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16 September 2025
Pine Hills Man Sentenced to Six Years in Federal Prison for Possessing Firearm as Convicted FelonRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – U.S. District Judge Roy B. Dalton has sentenced Ellie Edward Dulaire (27, Orlando) to six years in federal prison for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Dulaire is currently serving a sentence in the Florida Department of Corrections. His federal sentence will commence on October 9, 2026, when the state sentence is scheduled to end. The court also ordered Dulaire to forfeit a Smith & Wesson firearm and ammunition, which were used in the offense. Dulaire pleaded guilty on June 24, 2025.
According to court documents, on January 23, 2022, Dulaire was observed at the Florida Gun Show by a deputy from the Orange County Sheriff’s Office. The deputy recognized Dulaire from a prior case and knew that he was wanted on an arrest warrant from Lake County. After making contact with Dulaire, deputies located a Smith & Wesson M&P Shield firearm inside his vehicle. The firearm was reported stolen out of Pasco County in 2021. Dulaire is a nine-time convicted felon who is prohibited from possessing firearms.
This case was investigated by Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Orange County Sheriff’s Office. 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.
Penitas man charged with impeding federal law enforcement during arrest of othersRead the Press Release
BROWNSVILLE, Texas – A federal grand jury has returned an indictment against a 19-year-old man for impeding and interfering with federal law enforcement agents in the course of their duties, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
Diego Masiel Torres remains in custody following the filing of the original criminal complaint. He will remain there pending his appearance on the charges in the indictment.
On Aug. 27, authorities were conducting a consensual worksite enforcement operation in Harlingen, according to the charges. Upon their arrival, several people allegedly fled from the area.
While authorities attempted to apprehend an illegal alien, Torres allegedly attempted to physically remove a law enforcement officer from that person.
“The Southern District of Texas is committed to fully enforcing our country’s immigration laws, and anyone who tries to stop a federal agent from carrying out this mission will be held accountable before a judge and jury,” said Ganjei. “So, the message is simple. Don’t end up on the wrong end of a federal indictment – keep your hands to yourself.”
If convicted, he faces up to eight years in federal prison and a possible $250,000 maximum fine.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement – Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney L. Salazar is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces and Project Safe Neighborhood.
An indictment is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence. A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.
Pensacola Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Interstate Drug Trafficking OperationRead the Press Release
PENSACOLA, FLORIDA – Jafari J. Williams, 48, of Pensacola, Florida, was sentenced to 15 years in federal prison for his participation in a conspiracy to distribute cocaine, possession with intent to distribute cocaine and methamphetamine, and being a felon in possession of a firearm. The sentence was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “I am incredibly proud of the excellent collaboration between our state and federal law enforcement partners that dismantled this drug trafficking operation, and this successful prosecution ensures this offender will be removed from our community for a long time. My office will not hesitate to target those who flood our streets with deadly drugs for aggressive prosecution and sentencing, and will deploy the full force of the law to keep our communities safe.”
Court documents reflect that Williams was identified during a federal wiretap investigation conspiring with others regarding shipments of cocaine coming from Texas. During execution of a search warrant of a building where Williams maintained his contraband in Pensacola, law enforcement seized approximately seven and a half kilograms of cocaine, one kilogram of methamphetamine, drug distribution paraphernalia, an AR-15-style rifle, and approximately $10,000 in United States currency.
“In total, eight law enforcement partners pulled resources and personnel to make this investigation a success,” said DEA Miami Field Division Special Agent in Charge Deanne L. Reuter. “Pensacola communities will be safer with this drug distributor off the streets.”
The case involved a joint investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives; the Santa Rosa County Sheriff’s Office; the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office; the Florida Department of Law Enforcement; the Pensacola Police Department; the Gulf Breeze Police Department; and the Florida Highway Patrol. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys David L. Goldberg and Jessica S. Etherton.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America (https://www.justice.gov/dag/media/1393746/dl?inline ) a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.
Oneida County Man Charged with Sexual Exploitation of a Child and Receipt of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
SYRACUSE, NEW YORK – John Secor, Jr., age 44, of Rome, New York, appeared in federal court on Friday on charges of sexual exploitation of a child and receipt of child pornography, announced Acting United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III and Erin Keegan, Special Agent in Charge of the Buffalo Field Office of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).
The complaint filed against Secor, Jr. alleges that beginning in or about May 2025, Secor Jr. began chatting online with a 16-year-old girl. Secor Jr.’s chats with the child quicky became sexual in nature with Secor Jr. requesting that the child create sexually explicit images and videos of herself for him, which she did. The complaint also alleges that on least one occasion Secor Jr. attempted to arrange a meeting with the child during which Secor Jr. planned to engage in sex acts with the child. The charges in the complaint are merely accusations. Secor, Jr. is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
The receipt charge filed against Secor, Jr. carries a mandatory minimum term of 5 years in prison and a maximum term of 20 years. The exploitation charge carries a mandatory minimum term of 15 years in prison and a maximum term of 30 years. Both charges carry a fine of up to $250,000 and a term of supervised release between 5 years and life. Secor, Jr. would also be required to register as a sex offender upon his release from prison. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statutes the defendant is convicted of violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other factors.
Secor Jr. was arraigned before United States Magistrate Judge Miroslav Lovric and ordered detained pending further proceedings.
Acting United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III stated, “We thank HSI and the NYSP for their tireless work in this case that, once again, resulted in a dangerous sexual predator facing justice and a child saved from unspeakable horrors. The defendant’s conduct as alleged in the complaint is disgusting and despicable and my office will make sure he is held accountable to the fullest extent of the law. He is also detained pending trial, which would not have happened had he been charged in a local court thanks to the bail ‘reform’ that has been plaguing New York State for eight years and counting.”
Erin Keegan, Special Agent in Charge of HSI Buffalo Field Office, stated, “These allegations represent some of the most reprehensible crimes imaginable, preying on the innocence of a child. HSI remains steadfast in its commitment to protecting our communities by leveraging our investigative expertise and partnerships to bring predators like this to justice. We will continue to work tirelessly with our federal, state, and local partners to ensure those who exploit children are held accountable to the fullest extent of the law.”
New York State Police Superintendent Steven G. James said, “Anyone involved in child pornography, promoting the acts of child predators, or performing predatory acts against children must understand that such crimes will not be tolerated. Through the partnership among members of the United States Attorney’s Office and the Buffalo Field Office of Homeland Security Investigations we were able to gather the necessary evidence and bring charges against Mr. Secor. The charges send a clear message as to the severity of the alleged crimes and our diligence in finding justice for the victims.”
HSI and NYSP are investigating this case, which is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Adrian LaRochelle as part of Project Safe Childhood.
Project Safe Childhood is a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
Omaha Men Sentenced to Years in Federal Prison for Interstate Transportation of Stolen MoneyRead the Press Release
ABERDEEN - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Charles B. Kornmann has sentenced two men from Omaha, Nebraska, convicted of Interstate Transportation of Stolen Money. The sentencings took place on September 15, 2025.
Roberto Carlos Gonzalez Miranda, age 24, was sentenced to five years and ten months in federal prison. Co-defendant Roberto Orellana, age 46, was sentenced to four years and two months in federal prison. Both Orellana and Miranda were ordered to pay $352,000 in restitution to the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe. Miranda was ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund; Orellana, $200.
Miranda and Orellana were indicted by a federal grand jury in July 2024. They both pleaded guilty on June 3, 2025.
Shortly after 6:00 a.m. on Sunday, February 25, 2024, personnel at the Grand River Casino in rural Mobridge, South Dakota, received a call from someone claiming to be a U.S. Government official. The caller claimed the casino owed $700,000 in audit fees and that steep fines would be levied if the casino did not immediately make a down payment on the debt. Acting at the direction of the caller, casino personnel took cash from the casino vault and transported it to Mitchell, South Dakota, to make a payment.
Miranda and Orellana occasionally worked as money mules for a transnational criminal organization during the winter of 2023-2024. On February 25, 2024, the organization dispatched them to Mitchell to collect the casino funds. The caller who arranged the fraud was not identified, and the casino funds have not been recovered.
This case was investigated by the FBI, the South Dakota DCI, the Mitchell Police Department, and the Corson County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Carl Thunem prosecuted the case.
Miranda and Orellana were immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Omaha Gang Member Sentenced to 220 Months for Fentanyl and Firearm CrimesRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Lesley A. Woods announced that Clifford Wright III, 36, of Omaha, Nebraska, was sentenced on September 10, 2025, in federal court in Omaha for possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and felon in possession of a firearm. Chief United States District Judge Robert F. Rossiter, Jr. sentenced Wright to a total of 197 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After Wright’s release from prison, he will begin a 5-year term of supervised release. Chief Judge Rossiter also sentenced Wright to a consecutive 23 months’ imprisonment for violating his supervised release from a 2021 conviction for being a felon in possession of a firearm.
A jury convicted Wright of the three charges on June 6, 2025, after a seven-day trial. The evidence at trial established Wright, a documented member of the 29th Street Bloods in Omaha, who was observed on surveillance footage at a crowded gas station in north Omaha on October 31, 2022, making apparent hand-to-hand drug transactions from his vehicle. Shots erupted toward the crowded parking lot from across the street and Wright exited his vehicle holding a handgun, but his handgun appeared to malfunction or not fire.
Omaha police identified Wright based upon prior investigations and their knowledge of Wright as a gang member. Wright has two prior convictions in federal court for illegal firearm possession, including the conviction for which he was on supervised release at the time.
Wright was arrested on November 2, 2022. A search of a safe belonging to Wright pursuant to a warrant uncovered approximately 850 fentanyl pills and three loaded handguns, including a 9mm handgun that was visually consistent with the handgun Wright tried to fire at the gas station on October 31, 2022. The 9mm was the only handgun from the safe that had a round in the chamber. Two of the handguns had been reported stolen, including one stolen from the inventory of a federal firearms licensee in Omaha during a burglary.
Review of extracted data from Wright’s cell phone showed that he had been dealing drugs dating back to February 2022, the month after he was most recently released from federal prison. Wright appeared to also be selling cocaine, ecstasy pills, and marijuana, based upon his text messages.
This case was investigated by the Omaha Police Department. An agent from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives also testified as a firearms expert at trial. 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.
Olive Branch Woman Sentenced to Federal Prison for Defrauding Covid-19 Relief Program of over $5,000,000Read the Press Release
Memphis, TN – Lisa Evans, 43, of Olive Branch, Mississippi, has been sentenced to federal prison for defrauding the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), a federal program intended to help small businesses and their employees survive the COVID-19 pandemic, out of over $5,000,000. Joseph C. Murphy, Jr., Interim United States Attorney for the Western District of Tennessee, announced the sentence today.
According to information presented in court, Evans submitted fraudulent PPP loan applications for numerous individuals who were not entitled to PPP loans. The applications Evans submitted contained false representations, including fake federal tax documents. When the individual borrowers obtained the PPP loan funds, they then paid Evans kickbacks of 20 to 30%. The loss to the PPP program was $5,126,258.
Evans was sentenced on September 11, 2025, by United States District Judge Thomas L. Parker to 18 months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release for conspiracy to commit wire fraud. Evans was also ordered to pay $4,400,723 in restitution to the U.S. Small Business Administration.
The case was investigated by the Federal Housing Finance Agency Office of Inspector General, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation Office of Inspector General, the U.S. Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration, the U.S. Small Business Administration Office of Inspector General, and the U.S. Secret Service, Memphis Field Office.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Tony R. Arvin.
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North Platte Man Sentenced to More Than 11 Years for Conspiracy to Distribute MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Lesley A. Woods announced that Michael W. Stroble, 32, of North Platte, Nebraska, was sentenced on September 11, 2025, in federal court in Lincoln for one count of conspiracy to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine actual. United States District Judge Susan M. Bazis sentenced Stroble to 138 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After Stroble’s release from prison, he will begin a 5-year term of supervised release.
Between July 2022 and February 2023, Joey Romero, Jamie Hopkins, Michael Stroble, Luke Schwartz, and others conspired to sell methamphetamine in and around North Platte. The group was responsible for the distribution of pounds of methamphetamine and was subject to multiple controlled buys, search warrants, and arrests.
By January 2023, Stroble and Hopkins were dating, living together, and selling methamphetamine together. On January 17, 2023, a controlled buy of 48 grams of methamphetamine from Schwartz and Stroble occurred less than half a mile from Hopkin’s home. On January 30, 2023, another controlled buy of 36 grams of methamphetamine from Hopkins and Stroble occurred at Hopkins’s home.
A search warrant was served on Hopkins’s residence in North Platte on February 7, 2023. During the search, law enforcement found multiple baggies of methamphetamine to include on a nightstand, a bed, Hopkins’s purse, on the floor, and in the toilet. Law enforcement also found two bongs, 29 pills, owe notes, three scales, spoons with residue, 224 rounds of 9mm ammunition, a box of Winchester .380 ammunition with 23 rounds in it, and empty baggies in the house.
Stroble’s co-defendants were sentenced in 2024. Schwartz was sentenced on September 5, 2024, to 120 months’ imprisonment; Hopkins was sentenced on October 17, 2024, to 120 months’ imprisonment; and Romero was sentenced on December 12, 2024, to 120 months’ imprisonment.
This case was investigated by the CODE Task Force which is made up of law enforcement agencies throughout a 22-county area in west-central/southwest Nebraska and includes the North Platte Police Department, Lexington Police Department, Dawson County Sheriff’s Office, Ogallala Police Department, Nebraska State Patrol, Federal Bureau of Investigation, and Homeland Security Investigations.
Noble Outdoors Associate Sentenced for Lacey Act Violation for 2019 Mule Deer HuntRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Lesley A. Woods announced that Mark Cooper, 73, of North Platte, Nebraska, was sentenced on September 11, 2025, in federal court in Lincoln, Nebraska, for violating the Lacey Act. United States District Judge Susan M. Bazis sentenced Cooper to two years’ probation, a $5,000 fine, and $15,000 restitution. In addition to the sentence imposed, Cooper abandoned a 5 X 5 mule deer taxidermy mount originating from the illegal 2019 mule deer hunt associated with the conviction, three additional mule deer taxidermy mounts and antler sets, and several white-tailed deer antlers. Judge Bazis also ordered that Cooper shall not hunt, fish, trap, guide, outfit, or otherwise associate or be in the field with anyone engaged in those activities for a period of two years.
Enacted 125 years ago, the Lacey Act protects the nation’s wildlife resources by prohibiting wildlife violations that cross state or international borders. A joint investigation conducted by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, Office of Law Enforcement and the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission, Law Enforcement Division determined that Dustin Noble operated a big game guiding and outfitting business from his North Platte residence and provided illegal hunting and guiding services to paying clients, family, and other associates, many from outside the state of Nebraska, between 2015 and 2021. Noble also operated a commercial taxidermy business providing services of converting hides, skins, antlers, and other trophy parts of wildlife into taxidermy mounts. Some of Noble’s taxidermy clients included hunters unlawfully guided by Noble. During those hunts Noble’s friends, associates and clients agreed with Noble to violate Nebraska hunting laws to take wildlife including mule deer and wild turkeys.
The investigation determined that on numerous occasions Cooper, a close associate of Noble, hunted with and on various occasions accompanied Noble while providing guiding services to hunting clients, and assisted Noble transporting raw hides for the Noble Outdoors taxidermy business. On October 31, 2019, Cooper illegally killed an approximately 172-inch 5 X 5 mule deer during the archery deer season in Lincoln County, Nebraska, while accompanied by Noble and two Noble Outdoors clients. Cooper killed the mule deer from a seated position within Noble’s pickup while parked on a public roadway with a center-fire rifle. Under Nebraska state law, hunters are prohibited from possessing firearms or using firearms to hunt deer during the archery season and from shooting from or over a roadway. On November 7, 2019, Cooper delivered a shipment of raw wildlife skins on behalf of Noble Outdoors to a commercial carrier. Cooper delivered the shipment containing numerous wildlife skins knowing the shipment was destined for a fur dressing company in Mount Pleasant, Michigan, and knowing it contained illegally taken wildlife including at least Cooper’s 172-inch mule deer and another trophy-sized mule deer Cooper knew was taken illegally by Noble on October 28, 2019.
The investigation substantiated 114 unlawful hunts conducted and provided by Noble during the course of the conspiracy. Noble’s unlawful activities primarily targeted trophy-sized mule deer, including early season mule deer in velvet antlers. As revealed by extensive evidence obtained during this investigation, Noble’s illegal hunts included the taking of more than 12 species of wildlife, including most notably: 61 mule deer, 33 wild turkeys, 4 pronghorn, 3 white-tailed deer, an American alligator, a timber rattlesnake, and approximately 12 upland game birds, migratory non-game birds, game fish, and furbearing or non-game animals.
This sentencing completes the final prosecution of numerous defendants related to violations committed by Dustin Noble and Noble Outdoors associates and clients between 2015 and 2021. Twenty defendants have been collectively sentenced to 22 months’ imprisonment, 15 years’ probation, 32 years’ hunt/fish/trap restrictions, and ordered to pay more than $275,000 in fines and restitution for state and federal convictions related to this case. The investigation included the seizure and subsequent forfeiture or abandonment of more than 50 trophy wildlife antlers or taxidermy mounts from 27 Noble Outdoors clients or associates.
The operation was a joint investigation conducted by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, Office of Law Enforcement, and the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission, Law Enforcement Division.
Nigerian National Sentenced for Defrauding Colorado Woman in Romance SchemeRead the Press Release
DENVER – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado announces that Adetomiwa Seun Akindele, age 37, a Nigerian national who had been residing in Minnesota prior to his arrest, has been sentenced to 71 months in federal prison, ordered to pay $1,692,945 in restitution, and a forfeiture money judgement in the same amount after pleading guilty to one count of wire fraud and one count of money laundering. Upon serving his sentence, Akindele will be deported to Nigeria.
According to the plea agreement, beginning in January 2018, and continuing until October 2018, Akindele posed as a wealthy Italian American businessman, “Frank Labato,” on a dating website, where he met a widowed Colorado woman. In February 2018, Akindele began emailing the victim, and in March 2018, the two began exchanging telephone calls. During these communications, Akindele provided the victim with additional false details about his personal and work background, images, and photos, to substantiate his fictitious persona of “Frank.” In March 2018, Akindele represented to the victim that he had encountered a financial crisis related to his purported work abroad for which he claimed to need money, funds, and assistance from the victim. At Akindele’s direction, the victim opened a cryptocurrency exchange account, where she eventually wired over $1.6 million dollars as directed by Akindele. From there, Akindele converted the money into various cryptocurrencies, laundered it across multiple crypto exchanges and then converted it back into U.S. dollars and deposited it into his own bank accounts. Akindele fraudulently represented to the victim that he would repay her for the requested “loans” to his business. Over the course of the scheme, Akindele executed three fraudulent “promissory notes” to reassure the victim that she would be repaid.
“This sentence both serves justice to the victim and helps prevent this individual from scamming someone else,” said United States Attorney Peter McNeilly. “This case should be a reminder to the public to be cautious when engaging with people they meet online - especially when those people are asking for money.”
“Romance scammers are relentless and cunning, preying on trust and emotion to exploit victims,” said FBI Denver Special Agent in Charge Mark Michalek. “This was an egregious case, and through relentless investigative work the perpetrator was tracked down and brought to justice.”
United States District Judge Charlotte N. Sweeney presided over the sentencing.
The FBI Denver Field Office conducted the investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Martha A. Paluch handled the prosecution.
Case number: 22-cr-00326-CNS
Newcomb Man Pleads Guilty to Assault with a FirearmRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – A Newcomb man pleaded guilty to federal charges arising out of an altercation.
According to court documents, on February 28, 2025, James Smiley, Jr., 56, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, entered a residence within the boundaries of the Navajo Nation and pointed a firearm at three men while making threats to kill them without provocation.
Smiley pleaded guilty to one count each of assault with a dangerous weapon and using and carrying a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence. At sentencing, Smiley up to life in prison. Upon his release from prison, Smiley will be subject to no less than five years and up to life of supervised release.
Acting U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison and Philip Russell, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today.
The Farmington Resident Agency of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Navajo Police Department and Navajo Department of Criminal Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron O. Jordan is prosecuting the case.
New Orleans Man Indicted for Sexually Abusing Fifteen-Year-Old FemaleRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS – Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson announced that KENDRICK WHITE, SR. (“WHITE”) age 40, a resident of New Orleans, was indicted on September 11, 2025 for sexual abuse, in violation of 18 U.S.C. ' 2242(3) (Count 1), and sexual abuse of a minor, in violation of 18 U.S.C. ' 2243(a) (Count 2).
According to the indictment, on or about November 22, 2023, WHITE, with intent to gratify his sexual desire, knowingly engaged, and attempted to engage, in a sexual act with Minor Victim, a female born in January 2008 and who, at the time, was fifteen years old. WHITE committed the offense within the special maritime and territorial jurisdiction of the United States.
WHITE faces a maximum term of imprisonment of fifteen (15) years as to Count One and a maximum term of life in prison as to Count Two. WHITE also faces a lifetime of supervised release, up to a $250,000 fine, and can be required to register as a sex offender. He also faces payment of a $100 mandatory special assessment fee per count.
Acting U. S. Attorney Simpson reiterated that an indictment is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by United States Attorneys= Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
U.S. Attorney Simpson praised the work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation in investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Jordan Ginsberg, Chief of the Public Integrity Unit, is in charge of the prosecution.
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New Orleans Man Guilty of Possessing Machine Gun and Being Felon in Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson announced that on September 10, 2025, ROY HILTON (“HILTON”), age 26, a resident of New Orleans, pleaded guilty to a two-count indictment charging him in Count 1 with possession of a machine gun, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 922(o) and 924(a)(2), and in Count 2 with felon in possession of a firearm, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 922(o) and 924(a)(2).
U.S. District Judge Susie Morgan will sentence HILTON on January 15, 2026.
According to court documents, on August 20, 2024, the New Orleans Police Department (NOPD), while conducting surveillance in the Hollygrove neighborhood of New Orleans, observed HILTON meeting with other possible gang associates who were in possession of firearms. HILTON himself possessed two firearms with extended magazines tucked into his front waistband. Based on their observations of seeing multiple individuals possessing firearms, when NOPD officers in their vehicles approached them, HILTON ran, chased by police, and ditched a firearm that he previously held. HILTON was apprehended. Officers later located HILTON’s firearm that contained a machine gun conversion device, commonly known as a “Glock switch.” This device converts a semi-automatic weapon into a fully automatic machine gun.
Federal law prohibits convicted felons from possessing firearms. HILTON is a convicted felon, having previously been convicted in Orleans Parish Criminal District Court of possession of cocaine.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the New Orleans Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Brittany Reed of the Violent Crime Unit/Strike Force Unit.
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New Bedford Man Indicted for Possessing Firearm on Foxborough Elementary School GroundsRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A New Bedford man was indicted today by a federal grand jury for allegedly possessing a firearm and ammunition on the grounds of the Charles G. Taylor Elementary School in Foxborough.
Jameel Clark-White, 32, was indicted on one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition, and one count of possessing a firearm in a school zone. He will appear in federal court in Boston at a later date.
According to the indictment, Clark-White allegedly possessed a .45 caliber Glock 41 pistol and 49 rounds of .45 caliber ammunition within 1,000 feet of the Charles G. Taylor Elementary School on June 12, 2025. The indictment also alleges that Clark-White was previously convicted of a felony.
The charge of being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition provides for a sentence of up to 15 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The charge of possessing a firearm in a school zone provides for a sentence of up to five years in prison, up to one year of supervised release and a fine of up to $100,000. 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 Scott Riordan, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, Boston Field Division made the announcement. Valuable assistance was provided by the Foxborough Police Department and the United States Marshals Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney David Cutshall of the Organized Crime & Gang Unit is prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Muscatine Man Sentenced to 58 Months in Federal Prison for Possessing a Firearm as a Felon While on Federal Supervised ReleaseRead the Press Release
DAVENPORT, Iowa – A Muscatine man was sentenced to 58 months in federal prison for possessing a firearm as a felon.
According to public court documents, in May 2024, Robert Owen Knapp, III, 33, fled on foot armed with a pistol, following an attempted traffic stop. Knapp was apprehended and had a pistol in his hand. At the time, Knapp was on federal supervised release due to a 2017 conviction for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Iowa.
After completing his term of imprisonment, Knapp will be required to serve a four-year term of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
Knapp’s supervised release for his prior federal conviction was revoked and the Court sentenced Knapp to a nine-month term of imprisonment, consecutive to the 58-month sentence.
United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. This case was investigated by the Muscatine County Sheriff’s Office.
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.
Morgan County Man Sentenced for Firearms ViolationRead the Press Release
MARTINSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Remington Colt Arnold, 34, of Berkeley Springs, West Virginia, was sentenced today to 30 months in prison for the unlawful possession of a firearm.
According to court documents and statements made in court, West Virginia State Police were serving a parole violation warrant on Arnold at a home. The homeowner allowed officers inside, where officers found Arnold asleep with a pistol nearby. Following Arnold’s arrest, a search resulted in a seizure of a backpack containing ammunition. Arnold is prohibited from having firearms because of prior assault and grand larceny convictions.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Eleanor Hurney prosecuted the cases on behalf of the government.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the West Virginia State Police.
U.S. District Judge Gina M. Groh presided.
Montgomery County Woman Pleads Guilty to Scheme That Defrauded FEMA of over $1.5 Million in Hurricane Ida Disaster BenefitsRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that Jasmine Williams, 34, of Plymouth Meeting, Pennsylvania, entered a plea of guilty before United States District Judge Kelley Brisbon Hodge yesterday to one count of fraud related to a major disaster declaration, 24 counts of wire fraud, and seven counts of mail fraud, arising from a scheme to defraud the Federal Emergency Management Agency (“FEMA”) in the wake of Hurricane Ida.
Williams was charged by indictment with those offenses in April of last year.
As presented in court filings, in September 2021, President Joseph R. Biden issued a major disaster declaration for much of the eastern part of Pennsylvania, after the remnants of Hurricane Ida struck the Commonwealth. This declaration authorized FEMA to provide financial assistance to residents whose homes and properties were damaged by the hurricane.
As further detailed in court filings and admitted to by the defendant, Williams recruited others over social media, advertising that she could assist them in applying for FEMA benefits. Williams then submitted fraudulent documents to FEMA on behalf of dozens of others, including fraudulent leases, letters from landlords, utility bills, earning statements, and home repair estimates. In exchange, Williams collected half of the payout for herself. In total, the government calculates that FEMA paid over $1,500,000 in assistance based on false representations made by Williams.
Williams is scheduled to be sentenced on January 12, 2026.
This case was investigated by the Department of Homeland Security Office of Inspector General, with assistance from FEMA Fraud Prevention and Investigations, and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Ruth Mandelbaum and S. Chandler Harris.
Minnesota Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Harboring FugitiveRead the Press Release
A Minnesota man who harbored and concealed a fugitive in 2022 was sentenced today to nine months in federal prison. Jay Anthony Tapper, age 57, from Rosemount, Minnesota, received the prison term after a May 13, 2025, guilty plea to one count of harboring a fugitive.
At his plea and sentencing hearings, it was established that, in August and September of 2022, Tapper knew there was a federal warrant outstanding for the arrest of Mary Kate Nguyen. Tapper booked hotels for Nguyen in his own name, bought her a camper in which to stay, and served as a lookout during a meeting with a potential fraud victim. Tapper intended to prevent Nguyen’s discovery and arrest on then-pending felony charges.
During the time Nguyen was on the lam in 2022, Tapper and Nguyen submitted the winning $1.3 million bid to purchase the former U.S. Courthouse in Bemidji, Minnesota. Tapper later continued to have telephone calls with Nguyen while she was incarcerated, helping her with financial transactions.
U.S. Marshals ultimately arrested Nguyen, and she was sentenced to ten years’ imprisonment on fraud and contempt charges in January 2025. Tapper also admitted he made false statements to, and withheld documents from, a grand jury that was investigating Nguyen for financial crimes in 2022.
Tapper was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand. Tapper was sentenced to 9 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a two-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
Tapper was released on the bond previously set and is to surrender to the Bureau of Prisons on a date yet to be set. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Timothy L. Vavricek and was investigated by the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation-Special Enforcement Operations Bureau. The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Investigation, Woodbury (Minnesota) Police Department, U.S. Marshal’s Service, Sioux County Sheriff’s Office, Iowa State Patrol, Minnesota Department of Public Safety, Alcohol and Gambling Enforcement, and Iowa Division of Intelligence assisted in the investigation.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file numbers are 25-CR-4024 (Tapper) and 21-CR-3037 (Nguyen).
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Mexico Residents – Brother and Sister – Sentenced to Prison for Kidnapping Victim in Mexico Then Coming to U.S. to Collect RansomRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – A brother and sister from Rosarito, Mexico, have been sentenced to federal prison terms for their roles in a kidnapping and ransom scheme in which the brother pretended to act as an intermediary between the victim’s family and the kidnappers while his son and sister crossed the border into the United States to collect the ransom money, the Justice Department announced today.
Mario Alex Medina, 55, a.k.a. “Shyboy,” was sentenced Monday by United States District Judge Stephen V. Wilson to 25 years in federal prison and was ordered to pay $30,000 in restitution.
Judge Wilson on Monday also sentenced María Alejandra Medina, 52, a U.S. citizen living in Mexico, to eight years in federal prison and ordered her to pay $30,000 in restitution.
At the conclusion of a four-day trial in October 2024, a jury found both Medina siblings guilty of one count of conspiracy to commit hostage taking and one count of conspiracy to demand a ransom payment. The jury also found Mario Medina guilty of one count of making a foreign communication with intent to extort.
On November 5, 2022, Mario Medina directed and helped accomplices break into the house of a neighbor, identified in court documents as “R.V.,” kidnapping the victim at gunpoint, pistol whipping him and firing a gun near his head. The next day, one of the co-conspirators placed a ransom call to the victim’s family in Los Angeles County and demanded $70,000 for his release. The kidnappers, through WhatsApp, also sent a video of the victim being beaten.
On November 10, 2022, an accomplice called R.V.’s family and threatened to kill R.V. if his family did not pay $30,000. Later that day, Mario Medina – pretending to be an intermediary between R.V.’s family and the hostage takers – told the victim’s family to meet at a McDonald’s restaurant in San Ysidro, located north of the U.S.-Mexico border, to make the ransom payment.
José Salud Medina, 32, a.k.a. “Gordo,” who is Mario Medina’s son and María Medina’s nephew, and María Medina met the victim’s family the next day at the McDonald’s restaurant, collected the $30,000 ransom payment from the victim’s family, and took the money back to Mexico.
The hostage takers on November 11, 2022, then left R.V. tied up and alone in a small, subterranean trench, where Mexican law enforcement rescued him later that day.
José Salud Medina is in Mexican custody on unrelated charges. He is expected to be tried separately in this case, in which he is charged with one count of conspiracy to commit hostage taking, one count of conspiracy to demand a ransom payment, and one count of making a foreign communication with intent to extort.
The FBI investigated this matter.
Assistant United States Attorneys Jena A. MacCabe and Derek R. Flores of the Major Crimes Section, and Michael J. Morse of the Public Corruption and Civil Rights Section prosecuted this case.
Mexican National Charged for Possessing over 13,000 Rounds of AmmunitionRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – A Mexican national is facing federal charges for allegedly possessing almost 14,000 rounds of ammunition found during a routine traffic stop.
According to court documents, on August 14, 2025, an officer from Las Cruces Metro Narcotics conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle driven by Luis Carlos Martinez Monge, a Mexican national, for speeding, and found 699 boxes of ammunition concealed within the vehicle. Monge admitted to transporting the ammunition for an acquaintance, receiving $1,600 for expenses and agreeing to an additional $200 per box. He acknowledged that, as a nonimmigrant tourist, transporting ammunition was unlawful and that he hid the boxes. A total of 13,980 rounds, a vehicle, and $1,340 were seized.
Monge is charged with being an alien in possession of ammunition and will remain in custody pending trial, which has not yet been scheduled. If convicted, Monge faces up to 15 years’ imprisonment.
Acting U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison and Jason T. Stevens, Special Agent in Charge of HSI El Paso, made the announcement today.
Homeland Security Investigations El Paso investigated this case with assistance from Las Cruces Metro Narcotics and the Las Cruces Resident Agency of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Saltman is prosecuting the case.
View the Criminal Complaint (Monge).pdfA criminal complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Memphis Company Pleads Guilty to Clean Air Act ViolationsRead the Press Release
Memphis, TN – P.T. Services, Inc., a Memphis company that specialized in repairing diesel engines has entered a guilty plea and agreed to pay a fine in connection with violations of the Clean Air Act. Interim United States Attorney Joseph C. Murphy, Jr. announced the guilty plea today.
According to an information filed in the United States District Court for the Western District of Tennessee, P.T. Services, Inc. modified and deleted emissions control monitoring devices from diesel engines. Under provisions of the Clean Air Act, it is a crime to falsify, tamper with, and render inaccurate emissions control monitoring devices. The plea was entered by a representative of P.T. Services, Inc. before United States Magistrate Judge Charmiane Claxton. Under the terms of the plea agreement, the company agreed to pay a fine of $150,000.00.
The case was investigated by agents with the Environmental Protection Agency and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Assistant United States Attorney Carroll L. André III, for the Western District of Tennessee, is prosecuting the case.
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Medical Device Company Exactech, Inc. Agrees to Pay $8 Million for Selling Allegedly Defective Knee Implant DevicesRead the Press Release
BIRMINGHAM, Alabama - Exactech Inc., a medical device company based in Gainesville, Florida, has agreed to pay $8 million to resolve allegations that the company violated the federal False Claims Act by knowingly submitting or causing the submission of false claims for payment to Medicare, Medicaid, and the United States Department of Veterans Affairs in connection with defective knee replacement devices.
The settlement relates to two separate components of Exactech’s total knee replacement systems. First, the settlement resolves allegations that as early as January 2008, Exactech was aware that its finned tibial tray (a metal component of its knee replacement system that fits into a patient’s tibia) failed prematurely at a higher than acceptable rate and therefore was not reasonable and necessary for use during total-knee replacement surgeries performed on Medicare, Medicaid, and VA beneficiaries. Exactech nonetheless continued to market and sell that component for surgeries between January 1, 2008, and December 31, 2018. Second, the settlement also resolves allegations that, as early as January 2019, Exactech was aware that the polyethylene component in certain Logic and Truliant knee replacement systems failed prematurely at a higher than acceptable rate and therefore was not reasonable and necessary for use during total-knee replacement surgeries performed on government beneficiaries. Exactech nonetheless continued to market and sell the Logic and Truliant knee systems with these defective polyethylene components for use during total-knee replacement surgeries between January 1, 2019, and February 7, 2022.
“Today’s resolution reaffirms our commitment to protect the health and safety of patients,” said Prim F. Escalona, U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Alabama. “Medical device manufacturers must ensure their medical devices, which may be implanted in patients’ bodies, meet the necessary standards of safety and effectiveness at all times.”
“Patients who need a medical device to enjoy their lives rely on device manufacturers to put patient safety first. When a manufacturer learns that its device is defective, it must promptly and transparently address the problem,” Hayes said. “We will hold companies accountable who knowingly sell defective devices.”
Under the terms of the settlement, Exactech will pay a total of $8 million, of which $7,640,000 is the federal share. The states will enter into separate agreements with Exactech relating to the $360,000 state share. The settlement is based on Exactech’s financial condition.
The civil settlement includes the resolution of claims brought under the qui tam or whistleblower provisions of the False Claims Act by Brooks Wallace, Robert Farley and Dr. Manuel Fuentes in a case captioned United States ex rel. Wallace v. Exactech, Inc., No. 7:18-cv-1010 (N.D. Ala.) (the “Alabama Action”) and by Dr. Pasquale Petrera in a case captioned United States ex rel. Petrera v. Exactech, Inc., Civil No. 21-3325-SAG (D. Md.) (the “Maryland Action”). Under those provisions, a private party can file an action on behalf of the United States and receive a portion of any recovery. The settlement in this case provides for the Alabama whistleblowers to receive a $1,329,360 share of the settlement amount and the Maryland whistleblower to receive a $565,360 share of the settlement amount.
The resolution obtained in this matter was the result of a coordinated effort between the Justice Department’s Civil Division, Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section, and the United States Attorney’s Offices for the Northern District of Alabama and the District of Maryland, with assistance from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General.
The investigation and resolution of this matter illustrates the United States’ emphasis on combating health care fraud. One of the most powerful tools in this effort is the False Claims Act. Tips and complaints from all sources about potential fraud, waste, abuse, and mismanagement can be reported to the Department of Health and Human Services at 800-HHS-TIPS (800-447-8477).
The matter was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Don Long in the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Alabama, Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Haven in the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland, and Senior Trial Counsel Michael Hoffman of the Civil Division’s Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section.
The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only. There has been no determination of liability.
Man Pleads Guilty to Conspiring to Act as Illegal Agent of the Chinese Government in the United StatesRead the Press Release
Yuanjun Tang, 68, a naturalized citizen of the United States and resident of Flushing, Queens, pleaded guilty today to conspiring to act in the United States as an unregistered agent of the People’s Republic of China (PRC).
According to court documents, Tang is a former PRC citizen who was imprisoned in the PRC for his activities as a dissident opposing the one-party authoritarian political system controlled by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), the PRC’s sole ruling party, including during the 1989 Tiananmen Square demonstrations. In 2002, Tang defected to Taiwan, and he was subsequently granted political asylum in the United States. He has since resided continuously in New York City, where he has regularly participated in events with fellow PRC dissidents and leads a nonprofit dedicated to promoting democracy in China.
Between at least 2018 and June 2023, Tang acted in the United States as an agent of the PRC by gathering information and completing tasks at the direction of the PRC’s Ministry of State Security (MSS), which is the PRC’s principal civilian intelligence agency. The MSS is responsible for, among other things, the PRC’s foreign intelligence, counterintelligence, espionage, and political security functions.
Specifically, Tang regularly received instructions from and reported to an MSS intelligence officer regarding individuals and groups viewed by the PRC as potentially adverse to the PRC’s interests, including prominent U.S.-based Chinese democracy activists and dissidents. This included providing the MSS information about specific individuals identified by the MSS as persons of interest, as well as naming, photographing, and recording individuals participating in pro-democracy activities in the U.S. Tang provided the MSS a range of additional information, such as contact information belonging to immigration lawyers based in New York City and details about the process for gaining political asylum in the United States.
Tang accepted monetary payments for his work and traveled at least three times to Macau and mainland China for face-to-face meetings with MSS intelligence officers, during which he submitted to polygraphs and questioning. During one of these meetings, he allowed the MSS to install an application on one of his cellphones to facilitate the instantaneous transmission of photographs and other information from his phone to the MSS and accepted a laptop for use in communicating with the MSS.
Tang used a large number of electronic devices and online services to collect or transmit information on behalf of the MSS. Law enforcement agents recovered specific instructions Tang received from the MSS, including via encrypted methods, as well as photographs, videos, and documents that Tang collected or created for transmission to the MSS. Tang not only provided the MSS information about specific individuals and events but also helped the MSS infiltrate a group chat on an encrypted messaging application used by numerous U.S.-based PRC dissidents and pro-democracy activists to communicate about pro-democracy issues and express criticism of the PRC government.
Tang pleaded guilty to one count of conspiring to act as an agent of a foreign government without notifying the Attorney General, which carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison. Sentencing is scheduled for Jan. 29, 2026. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The FBI New York Field Office is investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jane Yumi Chong for the Southern District of New York and Trial Attorney Sean O’Dowd of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section are prosecuting the case.
Members of Transnational Fraud Organization Sentenced to Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA - Jerelle George William Jones, 29, of Jersey City, New Jersey, and Quint Gasque, 48, of Charlotte, North Carolina, were sentenced yesterday to nine and a half years and six years in federal prison, respectively, after previously pleading guilty to conspiracy to commit bank fraud, bank fraud, aggravated identity theft, and forgery or false use of a passport. The sentences were announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “These defendants engaged in a sophisticated scheme to enrich themselves by defrauding financial institutions using stolen identities, but thanks to the outstanding investigative work of our local and federal law enforcement partners their scheme has been dismantled. My office will continue to aggressively prosecute these types of crimes to protect the members of our community from fraudsters like these defendants.”
According to court records, in February 2024, Gasque was recruited by Jones and others to help commit a fraud scheme to obtain money from customer accounts at financial institutions. The scheme involved Gasque falsely impersonating bank customers and presenting fraudulent identification—including counterfeit U.S. passport cards—at several banks and credit unions located throughout the southeastern United States. Jones, Gasque, and others fraudulently obtained $2,600 at a financial institution in Escambia County, and fraudulently obtained, and attempted to obtain, more than $10,000 from multiple branches of a financial institution in Tallahassee.
On March 11, 2024, Gasque was caught by bank employees in Tallahassee who called the Tallahassee Police Department. They reported that Gasque, who was impersonating an elderly bank customer, was attempting to fraudulently withdraw funds from the customer’s account. An investigation revealed that the group traveled from the Carolinas through Florida, Georgia, and Alabama to commit the scheme to defraud at various financial institutions. A search of Jones’s cellular phone contained hundreds of images of other counterfeit driver’s licenses and U.S. passport cards, social security cards, checks, and debit cards.
“This case is yet another example of the relentless work of the men and women of the Tallahassee Police Department, in partnership with our federal counterparts, to protect our community and remove those who seek to exploit it,” said Chief Lawrence Revell of the Tallahassee Police Department. “Thanks to the skill and determination of our investigators and all involved, we shut down a counterfeit operation that was targeting Tallahassee and the southern region.”
“The Diplomatic Security Service (DSS) is dedicated to identifying and investigating passport fraud and pursing criminals who exploit false identities to undermine national security and defraud victims,” said DSS Miami Field Office Acting Special Agent in Charge Ryan McSeveney. “Protecting the integrity of U.S. passports and passport cards is vital to our nation’s security. Financial fraud tied to identity theft can devastate victims, causing severe economic loss and long-term harm. This investigation underscores DSS’s commitment to securing the U.S. travel system and shielding individuals from these crimes.”
Both defendants’ terms of imprisonment will be followed by a five-year term of supervised release. The defendants were ordered to pay restitution to their victims.
The conviction and sentence were the result of a joint investigation by the Tallahassee Police Department and the U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Justin M. Keen.
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.
Little Eagle Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Committing Child AbuseRead the Press Release
ABERDEEN - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Charles B. Kornmann has sentenced a man from Little Eagle, South Dakota, convicted of Child Abuse. The sentencing took place on September 15, 2025.
Leslie Gerald Bobtail Bear, age 27, was sentenced to nine months in federal prison, followed by two years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Bobtail Bear was indicted by a federal grand jury in March 2024. He pleaded guilty on June 16, 2025.
The conviction stems from conduct that occurred between May 12, 2023, and November 21, 2024, when Bobtail Bear and his romantic partner severely neglected their baby, leading to the child’s emergency hospitalization. The conduct occurred in Corson County, South Dakota, within the Standing Rock Sioux Indian Reservation.
This matter was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office because the Major Crimes Act, a federal statute, authorizes certain crimes alleged to have occurred in Indian country to be prosecuted in federal court as opposed to State court.
This case was investigated by the FBI. Assistant U.S. Attorney Carl Thunem prosecuted the case.
Bobtail Bear was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Lawrence Men Charged with Manufacturing Counterfeit PillsRead the Press Release
BOSTON – Two Lawrence men were charged yesterday in connection with an investigation targeting a drug manufacturing ring. Over 18 kilograms of suspected controlled substances and a pill press were recovered during searches.
Jose Vasquez Lantigua, 47, and Manuel Santana-Soto, 35, both of Lawrence, Mass., were each charged with one count of conspiracy to manufacture, distribute and possess with intent to distribute and manufacture controlled substances, and one count of manufacture and possession of controlled substances with intent to manufacture and distribute. Lantigua and Santana-Soto were both arrested and charged in state court on Aug. 28, 2025, along with a third alleged co-conspirator, Joshua Morales. Morales was charged with federal drug offenses in connection with this case on Aug. 29, 2025 and remains in federal custody. Lantigua and Santana-Soto remain in state custody and will appear in federal court in Boston at a later date.
According to the charging documents, Morales was observed entering and leaving a known drug distribution and manufacturing location inside a third-floor apartment in Methuen. It is alleged that Morales then drove to a location in Lawrence, where he was detained. During a search of Morales’ vehicle, 10,000 counterfeit Percocet pills believed to contain fentanyl were allegedly recovered.
During a search of the residence in Methuen, fresh footprints in powders believed to be controlled substances were observed upon entry into the premises. Those footprints led down an interior staircase to the second-floor apartment, where Lantigua and Santana-Soto were allegedly encountered. Lantigua and Santana-Soto were allegedly observed to be wearing flip flops with soles that matched the powdered footprints. According to the charging documents, Lantigua and Santana-Soto are believed to had fled the third-floor unit and broken into the second-floor unit of another tenant before officers made entry.
During the search of the third-floor apartment, an automated pill press was allegedly located, along with multiple kilograms of counterfeit Adderall and Percocet pills believed to contain fentanyl and methamphetamine. Numerous implements used in the pill manufacturing process, including cutting agents, blenders, scales, bowls and bags full of suspected fentanyl and methamphetamine powders and binding agents were also located.
The charge of conspiracy to manufacture, distribute, and possess a controlled substance with intent to distribute or manufacture, provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, at least three years and up to life of supervised release and a fine of up to $1 million. The charge of manufacturing and possessing a controlled substance with intent to distribute or manufacture provides for a maximum penalty of up to 20 years, at least three years and up to life of supervised release and a fine of up to $1 million. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Ted E. Docks, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; Colonel Geoffrey D. Noble, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police; and Methuen Police Chief Scott J. McNamara made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco & Firearms; the Drug Enforcement Administration; the Essex and Middlesex County District Attorney’s Offices; the Suffolk County Sheriff’s Office; and the Lynn, Medford and Peabody Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorney Philip A. Mallard of the Organized Crime & Gang Unit is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces and Project Safe Neighborhood.
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.
Kaukauna Man Sentenced to Federal Prison and Ordered to Forfeit over $140,000 After Drug Trafficking ConvictionRead the Press Release
Richard G. Frohling, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, announced that on September 15, 2025, John R. Sloan (age: 58), formerly of Kaukauna, Wisconsin, was sentenced to 150 months in federal prison for possessing with the intent to distribute methamphetamine.
According to court records, in August 2024, investigators with the Lake Winnebago Area Metropolitan Enforcement Group – Drug Unit (“LWAM”) searched Sloan’s vehicle, residence, and multiple storage units. In total, investigators seized over 7 pounds of methamphetamine, over $140,000 cash, four firearms, and a vehicle. Sloan later admitted to obtaining large quantities of methamphetamine from a source of supply in California. He further admitted to distributing more than 20 pounds of methamphetamine in the Fox Valley area.
Sloan has over 40 prior criminal convictions dating back to 1985. At the time of the offense, Sloan was on state supervision for a distribution of methamphetamine conviction.
In addition to the prison term, Senior United States District Judge William C. Griesbach ordered Sloan to forfeit to the government $142,190, three handguns, a shotgun, and a 2016 Dodge Challenger.
This case was investigated by LWAM, with assistance from the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and Wisconsin Department of Justice – Division of Criminal Investigation (DCI). It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Alex Duros.
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Justice Department Sues Rhode Island Department of Education and Providence Public School District for Racial Discrimination Against TeachersRead the Press Release
The Department of Justice filed a lawsuit today against the Rhode Island Department of Education (RIDE) and the Providence Public School District (PPSD) over their “Educators of Color Loan Forgiveness Program” (Program) through which new PPSD teachers who identify as “teachers of color” can receive up to $25,000 in student loan forgiveness while only white teachers are excluded from the Program.
In its complaint, the United States alleges that RIDE and PPSD established the Program in 2021, in partnership with the Rhode Island Foundation (RIF), a publicly supported non-profit organization, to provide $3,175,000 in student loan forgiveness to “teachers of color” over at least five years. The Program is described as an “incentive” to “encourage teachers of color” to teach at PPSD and obliges PPSD to “recruit and retain up to 127 teachers of color” during that period. Under the Program, “Teachers of color” includes teachers “who identify as Black, Hispanic, Asian, American Indian, and/or 2 or more races” and excludes only white teachers. In its complaint, the United States alleges that this race-based exclusion is a pattern or practice of discrimination of PPSD teachers who do not identify as “teachers of color” in violation of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended. The complaint asks the court to declare that the Program discriminates on the basis of race, to enter a permanent injunction against RIDE and PPSD stopping them from implementing the Program or any similar race-based program, and to award equitable relief to PPSD teachers who were not eligible for the Program solely because of their race.
“While assisting new teachers in paying off their student loans may be a worthy cause, such a benefit of employment simply cannot be granted or withheld on the basis of the teachers’ race,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department's Civil Rights Division. “We will not tolerate such plainly prohibited discrimination in employment.”
This case stems from an investigation launched by the Employment Litigation Section of the Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division.
You can view the complaint here.
Justice Department Sues Oregon and Maine for Failure to Provide Voter Registration RollsRead the Press Release
Today, the Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division sued the states of Oregon and Maine, and their respective Secretaries of State, for failing to provide information regarding voter list maintenance procedures and electronic copies of statewide voter registration lists.
“States simply cannot pick and choose which federal laws they will comply with, including our voting laws, which ensure that all American citizens have equal access to the ballot in federal elections,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “American citizens have a right to feel confident in the integrity of our electoral process, and the refusal of certain states to protect their citizens against vote dilution will result in legal consequences.”
The lawsuit against Oregon alleges that Oregon and its Secretary of State Tobias Read violated the National Voter Registration Act (NVRA), the Help America Vote Act (HAVA), and the Civil Rights Act of 1960 (CRA) by refusing to produce the current unredacted electronic copy of the state’s voter registration list, to provide information on the state’s voter list maintenance program, and to disclose registration information for any ineligible voters.
The lawsuit against Maine alleges that Maine and its Secretary of State Shenna Bellows violated the NVRA, HAVA, and CRA by refusing to provide data regarding the removal of ineligible individuals and to produce an unredacted, computerized state voter registration list.
Yet both states gave identical information requested by the Justice Department to a private organization.
Justice Department Secures Denaturalization of Maryland Man Who Repeatedly Raped Minor VictimRead the Press Release
On September 15, a U.S. District Court in Maryland granted a Justice Department motion for judgment revoking the naturalization of convicted sex offender Jorge Antonio Graciano Lara. The government sued in November 2024 to strip Graciano Lara of his U.S. citizenship, based on his September 2017 conviction for second degree rape. Graciano Lara had pleaded guilty in Maryland state court to having vaginal intercourse with a minor, who was under 14 years old at the time. Indeed, Graciano Lara repeatedly had sexual intercourse with the victim over the course of a four-year period. Graciano Lara threatened his victim so that she would not disclose his abuse.
The Court found the government met its burden to show that Graciano Lara had lacked the requisite good moral character to naturalize due to his crimes, that he had provided false testimony for the purpose of obtaining an immigration benefit, and that he procured his naturalization by concealment of a material fact or by willful misrepresentation.
“American citizenship is a sacred privilege that this monster should never have obtained,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “This Department of Justice will continue working to denaturalize criminals like these who lie about their past actions to take advantage of our immigration system.”
“Sex offenders who try to naturalize by hiding their unlawful acts from immigration officials must learn that if the United States finds out, the government will come after their citizenship,” said Assistant Attorney General Brett A. Shumate of the Justice Department’s Civil Division.
The case was investigated as part of Operation Prison Lookout, an ongoing national initiative involving the Justice Department and ICE to identify and prosecute sex offenders who have fraudulently obtained United States citizenship. This case was prosecuted by Trial Attorney Bradley M. Brinkman of the Justice Department’s Office of Immigration Litigation, General Litigation and Appeals Section, Affirmative Litigation Unit, with assistance from HSI and ICE’s Office of the Principal Legal Advisor.
Justice Department Files Motion for Summary Judgment in Challenge to Vermont’s “Climate Superfund” LawRead the Press Release
Note: View motion here.
The Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division (ENRD) yesterday filed a motion for summary judgment in its challenge to the State of Vermont’s “climate superfund” law, which imposes what will likely be billions of dollars in liability on foreign and domestic energy companies for their alleged past contributions to climate change. The complaint was filed in May, along with a complaint against the State of New York for its similar statute, to advance President Donald J. Trump’s executive order to protect American energy from state overreach.
As the Justice Department explains in its motion, “Vermont is defying federal law, the Constitution, and binding precedent—all so it can punish disfavored businesses for ill-defined harms, without regard to the real harm to our federal system and the Nation’s energy needs.” The motion asks the court to “end Vermont’s lawless experiment.”
“Like New York, Vermont is usurping the federal government’s exclusive authority over nationwide and global greenhouse gas emissions,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Adam Gustafson of ENRD. “More than that, Vermont’s flagrantly unconstitutional statute threatens to throttle energy production, despite this Administration’s efforts to unleash American energy. It’s high time for the courts to put a stop to this crippling state overreach.”
Chief of Staff and Senior General Counsel John Adams and Counsel to the Assistant Attorney General Riley Walters of ENRD filed the motion.
Motion for Summary Judgment - Vermont.pdfJury finds previous sex offender guilty of coercion and child pornography chargesRead the Press Release
BILLINGS – A previous sex offender from Billings who attempted to obtain nude photos from a person he was thought was 12 years old was found guilty by a federal jury today, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.
Following a one-and-a-half-day trial, Steven Dwayne Scott, 51, was found guilty of one count of attempted coercion and enticement and one count of possession of child pornography. Scott faces 10 years to lifetime imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and 5 years to a lifetime of supervised release on both counts of conviction.
U.S. District Judge Susan P. Watters presided and will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Sentencing was set for January 8, 2026. Scott was detained pending further proceedings.
The government alleged in court documents and at trial that in March 2024, law enforcement, acting in an undercover capacity and posing as a 12-year-old juvenile female, electronically reached out to Scott on Facebook. Scott accepted the invite and the two parties began conversing. The communications eventually transitioned to KIK.
The communications lasted from roughly March 7, 2024, until May 28, 2024. During the chats, Scott was put on notice of the “child’s” age, indicated he should not be talking to her yet continued, and sought pictures of her, including nude pictures. On May 21, 2024, Scott sent the “child” images of a gift card and payment for possible nude images from her. Scott provided instructions to the undercover officer as to the best way to verify money was on the card. Thereafter, on May 27, 2024, Scott sent a $25 Amazon gift card to the “child,” again for the purpose of obtaining images from the child. The last communication law enforcement received from Scott was on May 28, 2024.
When law enforcement reached out to Scott, he was a registered sex offender as a result of a 1997 conviction for Sexual Abuse of a Minor, issued in the United States District Court for the District of South Dakota.
Finally, in 2018 Scott corresponded with multiple juvenile females online. One of those children was Jane Doe 1. A law enforcement investigation stemming from Jane Doe 1’s disclosure led to a search warrant of Scott’s Snapchat account and the discovery of his interest in juvenile females. Sexually explicit images of Jane Doe 2 were discovered on Scott’s Snapchat account.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Zeno Baucus prosecuted the case. The investigation was conducted by the FBI.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit Justice.gov/PSC.
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Jefferson County man sentenced to federal prison in connection with postal carjackingRead the Press Release
BEAUMONT, Texas – A Beaumont man has been sentenced to federal prison for a carjacking offense in the Eastern District of Texas, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs.
Jody Lee Bass, 35, pleaded guilty to carjacking and was sentenced to 78 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Marcia A. Crone on September 16, 2025.
According to information presented in court, on June 8, 2024, Bass approached a mail carrier with the U.S. Postal Service on Avenue F in Beaumont. Bass used a knife to rob the mail carrier of the USPS mail delivery truck while the victim was delivering mail on his route. Bass grabbed the mail carrier and attempted to stab him. The mail carrier escaped, and Bass drove off with the mail truck before abandoning it nearby. Local law enforcement responded and found Bass hiding in the area.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Beaumont Police Department. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney John B. Ross.
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Iowa City Man Sentenced to 27 Months in Federal Prison for Possessing Ammunition as a FelonRead the Press Release
DAVENPORT, Iowa – An Iowa City man was sentenced to 27 months in federal prison for being a felon in possession of ammunition.
According to public court documents, in May 2024, Alfred Washington, Jr., 46, possessed ammunition as a felon. A receipt for shooting accessories was found during the search warrant at Washington’s Iowa City residence and videos showing Washington at a gun range were found on Washington’s phone. Washington is prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition because he is felon, including a 2018 conviction for possessing a firearm as a felon and domestic abuser in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Iowa.
After completing his term of imprisonment, Washington 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 Iowa City Police Department.
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.
Iowa City Man Sentenced to 168 Months in Federal Prison for Receipt of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
DAVENPORT, Iowa – An Iowa City man was sentenced on September 15, 2025, to 168 months in federal prison for Receipt of Child Pornography.
According to public court documents and evidence presented at sentencing, during a 2023 investigation, an account, later determined to be associated with Jeffrey Alan Guentert, 57, downloaded files containing child sexual abuse material. Law enforcement seized 87 electronic devices during a search of Guentert’s Iowa City residence and place of employment. Guentert was a city employee. A forensic examination of the seized electronic devices showed that Guentert used at least 44 of the devices to receive, view, and possess images and videos containing child sexual abuse material, including more than 5000 images and 1500 videos, between 2019 and 2023.
After completing his term of imprisonment, Guentert will be required to serve a five-year term of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system. Guentert was also ordered to pay $100,000 in restitution.
United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. This case was investigated by the Johnson County Joint Forensic Analysis Cyber Team and the Johnson County Sheriff’s Office.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
Indiana Repeat Sex Offender Sentenced to 40 Years in Federal Prison for Producing Child Sexual Abuse ImagesRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – U.S. District Judge Wendy W. Berger today sentenced Jerry Michael Moore (42, Indiana) to 40 years in federal prison, followed by a lifetime of supervised release, for production and attempted production of child sexual abuse materials after previously being convicted of a child sex offense. Moore pleaded guilty on June 12, 2025.
According to court documents, on January 30, 2025, at the Jacksonville Port Authority (JAXPORT) Cruise Terminal, U.S. Customs and Border Protection Officers searched Moore as he returned to the United States from a cruise, because Moore had previously been convicted of sexual misconduct with a minor in 2007 in Indiana. During the examination of Moore, officers learned that Moore had a cellphone with him. A manual review of Moore’s cellphone revealed multiple surreptitious video files of what appeared to be a minor female child to whom Moore had access stored within a “hidden” folder of the photo gallery. A special agent with Homeland Security Investigations later responded to the JAXPORT Cruise Terminal and confirmed the child sexual abuse materials on the device.
Moore agreed to speak with law enforcement and admitted to using multiple hidden cameras, including his cellphone, to secretly record the child to whom he had access. Moore used a hidden camera to record the child through a crawl space of a residence to access the inside of a shower through the wall. Further examination of Moore’s cellphone revealed additional surreptitious recordings of the child.
This case was investigated by United States Customs and Border Protection Officers and Homeland Security Investigations. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ashley Washington.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Indiana Man Arrested in Connection with Sending Threat Involving the Naval Academy on a Social Media AppRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – Federal law enforcement arrested Jackson Fleming, 23, of Chesterton, Indiana, on suspicion of sending an online threat through a social media application connected to the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland, on September 11, 2025. A magistrate judge approved a complaint charging Fleming with one count of transmitting a threat in interstate communication in the Northern District of Indiana. Authorities arrested Fleming on September 12, in Indiana. He made his initial appearance in the Northern District of Indiana on September 15.
Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, and M. Scott Proctor, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Indiana, announced the arrest with Special Agent in Charge William J. DelBagno, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) – Baltimore Field Office, and Special Agent in Charge Timothy J. O’Malley, FBI – Indianapolis Field Office.
A complaint is not evidence of guilt and is a temporary charge that must be followed by information or an indictment that formally brings federal charges. If formally charged, Fleming faces a maximum of five years in federal prison.
U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the FBI for its work in the investigation. Additionally, Ms. Hayes praised the Porter County Sheriff’s Office, the Naval Criminal Investigative Service, and the United States Naval Academy for their assistance with the investigation. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Francis Sohn, who is prosecuting this case, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert I. Goldaris, who is providing valuable assistance to this case.
For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit justice.gov/usao-md and justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.
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Illegal alien indicted for child sexual assault material offensesRead the Press Release
LAREDO, Texas – A 28-year-old Mexican national who illegally resided in Laredo has been charged with possession, receipt and distribution of child pornography, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
Originally charged by criminal complaint Aug. 21, Alfredo Gutierrez-Cantu remains in custody pending further criminal proceedings. He is expected to make an appearance on the charges contained in the indictment in the near future before a U.S. magistrate judge in Laredo.
According to the charges, Gutierrez-Cantu came to the attention of law enforcement upon discovery of a Google account linked to a Laredo address containing child sexual assault material (CSAM). Gutierrez-Cantu was allegedly the owner of the Google account and resided at the location.
The charges allege he would visit group chats where weblinks directed him towards a site with approximately 500 CSAM files.
Authorities executed a search warrant and seized several electronic devices which allegedly contained several CSAM images and videos. One video depicted three minors engaged in sexual acts which he “forgot to delete” because he was too busy, according to the charges.
“The allegations, if true, demonstrate that the defendant is somebody who shouldn’t be in our country, and definitely shouldn’t be out walking the streets of our community,” said Ganjei. “The Southern District of Texas won’t pull any punches when it comes to border security or the investigation and apprehension of those who consume child sexual abuse materials.”
If convicted, Gutierrez-Cantu faces up to 20 years in prison and a possible $250,000 maximum fine.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement - Homeland Security Investigations, Laredo Child Exploitation Task Force conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew P. Hakala-Finch is prosecuting the case, which was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood (PSC), a nationwide initiative the Department of Justice (DOJ) launched in May 2006 to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section leads PSC, which marshals federal, state and local resources to locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children and identifies and rescues victims. For more information about PSC, please visit DOJ’s PSC page. For more information about internet safety education, please visit the resources tab on that page.
An indictment is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence. A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.
Idaho Husband and Wife and Three Others Charged with Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud and Related ChargesRead the Press Release
Two defendants made their initial appearance before a U.S. Magistrate judge last week after a federal grand jury in Boise, Idaho, returned an indictment charging five individuals with conspiracy to commit wire fraud and related charges for submitting false tax returns and fictious financial instruments to the IRS. The other three defendants had previously made their initial appearances in federal court in Boise.
The following is according to the indictment: from 2023 through 2024, Andrea and Kent Shannon, of Kuna, Idaho, as well as Brittany Plahm, of Frankfort, Illinois, Monika Skinger of Chicago, and Sherita Chandler, of Port St. Lucie, Florida, allegedly conspired together to submit false individual and trust tax returns that claimed millions in refunds to which they were not entitled. To induce the IRS to accept their refund claims, the defendants and others allegedly sent more than 100 fictitious financial instruments — such as checks, money orders, or payment vouchers — totaling approximately $57 million to the IRS to make it appear that they had paid taxes that could be refunded.
The indictment further alleges that Andrea and Kent Shannon used a portion of the false refunds they received to purchase, among other things, a $90,000 Cadillac Escalade and a $144,000 GMC Sierra 3500.
All defendants were charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud. Andrea and Kent Shannon were also charged with wire fraud and filing false claims. Finally, Kent Shannon was also charged with money laundering.
If convicted, the defendants face a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison for the conspiracy charge. Andrea and Kent Shannon face an additional maximum penalty of 20 years in prison for each wire fraud charge and a maximum penalty of five years in prison for each false claim charge. Kent Shannon faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison for the money laundering charge. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
IRS Criminal Investigations is investigating the case.
Trial Attorney David F. Scollan of the Tax Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Brittney Campbell for the District of Idaho are prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Honduran Nationals Extradited to the United States to Face Federal Fentanyl Trafficking ChargesRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Ore.— Two Honduran nationals were extradited from Honduras to the United States to face charges for their roles in conspiring to distribute fentanyl in Oregon.
Teodoro Rodas Dubon, 32, and Erick Yojan Lopez Miralda, 38, made their initial appearances in federal court in Portland today.
According to court documents, special agents from the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) learned that beginning in 2022, Rodas Dubon directed and controlled the distribution of bulk quantities of fentanyl throughout the Portland area. Following law enforcement actions against Rodas Dubon’s drug trafficking organization, Rodas Dubon returned to Honduras where he resumed coordinating the distribution of fentanyl throughout the Portland area. On February 22, 2024, a federal grand jury returned an indictment charging Rodas Dubon with conspiring to distribute fentanyl.
Additional court documents revealed Lopez-Miralda separately ran a fentanyl distribution cell operating in the Portland area in 2023. Following a multi-kilogram seizure of fentanyl, Lopez Miralda returned to Honduras. On April 3, 2024, a federal grand jury returned an indictment charging Lopez Miralda with conspiring to distribute fentanyl.
Rodas Dubon and Lopez Miralda were both arrested by Honduran authorities pursuant to provisional arrest warrants in January 2025. On September 15, 2025, both defendants were extradited to the United States to face federal charges in the District of Oregon. Both defendants made their initial appearances in federal court today before a U.S. Magistrate Judge. They were each arraigned, pleaded not guilty, and ordered detained pending a jury trial scheduled to begin in November 2025.
“Rodas Dubon and Lopez Miralda’s extraditions to the District of Oregon send a critical message: the United States will relentlessly pursue and hold accountable those involved in trafficking fentanyl,” said United States Attorney Scott E. Bradford. “These cases reinforce our commitment to holding all individuals involved in illicit drug operations accountable for the devastating impact they’ve had in Oregon. I extend my gratitude to our federal and state partners and the Honduran authorities for their dedicated efforts in investigating, interdicting, and apprehending those involved, especially for the arrests and extraditions of Rodas Dubon and Lopez Miralda.”
“The Drug Enforcement Administration and our partners will aggressively pursue threats like these no matter where they come from,” said David F. Reames, Special Agent in Charge, DEA Seattle Field Division. “Mr. Rodas Dubon and Mr. Lopez Miralda are accused of serious crimes in the United States and we look forward to seeking justice in Oregon.”
These cases were investigated by the DEA with assistance from the DEA Tegucigalpa, Honduras Country Office, the Tigard Police Department, the Sherwood Police Department, the Washington County Sheriff’s Office and the Westside Interagency Narcotics Team. It is being prosecuted by Paul T. Maloney, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon.
The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs worked with Honduran authorities to secure the defendants’ arrests and extraditions from Honduras.
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 and Project Safe Neighborhood.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Henderson Man Indicted for Illegal Smuggling and Distribution of Erectile Dysfunction Prescription Drugs Under Brand Names "Kinky Kong," "Kinky Pink," "Stif," Tbone," and "Ride"Read the Press Release
Note: A previous version of this release included a link to a form to report suspected criminal activity related to FDA-regulated products. This has been updated to direct the public to the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) Public Dashboard.
LAS VEGAS – A Henderson, Nevada, resident made his initial appearance in court on September 10, 2025, to face charges for allegedly smuggling misbranded prescription drugs containing sildenafil and tadalafil, the active ingredients in FDA-approved prescription drugs Viagra and Cialis, into the United States. According to allegations in the indictment, David Ralph Webber then sold the drugs to smoke shops, convenience stores, and adult novelty stores, as well as directly to consumers through his website, under brand names “Kinky Kong,” “Kinky Pink,” “Stif,” “Tbone,” and “Ride.”
“Americans depend on the FDA to ensure that drugs are safe and accurately labeled,” said FDA Special Agent in Charge Robert M. Iwanicki of the FDA’s Office of Criminal Investigations Los Angeles Field Office. “Today’s announcement illustrates our ongoing emphasis on holding accountable people who circumvent federal regulations and jeopardize public health.”
A federal grand jury indicted Webber on July 30, 2025, with one count of introduction of a misbranded drug into interstate commerce, four counts of wholesale distribution of prescription drugs without a license, and seven counts of smuggling.
According to allegations contained in court documents and statements made in court, Webber owned and operated two Nevada companies: Passion Plus Enterprises Inc. and Whole Science Health. He was not a registered pharmaceutical manufacturer with the FDA, nor was he licensed to administer prescription drugs or as a wholesaler of prescription drugs.
As alleged, from at least 2018 to present, Webber purchased hundreds of thousands of capsules containing sildenafil and tadalafil—the active ingredients in Viagra and Cialis—from manufacturers in India. Once Webber received the products, he allegedly distributed them in Nevada and throughout the southwestern United States, including to third-party stores and directly to consumers. According to allegations contained in the indictment, these products have potentially harmful effects if not properly administered by a licensed practitioner. This is particularly true for persons on heart and/or blood-thinning medications.
As part of the scheme, Webber allegedly paid a packaging company to list false ingredients and false claims that the drugs were “100% Natural” and did not require a prescription. It is alleged that many, if not most, consumers were not aware they were taking prescription medicines containing the same active ingredients as Viagra and Cialis.
A jury trial is set for November 18, 2025, before United States District Judge Jennifer A. Dorsey.
Acting United States Attorney Sigal Chattah for the District of Nevada and Special Agent in Charge Robert M. Iwanicki of the FDA’s Office of Criminal Investigations Los Angeles Field Office made the announcement.
This case was investigated by the FDA and United States Postal Inspection Service. Assistant United States Attorney Jean Ripley is prosecuting the case.
If you or someone you know has taken these products and/or suffered adverse health effects as a result of these products, please contact investigators at https://www.fda.gov/drugs/fdas-adverse-event-reporting-system-faers/fda-adverse-event-reporting-system-faers-public-dashboard.
An indictment is merely an accusation, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
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Hebron Man Pleads Guilty to Distributing and Possessing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Maine: A man previously residing in Hebron, Maine, pleaded guilty yesterday in U.S. District Court in Portland to distributing and possessing child sexual abuse material.
According to court records, Steven Parker, 47, sent a video file depicting child sexual abuse material to an undercover agent over a messaging application. In August 2024, the Maine State Police Computer Crimes Unit (MSPCCU) and the FBI executed a search warrant at his residence, resulting in the seizure of multiple digital media devices containing files of child sexual abuse material. When interviewed by investigators, Parker admitted to accessing, viewing, and distributing child sexual abuse material over the internet.
Parker faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 5 years in prison and a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years, a maximum fine of $250,000, and a maximum supervised release term of life. He will be sentenced after the completion of a presentence investigative report by the U.S. Probation Office. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The FBI and MSPCCU investigated the case.
To report an incident involving the possession, distribution, receipt or production of child sexual abuse material: Child sexual abuse material – referred to in legal terms as "child pornography" – captures the sexual abuse and exploitation of children. These images document victims’ exploitation and abuse, and they suffer revictimization every time the images are viewed. In 2023, the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children received 36 million reports of the possession, manufacture, or distribution of child sexual abuse materials. To file a report with NCMEC, go to https://report.cybertip.org or call 1-800-843-5678. If you are in Maine and you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted or abused, you can get help by calling the free, private 24-hour statewide sexual assault helpline at 1-800-871-7741.
Project Safe Childhood: 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 Department’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-me/psc.
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Guatemalan Man Sentenced for Illegal Reentry into USRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, Pa. - A resident of Guatemala pleaded guilty to a charge of illegal reentry of a removed alien and was sentenced to time served on his conviction, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.
Senior United States District Judge Joy Flowers Conti imposed the sentence on Esvin Emilio Lopez-Gonzalez, 27.
According to information presented to the Court, Lopez-Gonzalez was previously removed from the United States on May 7, 2018, after illegally entering the country through Arizona. On May 28, 2025, he was encountered by special agents with the Federal Bureau of Investigation and failed to provide any identification. Immigration authorities determined that Lopez-Gonzalez had not obtained permission to be in the United States after his prior removal and was illegally present in the United States. Lopez-Gonzalez has been in custody since his May arrest and will be returned to immigration custody for removal from the United States.
Assistant United States Attorney Rebecca L. Silinski prosecuted this case on behalf of the United States.
Acting United States Attorney Rivetti commended U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations and the Federal Bureau of Investigation for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Lopez-Gonzalez.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations, combat illegal immigration, and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
Guatemalan Citizen Sentenced for Assault of Federal Law Enforcement OfficerRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, Pa. - A citizen of Guatemala illegally residing in the United States pleaded guilty to a charge of assaulting, resisting, or impeding a federal law enforcement officer and was sentenced to time served on his conviction, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.
Chief United States District Judge Mark R. Hornak imposed the sentence on Juan Jose Antuche-Garcia, 33, on September 15, 2025.
According to information presented to the Court, Antuche-Garcia, a native and citizen of Guatemala, illegally entered the United States on September 3, 2023. After he was released on bond by immigration authorities but failed to appear before the immigration court in May of 2024 as directed, an immigration judge ordered him to be removed from the United States.
On August 12, 2025, Antuche-Garcia was encountered by immigration authorities in the Robinson Township, Pennsylvania, area after federal law enforcement officers attempted to pull over a vehicle in which the defendant was a passenger. Federal law enforcement officers initiated a traffic stop by activating the emergency lighting and sirens on five unmarked vehicles. The driver of the vehicle failed to come to a complete stop and, instead, rammed his vehicle into one of the federal law enforcement officer’s vehicles, pinning an officer’s leg between his own vehicle’s door frame and door. The driver of the vehicle and a rear seat passenger fled from the scene, evading apprehension. Antuche-Garcia, who was the front passenger of the vehicle, also attempted to flee by repeatedly and forcefully opening his door into the door of the vehicle behind which the officer’s leg was pinned, causing additional injury to the officer. Antuche-Garcia has been in custody since his arrest and will remain in custody pending his removal from the United States.
Assistant United States Attorney Rebecca L. Silinski prosecuted this case on behalf of the United States.
Acting United States Attorney Rivetti commended U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations, Homeland Security Investigations, the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation, and the Drug Enforcement Administration for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Antuche-Garcia.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations, combat illegal immigration, and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
Goose Creek Man Indicted for Lying about Ties to ISISRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, S.C. — A federal grand jury in Charleston returned a four-count indictment against Ala Aldeen Alshaikh, 31, of Goose Creek, for making false statements in connection with his naturalization process, lying to agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and destroying evidence with the intent to obstruct a federal investigation. Alshaikh was arrested by federal agents this morning.
The indictment alleges that Alshaikh, a Sudanese national, applied for United States citizenship in September 2021. During an interview with a U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services officer, he denied that he had associated with a terrorist organization when, in fact, in August 2021 he pledged allegiance to, and claimed membership in, the terrorist organization known as the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria, commonly known as ISIS. It further alleges that a year following his immigration interview, in preparation for his naturalization ceremony, Alshaikh again denied that he had become associated or connected with a terrorist group on a written immigration form. In both October and November 2021, however, Alshaikh made online statements that indicated he associated and connected with ISIS concerning a possible attack on a United States Embassy after his immigration interview on Sept. 10, 2021.
The indictment also alleges that Alshaikh, who has experience in the aviation industry, lied to an FBI agent in January 2025 by denying that he had ever offered to share his aviation expertise with anyone when, in fact, he offered to mobilize and share his aviation expertise with a militant group referred to as the Al-Bara Ibn Malik Brigade. Finally, it alleges that Alshaikh destroyed evidence related to this online conversation after becoming aware of the federal investigation against him.
Alshaikh faces maximum penalties of between five-and 20-years imprisonment on the various charges. He was arraigned this morning and a detention hearing is scheduled for Sept. 19 at 10 a.m. before U.S. Magistrate Judge Mary Gordon Baker.
The case was investigated by the FBI Columbia Joint Terrorism Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Chris Lietzow and Everett McMillian are prosecuting the case with support from Trial Attorney Kevin C. Nunnally of the Department of Justice’s National Security Division, Counterterrorism Section.
All charges in the indictment are merely accusations and defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Georgia Man Sentenced to over 4 Years in Prison for Fraud Targeting AHCCCSRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – Kenneth Terrell Harrison, 45, of College Park, Georgia was sentenced on Monday by United States District Judge Michael T. Liburdi to 52 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release. Harrison was also ordered to pay restitution to the Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System (“AHCCCS”) in the amount of $6,538,485.09.
Harrison admitted that he owned an outpatient behavioral health counseling service, Aurtism, LLC, located in Mesa. Aurtism applied to be a medical provider for AHCCCS, Arizona’s Medicaid agency, in 2019. At the time Aurtism applied to AHCCCS, Harrison admitted that he did not disclose his ownership interest in Aurtism to AHCCCS because he was worried that if he accurately described his involvement as the primary owner of the business, AHCCCS would deny the application based upon Harrison’s prior criminal history.
Harrison further admitted that he engaged in a fraudulent billing practice targeting AHCCCS. Specifically, starting in January 2020, Harrison began obtaining AHCCCS identification numbers for AHCCCS enrollees, some of whom visited the Aurtism facility, while others he obtained fraudulently. Nearly all of the AHCCCS enrollees billed for by Harrison were members of the American Indian Health Plan (“AIHP”). Aurtism fraudulently billed AHCCCS for services that were never provided to the AHCCCS enrollees. Between January 2020 and October 2021, Aurtism fraudulently billed AHCCCS for $6,538,485.09.
At the sentencing hearing, the Court noted the particular harm done to vulnerable populations in Arizona as a result of this type of fraud.
The FBI’s Phoenix Division and IRS Criminal Investigation’s Phoenix Field Office conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Aron Ketchel, District of Arizona, Phoenix, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-24-0393-MTL
RELEASE NUMBER: 2025-149_Harrison# # #
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.Founder of one of world’s largest hacker forums resentenced to three years in prisonRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A New York man was resentenced today to three years in prison for his creation and operation of BreachForums, a marketplace for cybercriminals to buy, sell, and trade hacked or stolen data and other contraband, and for possessing child sexual abuse material (CSAM).
“Conor Fitzpatrick personally profited from the sale of vast quantities of stolen information, ranging from private personal information to commercial data,” said Erik S. Siebert, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. “These crimes were so extensive that the damage is difficult to quantify, and the human cost of his collection of child sexual abuse material is incalculable. We will not allow criminals to hide in the darkest corners of the internet and will use all legal means to bring them to justice.”
“Following the dismantlement of RaidForums by law enforcement, the defendant set up and administered BreachForums, an online bazaar where criminals could purchase sensitive data,” said Matthew R. Galeotti, Acting Assistant Attorney General of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Today’s sentence demonstrates the Justice Department’s unwavering commitment to bringing to justice those who seek to sell stolen data to the highest bidder. To those seeking to operate a similar forum, take note: we will tirelessly investigate those who commit these crimes.”
“Today’s sentencing sends a message to everyone in the cybercriminal ecosystem — helping others profit from theft, fraud, and other cybercrimes will land you in federal prison,” said Assistant Director Brett Leatherman of the FBI’s Cyber Division. “The FBI is working tirelessly to dismantle criminal marketplaces like BreachForums, and we are pursuing the full range of actors who run these platforms.”
Conor Brian Fitzpatrick, 22, of Peekskill, New York, pled guilty to access device conspiracy, access device solicitation, and possession of child sexual abuse material. As part of the plea agreement, Fitzpatrick also agreed to forfeit over one hundred domain names used in the operation of BreachForums, more than a dozen electronic devices used to execute the scheme, and cryptocurrency that represented proceeds of the scheme.
Fitzpatrick’s resentencing came after the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit issued an opinion on January 21, 2025, vacating Fitzpatrick’s prior sentence of time served (17 days) and remanded the case for resentencing.
According to court documents, BreachForums, launched in March 2022, rapidly developed into one of the world’s largest English language hacking forums with over 330,000 members. BreachForums emerged as a replacement to RaidForums, a then major English-language hacking forum that law enforcement seized in February 2022. As with RaidForums, BreachForums gained notoriety by selling access to high-profile database breaches that contained, among other things, bank account information, social security numbers and other personal identifying information (PII), and usernames and associated passwords for accessing online accounts with merchants and service providers. BreachForums also maintained and offered access to at least 888 datasets of stolen information containing over 14 billion individual records of PII. Some of the stolen datasets contained sensitive information of customers at telecommunication, social media, investment, health care services, and internet service providers. For instance, one database contained the names and contact information for approximately 200 million users of a major U.S.-based social networking site. Another database listed the details of 87,760 members of InfraGard, a partnership between the FBI and private sector companies focused on the protection of critical infrastructure.
Assistant United States Attorney Lauren Halper and former Assistant U.S. Attorney Carina A. Cuellar for the Eastern District of Virginia and Trial Attorney Thomas Dougherty for the Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section (CCIPS) of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division this case.
CCIPS investigates and prosecutes cybercrime in coordination with domestic and international law enforcement agencies, often with assistance from the private sector. Since 2020, CCIPS has secured the conviction of over 180 cybercriminals, and court orders for the return of over $350 million in victim funds.
This case was investigated by the FBI Washington Field Office, Health and Human Services-Office of Inspector General, and FBI San Francisco Division, with assistance provided by the U.S. Secret Service, Homeland Security Investigations New York Field Office, New York Police Department, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Police Scotland, National Police Corps of the Netherlands and Peekskill Police Department. The U.S. Attorneys’ Offices for the Northern District of California, the District of Maryland, and the Southern District of New York have also provided assistance in this matter.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:23-cr-119.
Founder of One of World’s Largest Hacker Forums Resentenced to Three Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
Earlier today, a New York man was resentenced to three years in prison for his creation and operation of BreachForums, a marketplace for cybercriminals to buy, sell, and trade hacked or stolen data and other contraband, and for possessing child sexual abuse material (CSAM).
“Following the dismantlement of RaidForums by law enforcement, the defendant set up and administered BreachForums, an online bazaar where criminals could purchase sensitive data,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew R. Galeotti of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Today’s sentence demonstrates the Justice Department’s unwavering commitment to bringing to justice those who seek to sell stolen data to the highest bidder. To those seeking to operate a similar forum, take note: we will tirelessly investigate those who commit these crimes.”
“Conor Fitzpatrick personally profited from the sale of vast quantities of stolen information, ranging from private personal information to commercial data,” said U.S. Attorney Erik S. Siebert for the Eastern District of Virginia. “These crimes were so extensive that the damage is difficult to quantify, and the human cost of his collection of child sexual abuse material is incalculable. We will not allow criminals to hide in the darkest corners of the internet and will use all legal means to bring them to justice.”
“The FBI is working tirelessly to dismantle criminal marketplaces like BreachForums, and we are pursuing the full range of actors who run these platforms,” said Assistant Director Brett Leatherman of the FBI’s Cyber Division. “Today’s sentencing demonstrates that anyone who helps others profit from theft, fraud, and other cybercrimes is not out of reach.”
Conor Brian Fitzpatrick, 22, of Peekskill, New York, pleaded guilty to one count of access device conspiracy, one count of access device solicitation, and one count of possession of child sexual abuse material. As part of the plea agreement, Fitzpatrick also agreed to forfeit over 100 domain names used in the operation of BreachForums, more than a dozen electronic devices used to execute the scheme, and cryptocurrency that represented proceeds of the scheme.
Fitzpatrick’s resentencing came after the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit issued an opinion on Jan. 21, 2025, vacating Fitzpatrick’s prior sentence of time served (17 days) and remanded the case for resentencing.
According to court documents, BreachForums, launched in March 2022, rapidly developed into one of the world’s largest English language hacking forums with over 330,000 members. BreachForums emerged as a replacement to RaidForums, a then major English-language hacking forum that law enforcement seized in February 2022. As with RaidForums, BreachForums gained notoriety by selling access to high-profile database breaches that contained, among other things, bank account information, social security numbers and other personal identifying information (PII), and usernames and associated passwords for accessing online accounts with merchants and service providers. BreachForums also maintained and offered access to at least 888 datasets of stolen information containing over 14 billion individual records of PII. Some of the stolen datasets contained sensitive information of customers at telecommunication, social media, investment, health care services, and internet service providers. For instance, one database contained the names and contact information for approximately 200 million users of a major U.S.-based social networking site. Another database listed the details of approximately 87,760 members of InfraGard, a partnership between the FBI and private sector companies focused on the protection of critical infrastructure.
The FBI’s Washington Field Office investigated the case.
Trial Attorney Thomas Dougherty of the Justice Department’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section (CCIPS) and Assistant U.S. Attorney Lauren Halper for the Eastern District of Virginia prosecuted the case.
CCIPS investigates and prosecutes cybercrime in coordination with domestic and international law enforcement agencies, often with assistance from the private sector. Since 2020, CCIPS has secured the conviction of over 180 cybercriminals, and court orders for the return of over $350 million in victim funds.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Former Massachusetts National Guardsman Pleads Guilty to Possession and Distribution of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A former Master Sergeant of the 102 Security Forces of the Massachusetts National Guard stationed in Sandwich, Mass. pleaded guilty today in federal court in Boston to possession and distribution of child pornography.
Nicholas Wells, 44, pleaded guilty to possession and distribution of child pornography before U.S. District Court Judge Indira Talwani who scheduled sentencing for Jan. 6, 2026. In September 2024, Wells was indicted by a federal grand jury.
Wells engaged in chats on a messaging application, in which he discussed his interest in minors and distributed videos depicting child pornography. Over 300 images and 100 videos depicting child pornography were located on his phone. It was also determined that Wells distributed over 70 videos depicting child pornography, some of which involved infants.
The charge of possessing child pornography provides for a sentence up to 20 years in prison, at least five years and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine up to $250,000. The charge of distributing child pornography provides for a sentence of at least five years and not more than 20 years in prison, five years to life 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, Boston Division made the announcement. Valuable assistance was provided by the Massachusetts State Police and the Barnstable and Sandwich Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian J. Sullivan of the Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
Former Evansville Banker Sentenced to Federal Prison for Stealing over $158,000 from Customer AccountsRead the Press Release
EVANSVILLE- Dekoda Scott Clark, 32, of Tell City, Indiana, has been sentenced to 2.5 years in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, after pleading guilty to bank theft and access device fraud. Clark must also pay $158,208.53 in restitution to the bank he defrauded.
According to court documents, between January 2023 and March 2024, Dekoda Clark was employed as a Relationship Banker at a bank branch in Evansville. During this time, Clark exploited his position to steal approximately $158,208.53 from customer accounts by making unauthorized cash withdrawals and issuing fraudulent debit cards.
Leveraging his access, Clark created debit cards linked to the checking accounts of five individuals and two businesses without their knowledge or consent. He then used these cards to make 17 purchases at various retailers, including Dicks Sporting Goods, Guitar Center, and Best Buy. Several of the purchases were for high-value technology items, including three Apple iPads, a MacBook Pro, an Apple Watch Ultra, two large televisions, a Lenovo gaming laptop, memory cards, a DJI Mini Drone, and an Xbox game drive. One of the transactions was for a $2,000 deposit into Clark’s account with Draft Kings, an online sports betting platform. These fraudulent purchases totaled $15,708.53.
Clark also withdrew a total of $142,500 as cash from the checking accounts of three individuals without their knowledge or consent.
“Bank employees are entrusted with safeguarding their customers’ hard-earned money, not exploiting that trust for personal gain,” said Tom Wheeler, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana. “Clark not only harmed individual victims but also undermined confidence in the financial system. This sentence, and the restitution he now owes, reflects the serious consequences of betraying that trust, and the level of accountability our office will seek for those who exploit their positions to defraud the public.”
“Instead of serving his bank’s customers, Dekoda Clark lavishly served himself by illegally taking their money to pay for video game systems and other expensive tech gadgets,” said Ike Barnes, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Secret Service’s Indianapolis Field Office. “The U.S. Secret Service is committed to safeguarding the nation’s financial infrastructure and pursuing this type of malfeasance. I am proud of our work in this case, and I want to thank the FBI, Evansville Police Department and the U.S. Attorney’s Office of the Southern District of Indiana for their efforts in bringing justice to this defendant.”
“This sentence demonstrates that those who abuse positions of trust for personal gain will be held accountable,” said Timothy O’Malley, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Indianapolis. “By stealing more than $158,000 from customer accounts, this defendant not only violated the law, but also the confidence placed in him by both her employer and the community. The FBI remains committed to protecting the integrity of our financial institutions and pursuing those who commit fraud and theft.”
The U.S. Secret Service, Federal Bureau of Investigation, and Evansville Police Department investigated this case. The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Judge Richard L. Young.
U.S. Attorney Wheeler thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew B. Miller, who prosecuted this case.
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