAs with a vehicle immobilization device. BPAs located the five subjects that gotten out of Nunez-Sanchez’s vehicle and determined that they were all citizens and nationals of Mexico and Columbia, unlawfully present in the United States. [Case Number: 26-MJ-05258]
United States v. Ahumada-Lugo, et al. On July 23, 2026, Jose Raul Ahumada-Lugo and Rony Ramirez-Valenzuela were charged by criminal complaint with Transportation of an Illegal Alien. Ramirez-Valenzuela was also charged with Reentry of a Removed Alien. On July 21, a deputy with the Pinal County Sheriff’s Office initiated a traffic stop on Ahumada-Lugo, who was driving a Ford F-150 with four passengers. The deputy noticed camouflage clothing and backpacks in the back seat and called Border Patrol for assistance. BPAs confirmed that all five occupants in the truck were citizens of Mexico, unlawfully present in the United States. BPAs also learned that the front seat passenger, Ramirez-Valenzuela, was previously removed from the United States on August 15, 2017, and was assisting with smuggling the other passengers. [Case Number: 26-MJ-6287]
The cases are part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
A criminal complaint is a formal accusation of criminal conduct. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
RELEASE NUMBER: 2026-126_July 24, 2026 Immigration Enforcement
# # #
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.Dauphin County Man Sentenced to 20 Years in Prison for Being a Felon in Possession of Firearms and AmmunitionRead the Press Release
HARRISBURG – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Reginald Hopkins, age 49, of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, was sentenced by United States District Judge Jennifer P. Wilson to 20 years in prison and five years of supervised release following his conviction after a trial by jury for being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition as an armed career criminal.
According to United States Attorney Brian D. Miller, the case involved the execution of a search warrant on February 19, 2021, at Hopkins’ apartment, resulting in the seizure of three firearms (an Astra Constable 9mm handgun, a Hi-Point CF380 .380 handgun, and a S&W M&P 9 Shield 9mm handgun), several magazines, and 9mm and .380 ammunition. One of the magazines was a high-capacity drum magazine that was loaded with 39 rounds of 9mm ammunition. Hopkins was home alone when law enforcement executed the search warrant, and the firearms were sitting in plain sight next to his bed and near a chair in the living area.
The Harrisburg Police Bureau’s Street Crimes Unit and the Community Policing Unit, along with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) investigated the matter. Assistant United States Attorney Michael Scalera and Deputy Criminal Chief Michael Consiglio prosecuted the case.
# # #
D.C. Man Sentenced to 9 Years for Armed Robberies and AssaultRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Rodney Bennett, 20, of the District of Columbia, was sentenced today in the Superior Court for the District of Columbia for two robberies in 2024 and one assault with a dangerous weapon while confined in a D.C. Correctional Facility in 2025, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
Bennett pleaded guilty on March 23, 2026, to one count of armed robbery, one count of robbery, and one count of assault with a dangerous weapon. Superior Court Judge Michael Ryan sentenced Bennett to 9 years in prison to be followed by 5 years of supervised release.
According to the government’s evidence, on August 28, 2024, at approximately 11:10 p.m., Bennett approached a man who was returning a rental scooter at 5th and Neal Place NE, Washington, D.C. Bennett pointed a firearm at him and demanded his cellphone and wallet. The man handed over both items but later grabbed his phone back and fled to a nearby bar, where he called the police. Bennett fled the scene with the wallet. Bennett was wearing a GPS monitor, and his coordinates placed him at the scene at the time of the robbery.
Just over an hour later, on August 29, 2024, at approximately 12:24 p.m., Bennett followed two individuals walking to 1924 8th Street NW, Washington, D.C., into an underground parking garage. When Bennett exited his vehicle and approached, both individuals ran. Bennett chased one of them, stopping him at the entrance to the elevator. Bennett pointed a firearm at him and demanded his watch and cash and then fled with the stolen items. His GPS monitor again placed him at the scene during the offense.
Bennett was arrest on October 9, 2024, by the Metropolitan Police Department and has remained in custody since that time.
While incarcerated, on November 10, 2025, at approximately 9:50 p.m., inside the Northwest Three Housing Unit of the Department of Corrections’ Central Detention Facility, Bennett became involved in a verbal altercation with another inmate. During the dispute, Bennett produced a sharp metal object and stabbed the inmate, causing lacerations to the face and head.
Joining in the announcement was Interim Chief Jeffery Carroll of the Metropolitan Police Department.
This matter was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian Hanley.
2024 CF3 010193, 2025 CF3 015306
D.C. Man Found Guilty of Sexually Assaulting MinorRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Luis Figueroa, 67, of Washington, D.C., was convicted on charges of First- and Second-Degree Child Sexual Abuse with Aggravating Circumstances, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
Figueroa was found guilty of First- and Second-Degree Child Sexual Abuse with Aggravating Circumstances on July 23, 2026. Sentencing is scheduled for September 25, 2026, before Superior Court Judge Rainey Brandt. Due to the aggravating circumstances for which the defendant was convicted, the defendant is eligible for a sentence of over 30 years imprisonment up to life imprisonment without possibility of release.
According to court documents, in 2017, the victim, six-years-old at the time, and her family were living in a basement apartment in the defendant’s home. The defendant maintained a friendly relationship with the victim, instructing her to call him “the Cookie Monster.”
One day, the defendant entered the apartment to fix a broken shower and called the victim into the bathroom to help him. Upon entering the bathroom, the defendant instructed the victim to shut the door behind her. The defendant then proceeded to sexually assault the victim.
Afterwards the victim was disgusted and confused which led her to keep the abuse to herself until coming forward in 2021. The victim was inspired to come forward and tell her mother about the abuse that occurred after seeing other individuals share their stories online. The victim’s mother then alerted a social worker. The case was indicted and Figueroa was arrested pursuant to a bench warrant on April 3, 2024.
Joining the announcement was Interim Chief Jeffery Carroll of the Metropolitan Police Department.
This matter is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kate Ballou and Lindsey Miller.
Cuyahoga County Man Sentenced to 9 Years in Prison for Downloading and Distributing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
CLEVELAND – A Cuyahoga County man was sentenced to federal prison for committing crimes involving Child Sexual Abuse Materials (CSAM).
Anthony C. Hayes Jr., 44, of Maple Heights, Ohio, was sentenced to 108 months (9 years) in prison by U.S. District Judge J. Philip Calabrese, after pleading guilty in April to Receipt and Distribution of Visual Depictions of Real Minors Engaged in Sexually Explicit Conduct. He was also ordered to serve 10 years of supervised release after imprisonment.
According to court documents and evidence presented in court, Hayes was identified during an investigation into suspected illegal downloads of child pornography via multiple peer-to-peer file sharing programs. Investigators found that for nearly a year, Hayes was actively sharing CSAM with others through peer-to-peer programs.
During a search warrant executed at Hayes’ residence, his devices were seized and analyzed. Investigators determined that more than 3,000 CSAM files were located on his computer. Much of the illegal content he shared were videos depicting the rape and torture of children as young as four years old. Several videos showed children being sexually abused for more than an hour.
The investigation leading to the indictment was led by the FBI Cleveland Field Office.
Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer J. King led the prosecution for the Northern District of Ohio.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. The initiative is led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices throughout the country and 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, visit justice.gov/PSC.
To report child exploitation, please visit cybertipline.org, or call 1-800-843-5678, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Council Bluffs Man Sentenced to 16 Years in Federal Prison for Distribution of FentanylRead the Press Release
COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa – A Council Bluffs man was sentenced on July 21, 2026, to 16 years in federal prison for distribution of fentanyl.
According to public court documents and evidence presented at sentencing, Daniel Thomas Coldewey, 33, distributed counterfeit pills containing fentanyl in the Council Bluffs area for nearly five years. On April 14, 2025, Coldewey sold 12 pills containing fentanyl to Victim #1. Victim #1 used one of the pills in the business parking lot where the victim met Coldewey and collapsed. A concerned citizen administered CPR and called emergency services, who were able to revive Victim #1.
After completing his term of imprisonment, Coldewey 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 Southwest Iowa Narcotics Enforcement Task Force investigated the case.
Columbia Man Indicted with Attempted Enticement and Sex Trafficking of a Minor, and Child Pornography OffensesRead the Press Release
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – Travis R. Moreland, 37, of Columbia, Mo., was indicted by a federal grand jury for attempted enticement and sex trafficking of a minor, as well as child pornography offenses.
On Dec. 29, 2025, Moreland allegedly engaged in online communication with an undercover law enforcement officer posing online as a 16-year-old minor. According to court documents, during his conversation with the person he believed to be a minor, Moreland arranged to meet the purported minor to engage in sexual conduct in exchange for $80. Moreland was later arrested on Dec. 29, 2025, after he arrived at an agreed upon location.
After the arrest, law enforcement analyzed Moreland’s cellular telephone and located more than 8,000 files depicting Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM).
The charges contained in the indictment are simply accusations and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charges must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty it is to determine guilt or innocence.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ashley S. Turner It was investigated by Boone County Sheriff’s Office and the Boone County Cyber Crimes Taskforce.
Project Safe Childhood
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc . For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab "resources.”
College Station man sentenced for sexual exploitation of a child after communicating via social mediaRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – A 26-year-old man has been ordered to federal prison for soliciting sex from a minor.
Austin Mixon pleaded guilty Feb. 26.
U.S. District Judge Alfred H. Bennett has now sentenced Mixon to 120 months in federal prison. Mixon was further ordered to pay $5,000 in restitution to the Justice for Victims of Trafficking fund and will serve 10 years on supervised release following the completion of his prison term. During that time, he will have to comply with numerous requirements designed to restrict his access to children and the internet. Mixon will also be ordered to register as a sex offender.
Mixon admitted he used Instagram to message the 13-year-old minor victim and persuaded her to meet him for sex in exchange for vape products. The two continued to communicate electronically and arranged to meet at a park near the girl’s apartment because her mother did not allow her out of the house at night.
Mixon will remain in custody pending transfer to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations and the Harris County Sheriff’s Office conducted the investigation.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jay Hileman prosecuted the case, which was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative the Department of Justice launched in May 2006 to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section leads PSC, which marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children and identifies and rescues victims. For more information about PSC, please visit DOJ’s PSC page. For more information about internet safety education, please visit the resources tab on that page.
Chinese National Sentenced to over 7 Years in Federal Prison for Role in Group that Attempted to Ship over a Metric Ton of Meth to AustraliaRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – A San Gabriel Valley man was sentenced today to 87 months in federal prison for his role in a drug trafficking organization that attempted to export more than one metric ton (2,204.6 pounds) of methamphetamine concealed inside shipment containers and destined for Australia.
Jing Tang Li, 34, of China, was sentenced by United States District Judge Wesley L. Hsu.
Li pleaded guilty in December 2025 to one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
According to court documents, from February 2023 to December 2023, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers inspected seven shipments of different purported commodities destined for Australia. The purported commodities were falsely listed as carpets and textiles, furniture, wheel hub testing equipment, and a casting machine. The listed companies that were shipping the “products” were fake businesses. Embedded in the products was methamphetamine.
For example, in February 2023, Li attempted to ship a package labeled “other carpets & other textile floor coverings” from Los Angeles to Australia. Law enforcement intercepted the package and determined it contained two pallets holding 23 cardboard boxes the had black rubber mats inside that contained approximately 855.5 kilograms (1,886.1 pounds) of methamphetamine.
Later that month, Li attempted to ship a package labeled “furniture leg set” from Los Angeles to Australia. The package contained four cardboard boxes with white metal tubes inside that contained approximately 32.5 kilograms (71.6 pounds) of methamphetamine.
In June 2023, Li attempted to ship a package labeled “casting machine” from Los Angeles to Australia. Law enforcement examined the package and determined it contained numerous packages, later confirming the packages contained methamphetamine, with a net weight of approximately 202.5 kilograms (446.3 pounds).
Twice in August 2023, Li conspired with others to ship two packages labeled “tooling of wheel hub testing equipment” from Los Angeles to Australia. Law enforcement determined each package contained methamphetamine with a net weight of approximately 102.8 kilograms (226.7 pounds).
Law enforcement arrested Li in August 2024 outside of a warehouse that served as a hub for the drug trafficking conspiracy and contained machinery consistent with those seen in packages shipped by it. Inside of Li’s car, he knowingly possessed multiple bags containing approximately 957.7 grams (2.1 pounds) of methamphetamine.
In total, law enforcement seized more than 1,000 kilograms (2,204.6 pounds) of methamphetamine hidden in these containers.
Homeland Security Investigations, United States Customs and Border Protection, and the Australian Federal Police investigated this matter. The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department provided assistance.
Assistant United States Attorney Brenda N. Galván of the Transnational Organized Crime Section prosecuted this case.
Charleston Felon Arrested for Illegal Ammunition Possession Following Violent Fourth of July Block PartyRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, S.C. —According to a criminal complaint filed in federal court, Dejuan Ravenel, 21, of Charleston, has been charged with being a felon in possession of ammunition.
According to court documents, on July 4, 2026, North Charleston Police officers responded to a large disturbance on Spruill Avenue. While NCPD officers and officers from assisting law enforcement agencies were attempting to disperse the crowd and restore order, several individuals, including juveniles, became combative and physically assaulted responding officers.
While one officer was being violently assaulted by multiple juveniles, their department-issued taser and two firearm magazines, each containing 13 rounds of .45 caliber ammunition, became dislodged and unsecured from their duty holster. Following the assault, law enforcement was unable to locate the officer’s taser or loaded firearm magazines.
Investigators reviewed body worn camera and surveillance footage and identified Ravenel taking the taser and magazines. Officers arrested Ravenel and during a search of his home located the taser and magazines.
Ravenel has a previous felony conviction and is prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition under federal law. At the time of the crime, Ravenel was on probation for a previous conviction and out on bonds for possession of stolen vehicle, possession of stolen gun, financial transaction card theft, and receiving stolen goods from a December 2024 incident and burglary 2nd degree from September 2025.
“Federal investigators, assisted by SLED task force officers, immediately assisted with this multi-agency investigation and found the appropriate charge to bring against Ravenel, whose actions as convicted felon were a violation of federal law,” said U.S. Attorney Bryan Stirling for the District of South Carolina. “The U.S. Attorney’s Office and our federal law enforcement partners will resolutely support our local law enforcement in keeping our communities safe.”
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.
Ravenel faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in federal prison, a fine of $250,000 and three years of supervised release.
The case was investigated by FBI Columbia Field Office, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division, and the North Charleston Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Carra Henderson is prosecuting the case.
All charges in the criminal complaint are merely accusations and defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.###
Cartel Member Who Trafficked Victims from Mexico to Chicagoland into Forced Labor Sentenced to 9 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — A woman who schemed to smuggle individuals from Mexico to Highland Park, Illinois and then forced them to work multiple jobs while turning over their salaries to her has been sentenced to 108 months in prison.
GLADYS IBANEZ-OLEA, 37, served as a mid-level member of the Juarez Cartel. From September 2022 to February 2024, Ibanez-Olea engaged in a human trafficking scheme: she would recruit victims in Mexico, arrange for them to be smuggled them into the United States, and then harbor them in her home in Highland Park, Illinois. Ibanez-Olea then forced the victims to work, took any income they earned to pay off debts she claimed the victims owed, and effectively held the victims in captivity under harsh conditions as she continued to demand they pay her.
In February 2026, Ibanez-Olea pleaded guilty to federal charges of illegally bringing unauthorized aliens into the United States and of forcing individuals to work by means of serious harm or abuse and threats of serious harm or abuse.
In support of its 114-month sentencing recommendation, the government argued such a sentence was warranted based on evidence of Ibanez-Olea’s cruel treatment of her victims, threats she made to victims that she would kill their families and sell them into slavery, and evidence showing she was a willing participant in the Juarez Cartel’s scheme.
On July 21, 2026, U.S. District Judge Robert W. Gettleman sentenced Ibanez-Olea to 108 months in prison, finding the sentence was appropriate given the aggravating facts raised by the government.
Ibanez-Olea’s sentence was announced by Andrew S. Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, Matthew Scarpino, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago office of Homeland Security Investigations, and John Idleburg, Lake County Sheriff. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Elie Zenner.
“[D]efendant used her role as a recruiter in the cartel to create a cadre of indentured servants whose entire salaries belonged to defendant,” AUSA Zenner argued in the government’s sentencing memorandum. “She took advantage of extremely vulnerable victims—women and children who were desperate to come to America and found themselves trapped in a cycle of debt, threats, and mistreatment."
“Gladys Ibanez-Olea preyed upon and exploited her victims for personal gain, deserving every day of her 108-month prison sentence,” said Homeland Security Investigations Chicago Special Agent in Charge Matthew Scarpino. “HSI will continue to relentlessly pursue and dismantle criminal organizations that engage in human trafficking.”
California University Professor Sentenced to over 18 Years in Prison for Attempted Child Exploitation CrimesRead the Press Release
A California man was sentenced today to 222 months in prison and 10 years of supervised release for attempted coercion and enticement of a minor and for distributing and receiving child sexual abuse material (CSAM). He was also ordered to pay a fine of $75,000. Restitution will be determined at a later date.
Rodger Githens, 48, of West Sacramento, was convicted by a federal judge on May 1 after a stipulated bench trial. In March 2023, Githens initiated contact with a Grindr account controlled by an undercover agent. Githens quickly encouraged the undercover agent to establish a Telegram account, which he considered more secure. Githens told the agent he had taboo thoughts every day and was into “babies.” Githens stated that he “would love to have a dad or uncle invite me” and then described in graphic detail what he would like to do with the undercover agent and the agent’s fictional 7-year-old niece. Several times Githens discussed traveling to meet the agent and the fictional niece. On April 19, 2023, law enforcement served a search warrant at Githens’s residence and seized multiple electronic devices. Agents discovered numerous Telegram chats on Githens’s phone including several in which he was exchanging videos of the sexual abuse of young children.
Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; U.S. Attorney Eric Grant for the Eastern District of California; and Acting Special Agent in Charge Brian Tosh of the FBI’s Sacramento Field Office made the announcement.
The FBI’s Fresno resident agency investigated the case. Valuable assistance was provided by the West Sacramento Police Department.
Trial Attorney McKenzie Hightower of the Justice Department’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (“CEOS”) and Assistant U.S. Attorney David Gappa of the Eastern District of California prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Bossier City Man Pleads Guilty to Machinegun PossessionRead the Press Release
SHREVEPORT – On July 23, 2026, Zantravious Brooks, 19, of Bossier City, pled guilty in federal court to Possession of a Machinegun. Brooks faces up to 10 years in federal prison for the charge.
According to court documents, on February 19, 2026, Shreveport Police officers and a Caddo Parish Juvenile Probation Officer conducted a compliance check at a Shreveport townhouse. Brooks was present when officers conducted a search with the consent of the resident’s mother, and officers found a loaded Glock Model 19 firearm in a bedroom closet. Brooks admitted to possessing the firearm, which had been modified with an external machinegun conversion device known as a '”Glock switch,” and to having hidden the machinegun in the closet where law enforcement recovered it. The Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) later examined the weapon and confirmed that the attached device had converted the firearm into a machinegun.
U.S. Attorney Zachary A. Keller for the Western District of Louisiana made the announcement.
This case was investigated by the Shreveport Police Department, the Caddo Parish Juvenile Probation Office, and ATF. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Earl M. Campbell with assistance from Legal Assistant Stephanie Stewart.
This case was investigated as a part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a nationwide initiative that brings together federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement officials, prosecutors, community leaders, and other stakeholders to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in a community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. PSN is coordinated by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices in the 94 federal judicial districts throughout the 50 states and U.S. territories. PSN is customized to account for local violent crime problems and resources. Across all districts, PSN follows four key design elements of successful violent crime reduction initiatives: community engagement, prevention and intervention, focused and strategic enforcement, and accountability. Learn more about PSN at https://www.justice.gov/psn.
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, under Case Number 5:26-cr-00226-01.
###
Public Affairs
United States Attorney’s Office
Western District of Louisiana
[email protected]
www.justice.gov/usao-wdla
Twitter @USAO_WDLABillings woman sentenced to over 15 years in prison for drug trafficking, money launderingRead the Press Release
BILLINGS – A Billings woman who was part of running a multistate drug trafficking ring was sentenced today to prison, Acting U.S. Attorney Mark Steger Smith said.
Christina Lavon Hill, 43, who pleaded guilty in December 2025, was sentenced to 15 years and three months followed by five years of supervised release on one count of possession with intent to distribute controlled substances. She was also sentenced to 15 years and three months followed by three years of supervised release on one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering. Both sentences will run concurrently.
U.S. District Judge Susan P. Watters presided.
The government alleged in court documents that Hill was helping bring methamphetamine and fentanyl from California into Wyoming and Billings.
Law enforcement learned in June 2023 that Hill and Nathan Wilnau were selling illegal drugs in Billings. Hill was a leader in the operation and was sending money to a source in San Francisco, who then sent packages of illicit drugs to Billings and to Cody, Wyoming, which Wilnau would go and retrieve.
On his last trip, Wilnau drove to Cody, picked up the package, and was headed back to Billings when he was pulled over by law enforcement. Searching the vehicle, agents found over 10 pounds of meth. They also learned that the source in Cody had previously received three to four packages of meth for Hill. Wilnau was sentenced to 11 years in prison on meth possession charges in June 2026.
As the investigation continued, agents found records on Hill’s phone that showed she had conducted 19 financial transactions with four other people totaling about $38,300 from July 2022 to April 2024. Many of the transactions corresponded directly with USPS shipments of packages to Hill and with text messages in which Hill placed orders for meth and fentanyl. A package for Hill sent on July 26, 2024, was intercepted by law enforcement in which they found 3 pounds of meth. Hill was later arrested on drug charges.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case. The DEA and Montana Division of Criminal Investigation 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. 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.
Ansonia Man Sentenced to 5 Years in Federal Prison for Distributing Fentanyl and CocaineRead the Press Release
David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that JOSUE MUNIZ, 35, of Ansonia, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Omar A. Williams in Hartford to 60 months of imprisonment and four years of supervised release for distributing fentanyl and cocaine.
According to court documents and statements made in court, in 2024, the Drug Enforcement Administration and Stamford Police Department learned that an individual, subsequently identified as Muniz, was trafficking fentanyl and cocaine in the Naugatuck Valley, and that a 32-year-old woman had died from an overdose after using drugs obtained from Muniz. Investigators conducted multiple undercover purchases of narcotics from Muniz in November and December 2024. On December 20, 2024, after investigators coordinated a purchase of narcotics, Muniz was arrested at a car dealership in Milford where he was employed. Muniz possessed approximately 58 grams of fentanyl at time of his arrest, and related searches of his vehicle and Ansonia residence revealed quantities of fentanyl and crack cocaine.
Muniz, whose criminal history includes state felony convictions for narcotics offenses, has been detained since his arrest. On April 9, 2026, he pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl and a quantity of cocaine.
This matter was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Stamford Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Lembo with the assistance of Law Student Intern Isabelle Kennedy.
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.