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Wednesday 6 August 2025
Venezuelan National Sentenced for Resisting Arrest by Federal OfficersRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE – A Venezuelan national unlawfully residing in the United States has been sentenced to time served (five months), having pleaded guilty to a charge resisting arrest of a federal officer, announced Acting United States Attorney Sara Miron Bloom.
On February 13, 2025, Edward Antonio Reyes Calderon, 23, struggled with Immigration and Customs Enforcement Deportation Officers for several minutes while they tried handcuffing him. An officer deployed pepper spray to gain control of him. Two of the officers suffered minor injuries.
Reyes Calderon remains in custody awaiting deportation proceedings.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Peter I. Roklan and Taylor A. Dean.
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.
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U.S. Attorney’s Office Participated in Eastern North Carolina National Night Out EventsRead the Press Release
RALEIGH, N.C. – The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of North Carolina joined law enforcement partners, neighbors, and communities on Tuesday for National Night Out events in cities across the state.
“National Night Out is about more than public safety – it’s about community,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Daniel P. Bubar. “It was a privilege to join our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners as we visited neighborhoods across Raleigh, connected with residents, heard their feedback, and strengthened our ties with the community. We were particularly excited to welcome Associate Deputy Attorney General Aakash Singh—an alumni from our office— who joined us at Raleigh-area events and met with many of our law enforcement partners from across Eastern North Carolina.”
“For me, community engagement isn’t just part of the job—it’s a calling. Events like this are about more than showing up; they’re about bridging gaps and building real relationships. That’s why we started Cops on the Block—to be more than uniforms, more than badges. To be neighbors. I always say, National Night Out is our Super Bowl—it’s our moment to connect, to be present, and to celebrate what brings us together,” said Raleigh Police Chief Rico Boyce.
National Night Out is an annual community-building campaign that promotes partnerships and camaraderie between law enforcement and the communities they serve to make our neighborhoods safer places to live. Millions take part in National Night Out across thousands of communities throughout the country on the first Tuesday of August in most areas of the country.
National Night Out was established in 1984 with funding from the Bureau of Justice Assistance of the U.S. Department of Justice. The program is administered by the National Association of Town Watch, a nationwide non-profit organization.
Coordinated by local law enforcement and trained volunteers, National Night Out provides an opportunity to bring police and neighbors together under positive circumstances. Neighborhoods host block parties, cookouts, festivals, parades, safety demonstrations, seminars, youth events, visits from emergency personnel and more. National Night Out sends a message that neighbors are united and working together to keep their communities and each other safe.
For more information, visit https://natw.org/.
U.S. Attorney's Office, ATF, and Chicago Police Department Announce Results of Enforcement InitiativeRead the Press Release
CHICAGO – The U.S. Attorney's Office, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Chicago Police Department today announced results of a two-month enhanced enforcement initiative that targeted offenders believed to have illegally possessed, used, and trafficked firearms and machinegun conversion devices in the Chicagoland area.
The initiative, led by ATF’s Crime Gun Intelligence Center of Chicago (CGIC), used both federal and state charges, resulting in the arrest of 41 offenders and the recovery of approximately 171 firearms, and 64 machinegun conversion devices. National Integrated Ballistic Information Network (NIBIN) data shows that a significant number of the recovered firearms are connected to violent criminal activity, including homicide and aggravated assault, that took place in the Chicagoland area and throughout the U.S., from 2017 through 2025.
“The illegal possession, use, and trafficking of firearms equipped with conversion devices pose a grave threat to public safety,” said Andrew S. Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois. “The U.S. Attorney’s Office in Chicago will lean into using various federal law enforcement tools and law enforcement partnerships to hold firearm offenders accountable and reduce violent crime in Chicago. We are proud to partner with ATF, CPD, and state prosecutors in this important initiative, and I commend their outstanding work to keep dangerous weapons off the streets and out of the wrong hands.”
“Machinegun conversion devices are increasingly being used by criminals, putting both innocent civilians and law enforcement in danger,” said ATF Special Agent in Charge Christopher Amon. “This operation aggressively targeted offenders suspected of trafficking illegal machinegun conversion devices into our communities. I want to thank our federal, state, and local partners whose support of the Crime Gun Intelligence Center of Chicago was integral to the success of this initiative. This multi-agency effort is a testament to what can be accomplished when we combine our resources and expertise towards a common goal of making our communities safer for all.”
The number of suspected machinegun conversion devices recovered by law enforcement and subsequently traced by ATF increased more than 784% nationwide between 2019 (658) and 2023 (5,816), according to the National Firearms Commerce and Trafficking Assessment. In the year 2024 alone, the Chicago Police Department recovered 604 machine gun conversion devices—up from 81 in 2020.
“This operation directly addresses the proliferation of machine gun devices inflicting trauma in our communities,” said Chicago Police Department Superintendent Larry Snelling. “Far too many lives have been lost to the senseless violence that only becomes more dangerous and fatal because of these conversion devices.”
“Combatting gun violence is my office’s highest priority, and there is no doubt the recent proliferation of MCD’s is a threat to our progress,” said Cook County State’s Attorney Eileen O’Neill Burke. “A firearm equipped with one of these devices and an extended magazine can fire off 30 rounds in less than two seconds, terrorizing our neighborhoods and too often catching innocent bystanders in the crossfire. The CGIC is a national model, and working in a collaborative fashion with our local, state, and federal law enforcement partners on this threat is a force multiplier. This initiative is a great start, and shows what’s possible when we work together strategically.”
“State-federal partnerships, such as with the ATF, are essential to my office’s work to prevent illegal firearms from entering communities, hold gun traffickers accountable and address other gun crime cases,” Attorney General Kwame Raoul said. “Collaborations and resource sharing between all levels of law enforcement – local, state and federal – are vital in our work to prevent gun violence in Illinois.”
The 18 federal cases are being coordinated by Violent Crime Section Chief Scott Edenfield and Violent Crime Section Deputy Chief Jared Jodrey of the U.S. Attorney’s Office. The 23 state cases are being coordinated by Multi-Jurisdiction Bureau Chief Maureen McCurry of the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office and Assistant Attorney General Greg Gansmann of the Office of the Illinois Attorney General.
Special Agent in Charge Amon, Superintendent Snelling, U.S. Attorney Boutros, State’s Attorney Burke, and Illinois Attorney General Raoul also acknowledged the valuable investigative assistance provided by our federal, state, and local partners at the Crime Gun Intelligence Center of Chicago, including the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Drug Enforcement Administration, Illinois State Police, and Cook County Sheriff’s Police.
The charges outlined in the indictments and complaints are merely allegations and not evidence of guilt. Every defendant is presumed innocent unless and until the government proves their guilt beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
U.S. Attorney Office to present senior fraud prevention seminar in SpartaRead the Press Release
SPARTA, Ill. – To educate seniors in southern Illinois on the latest scams targeting them online and over the phone, the U.S. Attorney’s Office is partnering with the Sparta Senior Center to present a fraud prevention seminar.
“Fraudsters inundate us with calls, texts, and emails making deceitful claims—like posing as federal agents—to manipulate individuals into handing over their money,” said U.S. Attorney Steven D. Weinhoeft. “Unfortunately, we have prosecuted cases where scammers have defrauded seniors out of most of their life savings. To educate the public on the current fraud schemes and tips to avoid becoming a victim, our office will be in Sparta to give an interactive and informational presentation.”
The presentation highlights information on online scams, fraud schemes targeting seniors and details on federal cases prosecuted in the Southern District of Illinois. The event will start at 12 p.m. on Wednesday, Aug. 20 at the Sparta Senior Center, located at 500 W. 2nd St. in Sparta.
Attendees will receive tips to help detect scams and advice on how to contact law enforcement if they think they may have been victimized by a scam.
The event is free and open to the public.
U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro Joined the Community and Law Enforcement Partners for National Night OutRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia Jeanine Ferris Pirro joined our law enforcement partners, neighbors, and communities for last night’s National Night Out event at Emery Height’s Community Center in the District’s Petworth neighborhood.
“National Night Out is about celebrating successes when community and law enforcement work together,” said U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro. “Tonight, we join together in unity to make this a place where it’s safe to raise our children, to live and to work and that’s what National Night Out is all about.”
National Night Out is an annual community-building campaign that promotes partnerships and camaraderie between law enforcement and the communities they serve to make our neighborhoods safer places to live. Millions take part in National Night Out across thousands of communities throughout the country on the first Tuesday of August in most areas of the country.
National Night Out was established in 1984 with funding from the Bureau of Justice Assistance of the U.S. Department of Justice. The program is administered by the National Association of Town Watch, a nationwide non-profit organization.
Coordinated by local law enforcement and trained volunteers, National Night Out provides an opportunity to bring police and neighbors together under positive circumstances. Neighborhoods host block parties, cookouts, festivals, parades, safety demonstrations, seminars, youth events, visits from emergency personnel and more. National Night Out sends a message that neighbors are united and working together to keep their communities and each other safe.
For more information, visit https://natw.org/.
Two Springdale Men Sentenced to More Than 36 Years Combined in Federal Prison for Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
FAYETTEVILLE – Two Springdale men were sentenced yesterday to more than 36 years combined in federal prison for Possession of Methamphetamine with the Intent to Distribute. The Honorable Judge Timothy L. Brooks presided over the sentencing hearings in the United States District in Fayetteville.
According to court documents, in June 2024, detectives with the Fourth Judicial District Drug Task Force (4th JDDTF) learned that defendants, Latrell Devontae Richmond, 29, and Lucky Bannavong, 26, were distributing large amounts of methamphetamine and pressed fentanyl pills in the Springdale, Arkansas area and elsewhere. During the subsequent investigation, Detectives encountered Bannavong, who was on parole with the state of Arkansas, and found him in possession of a loaded firearm, methamphetamine, and a large amount of cash. The investigation further revealed that both Richmond and Bannavong were storing methamphetamine and fentanyl at Richmond’s Springdale apartment. Thereafter, Detectives with the 4th JDDTF obtained and executed a search warrant on Richmond’s apartment. Inside the apartment, Detectives found approximately 1,233 grams of methamphetamine; 3,136 fentanyl pills; approximately 165 grams of marijuana; a loaded semi-automatic pistol; and United States currency.
Both defendants were indicted by a federal grand jury in January of 2025, and both pleaded guilty to drug trafficking charges in February of this year. Bannavong was sentenced to serve 235 months in the Federal Bureau of Prisons and Richmond was sentenced to 200 months in the Bureau of Prisons.
U.S. Attorney David Clay Fowlkes of the Western District of Arkansas made the announcement.
The Fourth Judicial District Drug Task Force investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Briana Robbins prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
Related court documents may be found on the Public Access to Electronic Records website @ www.pacer.gov.
Two Charged in Investigation into Importation and Distribution of Misbranded DrugsRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE – Two individuals have been charged in U.S. District Court in Providence in an ongoing investigation into the introduction of a misbranded drug imported from India and distributed in Rhode Island and elsewhere in the Northeast without FDA approval, announced Acting United States Attorney Sara Miron Bloom.
Court documents reflect that Jitender Behl, 74, of East Greenwich, RI, imported hundreds of thousands of pills from India that contained the pharmaceutical ingredient sildenafil citrate (sildenafil). Sildenafil is an active ingredient in FDA-approved prescription drugs prescribed for the treatment of erectile dysfunction.
Behl allegedly repackaged the pills, marketed them as being an all-natural dietary supplement for erectile dysfunction under the brand names of “JMY” which stands for “Just Me & You,” and distributed them to a wholesale distributor, Noor Inc., in Providence. To date, law enforcement has seized more than 130,000 imported sildenafil pills and tablets, more than 650 grams of imported sildenafil soft gel capsules, and approximately 21,700 empty Mylar bags allegedly used for packaging the illicit product.
Court records detail that JMY’s website indicated that Noor Inc. was the sole U.S. wholesale distributor of “JMY.” Noor sold JMY to retail outlets in the Northeast, including Rhode Island and Massachusetts. FDA undercover agents allegedly purchased packages of “JMY” from retail outlets. JMY’s list of ingredients did not include the active pharmaceutical ingredient sildenafil and instead listed purported ingredients such as “White Willow Bark” and “Korean Ginseng,” among others.
The FDA notes that sildenafil can be particularly harmful to persons taking heart medications containing nitrates because the active ingredients can interact with the nitrates and lower blood pressure to dangerous levels.
Behl, arrested today on charges of, among others, receipt in interstate commerce of misbranded drugs and introducing misbranded drugs, made an initial appearance before a U.S. Magistrate Judge and was released on unsecured bond.
Mahr Ahmed, 58, of Attleboro, MA, owner of Noor Inc., has been charged by way of an information filed on July 23, 2025, with introduction of misbranded drugs, to which court documents reflect Ahmed has agreed to plead guilty.
A federal criminal complaint is merely an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Dulce Donovan.
The matter was investigated by the United States Food and Drug Administration Office of Criminal Investigations Rhode Island Task Force, Warwick Police Department, Homeland Security Investigations, United States Postal Inspection Service, and United States Customs and Border Protection.
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behl_affidavit.pdf behl_criminal_complaint.pdf mahr_ahmed_information.pdf mahr_ahmed_plea_agreement.pdfThree People Sentenced to Prison for Distributing Methamphetamine, Fentanyl and NitazenesRead the Press Release
MIAMI – Three South Florida residents have been sentenced to federal prison for distributing methamphetamine, fentanyl and nitazenes, after pleading guilty to a charge of conspiring to distribute fentanyl and N-Pyrrolidino Protonitazene.
On July 30, Josue David Balaguer, 35, of Hollywood, Florida, was sentenced to 141 months in federal prison. On July 31, Marcos Geovanny Beltre Olivo, 39, of Hollywood, Florida, was sentenced to 141 months in federal prison. And on August 1, 2025, Joel Medina, 36, of Hollywood, Florida, was sentenced to 48 months in federal prison.
Beginning in early 2024, the defendants conspired amongst themselves and with others to distribute pressed pills through the mail for on-line, open web and dark web, drug distributors. The pills were distributed throughout the United States. The pressed pills were marketed as pharmaceuticals, but contained nitazenes, fentanyl, and methamphetamine, among other controlled substances. On September 11, 2024, agents executed a residential search warrant and recovered hundreds of thousands of pressed pills, a pill press, a packaging machine, and numerous mailing supplies.
U.S. Attorney Hayden P. O’Byrne for the Southern District of Florida, Special Agent in Charge Brett D. Skiles of the FBI, Miami Field Office, Special Agent in Charge Deanne L. Reuter of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Miami Field Division, Acting Special Agent in Charge José R. Figueroa of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Miami, Acting Inspector in Charge Bladismir Rojo of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), Miami Division, Special Agent in Charge Jonathan Ulrich, U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General (USPS OIG), Acting Special Agent in Charge Maximillian Pagano of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Office of Criminal Investigations (FDA-OCI), Miami Field Office, and Sheriff Ric Bradshaw of the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office made the announcement.
FBI Miami, DEA Miami, HSI Miami, USPIS Miami, USPS-OIG, FDA-OCI, and PBSO investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel E. Funk prosecuted the case.
According to the DEA’s National Drug Threat Assessment, nitazenes are synthetic opioids, like fentanyl, but some nitazenes can match or surpass the potency of fentanyl. Different nitazenes have been appearing in fentanyl mixtures in the United States since 2019. When combined with fentanyl, the effects of both drugs are heightened, which significantly increases the chance of a fatal drug poisoning.
Synthetic drugs such as fentanyl are poisoning the nation. Fentanyl has proven to be a deadly poison that does not discriminate. Its victims include every gender, race, age, and economic background, and its debilitating effects are the same across all demographics. Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid that is up to 50 times stronger than heroin and 100 times stronger than morphine. Even in small doses, fentanyl can be deadly. Just one fentanyl pill can kill, as noted in DEA’s One Pill Can Kill campaign. As little as two milligrams, about the size of 5 grains of salt, can be fatal. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), fentanyl and other synthetic opioids are the most common drugs involved in overdose deaths. Over 150 people die every day from overdoses related to synthetic opioids like fentanyl. The State of Florida has also seen an exponential increase in overdoses associated with fentanyl. In 2022, more than 5,622 people died from overdoses involving fentanyl and fentanyl analogs in Florida.
For more information visit: https://www.fdle.state.fl.us/MEC/Publications-and-Forms/Documents/Drugs-in-Deceased-Persons/2022-Annual-Drug-Report-FINAL-(1).aspx; https://www.cdc.gov/opioids/basics/fentanyl.html#; and https://www.dea.gov/factsheets/fentanyl.
You may find a copy of this press release (and any updates) on the website of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida at www.justice.gov/usao-sdfl.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov, under case number 24-cr-80112.
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Tampa Man Sentenced to Ten Years in Federal Prison for Conspiring to Distribute CocaineRead the Press Release
Tampa, FL – U.S. District Judge Steven D. Merryday has sentenced Daniel Vega Cabrera (42, Tampa) to 10 years in federal prison for possession with intent to distribute cocaine and conspiracy to commit that offense. Vega Cabrera pleaded guilty in March 2025.
According to court documents, in July 2023, an undercover deputy with the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office began buying cocaine from Joseph White, a co-defendant of Vega Cabrera’s. Further investigation revealed that Vega Cabrera and Jose Pabon, another co-defendant, were White’s sources of supply. In total, Vega Cabrera provided more than 500 grams of cocaine to White for distribution between July 20, 2023, and May 14, 2024. Vega Cabrera is subject to an enhanced penalty in this case because he has a prior federal drug distribution conviction.
White and Pabon previously pleaded guilty for their roles in this case and are currently pending sentencing.
This case was investigated by the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office and the Drug Enforcement Administration. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Samantha Newman.
Stockton Man Sentenced to over 12 years in Prison for Methamphetamine TraffickingRead the Press Release
Walter Garcia-Ruiz, 37, of Stockton, was sentenced Tuesday by U.S. District Judge Kimberly J. Mueller to 12 years and seven months in prison for his role in a conspiracy to possess and distribute methamphetamine, Acting U.S. Attorney Kimberly A. Sanchez announced.
According to court documents, between May 2019 and December 2020, Garcia-Ruiz joined a conspiracy to traffic methamphetamine with Jesus Horacio Ramirez Hernandez, 37; of El Monte, and Stockton residents Fernando Aldama Tinoco, 51; Geovany Espinoza Norzagaray, 36; and Neftali Castillo Montes, 44. During this conspiracy, Montes sold an FBI confidential source more than 14 pounds of methamphetamine. Surveillance, wiretaps, and additional investigation uncovered Garcia-Ruiz, Norzagaray, Tinoco, and Hernandez as higher-level distributors. Garcia-Ruiz personally supplied at least 10.9 pounds of this methamphetamine. A search of a storage unit controlled by Tinoco resulted in the seizure of 33 pounds of methamphetamine, 7 pounds of cocaine, and 2 pounds of counterfeit M30 pills containing fentanyl.
This case is the product of an investigation by the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, Customs and Borders Protection, the Drug Enforcement Administration, Homeland Security Investigations, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Tracy Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Adrian T. Kinsella is prosecuting the case.
Montes was sentenced on April 15, 2025, to five years in prison for his role in this conspiracy. Hernandez pleaded guilty for his role on June 24, 2025, and is scheduled to be sentenced by Judge Mueller on Oct. 21, 2025. Hernandez faces a maximum statutory penalty of life in prison and a $10 million fine. 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.
Charges are pending against co-defendants Tinoco and Espinoza. The charges against them are only allegations; they are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. If convicted, the defendants Tinoco and Espinoza also face a maximum statutory penalty of life in prison and a $10 million fine. Any sentence, however, would 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 effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
Six-Time Felon Sentenced for Illegal Possession of A FirearmRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – U.S. District Judge Carlos E. Mendoza has sentenced Rico Allen Gandy (47, Orlando) to four years and three months in federal prison for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. The court also ordered Gandy to forfeit the firearm and ammunition, which are related to the offense. Gandy pleaded guilty on May 7, 2025.
According to court documents, Gandy was a passenger in a vehicle that was stopped by the Orlando Police Department’s Tactical Anti-Crime Unit. After initially refusing to stop, the driver pulled over and Gandy attempted to walk away from the scene. Gandy was detained by officers who later recovered a bag that he had left on the floorboard of the vehicle. Inside the bag was his Gandy’s Florida identification card, several baggies of crack cocaine, MDMA, marijuana, and a loaded 9mm Springfield pistol. Gandy is a six-time convicted felon and prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition under federal law.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Orlando Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Michael P. Felicetta and Courtney Richardson-Jones.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Salvadoran National Pleads Guilty to Illegal ReentryRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Salvadoran national unlawfully residing in Chelsea, Mass. pleaded guilty today to unlawfully reentering the United States after deportation.
Rigoberto Hernandez Mancia, 34, pleaded guilty to one count of unlawful reentry of a deported alien. U.S. District Court Judge Julia E. Kobick scheduled sentencing for Oct. 29, 2025. In June 2025, Hernandez Mancia was indicted by a federal grand jury.
Hernandez Mancia was deported from the United States on July 31, 2024. Sometime after his July 2024 removal, Hernandez Mancia illegally reentered the United States without permission.
The charge of unlawful reentry of a deported alien provides for a sentence of up to two years in prison, one year of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The defendant is subject to deportation upon completion of any sentence imposed. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Patricia H. Hyde, Field Office Director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations in Boston made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Allegra Flamm of the Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case.
Postal Employee Admits Role in Mail Theft RingRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE – A U.S. Postal Service employee pleaded guilty today to participating in a mail theft ring at the U.S. Mail Processing and Distribution Center in Providence, announced Acting United States Attorney Sara Miron Bloom.
Darren Camacho, 33, of Providence, pleaded guilty to charges of conspiracy to steal mail and theft of U.S. Mail by a postal employee. Camacho is scheduled to be sentenced on November 13, 2025. The sentences imposed will be determined by a federal district judge after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Camacho admitted that multiple times a week between March 1, 2023, and June 26, 2023, he and his co-conspirators sorted through the mail and pulled out brightly colored envelopes, concealed them in backpacks, and snuck them out of the facility. Meeting at a designated location after work, Camacho and his co-conspirators opened the stolen mail and pulled out cash, gift cards, and checks.
According to information presented to the court, Camacho gave some of the stolen gift cards to another person and he used others to make purchases in retail stores at various locations in Rhode Island and Massachusetts.
On June 28, 2023, law enforcement recovered 55 stolen gift cards from the residence of a relative of Camacho.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Julie M. White.
The matter was investigated by the US Postal Service Office of Inspector General, with the assistance of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Providence Police Department, and Smithfield Police Department.
The public can report mail theft by contacting the United States Postal Service Office of Inspector General hotline at 1-888-USPS-OIG (1-888-877-7644; online at www.uspsoig.gov/hotline; via email at [email protected]; or by mail at USPS OIG, Attn: OIG Hotline, 1735 North Lynn Street, Arlington, VA 22209-2020.
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Port Matilda Man Charged for Threatening Then President-elect Donald J. TrumpRead the Press Release
HARRISBURG - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Jacob Buckley, age 22, a resident of Port Matilda, Centre County, Pennsylvania, was charged by criminal information for threatening Donald J. Trump as the President-elect.
According to Acting United States Attorney John Gurganus, the information alleges Buckley used a TikTok social-media account under the name, “Jacob_buckley.” The Information further alleges that on January 16, 2025, “Jacob_buckley” made the following posts: “I hate MAGA republicans bro on god I’ll kill all of them”; “I’m going to kill Trump”; and, “Bro we going into a literal oligarchy in 4 days and im going to kill Trump.”
This case was investigated by the United States Secret Service. Assistant United States Attorney K. Wesley Mishoe is prosecuting the case.
The maximum penalty upon conviction on the Information is 5 years’ imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, a fine, and the imposition of a special assessment. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by a court after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
Informations are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.
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Pittsburgh Man Sentenced to More Than Five Years in Prison for Armed Fentanyl TraffickingRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, Pa. - A resident of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, was sentenced in federal court to 63 months of imprisonment, to be followed by five years of federal supervised release, on his convictions of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.
Senior United States District Judge David S. Cercone imposed the sentence on Marques Coffey, 21, on August 5, 2025.
According to information presented to the Court, on or about March 4, 2023, Coffey knowingly possessed with intent to distribute a quantity of fentanyl, a Schedule II controlled substance. He also knowingly possessed a firearm in furtherance of his drug trafficking offense, in this instance, a Glock with a switch or automatic conversion kit. Both the fentanyl and the firearm were recovered by law enforcement in a satchel that Coffey was wearing.
Assistant United States Attorney Nicole A. Stockey prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
Acting United States Attorney Rivetti commended the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives along with the Bellevue Borough Police Department for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Coffey.
Philadelphia Man Sentenced to Three Years in Prison for Armed Robbery of a City StoreRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that Khyrie Brown, 25, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, was sentenced by United States District Judge Gerald J. Pappert to 36 months’ imprisonment, three years of supervised release, and full restitution, for his role in the armed robbery of a North Philadelphia dollar store.
Brown was charged by indictment in July 2024 with robbery which interferes with interstate commerce (Hobbs Act robbery) and pleaded guilty in March of this year.
As detailed in court filings and admitted to by the defendant, on November 6, 2023, at approximately 6:30 p.m., he and three other males entered a dollar store on the 2800 block of Ridge Avenue. One of the males approached the counter and pretended to purchase multiple items.
At that same time, one of the other males pulled out what appeared to be a black handgun, pointed it at the store clerk and told the clerk to open the safe. Two of the robbers jumped the counter, while the other two circled around the counter, where Brown then removed a cash drawer from the safe and carried it out of the store. All four males entered a waiting getaway vehicle and fled the scene with approximately $3,000 in coins and U.S. currency.
Responding Philadelphia police officers tracked the group to the area of 30th and Gordon streets, where a police K9 located Brown hiding in an abandoned property on the 2300 block of North 30th Street.
This case was investigated by the Philadelphia Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Thomas M. Zaleski.
Omaha Man Sentenced to 72 Months in Federal Prison for Possession with Intent to Distribute Marijuana and Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa – An Omaha man was sentenced on August 6, 2025, to 72 months in federal prison for possession with intent to distribute marijuana and possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking.
According to public court documents and evidence presented at sentencing, Rafael Rashad Adams, 41, in September of 2024, was found by Council Bluffs’ police officers passed out in the driver’s seat of a vehicle with front-end damage near South Expressway and 30th Avenue in Council Bluffs. A search of the vehicle resulted in the seizure of approximately 31.5 grams of marijuana, scales, drug packaging material, and a stolen, loaded nine-millimeter pistol and a loaded 15-round magazine. Adams’ criminal history includes convictions for drug possession and distribution, unlawful possession of a firearm, and driving under the influence.
After completing his term of imprisonment, Adams will be required to serve a three-year term of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. This case was investigated by the Council Bluffs Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN.
Okemah Resident Sentenced for Illegally Possessing Firearm and AmmunitionRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Eric Jason Franklin, age 53, of Okemah, Oklahoma, was sentenced to time served for one count of Felon in Possession of Firearm and Ammunition.
The charge arose from an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Okfuskee County Sheriff’s Office.
On April 17, 2025, Franklin pleaded guilty to the charge. According to investigators, on July 15, 2024, law enforcement discovered Franklin in possession of a pump action shotgun and 15 rounds of ammunition after having been previously convicted of a crime punishable by more than one year imprisonment.
The Honorable Ronald A. White, Chief U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over the hearing. Franklin will remain in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration.
Ohio Man Sentenced to Six Years in Prison for Firearms ViolationsRead the Press Release
TOLEDO, Ohio - An Ohio man has been sentenced to prison after he pleaded guilty to using a popular social media platform to trade firearms, which he was prohibited to possess, for other items of value.
Dannie Wireman, 44, of Edon, in Williams County, Ohio, was sentenced to 77 months in prison (more than six years) by U.S. District Judge James R. Knepp after he pleaded guilty in March to being a felon in possession of a firearm and receipt or possession of an unregistered firearm. He was also ordered to serve three years of supervised release after imprisonment. Judge Knepp imposed the sentence July 30, 2025.
According to court documents, Wireman was previously convicted in Indiana on burglary charges in 2009. As a convicted felon, he is prohibited from buying or possessing firearms. During the investigation, agents learned that Wireman was active on the Facebook social media platform and was conducting transactions involving firearms. His activity included communicating with other platform users willing to trade items. In one instance, he asked users in a Facebook group if anyone had a beagle hunting dog they would part with in exchange for a shotgun. In others instances, he bartered for a snowmobile and a racecar. To showcase his extensive inventory and spark interest from others looking to acquire firearms, Wireman would post several photographs of the items lined up across a bed. On March 6, 2024, a search warrant was executed at Wireman’s residence where federal agents seized 22 long guns, including a sawed-off shotgun, and assorted ammunition.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) Toledo Field Office, the Williams County Sheriff’s Office, the Ohio State Highway Patrol, and the Ohio Department of Natural Resources.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Dexter L. Phillips for the Northern District of Ohio.
Nathan Hunter Whitaker Sentenced to over 24 Years for Fentanyl Distribution Related to an Overdose DeathRead the Press Release
GREENEVILLE, TENN. – Today, Nathan Hunter Whitaker, 27, of Bristol, Tennessee, was sentenced to 292 months by the Honorable Clifton L. Corker in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee at Greeneville. Following his incarceration, he will be on supervised release for a term of three years.
As part of the plea agreement filed with the court, Nathan Hunter Whitaker agreed to plead guilty to an information charging him with one count of distributing a quantity of N-phenyl-N-[1-(2- phenylethy1)-4-piperidinyl] propanamide (Fentanyl), which resulted in the death of another person in violation of 21 U.S.C. §§ 841(a)(1) and (b)(1)(C).
According to the filed plea agreement, in July of 2020, local, state, and federal law enforcement began an investigation into the distribution of cocaine, crack cocaine, and methamphetamine in the Eastern District of Tennessee. During the investigation, law enforcement learned of an overdose death that occurred in early February of 2023, in Sullivan County, Tennessee, which was attributed to fentanyl toxicity. Days after the victim’s death, Whitaker made several, controlled sales of fentanyl-laced, counterfeit Roxicodone 30mg pills to a confidential informant.
On April 1, 2024, agents with the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), and the 2nd Judicial District Drug Task Force (2nd DTF), as well as deputies of the Carter County Sheriff’s Office located Whitaker, along with others, at a residence in Johnson City, TN. When law enforcement attempted a traffic stop to serve an arrest warrant on Whitaker, he fled in a vehicle but eventually returned to the residence. After he returned, law enforcement made entry into the residence, where they located Whitaker in possession of a significant quantity of fentanyl-laced, counterfeit Roxicodone 30mg pills and $13,754 in cash, as well as more than 130 firearms, some of which were stolen, including two silencers and a short-barreled rifle. One of the stolen firearms was from the Tennessee Valley Authority Police. During an interview, Whitaker admitted that he provided fentanyl-laced, counterfeit Roxicodone 30mg pills to the victim that caused their death.
“Fentanyl-related deaths across the district, state, and our nation are far too common,” said United States Attorney Francis M. Hamilton, III. “The United States Attorney’s Office, along with our local, state, and federal law enforcement partners, will use all available resources to investigate and prosecute those who traffic in fentanyl and bring them to justice.”
“The Drug Enforcement Administration is committed to working alongside our local, state, and federal partners to bring to justice criminals who willfully distribute dangerous drugs within eastern Tennessee and throughout the country. Today’s sentence highlights the serious risks fentanyl poses to our communities, and we are proud of the results achieved because of this collaboration,” stated DEA Special Agent in Charge Jim Scott.
“Arresting and prosecuting criminals like Nathan Whitaker, who prey upon and poison their communities for profit and fund cartels and international criminal organizations, is a top priority for our agency.” said Homeland Security Investigations Nashville Special Agent in Charge Rana Saoud. “This sentence sends a clear message that HSI and our law enforcement partners in Tennessee are dedicated to preventing the illicit importation, sale and distribution of fentanyl while bringing those that perpetrate this deadly crime to justice.”
The criminal indictment was the result of an investigation by the DEA, HSI, Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI), Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the 2nd DTF, and Johnson City Police Department (JCPD).
This investigation was led by DEA Special Agent Cullen Conerly, HSI Special Agent John Bulla, and TBI Special Agent Thomas Garrison, who is also an FBI Task Force Officer.
Assistant United States Attorney B. Todd Martin represented the United States.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations, and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces and Project Safe Neighborhoods.
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Muskogee Resident Pleads Guilty to Illegally Possessing A Firearm and AmmunitionRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Justin Janae Stancle, age 34, of Muskogee, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to one count of Felon in Possession of Firearm and Ammunition, punishable by up to fifteen years in prison and a $250,000.00 fine.
The Indictment alleged that on February 21, 2025, Stancle knowingly possessed an automatic pistol and fourteen rounds of ammunition after having been previously convicted of a crime punishable by more than one year imprisonment.
The charge arose from an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Muskogee County Sheriff’s Office.
The Honorable Gerald L. Jackson, U.S. Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, accepted the plea and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report.
A U.S. District Court Judge will determine the sentence to be imposed after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Stancle will remain out on bond pending sentencing.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan E. Soverly represented the United States.
Monroe County Man Sentenced to 180 Months for Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
SCRANTON – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced today that Pernell Riddick, age 36, a resident of Tobyhanna, Pennsylvania, was sentenced to 180 months’ imprisonment by United States District Judge Julia K. Munley, for possession with intent to distribute controlled substances.
According to the Acting United States Attorney John C. Gurganus, on or about September 2, 2022, Riddick, possessed with intent to distribute methamphetamine, a Schedule II controlled substance, fentanyl, a Schedule II controlled substance, and cocaine, a Schedule II controlled substance in Monroe County, Pennsylvania. In furtherance of his drug trafficking endeavor, Riddick possessed a 9-millimeter Smith & Wesson handgun and a 9-millimeter Taurus G2C handgun.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America (https://www.justice.gov/dag/media/1393746/dl?inline), a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
The investigation was conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Pocono Mountain Regional Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Tatum R. Wilson.
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Mississippi Man Sentenced for Possession of Firearm as a Previously Convicted FelonRead the Press Release
Greenville, MS – A Mound Bayou man was sentenced today to over six years in prison for possession of a firearm by a prohibited person.
According to court documents, Dennis Coleman, 44, previously pled guilty to possession of a firearm by a previously convicted felon. He was sentenced today by Chief Judge Debra M. Brown of the U.S. District Court to 74 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release. Coleman was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshal upon the conclusion of sentencing.
“Keeping firearms out of criminals’ hands is always going to be a focus of this office,” said U.S. Attorney Clay Joyner. “Thanks to the Cleveland Police Department, the Bolivar County S.O. and the Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics, this community is now safer for citizens and families due to the concerted efforts of our law enforcement partners.”
“This sentencing sends a clear message that those who repeatedly break the law and endanger others will be held accountable. Keeping firearms out of the hands of convicted felons is critical to protecting our communities,” said Mississippi Department of Public Safety Commissioner Sean Tindell. “I commend the collaborative efforts of all agencies involved for their work in bringing this case to justice.”
This case was investigated by the Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics, the Bolivar County Sheriff’s Office, and the Cleveland Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert J. Mims prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Mexican national, illegally living in Pollock, indicted on immigration violationRead the Press Release
BEAUMONT, Texas – A Mexican national, illegally living in Pollock, has been charged with an immigration violation in the Eastern District of Texas, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs.
Jose de Jesus Pineda-Torres, 43, was named in an indictment returned by a federal grand jury this week in the Eastern District of Texas charging him with illegal reentry by a previously deported alien.
The indictment alleges that on July 11, 2025, Pineda-Torres was found in the Eastern District of Texas after having been previously deported three times.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs) and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
If convicted, Pineda-Torres faces up to 10 years in federal prison and deportation.
This case is being investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and Immigration and Customs Enforcement. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Chris Jackson.
A federal indictment is not evidence of guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Mexican national, illegally living in Beaumont, indicted on immigration violationRead the Press Release
BEAUMONT, Texas – A Mexican national, illegally living in Beaumont, has been charged with an immigration violation in the Eastern District of Texas, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs.
Enrique Guevara-Camargo, 51, was named in an indictment returned by a federal grand jury this week in the Eastern District of Texas charging him with illegal reentry by a previously deported alien.
The indictment alleges that on July 2, 2025, Guevara-Camargo was found in the Eastern District of Texas after having been previously deported.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs) and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
If convicted, Guevara-Camargo faces up to 2 years in federal prison and deportation.
This case is being investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and Immigration & Customs Enforcement. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Chris Jackson.
A federal indictment is not evidence of guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Mexican man pleads guilty to illegal reentryRead the Press Release
MISSOULA – A man from Mexico accused of being in the United States illegally admitted to charges today, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.
The defendant, Eduardo Heriberto Mendoza-Almanza, 40, pleaded guilty to illegal reentry of a removed alien. Mendoza-Almanza faces 10 years of imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and 3 years of supervised release.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Kathleen DeSoto presided. U.S. District Judge Dana L. Christensen will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Sentencing is set for December 10, 2025. Mendoza-Almanza was detained pending further proceedings.
The government alleged in court documents that Mendoza-Almanza was arrested on April 6, 2025, in Belgrade, Montana, after an officer stopped him for driving with no license plate light after dark. He was identified with his Mexico driver’s license. His driving privileges were suspended in Montana and revoked in New Mexico. He also had numerous active warrants. He was arrested for driving without a license.
Mendoza-Almanza has been removed from the U.S. on eight prior occasions:
- March 6, 2006
- February 2, 2007
- February 22, 2007
- February 25, 2007
- May 11, 2007
- January 11, 2008
- June 18, 2011
- September 5, 2023
He was convicted of felony illegal reentry in Montana Federal Court, District of Montana, Missoula Division, on March 15, 2023. He was sentenced to time served and removed. There is no record he applied for or was granted permission by the Attorney General or the Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security to return to the United States.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case. Immigration and Customs Enforcement conducted the investigation.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
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Mexican National Sentenced to 54 Months for Illegal Reentry After Ten Prior Removals and Three Illegal Reentry Felony ConvictionsRead the Press Release
HONOLULU – Acting United States Attorney Ken Sorenson announced that Navor Salas Cruz, 52, of Mexico, was sentenced yesterday in federal court by U.S. District Judge Derrick K. Watson to 54 months of imprisonment followed by three years of supervised release for illegally reentering and remaining in the United States. Salas Cruz pled guilty to the charge on April 4, 2025.
According to court documents, Salas Cruz came to the attention of law enforcement after a 2024 Kauai arrest for operating a vehicle under the influence of an intoxicant. Between 1997 and 2020, Salas Cruz was removed from the United States to Mexico ten times. Salas Cruz has three prior driving while under the influence arrests and fourteen contempt of court arrests. In addition to his three prior federal convictions for illegally reentering the United States, Salas Cruz also has convictions for abuse of a household member, assault, violation of a protective order, and being a felon in possession of firearms and ammunition.
At sentencing, Judge Watson indicated he did not believe Salas Cruz’s claim that he understood the importance of following laws, stating that it was “clear you do not respect our laws” given Salas Cruz’s “extensive criminal history.” Judge Watson noted that Salas Cruz has “learned precious little over the last 25 years” and his prior crimes have put the public at risk.
“This prosecution and lengthy sentence deliver the clear message that when you come to Hawaii as an illegal alien and repeatedly violate our nation’s laws, you will be federally prosecuted and sentenced to a long period of imprisonment,” stated Acting U.S. Attorney Ken Sorenson. “We will not tolerate those who exploit our borders and endanger our citizens.” This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Darren W.K. Ching prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN).
Mexican National Sentenced to 130 Months in Prison after Alien Smuggling Leads to DeathRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – Jorge Adan Fontes-Garcia, 26, an illegal alien from Sonora, Mexico, was sentenced on August 5, by United States District Judge James A Teilborg to 130 months in prison, followed by 60 months of supervised release. On May 20, Fontes-Garcia pleaded guilty to Bringing an Illegal Alien to the United States Unlawfully Resulting in Death. The sentence also addressed Fontes-Garcia’s violation of federal supervision, which the Court imposed after his prior conviction for Reentry of an Illegal Alien.
On August 23, 2023, Fontes-Garcia acted as the foot guide, leading a group of eight aliens across the Mexico-United States border into southern Arizona. United States Border Patrol apprehended all but one of the illegal aliens in the open desert approximately 19 miles south of Tacna, Arizona. The remaining alien was found by Border Patrol agents shortly thereafter, already deceased due to excessive heat exposure.
“This case demonstrates that human smugglers often have little regard for those entrusted to their care,” said United States Attorney Timothy Courchaine. “My message to those trying to cross the border illegally is that their actions are not just a violation of the law, they can also lead to tragic consequences.”
“Human smuggling results in numerous deaths every year as smugglers are more concerned with profit than the lives of the people they are smuggling,” said Chief Patrol Agent Justin De La Torre, Yuma Sector Border Patrol. “This sentence sends a clear message to anyone considering smuggling foreign nationals into the country – ‘if you do, we will arrest you, and you will be held accountable.’”
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
Customs and Border Protection’s United States Border Patrol conducted the investigation in this case. The United States Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, Phoenix, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBERS: CR-23-01322-PHX-JAT, CR-22-00992-PHX-JAT
RELEASE NUMBER: 2025-130_Fontes-Garcia# # #
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.Mescalero Man Pleads Guilty to AssaultRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – A Mescalero man pleaded guilty to federal charges for assaulting a woman and causing severe injuries.
According to court records, on June 27, 2024, Myron Edward Blake, Jr., 40, an enrolled member of the Mescalero Apache Tribe, assaulted Jane Doe with a cinder block and a 2x6 board, causing substantial bodily injury.
Blake pleaded guilty to one count of assault resulting in substantial bodily injury. At sentencing, Blake faces up to 5 years in prison. Upon his release from prison, Blake will be subject to three years of supervised release.
U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison made the announcement today.
The Bureau of Indian Affairs investigated this case. The United States Attorney’s Office is prosecuting the case.
Merrillville Man Sentenced to 70 Months in PrisonRead the Press Release
HAMMOND – Yesterday, Frank Washington III, 37 years old, of Merrillville, Indiana, was sentenced by United States District Court Senior Judge Moody after pleading guilty to possessing a firearm and ammunition as a felon, announced Acting United States Attorney M. Scott Proctor.
Washington was sentenced to 70 months in prison followed by 3 years of supervised release.According to documents in the case, Washington, who has multiple prior robbery convictions, was arrested in possession of a stolen firearm loaded with ammunition in Gary in February 2025. On multiple occasions in February 2025, Washington drove around with the firearm in a holster on his waist.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives High Intensity Drug Trafficking Task Force with assistance from the Gary Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Dean R. Lanter.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Lynn Man Arrested for Drug Conspiracy and Armed RobberyRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Lynn man was arrested today in connection with an alleged years-long drug conspiracy and a January 2023 armed robbery of a drug distributor, during which the defendant and another individual allegedly stole approximately $24,000 in drug trafficking proceeds intended for the purchase of a kilogram of cocaine.
Harvey Rodriguez, a/k/a “Big Opp”, 29, of Lynn, was charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances and one count of conspiracy interfere with commerce by robbery (Hobbs Act Robbery). Rodriguez was arrested this afternoon and was ordered detained following an initial appearance in federal court in Boston.
According to the charging documents, Rodriguez was a participant in a multi-year drug conspiracy taking place in the Lynn area and on the North Shore of Massachusetts. As described in the court papers, Rodriguez is alleged to have conspired with numerous other distributors including those he supplied, and others who have been previously charged with federal drug offenses, including Vincent Caruso, a/k/a “Fatz”, Lawrence Michael Nagle, Jr., and Schuyler Oppenheimer, a/k/a “SK”. This years-long drug conspiracy is alleged to have involved the manufacture of counterfeit prescription pills, and the sale of entire kilograms of cocaine and fentanyl through Lynn and Massachusetts. Over the course of the federal investigation, Rodriguez is alleged to have distributed cocaine and methamphetamine to a cooperating witness and confidential informant on four occasions.
Rodriguez is also charged with participating in an armed robbery of a drug customer. According to the charging documents, on Jan. 30, 2023, a drug transaction was scheduled to take place at an apartment in Woburn, during which an associate of Rodriguez was to deliver a kilogram of cocaine in exchange for approximately $24,000. It is alleged that, during the transaction, Rodriguez and Claudio Melo entered the apartment and pointed semiautomatic pistols at the drug customer before taking the $24,000 in cash. According to the charging documents, the $24,000 cash was proceeds of drug trafficking activities the drug customer was engaged in, which had been paced in an unmarked soft black lunch box on a table. Rodriguez and Melo then allegedly forced the drug customer to open a safe in his bedroom, which was empty. Shortly thereafter, both robbers allegedly departed with the $24,000 cash.
The charges of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances and possession of controlled substances with intent to distribute provide for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, at least three years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $1 million. The charge of conspiracy to interfere with commerce by robbery provides for a maximum penalty of up to 20 years, up to three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Ted E. Docks, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation in Boston made the announcement. Valuable assistance was provided by the Drug Enforcement Administration; the Massachusetts State Police; and the Lynn Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Philip A. Mallard of the Organized Crime & Gang Unit are prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.Long-Time Fugitive Admits to Orchestrating Mail Fraud Scheme Defrauding Elderly and Vulnerable Victims of over $10 MillionRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A German man admitted today to orchestrating a massive mail fraud scheme targeting elderly and otherwise vulnerable victims with false and fraudulent psychic solicitations, Acting U.S. Attorney Alina Habba announced today.
Georg Ingenbleek, 58, a citizen of Germany, was indicted in 2020 and has been a fugitive. He was apprehended in Bolzano, Italy in 2024 and extradited in May 2025 to face an indictment charging him with two counts of mail fraud. Ingenbleek pleaded guilty today before U.S. District Judge Claire C. Cecchi to two counts of mail fraud.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
From at least 2011 through 2016, Ingenbleek created numerous direct mail solicitations supposedly from world-renowned psychics, falsely and fraudulently claiming to offer recipients individual psychic services and objects that would result in great fortune. Many of the letters falsely promised that the psychic services being offered were free of charge. Ingenbleek directed co-conspirators to send fraudulent billing notices to the same victims that stated that the victims owed money for psychic services, which in many cases had been offered free of charge. The fraudulent billing notices falsely represented that the victims owed fees and threatened to take legal action if the victim did not send a check, usually for $20 to $50. Through his fraudulent psychic mailing campaign, Ingenbleek obtained more than $10 million dollars from victims.
The mail fraud charges each carry a maximum potential penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine, or twice the gross gain or loss from the offense. Sentencing is scheduled for December 17, 2025 at 10:30 A.M.
Acting U.S. Attorney Habba credited postal inspectors of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service Philadelphia Division, under the direction of Inspector in Charge Christopher A. Nielsen; special agents of IRS - Criminal Investigation Newark Field Office, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Jenifer Piovesan; and special agents of HSI New York, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Ricky J. Patel, with the investigation leading to the charges, and HSI Rome and the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs for providing significant assistance in securing the defendant’s extradition from Italy.
The government is represented by Assistant United States Attorneys Jonathan Fayer and Olta Bejleri of the Economic Crimes Unit in Newark.
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Defense counsel: Daniel Rashbaum, Esq., Miami, Florida.
ingenbleek.indictment.pdfLiberian National and Convicted Sex Offender Arrested for Naturalization FraudRead the Press Release
RALEIGH, N.C. – A federal grand jury returned an indictment in June charging Cyril Domaquik Clemens, 71, a U.S. citizen born in Liberia, with naturalization fraud. The indictment alleges that Clemens lied about his criminal conduct on his application to obtain U.S. citizenship. Clemens had his initial appearance before a federal judge last week.
According to the indictment and previously issued court documents, Clemens is alleged to have knowingly and materially made false statements under penalty of perjury on his naturalization application and during a naturalization interview with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). In response to the questions “Were you EVER involved in any way with any of the following:…[f]orcing or trying to force, someone to have any kind of sexual contact or relations?” and “Have you EVER committed, assisted in committing, or attempted to commit, a crime or offense for which you were NOT arrested?” he answered “No.” Clemens took the oath of citizenship and naturalized on February 19, 2021.
On April 3, 2023, in the Superior Court of North Carolina in Durham County, Clemens pleaded guilty to three counts of indecent liberties with a child. He was sentenced to a term of imprisonment between 16 and 29 months and ordered to register as a sex offender. Clemens confessed to having sexually molested the child for more than a decade, from November 1, 2011, through March 7, 2022. The victim was four years old when the abuse began. Clemens was not arrested until after he had naturalized, so immigration officials were unaware of his crimes when they granted him citizenship.
Clemens is charged in a three-count indictment with naturalization fraud. If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison as well as the automatic revocation of his U.S. citizenship.
Daniel P. Bubar, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, made the announcement. ICE ERO officers and HSI agents assigned to the Document and Benefit Fraud Task Force are investigating the case as part of Operation False Haven, an ongoing initiative designed to aggressively target child molesters and other egregious felons who fraudulently obtain U.S. citizenship. USCIS’s Fraud Detection and National Security Division is assisting the initiative. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lori Warlick is prosecuting the case.
Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:25-CR-151-FL-RN.
An indictment is merely an accusation. The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty.
Leader of $68M Adult Day Care Fraud Scheme Pleads GuiltyRead the Press Release
A New York woman pleaded guilty today to conspiring to defraud Medicaid and pay health care kickbacks at her two Brooklyn social adult day cares.
“The defendant orchestrated a massive scheme to defraud Medicaid, bribing patients to bill a federal health care program for over $68 million,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew R. Galeotti of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Americans will not stand for these schemes that target government programs intended to help society’s most vulnerable members and steal from the public fisc. As demonstrated by today’s announcement, we will continue to aggressively prosecute those who take part in these crimes.”
“With today’s guilty plea, Khan stands convicted of acting as the ringleader of a scheme responsible for stealing millions of dollars dedicated to the government’s health care safety net,” stated U.S. Attorney Joseph Nocella Jr. for the Eastern District of New York. “Our office and the Justice Department take seriously our responsibility to protect government funds from the clutches of fraudsters and will vigorously prosecute corrupt health care operators like the defendant.”
“Social adult day care and home health services are intended to support seniors, not serve as vehicles for fraud,” stated Deputy Inspector General for Investigations Christian J. Schrank of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “The defendant’s actions are an affront to hardworking taxpayers and undermine the integrity of our nation’s health care system. HHS-OIG will continue to relentlessly pursue anyone who illicitly exploits Medicaid enrollees and the program itself to ensure they are held fully accountable.”
“Zakia Khan has admitted her involvement in a sweeping scheme that defrauded the U.S. government of $68 million in welfare funds meant for one of our country’s most vulnerable populations,” stated Special Agent in Charge Ricky J. Patel of Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) New York. “Today’s guilty plea underscores not only the lengths criminal opportunists often take, but also the state-of-the-art skills and procedures utilized by HSI New York to stop them in their tracks.”
“Zakia Khan stole $68 million from the Medicaid program through bribes and kickbacks—money meant to support the most vulnerable,” stated NYPD Commissioner Jessica S. Tisch. “This fraudulent cash grab exploited a federal health care system that people depend on, and the NYPD will keep holding accountable anyone who tries to take advantage of it. Today’s guilty plea is another step towards justice, and I am thankful to the NYPD investigators, all our law enforcement partners, and the prosecutors for their meticulous work on this case.”
According to court documents, Zakia Khan, 54, of Brooklyn, owned two social adult day cares: Happy Family Social Adult Day Care Center Inc. and Family Social Adult Day Care Center Inc., Responsible Care Staffing Inc., a home health care fiscal intermediary, and Tanwee Services Inc., an entity used to receive and disguise fraud proceeds. Beginning in approximately October 2017 and continuing through approximately July 2024, in exchange for kickbacks and bribes, Khan and marketers whom she employed referred Medicaid recipients to the social adult day cares that she owned, and Khan and the marketers in turn paid kickbacks and bribes to Medicaid recipients for social adult day care services that the day cares billed to Medicaid, but were not provided or that were induced by kickbacks and bribes. Khan and her co-defendants used multiple business entities to launder the fradulent proceeds and generate the cash used to pay kickbacks and bribes. In connection with her plea, Khan agreed to forfeit $5 million, including two properties, cash, and gold jewelry seized during a search of her home.
Khan pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit health care fraud and conspiracy to defraud the United States and to pay and receive health care kickbacks. She is scheduled to be sentenced on Jan. 28, 2026, and faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
HHS-OIG, HSI, and the NYPD are investigating the case.
Trial Attorneys Patrick J. Campbell and Leonid Sandlar of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section are prosecuting the case with the assistance of Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Castiglione for the Eastern District of New York, who assisted with forfeiture matters.
The Fraud Section leads the Criminal Division’s efforts to combat health care fraud through the Health Care Fraud Strike Force Program. Since March 2007, this program, currently comprised of 9 strike forces operating in 27 federal districts, has charged more than 5,800 defendants who collectively have billed federal health care programs and private insurers more than $30 billion. In addition, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, working in conjunction with HHS-OIG, 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.
Lancaster County Man Sentenced to 11 Years for Drug ConspiracyRead the Press Release
COLUMBIA, S.C. — Christopher William Stevens, 35, of Lancaster, has been sentenced to more than 11 years in federal prison for conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine and a quantity of fentanyl.
Evidence obtained in the investigation revealed that the Lancaster County Sheriff’s Office and Homeland Security Investigations were investigating Stevens and others as part of a drug conspiracy distributing methamphetamine and fentanyl in the area. On at least four occasions in 2021 and twice in 2022, law enforcement conducted traffic stops on cars in which Stevens was the driver or the passenger and located various controlled substances, including suboxone, gabapentin, marijuana, heroin, fentanyl, and methamphetamine. The police also located digital scales, glass pipes, and firearms during these traffic stops. As part of the investigation, on at least two occasions in 2021, law enforcement made controlled purchases of fentanyl directly from Stevens.
United States District Judge Mary Geiger Lewis sentenced Stevens to 135 months in prison, to be followed by a four-year term of court-ordered supervision. There is no parole in the federal system.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the Lancaster County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney William K. Witherspoon is prosecuting the case.
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Lafayette Man Sentenced to 70 Months in PrisonRead the Press Release
HAMMOND- Yesterday, Christopher Burdine-Davies, 24 years old, of Lafayette, Indiana was sentenced by United States District Court Senior Judge James T. Moody after pleading guilty to distributing fentanyl, announced Acting United States Attorney M. Scott Proctor.
Burdine-Davies was sentenced to 70 months in prison followed by 3 years of supervised release.
According to documents in the case, between September 26, 2022, and October 20, 2022, Defendant, a convicted felon, sold fentanyl on six separate occasions. He also sold three privately made firearms to law enforcement. His criminal history showed previous felony convictions for possessing a controlled substance, criminal recklessness, and intimidation, which were felonies that disqualified him from possessing any firearm or ammunition.
“Illicit fentanyl is a deadly poison,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Proctor. “Christopher Burdine-Davies chose to sell it anyway. Thanks to the efforts of the many partner agencies participating in the High Intensity Drug Trafficking Task Force, Mr. Burdine-Davies can no longer ply his trade in this District. I applaud their efforts, and the just outcome to which they led.”
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Merrillville District Office, Tippecanoe Drug Task Force, and the Lafayette Police Department. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney David J. Nozick.
Lafayette Man Sentenced to 70 Months in PrisonRead the Press Release
HAMMOND- Yesterday, Christopher Burdine-Davies, 24 years old, of Lafayette, Indiana was sentenced by United States District Court Senior Judge James T. Moody after pleading guilty to distributing fentanyl, announced Acting United States Attorney M. Scott Proctor.
Burdine-Davies was sentenced to 70 months in prison followed by 3 years of supervised release.
According to documents in the case, between September 26, 2022, and October 20, 2022, Defendant, a convicted felon, sold fentanyl on six separate occasions. He also sold three privately made firearms to law enforcement. His criminal history showed previous felony convictions for possessing a controlled substance, criminal recklessness, and intimidation, which were felonies that disqualified him from possessing any firearm or ammunition.
“Illicit fentanyl is a deadly poison,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Proctor. “Christopher Burdine-Davies chose to sell it anyway. Thanks to the efforts of the many partner agencies participating in the High Intensity Drug Trafficking Task Force, Mr. Burdine-Davies can no longer ply his trade in this District. I applaud their efforts, and the just outcome to which they led.”
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration Indiana High Intensity Drug Trafficking Task Force, Tippecanoe Drug Task Force, and the Lafayette Police Department. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney David J. Nozick.
Kansas man indicted for bank robberyRead the Press Release
WICHITA, KAN. – A federal grand jury in Wichita returned an indictment charging a Kansas man with robbing a bank.
According to court documents, Darrel D. Gray, 65, of Benton was indicted on one count of bank robbery.
Gray is accused of using force, violence, and intimidation in July 2025, to take money from Community National Bank & Trust in El Dorado, Kansas.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Ola Odeyemi is prosecuting the case.
OTHER INDICTMENTS
Daquinton Baker, 23, of Wichita was indicted on one count of possession of a firearm by a prohibited person. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) is investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Katie Andrusak and Matt Treaster are prosecuting the case.
Javier Estrada, 26, of Wichita was indicted on one count of escape from custody. The U.S. Marshal Service (USMS) is investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Matt Treaster is prosecuting the case.
Martin Alberto Guerra, 31, of Kansas City, Kansas, was indicted on one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) is investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ola Odeyemi is prosecuting the case.
Ruben Franco Peralta, 28, a Mexican national residing illegally in Kismet, was indicted on one count of possession of a firearm by an illegal alien. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) is investigating this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Larry Fadler is prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
###Kalispell woman sentenced to prison for fraudRead the Press Release
MISSOULA – A Kalispell woman who embezzled almost $500,000 from a local company was sentenced today to 14 months in federal prison to be followed by 3 years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.
Rita Ann Pierce, 59, pleaded guilty in March 2025 to wire fraud.
U.S. District Judge Dana L. Christensen presided.
The government alleged in court documents that Pierce Manufacturing is a family-owned business that began in 1974. The company began as a welding shop but morphed into a manufacturing shop. This case arose because Pierce Manufacturing was unable to figure out why it was not making any money. The company ordered an audit, which uncovered that Rita Pierce was embezzling money.
When stealing the money, Pierce was the bookkeeper. She covered the fraud by entering fraudulent names in the ledger and making the transactions appear legitimate despite the money flowing into her private bank account. The investigation determined Pierce embezzled approximately $496,881.03 during a four-year span, which was between 2016 and 2020.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Weldon prosecuted the case. The FBI conducted the investigation.
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Justice Department Files Two Civil Forfeiture Actions to Recover Nearly $11 Million in Health Care Fraud ProceedsRead the Press Release
MIAMI – The United States has filed civil forfeiture complaints in the Southern District of Florida against two purported durable medical equipment (DME) companies accused of fraudulently billing Medicare more than $33 million combined.
According to allegations in the complaints, Vida Med Center LLC and Med-Union Medical Center, Inc., both enrolled Medicare providers, submitted false and fraudulent claims for DME that were medically unnecessary and not provided as represented.
Vida Med submitted $14,110,820.00 in claims to Medicare and received $8,759,036.68 in reimbursements. Med-Union submitted $19,044,516.07 in Medicare claims and received $14,167,792.92 in payments. Notably, all of Med-Union’s paid Medicare claims were based on prescriptions issued by a single provider. The civil forfeiture actions seek to recover $967,760.37 and $10,014,325.40, respectively, in proceeds from the fraudulently obtained taxpayer dollars.
U.S. Attorney Hayden P. O’Byrne for the Southern District of Florida; Acting Special Agent in Charge Jesus Barranco of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General, (HHS-OIG), Miami Regional Office; and Special Agent in Charge Brett D. Skiles of the FBI, Miami Field Office made the announcement.
FBI Miami and HHS-OIG are investigating the cases.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Marx P. Calderón and Joshua Paster for the Southern District of Florida are prosecuting these civil actions.
A civil forfeiture complaint is merely an allegation that money or property was involved in or represents the proceeds of a crime. These allegations are not proven until a court awards a judgment in favor of the United States.
You may find a copy of this press release (and any updates) on the website of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida at www.justice.gov/usao-sdfl.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov, under case numbers 25-cv-23345 and 25-cv-23340.
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Jersey City Man Charged with Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A Jersey City, New Jersey man was charged today with possession of child pornography, Acting U.S. Attorney Alina Habba announced.
Matthew Ozol, 39, of Jersey City, New Jersey is charged with one count of possession of child pornography. Ozol made his initial before U.S. Magistrate Judge James B. Clark, III in Newark federal court and was detained.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
Law enforcement reviewed messages sent via a messaging application from an account associated with an IP address registered in Ozol’s name at Ozol’s residence. The account participated in a chat group named “Baby Rapist,” and sent multiple communications referencing, among other things, a desire to rape babies and exchange child pornography, and distributed a video containing child pornography.
Law enforcement executed a search warrant at Ozol’s residence, and recovered at least 26 images and/or videos of child pornography depicting infants or toddlers.
The charge of possession of child pornography carries a maximum potential penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
Acting U.S. Attorney Habba credited special agents of Homeland Security Investigations Newark, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Michael McCarthy, with the investigation leading to the charge.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS) in the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit: https://www.justice.gov/psc.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Specht of the Special Prosecutions Division.
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Defense Counsel:
Robert Ebberup, Esq., Toms River, New Jersey
ozol.complaint.pdfJefferson City Federal Grand Jury Returns Indictments Against Three IndividualsRead the Press Release
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – A federal grand jury sitting in Jefferson City returned indictments against three individuals charging a range of federal offenses.
Arizona Woman Charged with Two Counts of Possession with Intent to Distribute Heroin and Cocaine
Joanna Fabian Rivera, 33, Arizona, was charged with possession with intent to distribute heroin and cocaine. The indictment alleges that during a traffic stop on May 3, 2025, packages of cocaine and heroin were found within Rivera’s vehicle.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jim Lynn. It was investigated by the Missouri State Highway Patrol.
Iowa Man Charged with Child Exploitation Offenses
Alex Mills Zoll, 42, Cedar Rapids, Ia., was charged with three counts related to child exploitation offenses. The indictment alleges that between May 11, 2025 and June 1, 2025, Zoll enticed a minor to engage in sexual activity, attempted to produce child pornography, and transferred obscene material in interstate commerce.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ashley Turner. It was investigated by Boone County, Missouri Sheriff’s Office, Callaway County Sheriff’s Office, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Columbia Man Indicted for Illegally Possessing Firearms
Aaron James Kipper, 34, Columbia, Mo. was charged with unlawfully possessing two firearms. The indictment alleges that on June 27, 2025, Kipper, knowing he had previously been sentenced for a term exceeding one year on a felony, possessed a Taurus .357 revolver and a Jennings .22 caliber semi-automatic firearm. Under federal law, it is illegal for anyone who is convicted of a felony to be in possession of any firearm or ammunition.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Cecily L. Hicks. It was investigated by Boone County, Missouri Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.
The charges contained in these indictments are simply accusations, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charges must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence.
Operation Take Back America
The Fabian Rivera and Kipper cases are part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
Project Safe Childhood
The Zoll case is 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."
Jasper County man indicted on federal drug trafficking violationsRead the Press Release
BEAUMONT, Texas – A Jasper man has been charged with federal drug trafficking violations in the Eastern District of Texas, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs.
Steven Wade Earle, 30, was named in a two-count indictment returned by a federal grand jury this week in the Eastern District of Texas charging him with possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
The indictment alleges that on January 2, 2025, Earle was found in possession of more than 50 grams of methamphetamine. Then again on February 25, 2025, Earle was found in possession of at least another 50 grams of methamphetamine.
If convicted, Earle faces up to life in federal prison.
This case is being investigated by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration; Jasper County Sheriff’s Office; Texas Department of Public Safety-Criminal Investigations Division; Texas DPS-Highway Patrol; and U.S. Marshals Service. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan C. Lee.
A federal indictment is not evidence of guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Irish citizen indicted for sadistic exploitation of a childRead the Press Release
CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas - A 36-year-old Irish national has been charged with four counts of sexual exploitation of a minor and four counts of coercion and enticement of a child, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
The charges allege in September 2022, Matthew Liam Johnstone coerced a minor into filming and photographing herself engaging in sexually explicit conduct including acts of sadism.
If convicted, Johnstone faces up to life in prison. All charges also carry a possible $250,000 maximum fine.
The FBI’s Child Exploitation Operational Unit - Criminal Investigative Division conducted the investigation.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Patrick Overman and Trial Attorney Adam Braskich of the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS) are prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood (PSC), a nationwide initiative the Department of Justice (DOJ) launched in May 2006 to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's CEOS 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.
An indictment is merely an allegation. The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
Interim United States Attorney Thomas C. Albus Sworn InRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – Interim United States Attorney Thomas C. Albus was sworn in Friday, becoming the new head prosecutor for the Eastern District of Missouri.
U.S. District Judge John A. Ross performed the ceremony at about 11:30 a.m. Mr. Albus was appointed by Attorney General Pamela Bondi. He replaces former Acting U.S. Attorney Matthew Drake, who will now resume his previous post as First Assistant U.S. Attorney.
Mr. Albus is a veteran prosecutor. From 2002-2019, he prosecuted white collar, tax, public corruption and other cases at the U.S. Attorney's Office. In 2019, he joined the Missouri Attorney General’s Office, becoming First Assistant to then-Attorney General Eric Schmitt. In 2020, Mr. Albus was sworn in as a St. Louis County Circuit Judge, having been appointed by Missouri Gov. Michael Parson.
Mr. Albus is a native of St. Louis County, Missouri. He graduated from Georgetown University in 1994 and the University of Missouri School of Law in 1997. He then clerked for the late Lawrence G. Crahan on the Missouri Court of Appeals and for Judge John C. Holstein on the Missouri Supreme Court. Following that, he worked in the litigation department of what is now Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner in St. Louis.
The Eastern District of Missouri includes 49 counties and is responsible for prosecuting federal crimes in the district, including crimes related to terrorism, public corruption, child exploitation, firearms and narcotics. The office also defends the United States in civil cases and collects debts owed to the United States.
The Eastern District of Missouri leads the nation in prosecuting gun crimes, including cases involving carjackings, armed robberies and murders, and is third in the nation in prosecuting crimes against children.
In Landmark Sentence, Feeding Our Future Scheme Leader Sentenced to 28 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – Today, United States District Judge Nancy E. Brasel sentenced Abdiaziz Shafii Farah, age 36, to 28 years in prison followed by 3 years of supervised release for his role in a $300 million fraud scheme that exploited a federally funded child nutrition program during the COVID-19 pandemic, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Joseph H. Thompson. Farah was also ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $47,920,514.
Farah played a leading and role in the Feeding Our Future case, the largest Covid-19 fraud scheme in the United States. According to public documents, Farah and his co-defendants stole more than $47 million in program funds by claiming to serve 18 million meals to kids at more than 30 food distribution sites. In June 2024, after a seven-week trial before Judge Brasel, a federal jury convicted Farah of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, conspiracy to commit federal programs bribery, false statements in a passport application, conspiracy to commit money laundering, two counts of federal programs bribery, six counts of wire fraud, and 11 counts of money laundering.
Farah was the co-owner of Empire Cuisine & Market, an entity that he enrolled in the Federal Child Nutrition Program in April 2020, during the early days of the Covid-19 pandemic. Farah was among the very first defendants to see an opportunity for fraud and exploit it. Farah immediately opened a number of fraudulent program sites and began falsely claiming to serve meals to thousands of children per day. Many of the purported “sites” served no meals at all and were nothing more than parking lots or vacant commercial spaces.
Farah and his co-defendants “papered-up” the fraudulent scheme, including by creating and submitting fraudulent meal counts and invoices. Farah was likewise involved in the scheme’s use of phony rosters with fake children’s names. Few of the names on the rosters matched the names of real students attending the local school districts, and many of the names used by Farah were absurd and obviously fake, names like “Serious Problem” and “Britishy Melony.” In addition, Farah routinely directed the flow of fraudulent funds so that his co-conspirators got their “cuts” of the stolen taxpayer money. To keep the fraud going, Farah engaged in a corrupt “pay-to-play” system, where he paid thousands of dollars in bribes and kickbacks to personnel at Feeding Our Future and Partners in Nutrition.
Farah profited handsomely from his role in the scheme—he personally pocketed more than $8 million during his 18 months of involvement in the fraud. As presented at trial, Farah sent text messages to his co-defendants about their ill-gotten gains, stating “in 7 months if things stay the same you are a multi millionaire with 0 debt” and “Bro the next multi legit millionaires will be me and you.”
Using the taxpayer money meant for needy kids, Farah purchased five luxury vehicles for himself in about six months, including over $300,000 for a Porsche, a GMC truck, and a Tesla. Farah used approximately $4.2 million in fraudulently-obtained taxpayer funds to purchase real estate throughout the Twin Cities and in Kentucky, which included buying two lakefront lots with the aim of building himself a multi-million-dollar home. Farah further sent the taxpayer money he stole overseas, purchasing real estate in Kenya and a high-rise apartment building in Nairobi. Farah laundered the fraud proceeds through China. This overseas money is beyond the reach of American law enforcement—neither these funds nor Farah’s international real estate holdings have been, or can be, seized or forfeited.
In January 2022, when the Feeding Our Future search warrants were executed, federal agents seized Farah’s U.S. passport from his home. In the wake of those searches, Farah retained an attorney and was told he was a target of the federal investigation. Two months later, on March 22, 2022, Farah went to the Minneapolis Passport Agency in downtown Minneapolis to apply for a new U.S. passport. Farah lied on his passport application, falsely claiming his passport was lost, rather than seized by federal agents. Farah obtained a new U.S. passport that day. Less than two weeks later, Farah attempted to leave the country, purchasing a one-way ticket to Kenya, where he owned property paid for by the taxpayer money he stole. Law enforcement acted quickly to charge Farah with passport fraud and take him into custody.
In June 2024, at the conclusion of his 7-week trial, Farah and others attempted to bribe a juror with $120,000 in cash in exchange for a not guilty verdict. Farah and four others were indicted in a separate federal case for the juror bribery scheme. Farah has pled guilty in the juror bribery case and is pending sentencing in that case before Judge David S. Doty. Today’s sentence does not reflect Farah’s attempt to bribe a juror; he will face an additional sentence in that case at a later date.
In imposing the 28-year sentence, Judge Brasel explained the defendant “came to this country as a refugee” and that “many of the opportunities” in Farah’s life came through public agencies and non-profit organizations, noting that Farah received housing, school, a full-tuition college grant, and worked in the public sector. “Given that background, it is ironic at best that, as the government aimed no child went hungry during the pandemic, you saw the opportunity to fraudulently make money.” Judge Brasel continued, “You achieved successes here in the United States and yet you’ve shown utter and flagrant disregard for the laws of the United States.”
Judge Brasel found that Farah’s crime was “breathtakingly elaborate” and that he acted out of “pure unmitigated greed.” She told the defendant, “The repercussions of your crime will be felt in Minnesota and in your community—the refugee community—for a long time.”
In arguing for a long sentence, Acting U.S. Attorney Joseph H. Thompson said, “This country gave Farah everything. A home. Citizenship. A free college education. After that he went on to public employment with the state of Minnesota. And how did he repay this country and this state? By robbing us blind. He has gotten every opportunity, and this is how he used it. Farah didn’t want the American dream. He wanted to be rich. He wanted to be wealthy. He thought he was entitled to it. He won the lottery of life, he was given everything by this country, and he repaid us with a life of crime. He has done untold damage to this state.”
“Abdiaziz Shafii Farah’s conviction serves as a stark reminder of the moral decay that can arise when individuals exploit systems designed to protect the most vulnerable among us,” said Special Agent in Charge Alvin M. Winston, Sr. of FBI Minneapolis. “The egregious actions of Farah, who misappropriated over $28 million meant to nourish underserved children during a critical time, exemplify a betrayal of societal trust. Today’s sentence not only underscores the legal repercussions of such greed, but also sends a resounding message: Justice will not only be swift, but also unyielding. The FBI, in concert with our law enforcement partners and the Minnesota U.S. Attorney’s Office remains committed to holding accountable those who prey on the most defenseless in our communities.”
The case is the result of an investigation by the FBI, IRS – Criminal Investigations, and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service.
Acting U.S. Attorney Joseph H. Thompson, and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Harry M. Jacobs, Matthew S. Ebert, and Daniel W. Bobier prosecuted the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Craig Baune is handling the seizure and forfeiture of assets.
Illegal Alien Pleads Guilty to Attempting to Entice or Persuade a Minor to Engage in Sexual ActivityRead the Press Release
TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA – Mauricio Morales-Gonzalez, 24, of Mexico, pleaded guilty in federal court to attempting to entice or persuade a minor to engage in sexual activity. The plea was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “Thanks to the relentless efforts of our incredible law enforcement partners, another child predator is behind bars and the community is safer. It is one of our most important duties to protect the most vulnerable members of our community from the predations of these sick individuals, and my office will continue to aggressively prosecute those who seek to sexually exploit our children.”
Court documents reflect that between April 10, 2025, and April 12, 2025, detectives of the Tallahassee Police Department and the Leon County Sheriff’s Office, along with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations, participated in a joint undercover operation in Leon County focused on identifying individuals using the Internet to exploit children in a sexual manner. During the operation, investigators identified Morales-Gonzalez, an adult male who was soliciting minors for sex through an online website. Morales-Gonzalez believed he was going to be engaging in sexual activity with a minor when he drove to a meeting location where he was met by law enforcement and immediately arrested.
Morales-Gonzalez faces a minimum mandatory of 10 years’ imprisonment up to life imprisonment, followed by five years to life of supervision upon release.
The case involved a joint investigation by the Leon County Sheriff’s Office and the U.S. Immigration and Custom’s Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations, with assistance from the Tallahassee Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Justin M. Keen.
Sentencing is scheduled for October 27, 2025, at 10:00 am at the United States Courthouse in Tallahassee, Florida, before Chief United States District Judge Allen C. Winsor.
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 and led by the U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Divisions Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), it marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
This case is also part of Operation Take Back America (https://www.justice.gov/dag/media/1393746/dl?inline ) a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.
Honduran National Sentenced for Unlawful Reentry by a Removed AlienRead the Press Release
JACKSON, MS – A Honduran national was sentenced on August 6, 2025 to 5 months and 23 days of incarceration for unlawfully reentering the United States after being removed from the country. The defendant will be transferred to ICE custody following his release.
According to court documents, Johny Antonio Nunez-Meza, 45, was found by law enforcement officials to be unlawfully present in the country on or about February 2, 2025 in Hinds County after being arrested for burglary. Nunez-Meza had previously been removed from the United States on multiple occasions and was convicted of illegal entry into the United States on August 21, 2012.
Nunez-Meza was indicted by a federal grand jury on February 20, 2025 and pleaded guilty on May 2, 2025.
Acting U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Mississippi, Patrick A. Lemon and Eric P. DeLaune, Special Agent-in-Charge for Homeland Security Investigations in New Orleans, Louisiana; and Brian Acuna, Acting Field Office Director of ICE/ERO in New Orleans, made the announcement.
Assistant U.S. Attorney C. Brett Grantham prosecuted the case.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security investigations as part of Operation Take Back America (https://www.justice.gov/dag/media/1393746/dl?inline) a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
Honduran National Sentenced for Dealing FentanylRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Honduran national, who is an associate of the transnational criminal organization 18th Street Gang, was sentenced yesterday on drug charges in federal court in Boston.
Elvin Martinez-Flores, 23, unlawfully residing in Everett, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Indira Talwani to 14 months in prison and three years of supervised release. Martinez-Flores is subject to deportation upon completion of the imposed sentence. In May 2025, Martinez pleaded guilty to distributing and possessing with intent to distribute 40 grams and more of fentanyl.
During an investigation into the 18th Street Gang targeting the communities of Everett, Chelsea, Revere, East Boston, and Lynn, Martinez was identified as a gang associate and a sophisticated wholesaler fentanyl dealer. On Sept. 20, 2024, Martinez sold approximately 400 pressed fentanyl pills to a cooperating witness. Later, on Oct. 28, 2024, Martinez sold another 500 pressed fentanyl pills to the cooperating witness.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Ted E. Docks, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; and Bryan DiGirolamo, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, Boston Field Division made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Massachusetts State Police; U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Enforcement and Removal Operations; Suffolk County and Middlesex County District Attorney’s Offices; and the Boston, Chelsea, Everett, Falmouth, Lynn, Medford, Nantucket and Revere Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Timothy E. Moran and Fred Wyshak of the Organized Crime & Gang Unit prosecuted the case.
This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
Hardin County felon charged with carjacking, firearms violationsRead the Press Release
BEAUMONT, Texas – A Silsbee convicted felon has been charged with carjacking and firearms violations in the Eastern District of Texas, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs.
Justin Keith Colley, 37, was named in a three-count indictment returned by a federal grand jury this week in the Eastern District of Texas charging him with carjacking, brandishing a firearm during a violent crime, and being a felon in possession of a firearm.
The indictment alleges that on June 20, 2025, Colley used a firearm to forcefully commit carjacking. Further investigation revealed Colley had been previously convicted of a felony and prohibited from owning or possessing firearms.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs) and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
If convicted, Colley faces up to life in federal prison.
This case is being investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the Silsbee Police Department, and the Jasper County Sheriff’s Office and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Reynaldo P. Morin.
A federal indictment is not evidence of guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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