Latest Records
Newest first across public DOJ and U.S. Attorney press releases.
9 September 2026
Family Workshop Counseling Center and Owner to Pay $350,000 to Resolve Alleged Improper Medicare BillingRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – Family Workshop Counseling Center, LLC, and its owner, Jeffrey Burrows, have agreed to pay $350,000 to the United States to resolve allegations that they improperly billed Medicare for clinical social worker services provided by individuals who were not authorized to receive Medicare reimbursement.
According to the settlement agreement, between January 1, 2014, and December 31, 2021, Family Workshop Counseling Center, LLC, a mental health and behavioral health counseling group with offices in Albuquerque and Rio Rancho, and Jeffrey Burrows submitted claims to Medicare for clinical social worker services using the billing credentials of licensed clinical social workers when the services were actually provided by individuals who were not authorized to receive Medicare reimbursement. Under Medicare rules, only licensed clinical social workers may be reimbursed for clinical social worker services.
The allegations arose from a qui tam lawsuit filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of New Mexico by former Family Workshop employees under the False Claims Act. The settlement covers only the claims related to the allegedly improper Medicare billing and does not resolve the relators’ separate claims for wrongful discharge, prima facie tort, and libel, slander, or defamation.
To resolve the allegations, Family Workshop and Burrows agreed to pay $350,000 to the United States, including $121,305 in restitution. The settlement does not release potential criminal liability or certain administrative enforcement rights.
The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only, and there has been no determination of liability.
First Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison made the announcement today.
The matter was investigated by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Mexico. The settlement and investigation were handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Sean Cunniff and Auditors Philip Stella and Julie Chappell.
Dyer County Armed Career Criminal Sentenced to 15 Years in Prison for Illegal Possession and Discharge of a FirearmRead the Press Release
Jackson, TN – A federal judge has sentenced Timothy Adams, 55, of Dyersburg, Tennessee, to 15 years in federal prison for unlawful possession of a firearm as a convicted felon. United States Attorney D. Michael Dunavant, of the Western District of Tennessee, announced the sentence today.
According to information presented in court, on February 2, 2024, Dyer County deputies responded to a 9-1-1 hang up call. Upon arrival, they encountered Adams hiding behind a shed. It was determined through the investigation that Adams picked up a .38 revolver from the house and fired one round into the headboard near another occupant of the residence during a domestic violence incident. Officers confirmed the bullet hole in the headboard and recovered one spent shell casing from the .38 revolver.
On January 22, 2025, Adams pled guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm. Due to his extensive prior criminal conviction history which includes prior violent and serious drug offenses, the Court determined that Adams qualified as an Armed Career Criminal (ACC) and was prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition under the Armed Career Criminal Act (ACCA), resulting in enhanced mandatory minimum sentencing penalties.
On August 19, 2026, United States District Judge J. Daniel Breen sentenced Adams to 180 months in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant said, “Adams’ prior conviction history demonstrates his disrespect for the law, and his lifestyle of lawlessness has finally caught up with him. He has devoted most of his life to repeated criminal conduct, and now the federal system will do what should have been done a long time ago – impose a real consequence that will prevent him from victimizing anyone else for years to come."
United States Attorney Dunavant thanked Assistant United States Attorney Hillary Parham, who prosecuted this case in conjunction with Assistant District Attorney General Andrew Hays, of the Tennessee District Attorney’s Office for the 29th Judicial District, as well as the law enforcement partners who investigated the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
###
For more information, please contact our Media Relations Team at [email protected]. Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office on Facebook or on X at @WDTNNews for office news and updates.
District of Kansas releases update on child exploitation cases prosecuted under Project Safe ChildhoodRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, KAN. – The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Kansas (USAO-KS) provides an update of cases prosecuted under Project Safe Childhood (PSC). PSC is a nationwide initiative launched in 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), PSC 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.
As part of the commitment to prosecuting cases related to child sexual abuse and exploitation, USAO-KS staffs with federal prosecutors who specialize in seeking justice in these types of offenses.
In June, July, and August, USAO-KS indicted defendants on child exploitation related offenses while achieving substantial sentences for defendants post-conviction.
Indictment
Jonathan Arnold, 47, of Leavenworth was indicted on three counts of distribution of child pornography, one count of receipt of child pornography, and one count of possession of child pornography.
Stephen Crook, 34, Leavenworth of was indicted on one count of aggravated sexual abuse and one count of abusive sexual contact with a minor under 12 years of age.
David Reno, 58, of Lenexa was indicted on two counts of receipt of child pornography and one count of possession of child pornography.
Tyller White, 24, of Parsons was indicted on one count of sexual exploitation of a child – attempted production of child pornography.
Colton Wiggins, 25, of Wichita was indicted on one count of distribution of child pornography.
Plea
Cody S. Bingham, 24, of Derby pleaded guilty to one count of distribution of child pornography.
William “Bill” Bright, 58, of Hutchinson pleaded guilty to two counts of production of child pornography.
James D. Fishbaugh, 53, of Blue Springs, Missouri, pleaded guilty to one count of travel with intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct.
Dean Glovier, 28, of Topeka, pleaded guilty to one count of sexual exploitation of a minor – possession of child pornography.
Bebak Gurung, 26, of Fort Riley, Kansas, pleaded guilty to two counts of sexual exploitation-production of child pornography.
Tyson Hale, 26, of Mayetta, pleaded guilty to one count of sexual abuse of minor in Indian Country.
Dylan Jamescupp, 34, of Ottawa pleaded guilty to one count of distribution of child pornography.
Zachery Leslie, 25, of Wichita pleaded guilty to one count of distribution of child pornography.
Michael Steven Podrybau, 43, of Alton pleaded guilty to one count of distribution of obscene visual representation of the sexual abuse of children.
Adam T. Umstead, 42, of Independence, Missouri, pleaded guilty to one count of distribution of child pornography.
Michael Eugene Watley, 58, of Wichita pleaded guilty to one count of possession of child pornography.
Sentencing
Joshua Craig Abel, 44, of Topeka was sentenced to 151 months in prison followed by lifetime supervised release, after a jury convicted him of one count of sexual exploitation of a minor – possession of child pornography.
Joseph Donald Dube, 40, Topeka was sentenced to 90 months in prison after he pleaded guilty to one count of sexual exploitation of a minor – possession of child pornography.
Garrett Gayoso, 25, of Baxter Springs was sentenced to 222 months in prison after pleading guilty to one count production of child pornography.
Tommie Earnest Giles, 53, of Kansas City, Missouri, was sentenced to 120 months in prison after he pleaded guilty to one count of attempted coercion and enticement of a minor.
Blake Nolan, 21, of Kansas City, Kansas, was sentenced to 72 months in prison after pleading guilty to one count of possession of child pornography.
Gavin Onuffer, 28, of Haysville was sentenced to 121 months in prison after he pleaded guilty to one count of receipt of child pornography.
Dennis Lee Hamilton, 45, of Kansas City, Kansas, was sentenced 360 months in prison after he pleaded guilty to one count of production of visual depictions of minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct.
David Mark Jones, 35, of Shawnee was sentenced to 180 months in federal prison after he pleaded guilty to three counts of distribution of child pornography and one count of possession of child pornography.
Jeffrey T. Lyons, 33, of Olathe was sentenced to 264 months in prison after he pleaded guilty to one count of sexual exploitation of a child.
Victor Ortiz, 49, of Junction City was sentenced to 360 months in prison followed by lifetime supervised release after he pleaded guilty to one count of sexual exploitation of a minor – production of child pornography
Adam Charles Pfeiffer, 36, of Wichita was sentenced to 70 months in prison after pleading guilty to one count of possession of child pornography.
Ronald Waltrip, 62, of Haysville was sentenced to 210 months in prison followed by a lifetime of supervised release after pleading guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit sexual exploitation of a child – production of child pornography.
https://www.justice.gov/psc
An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
###
Dallas man who conspired to use interstate facilities to aid a marijuana trafficking enterprise sentenced in Homeland Security Task Force investigationRead the Press Release
DALLAS — United States Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Ryan Raybould announced that a Dallas man who admitted to running a multi‑state marijuana distribution operation was sentenced today in federal court for conspiracy to use interstate facilities in aid of racketeering.
U.S. District Judge Sam A. Lindsay sentenced Dian Huang Jiang, aka “Danny Jiang,” to 60 months in federal prison.
“Drug traffickers who exploit interstate networks to pump poison into our communities will be met with the full force of federal prosecution,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan Raybould. “Mr. Jiang built a sprawling, multi‑state drug enterprise that pushed thousands of kilograms of marijuana and funneled millions of dollars in proceeds through criminal channels. The Homeland Security Task Force unraveled that operation piece by piece, and today’s sentence reflects our unwavering commitment to dismantling criminal organizations that threaten public safety.”
“This case sends a clear message; drug traffickers do not get a free pass simply because marijuana laws vary from state to state” said DEA Dallas Special Agent in Charge Joseph B. Tucker. “Mr. Jiang moved large quantities of marijuana across state lines and supplied dangerous criminals who fuel violence and threaten our communities. We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to dismantle networks and prevent drug proceeds from strengthening criminal organizations.”
According to court documents, Jiang pleaded guilty to conspiracy to use interstate facilities in aid of racketeering. From at least January 2020 through August 2023, Jiang led a large‑scale distribution network responsible for moving marijuana from Oklahoma to customers across Texas and multiple other states. Jiang routinely used cellular telephones to coordinate marijuana deliveries, negotiate pricing and direct customers where to drop off large quantities of U.S. currency as payment for drug shipments.
Court records show Jiang acquired multi‑ton quantities of marijuana, often distributing up to 1,000 pounds in a single day, and required customers to purchase between 20 and 300 pounds per transaction. He utilized multiple residences in Oklahoma and Texas to store, distribute and collect proceeds from the illegal drug enterprise. As part of the conspiracy, Jiang and his coconspirators transported drug proceeds between states, sometimes sending substantial amounts overseas to include the People’s Republic of China. On Aug. 8, 2023, federal agents seized more than $2.8 million from bank accounts and safe deposit boxes linked to Jiang’s operation.
In addition to the prison term, Jiang faces forfeiture of several residential properties used in the drug‑trafficking operation as well as more than $4 million in drug proceeds traced by investigators.
The Drug Enforcement Administration – Dallas conducted the investigation with assistance from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (Oklahoma City), the Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs, Oklahoma, and the City of Mesquite Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joseph T. Lo Galbo and Rick Calvert prosecuted the case with assistance from AUSAs Phelesa Guy and Jonathan Penn.
This prosecution is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of U.S. law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF Dallas comprises agents and officers from the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Bureau of Alcohol, Firearms, Tobacco, and Explosives, Department of Homeland Security Investigations, United States Marshals Service, Internal Revenue Service, United States Postal Inspection Service, and United States Secret Service in partnership with the Texas Department of Public Safety, City of Dallas Police Department, the Dallas County Sheriff’s Office and other local law enforcement entities. The prosecution was led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Texas.
###
Couple in Feeding Our Future Fraud Scheme Sentenced to 97 Months’ ImprisonmentRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – United States Attorney Daniel N. Rosen announced today that Mekfira Hussein and Abduljabar Hussein have been sentenced to a total of 97 months in prison for their roles in the $250 million fraud scheme that exploited a federally funded child nutrition program during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Husseins submitted fraudulent claims for meals and ultimately obtained approximately $8.8 million in federal child nutrition program funds.
The defendants were sentenced before U.S. District Judge Nancy E. Brasel on September 8, 2026.
Mekfira Hussein, 42, of Shakopee, Minnesota, was sentenced to 57 months in prison on one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud. She pleaded guilty on January 31, 2025.
Abduljabar Hussein, 45, of Shakopee, Minnesota, was sentenced to 40 months in prison on one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud. He pleaded guilty on February 5, 2025.
“The Husseins stole money that was meant for vulnerable children. Their sentences today reflect my office’s commitment to holding those who defraud the American taxpayer accountable,” said United States Attorney Daniel N. Rosen.
The case is the result of an investigation by the FBI, IRS Criminal Investigation, and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service.
Assistant United States Attorneys Rebecca E. Kline, Matthew C. Murphy, and Austin L. Bowyer prosecuted these cases. Assistant United States Attorney Craig Baune is handling the seizure and forfeiture of assets.
Note: Press releases on the defendants’ indictment (October 18, 2022) linked here.
Convictions through Guilty Pleas and Sentencings in Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) Prosecutions (August 31 through September 4, 2026)Read the Press Release
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Puerto Rico, Héctor Ramírez-Carbó, Acting United States Attorney, in conjunction with our partner agencies in the Homeland Security Task Force (“HSTF”) announce the following prosecutorial results for the week of August 31 through September 4, 2026. The HSTF is a permanent, interagency law enforcement task force created by executive order to combat transnational criminal organizations—including cartels, trafficking networks, and foreign terrorist organizations.
Convictions through Guilty Pleas:
- On September 1, 2026, Álvaro Ortiz-Callejas pleaded guilty to narcotics importation conspiracy and narcotics importation aiding and abetting in Criminal Case 23-085 (PAD). According to the indictment, the defendant was charged with conspiring to import and aiding and abetting the importation of five kilograms or more of a mixture or substance containing a detectable amount of cocaine. Defendant was arrested on October 18, 2024. The court set defendant’s sentencing date for December 7, 2026. AUSA Lani Lear is in charge of the prosecution of the case.
- On September 2, 2026, Edgar Santiago-Vázquez pleaded guilty to Count One of the Indictment in Criminal Case 25-215 (SCC) and to Counts One and Seven of the Indictment in Criminal Case 25-392 (SCC). According to the indictment, the defendant was charged with a conspiracy to distribute controlled substances. Defendant was arrested on September 25, 2026. The court set defendant's sentencing date for December 4, 2026. AUSA R. Vance Eaton is in charge of the prosecution of the case.
- On September 2, 2026, Enrique Falcón-Lopez pleaded guilty to Count One in Criminal Case 25-275 (RAM). According to the indictment, the defendant was charged with a conspiracy to commit wire, bank and mail fraud. Defendant was arrested on June 17, 2025. The court set defendant’s sentencing date for January 12, 2027. SAUSA Vanessa Bonano is in charge of the prosecution of the case.
- On September 3, 2026, Lucas José Pérez pleaded guilty to Count One in Criminal Case 22-520 (RAM). According to the indictment, the defendant was charged with conspiracy to manufacture or distribution of cocaine for purpose of unlawful importation. Defendant was arrested on July 10, 2025, in the Dominican Republic and extradited to Puerto Rico on August 21, 2025. The court set defendant’s sentencing date for December 2, 2026. AUSA Camille García Jiménez is in charge of the prosecution of the case.
- On September 4, 2026, Yariel Enrique Morales-Fuentes pleaded guilty to Count One in Criminal Case number 25-272 (SCC). According to the indictment, the defendant was charged with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances. Defendant was arrested on July 10, 2025. The court set defendant’s sentencing date for December 4, 2026. AUSAs Laura Díaz-González and Andrés Orr are in charge of the prosecution of the case.
Sentencings:
- On September 1, 2026, Josué Isaac-Febus, a.k.a. “Tonto/Doble T” was sentenced by United States District Court Judge María Angongiorgi-Jordán to nine (9) years of imprisonment to be followed by eight (8) years of supervised release for his participation in a violent drug trafficking organization that worked out of various Public Housing Projects in the Carolina and San Juan areas, principally the Sabana Abajo Public Housing Project. According to court documents, defendant was indicted on December 5, 2024, in Criminal Case 24-453 (MAJ), and pleaded guilty on May 13, 2026. AUSAs Laura Díaz-González and Joseph Russell are in charge of the prosecution of the case.
- On September 2, 2026, Defendant Jesús M. Cruz Martínez, was sentenced by United States District Court Chief Judge Raúl Arias-Marxuach to 30 months of imprisonment and three years of supervised release for a conspiracy to commit bank, wire, and mail fraud. According to court documents, defendant was indicted on June 12, 2025, in Criminal Case 25-275 (RAM), and pleaded guilty on June 4, 2026. SAUSA Vanessa Bonano is in charge of the prosecution of the case.
- On September 2, 2026, Ángel Ocasio-Cancel was sentenced by United States District Court Chief Judge Raúl M. Arias-Marxuach to 60 months of imprisonment and eight (8) years of supervised release for a conspiracy to distribute controlled substances. According to court documents, defendant was indicted on September 3, 2026, in Criminal Case 25-365 (RAM), and pleaded guilty on June 4, 2026. AUSA Andrés L. Orr is in charge of the prosecution of the case.
- On September 3, 2026, Jeuris Rodríguez-Payano was sentenced by United States District Court Chief Judge Raúl Arias Maxuach to a term of imprisonment of 118 months and five (5) years of supervised release for conspiring to manufacture or distribute 323 kilograms cocaine for the purpose of unlawful importation. According to court documents, defendant was indicted on December 5, 2022, in Criminal Case 22-520 (RAM), and pleaded guilty on June 11, 2026. AUSA Camille García Jiménez was in charge of the prosecution of the case.
- On September 3, 2026, Raúl González-Santiago was sentenced by United States District Court Chief Judge Raúl M. Arias-Marxuach to 84 months of imprisonment—24 months as to Count One and 60 months as to Count Seven, to be served consecutively—and six (6) years of supervised release for a conspiracy to distribute controlled substances. According to court documents, defendant was indicted on September 3, 2025, in Criminal Case 25-365 (RAM), and pleaded guilty on June 10, 2026. AUSA Andrés L. Orr is in charge of the prosecution of the case.
- On September 4, 2026, Robert Martínez-Limas was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Pedro A. Delgado Hernández to a term of six (6) months in home incarceration and four (4) years and six (6) months in probation for possessing with intent to distribute 10 kilograms of cocaine. According to court documents, defendant was indicted on August 22, 2024, in Criminal Case 24-280 (PAD), and pleaded guilty on April 20, 2026. AUSA Camille García Jiménez was in charge of the prosecution of the case.
- On September 4, 2026, Rodney Alexis Maldonado-Márquez was sentenced by United States District Court Chief Judge Raúl M. Arias-Marxuach to time served and six (6) years of supervised release for a conspiracy to distribute controlled substances. According to court documents, defendant was indicted on September 3, 2025, in Criminal Case 25-365 (RAM), and pleaded guilty on June 18, 2026. AUSA Andrés L. Orr is in charge of the prosecution of the case.
- On September 4, 2026, Barbara Valentín-Rivera was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Pedro A. Delgado to time served and three years of supervised release for conspiring to possess with intent to distribute cocaine and to launder the drug trafficking proceeds. According to court documents, defendant was indicted on September 29, 2021, in Criminal Case 21-359, and pleaded guilty on May 18, 2026. AUSA Ricardo Imbert Fernández is in charge of the prosecution of the case.
These prosecutions are part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States.
HSTF San Juan comprises agents and officers from the following federal partners: FBI, ICE-HSI, CBP (OFO, AMO and Border Patrol), the U.S. Marshals Service for Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, DEA, ATF, IRS, U.S. Coast Guard, U.S. Coast Guard Investigative Service, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Department of State, and the U.S. Secret Service, the Puerto Rico/U.S. Virgin Islands HIDTA, TSA, FAA, and the U.S. Attorney’s Offices for the Districts of Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
The HSTF also has the following state and local law enforcement partners as participating agencies: the Puerto Rico Police Department; the San Juan, Carolina, Guaynabo, Barceloneta, and Ponce Municipal Police Departments, the Puerto Rico National Guard – Counter Drug Program; the Puerto Rico Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation; the Puerto Rico Internal Revenue Service (Hacienda); the Puerto Rico Port Authority; and the Virgin Islands Police Department.
###
Convicted felon pleads guilty to drug and gun chargesRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Martino Carter, 39, of Sloan, NY, pleaded guilty before U.S. District judge Lawrence J. Vilardo to possession with intent to distribute marijuana and being felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition, which carry a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
On June 5, 2025, the Buffalo Police Department, ATF and FBI executed a search warrant at Carter’s Jackson Avenue residence in Sloan, during which they seized two loaded pistols and approximately 25 pounds of suspected marijuana. Carter was convicted of felony charges in January 2010, in Erie County Court, and is legally prohibited from possessing firearms.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Matt I. Kass. The plea is the result of an investigation by the Buffalo Police Department, under the direction of Police Commissioner Erika Shields, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Bryan DiGirolamo, and the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Allen D. Davis, II.
Sentencing is scheduled for January 19, 2027, before Judge Vilardo.
# # # #
Columbia Man Sentenced to 10 Years for Firearm OffenseRead the Press Release
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – A Columbia, Mo. man was sentenced in federal court today for possessing a firearm after a prior felony conviction.
Semaj Reshod Clark, 25, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Stephen R. Bough to 120 months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release. Clark had previously pleaded guilty to one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm, admitting that he possessed a Taurus, model G3, 9 mm semi-automatic handgun in Boone County on Aug. 10, 2025.
According to government filings, Clark was found in possession of the firearm after an individual called law enforcement, reporting that Clark was at the individual’s home and was refusing to leave. When officers arrived, Clark fled on foot before being located and arrested with a loaded firearm in his pocket. Clark has prior felony convictions and was not permitted to possess a firearm.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Lauren E. Kummerer. It was investigated by the Columbia Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.
Columbia Business Owner Sentenced for Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – A Rocheport, Mo., woman who founded and operated Moresource, Inc. in Columbia, Mo., was sentenced in federal court today for wire fraud and failure to collect or pay over taxes.
Kathryn L. Cunningham, 66, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Stephen R. Bough to two concurrent sentences of 18 months’ imprisonment. Cunningham had previously pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud, and one count of failure to collect or pay over taxes. Her sentence on these two counts will be followed by three years of supervised release, and includes a $200 special assessment, as well as order of restitution in an amount to be determined by the court.
According to the plea agreement filed in the case, Cunningham’s company, Moresource, contracted with clients to calculate and disburse payroll and income taxes for the clients’ employees. Moresource would collect funds from its clients for payroll and related expenses and maintain them in an account. Moresource was also responsible for generating related tax forms for its clients.
Because this payroll account functioned like an escrow account, collecting money from clients before they were due, the account should never have been in a shortage. By January 2020, however, Moresource owed approximately $1.377 million in payroll taxes on behalf of its clients, despite having less than $400,000 in funds available in its payroll account. Ultimately, investigation revealed that Cunningham had taken funds from Moresource’s operating account and used the funds for personal expenses, had borrowed money from at least two lenders to cover shortfalls and had paid for these loans through Moresource account funds, and had obtained an SBA-guaranteed loan and an SBA line of credit to fund Moresource’s operations and payroll account. Cunningham had also requested that clients make early payments of payroll deposits in order to replace funds that she had embezzled, blaming the shortage on another client’s cash flow issues. Meanwhile, Cunningham had also stopped filing timely and accurate IRS Forms 941 and stopped making regular payments to the IRS for employment taxes owed by the clients.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Lauren E. Kummerer. It was investigated by the FBI and IRS-Criminal Investigations.
Chinese nationals arrested in China as Homeland Security Task Force works to stop drugs imported through the Eastern District of Texas destined for U.S. prisonsRead the Press Release
PLANO, Texas – Two Chinese nationals have been indicted and charged with federal drug trafficking violations as part of a Homeland Security Task Force investigation in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs.
Lisa Xing, 36, and Zhanwen Song, 38, Chinese citizens, were charged in a six-count superseding indictment returned by a federal grand jury in the Eastern District of Texas, charging them with drug trafficking and money laundering violations.
In May, Adell Willis, 43, of Lewisville, and Judy Ly, 30, of Grand Rapids, Michigan, were indicted in the same conspiracy. All four defendants have been charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances; conspiracy to possess contraband in prison; conspiracy to manufacture and distribute controlled substances knowing it would be unlawfully imported into the United States; and conspiracy to commit money laundering. Willis was also charged with possession of synthetic drugs with intent to distribute.
“The indictment alleges that a China‑based supplier and a domestic distributor worked together to bring deadly synthetic drugs into the United States for distribution across the country,” said U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs. “We will continue working with our Homeland Security Task Force partners to pursue and hold accountable those who traffic dangerous drugs into our country.”
“The Homeland Security Task Force was established by President Trump’s executive order to protect Americans from illegal drug activity infesting our communities,” said FBI Director Kash Patel. “This FBI and our partners will stop at nothing to identify, find, and arrest these criminals who bring drugs to our streets. These two Chinese nationals allegedly trafficked dangerous, synthetic drugs from China into the United States and smuggled them into our prison systems for illicit gain. This HSTF investigation is yet another example, among thousands, of our task forces working throughout the country, every day, to make it safer for everyone. Thank you to FBI Dallas and our great law enforcement partners across the interagency who worked this investigation with us.”
“Today’s announcement underscores DEA’s commitment to attack the entire synthetic drug supply chain and trace these deadly substances back to their source. This investigation led us to China, and thanks to the cooperation of Chinese law enforcement, two Chinese nationals are now in custody and will face justice for their role in supplying dangerous drugs destined for Americans,” said DEA Administrator Terry Cole. “DEA’s global reach and chemical precursor expertise are unmatched. We are proud to bring those capabilities to the Homeland Security Task Force as we work together to identify these networks, dismantle their supply chains, and build landmark cases.”
The indictment alleges that beginning in March 2023, the defendants conspired to possess synthetic opioids, synthetic cannabinoids, synthetic stimulants, and other controlled analogues, in correctional institutions. It is alleged in the indictment that Willis purchased synthetic drugs from Xing and Song in China and had them shipped to his residence in the Eastern District of Texas and Ly’s residence in Michigan. It is also alleged that once Willis and Ly received the synthetic drugs, they would convert the drugs to a liquid before soaking sheets of paper in the drug mixture. Once the sheets of paper were saturated, they were then delivered to inmates at various federal and state correctional institutions across the country.
China’s Ministry of Public Security arrested Xing, Song, and 19 co-conspirators, seized 475 kilograms of synthetic cannabinoids, and shutdown four illicit manufacturing sites in China. The FBI-MPS counternarcotics working group, established in January 2026, facilitated the collaborative efforts to dismantle this transnational criminal network. These results represent a major milestone in U.S.–China counternarcotics cooperation and underscore the effectiveness of sustained, structured coordination between both countries in addressing the international illicit chemical supply chain.
If convicted, the defendants each face a minimum of 10 years and up to life in federal prison.
This case is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF Dallas comprises agents and officers from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Dallas Field Office; U.S. Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Homeland Security Investigations - Dallas (ICE-HSI); Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Dallas Field Division; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Dallas Field Division; Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigations (IRS-CD; United States Postal Service, United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS); Transportation Security Administration, Federal Air Marshal Service (FAMS); United States Secret Service (USSS); Department of State, Bureau of Diplomatic Security (DSS); TEXOMA HIDTA; and U.S. Marshals Service (USMS) Eastern District of Texas with the prosecution being led by Eastern District of Texas Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lucas Machicek and Dustin Farahnak.
A federal indictment is not evidence of guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
###
Chancellor Man Sentenced to 25 Years in Federal Prison for Production of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
SIOUX FALLS - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced today that U.S. District Judge Karen E. Schreier has sentenced a Chancellor, South Dakota, man convicted of Production Child Pornography. The sentencing took place on August 31, 2026.
Marquis Lavelle Jordan, age 39, was sentenced to 25 years in federal prison, five years of supervised release, and a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund in the amount of $100. Once released from federal prison, Jordan must register as a sex offender for 25 years.
Jordan was indicted by a federal grand jury in February 2025 and pleaded guilty on June 1, 2026.
The conviction stemmed from incidents between June 16, 2024, and June 24, 2024, when Jordan supplied a runaway juvenile female with drugs and alcohol and forced her to perform oral sex on him while he recorded the act with his cell phone.
“This was a fitting sentence for this predator,” said U.S. Attorney Parsons. “I am so proud of the dedicated efforts of our federal prosecutors and the agents at Homeland Security Investigations for bringing him to justice.”
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth Ebert-Webb prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by 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.
Jordan was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Camden County Woman Indicted in Alleged Murder-for-Hire Scheme Targeting Two PeopleRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that Jaclyn D. Diiorio, aka “D,” 28, of Runnemede, New Jersey, was arrested and charged by indictment with two counts of using interstate commerce facilities in the commission of a murder-for-hire.
The defendant made her initial appearance in federal court this afternoon before U.S. Magistrate Judge Scott W. Reid and is being held in federal custody pending a detention hearing on September 14.
The indictment alleges that, from about March 30, 2025, to about April 5, 2025, in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania and the District of New Jersey, Diiorio used and caused another to use a facility of interstate commerce, that is, a cellular phone, with intent that the murders of Person #1 and Person #2 be committed, in exchange for money.
If convicted, the defendant faces a maximum possible sentence of 20 years in prison.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, with assistance from the Camden County (N.J.) Prosecutor’s Office Major Crimes Unit, Gloucester Township (N.J.) Police Department, and the U.S. Marshals Service New York/New Jersey Regional Fugitive Task Force – Camden Division. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Kwambina Coker and Joshua Myers.
The charges and allegations contained in the indictment are merely accusations. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty in court.
U.S. v. Jaclyn D. Diiorio
California Man Sentenced to 30 Years for Orchestrating $270M Medication Reimbursement Fraud Scheme Targeting Medi-CalRead the Press Release
A California man was sentenced today to 30 years in federal prison for masterminding a massive health care fraud scheme in which nearly $270 million in fraudulent claims were submitted over an 11-month span to Medi-Cal, the California Medicaid program, for expensive prescription drugs containing generic ingredients that were medically unnecessary and, many times, were not provided to the purported recipients. The sentence marks one of the highest health care fraud sentences in the Central District of California’s history.
Paul Richard Randall, 67, of Orange, California, was also ordered to pay $178,746,556.22 in restitution.
“Paul Randall exploited a temporary change in Medi-Cal’s prescription drug reimbursement system to steal millions of hard-earned taxpayer dollars meant to help California’s most vulnerable residents,” said Assistant Attorney General Colin M. McDonald of the National Fraud Enforcement Division. “Today’s sentence sends a clear message to those who would abuse our public benefit programs to line their own pockets: The Fraud Division will aggressively prosecute you and seek to hold you accountable to the fullest extent under the law.”
“This case exposes unbridled greed at the expense of patients and taxpayers. Stealing funds meant for essential care and corrupting medical decisions through kickbacks is deeply harmful and erodes trust in our health care system,” said Acting Deputy Inspector General for Investigations Miranda L. Bennett of the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “HHS-OIG, together with our law enforcement partners, will continue to pursue those who exploit federal health care programs and ensure they are held fully accountable.”
“This defendant took advantage of California’s weak systems allowing him to submit $270 million in fraudulent claims to Medi-Cal in less than a year,” said First Assistant U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli of the Central District of California. “Today’s prison sentence underscore’s our department’s determination to aggressively punish criminals who steal from public health programs.”
According to court documents, Randall, along with pharmacist and pharmacy owner Kyrollos Mekail, 38, of Moreno Valley, California, and nurse practitioner Patricia Anderson, 59, of West Hills, California, took advantage of Medi-Cal’s suspension of its requirement that health care providers obtain prior authorization before providing certain h medications as a condition of reimbursement. The suspension of the prior authorization requirement was part of an ongoing transition of Medi-Cal’s prescription drug program to a new payment system.
Through a business called Monte Vista Pharmacy (Monte Vista), Randall and his co-conspirators exploited Medi-Cal’s prior authorization suspension by billing Medi-Cal tens of millions of dollars per month for dispensing high-reimbursing, non-contracted generic drugs through Monte Vista. The medications, which included pain creams and Folite tablets, a vitamin available over the counter, were billed for thousands of dollars each, including approximately $13,424 for one prescription of meloxicam 5 mg, a generic drug that typically costs between $5 and $25 for a 30-day supply in larger dosages. Normally, these high-cost reimbursement medications would have required prior authorization under Medi-Cal’s previous payment system. Medication involved in this scheme was medically unnecessary, frequently not dispensed to patients, and procured by illegal kickbacks.
In furtherance of the scheme, Randall paid illegal kickbacks to patient marketers in exchange for Medi-Cal beneficiary information and to Anderson to sign pre-filled prescriptions for the medications. Anderson never met the patients, reviewed their medical records, or otherwise determined that the medications were medically necessary before signing the prescriptions.
From May 2022 to April 2023, Randall caused at least $269,120,829 in false and fraudulent claims to be submitted to Medi-Cal, of which Medi-Cal paid at approximately $178,746,556. Randall committed this offense while on release in another criminal tax case in the Central District of California (United States v. Paul Richard Randall, No. CR 20-00031-GW).
Randall and his co-conspirators laundered their illicit proceeds by transferring them to a third party to pay hundreds of thousands of dollars in illegal kickbacks to Anderson in exchange for Anderson signing the fraudulent prescriptions.
In April 2026, Randall pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud. In his plea agreement, Randall agreed to forfeit property obtained from the fraud, including bank account balances exceeding $17 million, three vehicles, seven real properties, and sports memorabilia. To date, the government has seized approximately $126.5 million in assets that Randall and his co-conspirators accumulated from the scheme, including $111 million in bank funds and securities, nine luxury vehicles totaling approximately $1 million, nine luxury real properties totaling approximately $13.5 million, and more than $1 million worth of sports memorabilia.
FBI, HHS-OIG, and the California Department of Justice investigated the case.
Trial Attorney Siobhan M. Namazi of the Fraud Division’s Health Care Fraud Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Roger A. Hsieh for the Central District of California prosecuted the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney James E. Dochterman for the Central District of California’s Asset Forfeiture and Recovery Section is handling asset forfeiture matters in this case.
On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division. The Fraud Division is laser-focused on investigating and prosecuting those who commit fraud against the American people. The Department’s work to combat fraud supports President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs.
The Department of Justice’s Health Care Fraud Strike Force Program, currently comprised of nine strike forces operating in federal districts across the country, has charged more than 6,200 defendants who collectively billed federal health care programs and private insurers more than $45 billion since 2007. In addition, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, working in conjunction with the Office of the Inspector General for the Department of Health and Human Services, are taking steps to hold providers accountable for their involvement in health care fraud schemes. More information can be found at www.justice.gov/criminal-fraud/health-care-fraud-unit.
More information can be found at www.justice.gov/fraud.
California Man Involved in Danbury Kidnapping and Bitcoin Robbery Scheme Sentenced to 15 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that ADAM IZA, 26, of California, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Sarala V. Nagala in Hartford to 180 months of imprisonment and three years of supervised release for his involvement in an attempted robbery of Bitcoin and a kidnapping in Danbury in August 2024.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on August 25, 2024, Danbury Police arrested six Florida men who were involved in a violent carjacking of a Lamborghini Urus and the kidnapping of two occupants of the vehicle on that date. The investigation revealed that the kidnapping victims are the parents of an individual who participated in the theft of hundreds of millions of dollars in Bitcoin. In an attempt to steal some of that Bitcoin, Iza and others planned and coordinated the attempted robbery and ultimately the kidnapping. Iza’s alleged co-coconspirator, who had an altercation with the victims’ son in a Miami nightclub in July 2024, was in regular communication with certain of the kidnappers in the days before the crime, provided funding for it, and helped arrange the participants’ transportation and lodging. Iza communicated via cellphone and encrypted messaging applications with certain of the kidnappers, directed them as to the logistics of the scheme, and also provided funding.
Iza has been detained since September 24, 2024, after he was charged in the Central District of California with unrelated federal offenses. On June 1, 2026, he pleaded guilty in the District of Connecticut to conspiracy to interfere with commerce by robbery (“Hobbs Act Robbery”).
Iza’s brother, Saif Faiq, pleaded guilty to the same offense and awaits sentencing. Six individuals who carried out the carjacking and kidnapping have also pleaded guilty. Other alleged co-conspirators are awaiting trial.
This matter is being investigated by the FBI New Haven Violent Crimes Task Force, FBI Los Angeles, FBI St. Louis, and the Danbury Police Department. The FBI Task Force includes members from the Connecticut State Police and several local police departments. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Karen L. Peck.
U.S. Attorney Sullivan thanked the U.S. Attorney’s Offices for the Central District of California, the Eastern District of Missouri, the District of Columbia, and the District of New Jersey, and the State’s Attorney’s Office for the Judicial District of Danbury, for their assistance in the investigation and prosecution of this matter.
Butler, Missouri Bank Vice President and Former Pastor Pleads Guilty to Financial Fraud Involving an Alleged Cattle-Buying SchemeRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. - A Butler, Mo., man has pleaded guilty to fraud charges.
Craig Johnson, 45, of Butler, Mo., pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Fernando J. Gaitan, Jr. to multiple federal charges. This plea is one of many federal fraud cases pursued under the leadership of President Donald Trump and through the establishment of the Task Force to Eliminate Fraud.
According to information presented in court, Johnson was hired at Community First Bank in 2022 as a Vice President and Loan Officer. While Johnson was employed with Community First Bank, Johnson was also a pastor with a church in El Dorado Springs, Mo. until he was removed in 2025.
Beginning in at least 2024, Johnson began to request “investments” from various individuals for the purpose of buying cattle which would be later sold for profit. The deal varied from person to person but involved Johnson purchasing cattle and selling the cattle for a profit within a short time frame. Johnson told individuals he needed help investing and requested they pay him funds. Johnson worked with some of the “investors” to take out a loan at Community First Bank through Johnson and give the proceeds to Johnson. Johnson did not tell anyone at Community First Bank that he was benefiting from the loan proceeds.
Johnson did not use the funds to purchase cattle but instead deposited the funds in an investment account where he repeatedly traded in small-capitalization and micro-cap securities ultimately losing all the funds. Johnson served as loan officer for approximately 29 loans and lines of credit at Community First Bank totaling approximately $4,476,156.22.
After receiving the victims’ funds, Johnson did not use the funds for proposed cattle sales. Instead, he used the victims’ funds to invest in high-risk stocks via his personal investment account. To further and conceal his scheme, Johnson used some of the victim’s funds to pay earlier investors in the scheme.
At various times between April 2024 and until Johnson’s termination in February 2026, Johnson used his position as a loan officer and/or his status in the community to defraud individuals and a financial institution of at least $9,395,882.22. Johnson used his position at Community First Bank to obtain loans using the identity of other people. In February 2026, at least three loans were created in various individuals’ names where they were not aware of or approved by these people. The three loans were created to pay off other loans Johnson created in the name of another person.
On Aug. 5, 2024, Johnson completed an application for a loan for $1,447,000 through a financial institution in Jefferson City, Mo. The purpose of the loan was to purchase cow and calf pairs and refinance two loans. On Aug. 13, 2024, the loan was approved for $1,447,150. Of the loan proceeds, $46,809.93 was used to pay off a loan at a bank. $198,714.46 was used to pay off another loan at a bank and $1,201,475.61 was provided in a check to Johnson and was supposed to be used to purchase 400 head of cattle.
On Aug. 14, 2024, the loan proceeds ($1,201,475.61) were deposited into a bank account. After the funds were deposited, there was not a large purchase of cattle as agreed upon in the loan. The funds instead were used to repay investors and for personal use.
On Aug. 7, 2025, Johnson completed an application for another loan for $1,500,000 through another financial institution. The purpose of the loan was to purchase 550 cow and calf pairs. On Aug. 13, 2025, the loan proceeds ($1,500,000) were deposited into Johnson’s account. Between Aug. 15, 2025, and Aug. 19, 2025, Johnson transferred $1,450,000 into his investment account.
On Aug. 19, 2025, Johnson completed an application for a third loan for $900,000. The purpose of the of the loan was to purchase 300 cow and calf pairs. The loan was approved for $900,150. The loan proceeds ($900,000) were deposited into Johnson’s bank account. Johnson transferred $900,000 into his personal investment account.
After receiving the loan proceeds for the second and third loans, Johnson provided a bill of sale dated Aug. 30, 2025, to a financial institution. The bill of sale appeared to show that Johnson purchased 850 cow and calf pairs for $2,825,000 from a livestock company in Evanston, Utah. The company did not sell 850 cow and calf pairs to Johnson in August 2025. The owner of the company stated the name on the bill of sale appeared to be his, but the signature was not.
Johnson did not use the combined funds from the three loans ($3,601,475.61) to purchase cattle as stated on the loan documentation but instead transferred the funds to his personal investment account and to make payments to previous victims who believed Johnson made good on their cattle deals.
Under federal statutes, Johnson is subject to the following sentences:
- Wire Fraud - up to 20 years in federal prison without parole
- Bank Fraud - up to 30 years in federal prison without parole
- Aggravated Identity Theft – a mandatory sentence of two years in federal prison consecutive to any other sentence
- False Statement to a Financial Institution - up to 30 years in federal prison without parole.
The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul S. Becker. It was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
National Fraud Enforcement Division
On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division (“Fraud Division”). The Fraud Division is laser-focused on investigating and prosecuting those who commit fraud against the American people. The Department’s work to combat fraud supports President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs.
Buffalo man going to prison for his role in narcotics conspiracyRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Bryan Gutierrez, 27, of Buffalo, NY, who was convicted of narcotics conspiracy, was sentenced to serve 80 months in prison by U.S. District Judge Lawrence J. Vilardo.
Between December 2024 and April 2025, Gutierrez conspired with co-defendant Antonio Rivera-Perez and others to sell fentanyl. In February, March, and April of 2025, investigators conducted controlled purchases of fentanyl from Gutierrez. On April 22, 2025, a search warrant was executed at the Langfield Drive residence of co-defendant Rivera-Perez, during which law enforcement seized approximately 1,072 grams of powder cocaine, 198 grams of crack cocaine, and 190 grams of fentanyl, a firearm, ammunition, drug paraphernalia, and approximately $3,500 in cash.
Antonio Rivera-Perez was previously convicted and sentenced to serve 60 months in prison.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Garrett Fitzsimmons and Katerina Powers. The sentencing is the result of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Farhana Islam, New York Field Division.
# # # #
Brooklyn Adult Daycare Owner Sentenced to 76 Months in Prison for Leadership Role in $68 Million Medicaid Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
BROOKLYN, NY – Earlier today, in federal court in Brooklyn, Zakia Khan was sentenced by United States District Judge Natasha C. Merle to 76 months in prison in connection with her leadership role in carrying out a $64 million Medicaid fraud and illegal kickback scheme at her two social adult daycare centers and a home health care company. In August 2025, Khan pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit health care fraud and conspiracy to defraud the United States and pay health care kickbacks. As part of her sentence, Khan was also ordered to pay over $56 million in restitution and to forfeit $5 million in fraud proceeds, including two properties, cash, and gold jewelry seized during a search of her home, as pictured below.
EDNYJoseph Nocella, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York; Colin M. McDonald, Assistant Attorney General of the Justice Department’s National Fraud Enforcement Division; Pete Gizas, Acting Special Agent in Charge, Homeland Security Investigations, New York (HSI New York); Miranda L. Bennett, Acting Deputy Inspector General for Investigations, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG); and Jessica S. Tisch, Commissioner, New York City Police Department (NYPD) announced the sentence.
“Today’s sentencing sends a strong message of deterrence in our District,” stated United States Attorney Nocella. “Our Office and the Justice Department are focused on protecting American taxpayers from fraudsters and as such, we will vigorously prosecute corrupt health care owners and operators in our district.”
“Khan acted with staggering greed, leading a scheme to defraud Medicaid of millions of dollars intended for people in need. She and her co-conspirators set up social adult daycares but, instead of providing care and services to our most vulnerable neighbors, they enriched themselves with cash, gold, and property,” said HSI Acting Special Agent in Charge Gizas. “Today’s sentence sends a message: we will be relentless in our pursuit of justice against fraudsters. HSI is working side by side with our law enforcement partners to uncover and dismantle complex fraud networks like this one.”
“Social adult day care and home health services are designed to support seniors, not line the pockets of fraudsters,” said HHS-OIG Acting Deputy Inspector General Bennett. “Today’s sentence sends an important message that anyone who illicitly exploits the Medicaid program will be held accountable to the full extent of the law.”
“Zakia Khan stole $64 million from Medicaid through bribes and kickbacks—money meant to support the most vulnerable,” said NYPD Commissioner Tisch. “This was not only deeply illegal but also immoral, and the NYPD will continue to investigate anyone who exploits government programs for personal gain. I thank our NYPD investigators and all our partners in law enforcement for their work in stopping this criminal and bringing this case to a close.”
According to court documents, Khan owned two social adult daycare centers—Happy Family Social Adult Day Care Center Inc. (Happy Family) and Family Social Adult Day Care Center Inc. (Family Social) in the Coney Island section of Brooklyn. She also owned a home health care fiscal intermediary called Responsible Care Staffing Inc. and an entity she used to receive and disguise fraud proceeds called Tanwee Services Inc.
From approximately October 2017 through July 2024, in exchange for kickbacks and bribes, a web of marketers referred Medicaid recipients to Khan’s social adult daycare centers. As depicted in the pictures below, Khan and the marketers paid kickbacks and bribes to the Medicaid recipients to induce them to sign up for services that Khan then billed to Medicaid. These services were never actually provided as represented to Medicaid.
Between 2017 and 2024, Happy Family and Family Social fraudulently billed Medicaid approximately $64 million. Medicaid paid approximately $56 million based on these false and fraudulent claims. Khan and her co-conspirators used multiple business entities to launder the fraud proceeds and generate the cash used to pay kickbacks and bribes to the marketers and the Medicaid recipients.
EDNYZakia Khan on an undercover recording paying illegal kickbacks inside her office at Happy Family.
EDNY EDNYMedicaid recipients receiving illegal cash kickbacks in exchange for filling out false attendance sheets for Zakia Khan’s social adult daycare centers.
HHS-OIG, HSI New York, and NYPD investigated the case.
Deputy Chief Patrick J. Campbell and Trial Attorney Leonid Sandlar of the National Fraud Enforcement Division’s Health Care Fraud Section are prosecuting the case with the assistance of Assistant U.S. Attorney Claire Kedeshian for the Eastern District of New York, who is handling forfeiture matters.
On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division (Fraud Division). The Fraud Division is laser-focused on investigating and prosecuting those who commit fraud against the American people. The Department’s work to combat fraud supports President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs.
The Defendant:
ZAKIA KHAN
Age: 55
Brooklyn, New YorkE.D.N.Y. Docket No.: 24-CR-409 (NCM)
Bloods Gang Leader Sentenced to 280 Months’ Imprisonment for Narcotics Distribution Resulting in Three OverdosesRead the Press Release
Earlier today, in federal court in Central Islip, Gary Johnson, a Bloods gang leader and narcotics trafficker who was responsible for the distribution of cocaine, fentanyl, and heroin throughout Long Island, was sentenced by United States District Judge Joan M. Azrack to 280 months’ imprisonment. Johnson was convicted following a four-week trial on 22 counts of a second superseding indictment charging him with narcotics distribution, including distribution that resulted in three non-fatal overdoses, as well as a firearms-related crime.
Joseph Nocella, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York; James C. Barnacle Jr., Assistant Director in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI); and Kevin Catalina, Commissioner, Suffolk County Police Department (SCPD), announced the sentence.
“As a result of the outstanding work by the FBI, our local law enforcement partners and the prosecutors of this Office, Johnson has been held accountable for his role in a large-scale narcotics distribution operation involving fentanyl, heroin, and cocaine, and for distributing fentanyl and cocaine that caused three individuals to overdose in 2020,” stated United States Attorney Nocella. “We hope that today’s sentence brings a measure of justice to the victims who thankfully survived and their families, and sends a clear message that those who distribute drugs, particularly that cause overdoses, will face severe consequences.”
“Today's sentencing of Gary Johnson serves as a stark reminder that those who distribute drugs in New York will be held accountable. The FBI New York Long Island Safe Streets Gang Task Force works tirelessly to bring drug traffickers to justice. Those who endeavor to follow in Johnson's footsteps will be stopped in their tracks, so that future victims may be spared,” stated FBI Assistant Director in Charge Barnacle.
“The drug epidemic is fueled by people who are focused on making a profit, without regard for the devastating consequences their actions can have when those drugs reach individuals who ultimately overdose,” stated SCPD Commissioner Catalina. “I want to commend EDNY for ensuring Johnson will be spending time in prison for his crimes. We will continue working closely with our law enforcement partners to halt the flow of narcotics and hold drug dealers accountable for the selfish choices that put lives at risk.”
Between June 2013 and November 2020, Johnson, a leader in the G-Shine set of the Bloods based in Suffolk County, sold fentanyl, cocaine, and heroin throughout Long Island. The drugs distributed by the defendant caused multiple victims to overdose, including three individuals who suffered overdoses in March and May 2020. The jury convicted Johnson of multiple narcotics-distribution offenses, including three counts of distributing narcotics resulting in serious bodily injury.
Johnson was also convicted of being a felon in possession of a firearm. That conviction arose from the recovery of a semi-automatic firearm from Johnson’s residence during the execution of a search warrant.
The government’s case is being handled by the Criminal Section of the Office’s Long Island Division. Assistant United States Attorneys Meredith A. Arfa, Stephen Petraeus, and Mark E. Misorek are in charge of the prosecution with assistance from Paralegal Specialists Dejah Turla, Rebecca Roth, and Adam Bernard, as well as Victim Witness Specialist Stephanie Marroquin.
The Defendant:
GARY JOHNSON
Age: 43
Bellport, New YorkE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 20-CR-518 (S-2) (JMA)
Baltimore Man Sentenced for Unlawful Possession of Firearm and Stolen Postal Service KeyRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – A Baltimore man is headed to federal prison for firearm and postal-service theft crimes.
U.S. District Court Judge Ellen L. Hollander sentenced Shykeem Fallin, 24, today, to four years in prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for possession of a firearm and ammunition by a prohibited person and possession of a stolen key adopted by the United States Postal Service.
Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the sentence with Postal Inspector in Charge Damon E. Wood, U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) – Washington Division, and Commissioner Richard Worley, Baltimore Police Department (BPD).
According to court documents, on February 4, 2025, a BPD detective, monitoring a CitiWatch Camera, observed Fallin displaying characteristics of an armed person. The detective saw Fallin adjusting the front waistband of his pants while in a convenience store.
Then Fallin exited the store and approached the driver’s side of a white vehicle with an unknown male who was speaking to a female driver. During the conversation, the officer noticed Fallin repeatedly checking and adjusting an object in the front waistband of his pants. Then the detective saw Fallin walk to the front of the car and pull out a black handgun and hold it against his side.
Fallin then put the firearm back in his waistband and adjusted his pants. After the white vehicle left, Fallin went to his vehicle and entered the driver’s seat. Shortly after, BPD officers arrived on the scene to apprehend Fallin.
After law enforcement arrested Fallin, officers asked him if he owned a permit for the firearm. But Fallin denied having the firearm. Then law enforcement searched the vehicle and uncovered a loaded firearm that contained 12 rounds of ammunition underneath the driver’s seat.
Additionally, law enforcement discovered a United States Postal Service (USPS) Arrow Key that fell from the driver’s side visor onto the driver’s seat. An Arrow Key is a government-issued master key that enables postal carriers to open cluster box units, blue collection boxes, and other USPS-secured mail infrastructure. Upon further investigation, law enforcement learned that the recovered Arrow Key was stolen from a postal carrier on February 3.
U.S. Attorney Kelly O. Hayes commended the USPIS and BPD for their work in the investigation, along with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, for its valuable assistance. U.S. Attorney Hayes also thanked Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Patrick Rigney and Assistant U.S. Attorney James G. O’Donohue III, who prosecuted the federal case.
For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, visit justice.gov/usao-md.
# # #
Attorney General Todd Blanche Celebrates Prosecutorial Successes and Record-Setting Hiring During Atlanta VisitRead the Press Release
ATLANTA – During a recent visit to the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Atlanta, Attorney General Todd Blanche addressed a large class of new federal prosecutors, met with law enforcement leaders, and celebrated some of the office’s prosecutorial successes.
“I appreciate the Attorney General for visiting the Northern District of Georgia to confer with me and our local law enforcement partners,” said U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg. “I am particularly proud that, after discussing the work of our Homeland Security Task Force and meeting nearly 30 of my newest hires, the Attorney General heralded my office as ‘a shining star at the Department of Justice.’ Thanks to a heavy hiring push supported at the highest levels in Washington, we will continue to drive crime rates down and aggressively uphold the law without fear or favor.”
On September 3, 2026, Attorney General Blanche met with U.S. Attorney Hertzberg, his management team, and the full staff of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Atlanta. During these meetings, Attorney General Blanche praised the office’s work, including recent significant drug trafficking, firearms trafficking, and federal program fraud prosecutions. He also met with the regional leaders from more than a half-dozen federal law enforcement agencies, Georgia Attorney General Chris Carr, Georgia Bureau of Investigation Director Chris Hosey, several local police chiefs, and Prosecuting Attorneys’ Council of Georgia Chair Sherry Boston.
Additionally, Attorney General Blanche provided the keynote address during a swearing-in ceremony for more than two-dozen federal prosecutors and litigators now serving in the Northern District of Georgia. U.S. District Judge Michael L. Brown administered the new attorneys’ oath of office.
Since mid-2025, U.S. Attorney Hertzberg has hired thirty-one Assistant U.S. Attorneys (AUSAs) and three Special Assistant U.S. Attorneys (SAUSAs)—setting a record for the office. The lawyers who U.S. Attorney Hertzberg hired from the Justice Department, other U.S. Attorney’s Offices, district attorney’s offices, other government agencies, and the private sector are:
Jonathan Adams is a Civil AUSA handling bankruptcy matters. He served as a Trial Attorney in the Office of the United States Trustee and clerked for U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Homer Drake of Northern District of Georgia. He attended Mercer University for law school and undergrad.
Anita Balasubramanian is a Civil AUSA handling defensive matters. She was a Co-Managing Partner of Buckley Bala Wilson Mew, an Atlanta law firm. She attended the University of Georgia School of Law and Emory University.
Jamie Bircoll is a Criminal AUSA in the Training Section. He worked as a Litigation & Trial Practice Associate at Alston & Bird and clerked for U.S. District Judge Nicholas Ranjan of the Western District of Pennsylvania. He attended the University of Michigan for law school and undergrad.
Patrick Cespedes will be a Criminal AUSA in the Training Section. He clerked for Judge Sandra Lynch of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit and U.S. District Judge Cecilia Altonaga of the Southern District of Florida. He attended Harvard University for law school and undergrad.
Melissa Cheape is a Criminal AUSA in the Training Section. She served as an AUSA in the District of Columbia and clerked for U.S. Magistrate Judge Brian K. Epps of the Southern District of Georgia. She attended Georgia State University College of Law and the University of Georgia.
Kassi Conley is a Criminal AUSA in the Training Section. She worked as a Special Matters & Government Investigations Associate at King & Spalding and clerked for Chief Justice David Nahmias of the Supreme Court of Georgia. She attended Georgia State University for law school, business school, and undergrad.
Bernard Eyth is a Criminal AUSA in the Violent Crime & National Security Section. He served as an Assistant District Attorney in Manhattan and clerked for the District of Columbia Court of Appeals. He attended Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law and the University of Pittsburgh.
Daniel Grill is a Criminal AUSA in the Violent Crime & National Security Section. He worked as a Complex Commercial Litigation Associate at Latham & Watkins. He attended the University of Virginia School of Law and the University of Michigan.
Steve Hsieh is a Criminal AUSA in the Transnational Organized Crime & Cartels Section. He served as a High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas SAUSA and Chief Enforcement Officer of the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN). He clerked for U.S. District Judge William Kuntz, II of the Eastern District of New York and attended New York University School of Law and the Georgia Institute of Technology.
Nicholas Joy is a Criminal AUSA in the Complex Frauds & Cybercrime Section. He worked in the office of the Chief Executive Officer of Palantir Technologies and previously served as an AUSA and SAUSA in the Northern District of Georgia. He attended Harvard Law School and the University of Pennsylvania.
Nathaniel Lancaster is a Criminal AUSA in the Training Section. He worked as a Litigation Associate at Patterson Belknap Webb & Tyler and clerked for Judge Myrna Pérez of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit and U.S. District Judge Dan Polster of the Northern District of Ohio. He attended Emory University School of Law and Binghamton University.
Jonathan Letzring is a Civil AUSA handling defensive matters. He served as an AUSA in the Western District of North Carolina and clerked for Judge Phyllis Kravitch of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit and U.S. District Judge Timothy Batten, Sr. of the Northern District of Georgia. He attended Emory University School of Law and Davidson College.
Sara Lim is a Criminal AUSA in the Training Section. She served as an AUSA in the Middle District of Georgia and clerked for U.S. District Judge Louis Sands of the Middle District of Georgia. She attended Georgia State University College of Law and the University of Georgia.
Jonell Lucca is a Criminal AUSA in the Transnational Organized Crime & Cartels Section. She served as an Associate Director for Prosecutorial Operations at the OCDETF Executive Office after serving as an AUSA in two districts and clerking for Justice Wayne Kidwell of the Idaho Supreme Court. She attended University of Notre Dame Law School and Arizona State University.
Julia Martin is a Criminal AUSA in the Training Section. She served as an Assistant District Attorney in the DeKalb County District Attorney’s Office and worked as an Associate with Greenberg Traurig. She attended Georgia State University College of Law and the University of Georgia.
Cole McFerren is a Criminal AUSA in the Training Section. He served as an AUSA in the Western District of Oklahoma and clerked for U.S. District Judge Stan Baker of the Southern District of Georgia. He attended the University of Georgia for law school and undergrad.
Christopher Meredith is a Criminal AUSA in the Violent Crime & National Security Section. He served as an Assistant Chief Counsel with Immigration & Customs Enforcement. He attended Mercer University School of Law and the University of Georgia.
James Murray is a Criminal AUSA in the Training Section. He served as an Assistant Corporation Counsel with the New York City Law Department and clerked for U.S. District Judge Harvey Schlesinger of the Middle District of Florida and U.S. Magistrate Judge Daryl Bloom in the Middle District of Pennsylvania. He attended Cornell Law School and the State University of New York at Geneseo.
Andrew Navratil is a Bureau of Prisons attorney serving as a Civil Division SAUSA. He clerked for U.S. District Judge Mark Cohen in the Northern District of Georgia and attended Georgia State University College of Law and Carleton College.
Rebecca Perez-Espejo is an Immigration & Customs Enforcement attorney serving as a SAUSA in the Training Section of the Criminal Division. She attended the Emory University School of Law and the University of Central Florida.
Edward Robinson is a Criminal AUSA in the Transnational Organized Crime & Cartels Section. He served as an AUSA in the Southern District of New York and clerked for U.S. District Judge Andrew Carter of the Southern District of New York. He attended Harvard University for law school and undergrad.
Kendall Runyan is a Criminal AUSA in the Training Section. She worked as a Business & Securities Litigation Associate at Jones Day. She attended the University of Florida for law school and undergrad.
Kaitlyn Salinas is a Criminal AUSA in the Training Section. She served as an Assistant Attorney General in the Georgia Attorney General’s Office in the human trafficking section. She attended the University of Georgia for law school and undergrad.
Stephen Scaife is a Criminal AUSA in the Training Section. He served as an AUSA in the Northern District of Oklahoma and clerked for U.S. District Judge Karen Marston of the Eastern District of Pennsylvania and U.S. District Judge Nicholas Ranjan of the Western District of Pennsylvania. He attended University of Richmond School of Law and Presbyterian College.
Amy Schwarzl is a Criminal AUSA in the Transnational Organized Crime & Cartels Section. She served as a High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas SAUSA. She attended Penn State Dickinson Law and the University of Maryland.
Robert Shapiro is a Criminal AUSA in the Training Section. He served as an Assistant District Attorney in Cobb County. He attended Pepperdine University School of Law and Piedmont University.
Patrick Silloway is a Civil AUSA handling defensive matters. He worked as a Counsel at Balch & Bingham and clerked for Judge Daniel Manion of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit and U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Homer Drake of Northern District of Georgia. He attended Mercer University School of Law and the University of Georgia.
Alexa Simonini is a Civil AUSA handling defensive matters. She worked as a General Liability Associate at Lewis Brisbois Bisgaard & Smith. She attended Georgia State University College of Law and Florida State University.
Chloe Smith is a Criminal AUSA in the Violent Crime & National Security Section. She worked as Special Matters & Government Investigations Associate at King & Spalding and clerked for U.S. District Judge Steven Grimberg. She attended Emory University School of Law and Harvard University.
Adam Sunstrom is a Criminal AUSA in the Training Section. He served as an enforcement attorney with the Securities and Exchange Commission in the Division of Enforcement. He attended the University of Georgia School of Law and the University of West Georgia.
Patrick Suter is a Criminal AUSA in the Training Section. He served as a Trial Attorney in the Fraud Section of Department of Justice’s Criminal Division and as the Department’s Resident Legal Advisor in Beijing, China after serving as an AUSA in the Eastern District of California. He attended American University-Washington College of Law and the University of California, Berkeley.
Katie Taylor is a Civil AUSA handling defensive matters. She worked as an Associate at Freeman Mathis & Gary. She attended Mercer University for law school and undergrad.
Drew Waldbeser is a Criminal AUSA in the Training Section. He worked as a Counsel at Lehotsky Keller Cohn, served as Deputy Solicitor General for the State of Georgia, and clerked for Judge Michael Kanne of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit and U.S. District Judge Thomas Ludington of the Eastern District of Michigan. He attended Indiana University Maurer School of Law and Thomas Edison State University
Conor Woods is a Social Security Administration attorney serving as a SAUSA in the Complex Frauds & Cybercrime Section of the Criminal Division. He attended the University of Notre Dame for law school and undergrad.
For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at [email protected] or (404) 581-6185. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.
###
Armed Drug Distributor Sentenced to 141 Months in Prison for Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – An armed drug distributor who sold methamphetamine and fentanyl in Catawba County was sentenced to 141 months in prison yesterday, announced Russ Ferguson, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. Steven Tyler Philbeck, 35, was also ordered to serve five years of supervised release.
According to court documents and the sentencing hearing, in January 2025, law enforcement began conducting an investigation into Philbeck for distributing methamphetamine and fentanyl in Catawba County. Between January and February 2025, an individual cooperating with law enforcement purchased fentanyl and methamphetamine from Philbeck on multiple occasions. Most of the drug buys took place at or near a hotel in Hickory, North Carolina, and during most of those encounters Philbeck was armed.
On February 26, 2025, law enforcement conducted surveillance at a hotel where Philbeck was staying and observed him carrying bags from a hotel room to his vehicle. Philbeck then traveled to a storage unit in Hickory. Law enforcement made contact with Philbeck and searched his vehicle, where they found 43 grams of methamphetamine, a Glock pistol, a magazine loaded with 15 rounds of ammunition, and a 12-gauge shotgun. Philbeck also had more than $9,350 in cash.
From Philbeck’s storage unit and hotel room, law enforcement seized a loaded Glock firearm, large amounts of drug paraphernalia, small bags commonly used to package narcotics for distribution, and small bags containing methamphetamine and fentanyl.
In July 2025, Philbeck pleaded guilty to distributing methamphetamine. He is in federal custody and will be transferred to the custody of the Federal Bureau of Prisons upon designation to a federal facility.
This investigation was led by the Hickory Police Department as part of the Catawba Valley Crime Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Erik Lindahl of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
Arizona Woman Pleads Guilty to Shipping Methamphetamine to New Hampshire in Multi-State Dark Web Drug Trafficking by Mail OperationRead the Press Release
CONCORD – Brejea Wrigley, 30, of Phoenix, Arizona, pleaded guilty yesterday in federal court to two counts of Distribution of Controlled Substances, specifically more than 50 grams of methamphetamine, United States Attorney Erin Creegan announces.
According to court documents and statements made in court, in August 2025, the defendant took over a dark web methamphetamine distribution operation under the vendor account name “BlackCoconut” and used that account to arrange shipments of drug parcels nationwide through the United States Postal Service (USPS). Items for sale through this operation included methamphetamine, fentanyl marketed as “China White,” pressed oxycodone pills, and mushrooms in various quantities. Undercover agents were able to arrange through the dark web for parcels of methamphetamine to be purchased and shipped from Phoenix, Arizona to a law enforcement monitored P.O. Box in Manchester, NH in September and October 2025. The first shipment contained nearly 450 grams of methamphetamine hidden inside two stuffed animals, purchased for a total of $1,850 from the “BlackCoconut” account. The second shipment contained more than 800 grams of methamphetamine, similarly packaged to the first shipment. Following further investigation and the execution of search warrants, the defendant was identified as the person operating the “BlackCoconut” dark web account and trafficking operation.
The charging statute provides for a sentence up to life in federal prison, at least 5 years of supervised release, and a maximum fine of $10,000,000. U.S. District Court Judge Joseph N. Laplante scheduled sentencing for December 17, 2026.
The United States Postal Inspection Service led the investigation, with valuable assistance from the Drug Enforcement Agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Cesar Vega is prosecuting the case.
Arizona Man Charged with Enticing and Transporting a Minor to Kentucky to Engage in Illegal Sexual ConductRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – An Arizona., man was indicted by a federal grand jury with charges related to enticement of a minor.
Dustin A. Hill, 22, of Florence, Ariz., was charged with attempted enticement of a minor, travel with intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct, transportation of a minor to engage in sexual activity, and transfer of obscene material to a minor. Hill had his initial appearance today in U.S. District Court in Kansas City, Mo.
The indictment alleges that between September 6 and Sept. 20, 2025, Hill, using a means of interstate commerce, attempted to entice a minor to engage in sexual activity. Hill traveled from the State of Arizona to the state of Missouri and then transported the minor from Missouri to the state of Kentucky with the intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct. The indictment further alleges that Hill transferred obscene materials to the minor.
The charges contained in this indictment are simply accusations, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charges must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Teresa Moore. It was investigated by Atchison, Missouri Sheriff’s Department, the Evansville, Indiana Police Department, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Project Safe Childhood
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc . For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab "resources."
Additional Hacienda Employee and Business Owners Plead Guilty to Bribery Conspiracies Involving Millions in Public FundsRead the Press Release
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – On September 8, 2026, Alexander Ortiz-Robles, a Puerto Rico Department of Treasury (Departamento de Hacienda or “PRDT”) employee was charged via information and pleaded guilty to participating in a bribery conspiracy involving the loss of approximately $6,772,578 in Puerto Rico tax revenue, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 371. Ortiz-Robles is scheduled to be sentenced before U.S. District Judge Gina R. Méndez-Miró on January 15, 2027. This represents the third PRDT employee to plead guilty within the last three months to a bribery or fraud scheme. Along with numerous other “gestors”, individuals, and corporate defendants that also pleaded guilty, the total loss of Puerto Rico tax revenue related to these schemes exceeds $14 million.
According to the plea agreement in the case of Alexander Ortiz-Robles, he admitted to receiving bribe payments to eliminate Puerto Rico taxes owed by various individuals and businesses. From June 2020 through October 2025, Alexander Ortiz-Robles was an employee and agent of the PRDT with duties that included physically and electronically accessing and reviewing tax returns and documents related to invoicing and collection of owed taxes. The defendant had privileged access to the PRDT’s online platforms, the Puerto Rico Integrated Tax Administration System (PRITAS) and the Internal Revenue Unified System (GenTax/SURI) and was experienced and able to access, monitor, and modify taxpayer information, including creating taxpayer credits, modifying income tax, employee retention tax and sales tax information.
As part of the conspiracy, Ortiz-Robles corruptly accepted bribe payments and other benefits, in exchange for submitting false information to the PRDT. The false information was submitted to the PRDT for the elimination of taxes owed, evasion of taxes, and theft of funds. These bribe payments received by Ortiz-Robles included $15,500 in July 2022, $20,000 in December 2023, $60,000 in November 2024, and $6,000 in April 2025.
These illicit bribe payments were paid through third parties, who were in business to charge customers to illegally reduce their taxes owed. The conspiracy resulted in a total approximate loss to the PRDT of $6,772,578.
A separate but similar bribery and fraud scheme, Criminal No. 25-434(PAD), involving employees of the PRDT was indicted in October 2025. The following defendants in that case recently pleaded guilty and are pending sentencing before the U.S. District Court Judge Pedro A. Delgado. That case involves a total loss of over $3.5 million (with some individuals jointly responsible for losses with corresponding companies).
DefendantGuilty PleaSentencing DateAmount of Loss[2] Harry E. Muriel-Falero7/20/202610/9/2026$665,639.74[3] César Rodríguez-Nieves8/17/202612/4/2026$852,487.91[4] 24 Marketplace, Inc.8/17/202612/4/2026$35,125.84[5] A La Silla LLC8/17/202612/4/2026$205,514.32[6] RB Marketplace, Inc.8/17/202612/4/2026$154,728.92[7] Hiram Firpi-Cruz8/18/202612/11/2026$526,263.67[8] Líneas de Puerto Rico, Inc.8/18/202612/11/2026$393,408.91[9] Héctor J. Baerga-Ortiz8/31/202612/14/2026$1,833,983.81[10] Híjole Foods Bistro Corp.8/31/202612/14/2026$447,241.14[11] HVP Foods Corp.8/31/202612/14/2026$564,545.29[12] BBB Food, Corp.9/1/202612/14/2026$386,483.84[13] BHV Food, Corp.9/1/202612/14/2026$225,340.52[14] VHB Foods Corp.9/1/202612/14/2026$131,461.02[15] Carlos A. Rodríguez-Ortiz 7/7/202610/2/2026$33,660.53[16] Red Point Pizza and Restaurant, Corp.8/10/202611/6/2026$33,660.53[19] Suhail Pastrana-Vega8/4/202612/4/2026$193,577.03[21] Rafael A. Tefel-Santana8/3/202611/6/2026$437,785.06[22] Gabrielle López-Berríos7/20/202610/16/2026$36,138.55[23] G Fitness & Body Performance LLC8/19/202612/18/2026$17,309.55[24] Veevo LLC8/19/202612/18/2026$1,642[25] Patria Silfa-Báez 8/25/202612/22/2026$47,209.44[26] Print Pro LLC8/25/202612/22/2026$44,630.33In another separate case, Criminal No. 26-359 (MAJ), Edwin Gómez-Villegas and Brisas BBQ, Inc. pleaded guilty on September 2, 2026, to participating in a similar fraud scheme to defraud PRDT of approximately $23,904 in Puerto Rico tax revenue. Gómez-Villegas and Brisas BBQ, Inc. are scheduled to be sentenced on December 3, 2026, by U.S. District Judge María Antongiorgi-Jordán.
Acting U.S. Attorney Héctor Ramírez-Carbó of the District of Puerto Rico; and Carlos R. Goris, Special Agent in Charge of FBI San Juan Field Office made the announcement.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation is investigating these matters. Assistant U.S. Attorney Marie Christine Amy from the District of Puerto Rico’s Financial Fraud & Public Corruption Section is prosecuting these cases.
This is part of an ongoing effort to combat public corruption and fraud committed by Puerto Rico Department of Treasury employees. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Puerto Rico previously announced the indictment of the initial twenty-six individuals and corporations in October 2025, the July 2, 2026 guilty plea of Luis A. Jiménez-Guzmán, an Hacienda employee who admitted to participating in a similar bribery conspiracy involving the loss of approximately $5,000,000, and the July 20, 2026 guilty plea of Harry E. Muriel-Falero.
###
12 Robertson County Defendants Charged in Federal Cocaine Trafficking CaseRead the Press Release
NASHVILLE – Twelve Robertson County residents have been indicted on federal charges stemming from a multi-year investigation into the distribution of cocaine and crack cocaine and related firearms offenses, announced United States Attorney for the Middle District of Tennessee Braden H. Boucek.
A federal grand jury returned the indictments in August 2026, charging the defendants with conspiring to distribute cocaine and crack cocaine, along with numerous substantive drug trafficking offenses. One defendant is also charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm.
The investigation began in approximately January 2024 and was conducted by the Robertson County Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), with assistance from federal law enforcement partners.
On September 3, 2026, members of the Robertson County Sheriff’s Office, ATF, Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF), and United States Marshals Service conducted a coordinated operation to execute federal arrest warrants. Six of the indicted defendants were arrested during the operation. An additional defendant was located in Ohio the following day and remains in custody there on state warrants. Five defendants were already in custody on other charges and are expected to make appearances in federal court later this month.
The defendants and charges include:
Derrick Artell Hurt, 47, of Greenbrier, Tennessee
- Conspiracy to distribute 5 kilograms or more of cocaine and 280 grams or more of crack cocaine
- Three counts of distribution and possession with intent to distribute cocaine
- Use of a communication facility in the commission of a felony drug trafficking offense
Santoria Antonio Brown, a/k/a “Hoggie,” 48, of Springfield, Tennessee
- Conspiracy to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine and 28 grams or more of crack cocaine
- Twelve counts of distribution and possession with intent to distribute cocaine
- Use of a communication facility in the commission of a felony drug trafficking offense
Terrelle Epprise Payne, a/k/a “Rat Daddy,” 53, of Springfield, Tennessee
- Conspiracy to distribute cocaine and crack cocaine
- Five counts of distribution and possession with intent to distribute cocaine
- Felon in possession of a firearm
- Use of a communication facility in the commission of a felony drug trafficking offense
Michael Christopher Bigbee, a/k/a “Big Mike,” 42, of Springfield, Tennessee
- Conspiracy to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine and 28 grams or more of crack cocaine
- Four counts of distribution and possession with intent to distribute cocaine
- Use of a communication facility in the commission of a felony drug trafficking offense
Alandis Vontay Darden, a/k/a “Apple Head,” 43, of Springfield, Tennessee
- Conspiracy to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine and 28 grams or more of crack cocaine
- Nine counts of distribution and possession with intent to distribute cocaine
- Use of a communication facility in the commission of a felony drug trafficking offense
Anthony Terrill Swoopes, a/k/a “Swoopes,” 56, of Springfield, Tennessee
- Conspiracy to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine and 28 grams or more of crack cocaine
- Four counts of distribution and possession with intent to distribute cocaine
- Use of a communication facility in the commission of a felony drug trafficking offense
Tomika Mischelle Woodard, a/k/a “Mickey,” 53, of Springfield, Tennessee
- Conspiracy to distribute cocaine and crack cocaine
- Seven counts of distribution and possession with intent to distribute cocaine
- Use of a communication facility in the commission of a felony drug trafficking offense
David Lee Brown, 41, of Springfield, Tennessee
- Conspiracy to distribute cocaine and crack cocaine
- Two counts of distribution and possession with intent to distribute cocaine
- Use of a communication facility in the commission of a felony drug trafficking offense
Nola Ann Davis, 52, of Springfield, Tennessee
- Conspiracy to distribute cocaine and crack cocaine
- Four counts of distribution and possession with intent to distribute cocaine
- Use of a communication facility in the commission of a felony drug trafficking offense
Donald Ray Bugg, 36, of Springfield, Tennessee
- Conspiracy to distribute cocaine and crack cocaine
- Two counts of distribution and possession with intent to distribute cocaine
- Use of a communication facility in the commission of a felony drug trafficking offense
Shauntai Deshelle Black, 29, of Springfield, Tennessee
- Conspiracy to distribute cocaine and crack cocaine
- One count of distribution and possession with intent to distribute cocaine
- Use of a communication facility in the commission of a felony drug trafficking offense
Taylor Leighann Rose, 29, of Springfield, Tennessee
- Conspiracy to distribute cocaine and crack cocaine
- Use of a communication facility in the commission of a felony drug trafficking offense
“Cocaine and crack cocaine poison neighborhoods, and the firearms that travel with them turn drug deals into shootings,” said United States Attorney Braden H. Boucek. “For more than two years, the Robertson County Sheriff’s Office and ATF built this case one transaction at a time, and today a dozen alleged traffickers are facing federal charges because of that work. This office will use every tool the law gives us to dismantle drug networks in Middle Tennessee, and we are grateful to our partners at every level of law enforcement who made this operation possible.”
“This case is a prime example of law enforcement working collectively to protect our communities and confront those who blatantly disregard public safety by distributing deadly narcotics and illegally possessing firearms,” said Special Agent In charge, Jamey VanVliet. “ATF will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to aggressively investigate and charge those individuals who continue to make our neighborhoods unsafe through armed drug trafficking activities.”
“The success of this multi-year operation is a direct reflection of the strong working relationships and partnerships we have built with our local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies,” said Robertson County Sheriff Michael Van Dyke. “Through communication, cooperation, and a shared commitment to our community, we were able to remove illegal drugs and firearms from our streets and hold those involved in criminal activity accountable. We are grateful to every agency and officer who worked together to make this operation a success.”
The investigation remains active and ongoing. The cases are being prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Tennessee.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
These arrests are part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the resources of United States law enforcement toward identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes available tools to prosecute and remove violent criminal aliens from the United States.
#####
8 September 2026
Washington State Man Pleads Guilty to Sex Trafficking of MinorsRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Ore.—A Washington State man pleaded guilty today to sex trafficking.
Dajohntae Rayshawnlee Richard, 26, pleaded guilty to two counts of sex trafficking by fraud, force, and coercion, announced U.S. Attorney Scott E. Bradford for the District of Oregon.
According to court documents, in May of 2025, Richard messaged a girl, age 15, on Facebook. Richard met with and had sex with the minor victim. Richard then drove her to a place in the State of Washington where he instructed her to solicit men seeking sex for money. Richard kept all the money that men paid for the sex acts with the minor victim. The victim reported that there were occasions when Richard hit and choked the minor victim if she did not do as Richard instructed. The victim was afraid that Richard would injure or kill her. On one occasion, he struck her in the face and choked her, causing a visible injury. This trafficking and abuse continued for about two months, and Richard transported her to various locations in Washington and Oregon to find customers.
In June of 2025, in the Seattle, Washington, area, Richard approached a second 15-year-old girl and told her she worked for him. Within days, Richard began threatening the child, controlling her use of her cellphone and forcing her to engage in sex with men for money, which Richard kept. The child victim feared for her life, so she complied with Richard’s demands. Richard drove the child victim to various locations to make money for him. This trafficking continued for about a month.
On June 28, 2025, the defendant transported both these minor victims and an adult woman to Portland, Oregon. Richard rented a hotel room and instructed the girls and woman to walk on 82nd Avenue for the purpose of finding customers with whom to engage in sexual acts.
On August 25, 2025, Richard made his initial appearance in federal court in Portland and was detained.
On August 12, 2025, a federal grand jury in Portland returned a 4-count indictment charging Richard with 2-counts of sex trafficking by fraud, force, and coercion and 2-counts of sex trafficking of a child.
Richard faces a maximum sentence of life imprisonment with a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years’ imprisonment, a fine of $ 250,000 or twice the gross pecuniary gains or losses resulting from the offense if such amount is determined to exceed $250,000, 5 years of supervised release, and a $100 fee assessment. Richard will also be required to register as a sex offender. He will be sentenced on December 7, 2026, before a U.S. district court judge.
As part of the plea agreement, Richard has agreed to pay restitution in full to the victims.
This case was investigated by the FBI. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kate Rochat and Eliza Carmen Rodriguez are prosecuting the case.
If you or someone you know are victims of human trafficking or have information about a potential human trafficking situation, please call the National Human Trafficking Resource Center (NHTRC) at 1-888-373-7888 or text 233733. NHTRC is a national, toll-free hotline, with specialists available to answer calls from anywhere in the country, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. You can also submit a tip on the NHTRC website.
This case was brought in collaboration with Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Anyone who has information about the physical or online exploitation of children are encouraged to call the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI (1-800-225-5324) or submit a tip online at tips.fbi.gov.
Virginia Man Convicted of Investor and Bankruptcy Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
A federal jury in Alexandria, Virginia, convicted Jihoon Park, 52, of Chantilly, Virginia, today for his participation in a fraud scheme that victimized individuals and defrauded a U.S. Bankruptcy Court.
“Jihoon Park claimed he would invest his community members’ life savings, retirement, and money and promised a high-yield return. Instead, he stole the millions of dollars entrusted to him to enrich himself,” said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Unsuspecting families and individuals suffered devastating financial crises because of Park’s crimes. The Criminal Division’s White Collar Section is using every available resource to stop criminals from destroying people’s livelihoods and retirements.”
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Park convinced people in his community to let him invest their money and grow their assets. He used his personal relationships and his former affiliation with a large national financial institution to gain victims’ trust and convince them to give him money to invest on their behalf. Park promised safe investments with high returns. But he lied. Instead, he transferred over $2.5 million from the multiple victims to himself. Among other things, he used the stolen money to buy a house and cryptocurrency for himself.
When one of the victims sued him, Park transferred assets to his wife and concealed millions of dollars in cryptocurrency assets before filing for bankruptcy and falsely claiming he had only $0.34 in financial assets and no cryptocurrency to avoid paying his victim creditors any money back from his fraud.
Park was convicted of three counts of wire fraud and two counts of bankruptcy fraud. He is scheduled to be sentenced on Dec. 10, 2026. Park faces a maximum penalty of 20 years on the wire fraud counts and a maximum penalty of five years on the bankruptcy fraud counts. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The FBI Washington Field Office is investigating the case.
Trial Attorney Timothy J. Coley of the Criminal Division’s White Collar and Corporate Enforcement Section and Trial Attorney Zachary H. Ray of the National Fraud Enforcement Division’s Health Care Fraud Section are prosecuting the case, with substantial assistance from Assistant U.S. Attorneys Russell L. Carlberg and Jack Morgan for the Eastern District of Virginia.
Two Dominican Republic Men Each Sentenced to Two Years in Prison for Roles in Grandparent Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, Pa. – Two Dominican Republic residents illegally living in the United States each have been sentenced in federal court to two years of imprisonment, to be followed by three years of supervised release, on their convictions for money laundering conspiracy, United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.
Senior United States District Judge Nora Barry Fischer imposed the sentences on Luis Alfonso Bisono Rodriguez, 35, and Engels Guillermo Almengot Valerio, 26. Rodriguez had been living in Cleveland, Ohio, and Valerio in Paterson, New Jersey.
According to information presented to the Court, Rodriguez and Valerio participated in a conspiracy in which they laundered proceeds obtained from a sophisticated grandparent fraud scheme operating out of the Dominican Republic. The scammers contacted elderly victims impersonating a grandchild or other close relative in a crisis and seeking immediate financial assistance. The scammers then arranged for rideshare drivers to pick up cash from the grandparents and deliver the money to a member of the organized crime group, with both Rodriguez and Valerio having received cash directly from drivers. Portions of the money were deposited into bank accounts and other portions were sent via money transfers back to the Dominican Republic. Valerio also ordered the rides used to pick up the cash, including some rides that delivered fraud proceeds to Rodriguez.
Assistant United States Attorney Brendan T. Conway prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
United States Attorney Rivetti commended the Federal Bureau of Investigation, which worked with many law enforcement departments throughout the United States, for the investigation leading to the successful prosecutions of Rodriguez and Valerio.
Three Individuals Indicted for Illegal Acquisition of Firearms and Unauthorized Entry into a Secure Federal Facility with a Firearm in North Las VegasRead the Press Release
LAS VEGAS – Two men and one woman have been indicted in connection with illegal acquisition of firearms and unlawful entry with a concealed weapon into the secure U.S. Department of Energy Nevada National Security Sites North Las Vegas Facility.
“This indictment sends a clear message: we will not tolerate actions that threaten public safety or compromise the security of our nation's protected facilities,” said First Assistant U.S. Attorney Sigal Chattah for the District of Nevada. “The Department of Justice will continue to work tirelessly with our law enforcement partners to investigate and prosecute anyone who attempts to bypass federal gun laws and violate secure spaces."
“The FBI will not tolerate acts that jeopardize public safety or the security of our nation's protected institutions,” said Special Agent in Charge Christopher S. Delzotto for the FBI Las Vegas Field Office. “We will continue working diligently with our law enforcement partners to investigate any individual who attempts to breach secure areas or circumvent federal firearms restrictions.”
According to allegations contained in the indictment, in February 2026, Demandre Michael Frazier and Jessica Marie Zamora made false statements on ATF Firearms Transaction Record forms during the purchase of two pistols, one a 9x19mm Smith & Wesson and the other a .40 caliber Smith & Wesson. Later, in April 2026, Jessica Zamora and a yet-to-be publicly unidentified defendant made false statements on ATF Firearms Transaction Record forms during the purchase of a 10mm Smith & Wesson pistol.
Photo of a Smith & Wesson model SD-9 2.0 9x19mm semiautomatic pistol in U.S. v. Treyvon Jameel Currie et al, Case #2:26-cr-00182-APG-EJY
As alleged, on August 5, 2026, Treyvon Jameel Currie and Jessica Marie Zamora, carrying a concealed weapon, entered and attempted to enter the U.S. Department of Energy Nevada National Security Sites North Las Vegas Facility. There are notices stating the pertinent prohibitions and penalties posted at all entrances of the facility.
Treyvon Jameel Currie and Jessica Marie Zamora are each charged with one count of entry or attempted entry by fraud and false pretenses on real property of the United States with intent to commit a felony in that facility; one count of possession of a firearm in a secure federal facility; one count of unauthorized entry upon a facility, installation or real property of the United States Department of Energy Enclosed by a structural barrier; and one count of unauthorized introduction of a dangerous weapon upon a facility, installation or real property of the United States Department of Energy enclosed by a structural barrier. Zamora is also charged with two counts of illegal acquisition of a firearm. Demandre Michael Frazier is charged with one count of illegal acquisition of a firearm.
A jury trial has been scheduled for November 2, 2026, before Chief United States District Judge Andrew P. Gordon.
The FBI and North Las Vegas Police Department are investigating the case. Assistant United States Attorney Dan Cowhig is 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.
###
Texas Couple Sentenced for Operating Website Selling Smuggled Pesticides and Veterinary DrugsRead the Press Release
Thao Duong and Lam Mai, a wife and husband from Garland, Texas, were sentenced today in federal court to charges stemming from their operation of a website selling veterinary drugs and pesticides smuggled into the United State from Mexico. Duong was sentenced to three months in prison, two years of supervised release, and a forfeiture of more than $1.5 million. Mai was sentenced to two years of probation.
“The defendants in this case traded human safety and environmental health for illicit profit,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Adam Gustafson of the Justice Department’s Energy and Natural Resources Division (ENRD). “The Justice Department will continue to investigate and prosecute transnational crimes to secure our border and protect the health and safety of Americans.”
“No one should profit from bringing illegal chemicals into the United States and poisoning American communities,” said Assistant Administrator Jeffrey A. Hall for EPA’s Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance. “Illegal Mexican pesticides and animal steroids are a dangerous combination. The sentence in this case underscores the importance of the cooperative efforts of federal, state, and local agencies to disrupt smuggling operations and secure our nation’s borders from foreign harm.”
“Trafficking toxic chemicals into the United States is a blatant assault on our national security and public safety,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan R. Raybould for the Northern District of Texas. “These defendants pumped dangerous, foreign sourced pesticides and drugs into our country recklessly putting American communities at risk. This sentence makes clear we will be uncompromising in the prosecution of those who engage in illicit activities that threaten our people, our environment and the integrity of our borders.”
“The FDA is charged with ensuring that veterinary drugs meet rigorous safety standards. When individuals smuggle and distribute misbranded and unapproved veterinary drugs, they jeopardize the health of animals,” said Special Agent in Charge Jonathan Lamb of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA)’s Office of Criminal Investigations, Kansas City Field Office. “We will continue to pursue and bring to justice those who distribute misbranded and unapproved animal drugs unlawfully.”
According to filings and evidence presented in court, in approximately 2011, Duong began using various online platforms to sell animal care products to customers throughout the United States. The products she sold were used primarily by people engaged in rooster fighting ventures. Duong was not a veterinarian and did not require customers to provide veterinary prescriptions to purchase veterinary drugs. She also sold products such as Cipio Vet, Baytril Max, and Caterrol, which are produced in Mexico and not approved by the FDA for use in the United States. In 2017, she added the pesticides Taktic and Bovitraz to her inventory. Neither Taktic nor Bovitraz were registered with the EPA for sale or use and could not be sold legally in the United States.
In 2018, Duong started a website, which she used as her primary means of selling and distributing veterinary drugs and pesticides. After launching the site, Duong entered into agreements with several co-conspirators to purchase veterinary drugs and pesticides that she knew had been smuggled into the United States from Mexico.
The smuggled pesticides and veterinary drugs were brought into the United States through the Calexico Port of Entry in Imperial County, California, and placed in storage units near the border. Duong’s co-conspirators then shipped the products from California to Texas. Between 2018 and 2022, Duong obtained approximately $2.4 million worth of smuggled merchandise from her co-conspirators.
Lam Mai was the shipping manager for the website. After orders were received, he packaged the pesticides and veterinary drugs and distributed them to customers throughout the country using the U.S. Postal Service and other shippers.
According to the EPA, the active ingredient in the pesticides Taktic and Bovitraz is amitraz, which is toxic to bees if released into hives, and then ultimately to humans when it ends up in honey, honeycomb, and beeswax. Misuse of amitraz-containing products in beehives can result in exposures that could cause neurological effects and possibly reproductive effects in humans from the consumption of contaminated honey. Signs of neurotoxicity from exposure to amitraz have been documented in multiple animal species and include central nervous system depression, decrease in pulse rate, and hypothermia.
The EPA and FDA investigated the case, with assistance from Homeland Security Investigations and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service.
Trial Attorney Lauren D. Steele of ENRD’s Environmental Crimes Section and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Vincent J. Mazzurco and Madeleine Case for the Northern District of Texas prosecuted the case.
ENRD is a member of the Department of Justice’s Trade Fraud Task Force, a cross-agency law enforcement effort that also involves the Criminal and Civil Divisions’ Fraud Sections, ENRD, the Department of Homeland Security, and U.S. Attorney’s Offices nationwide. The Task Force was created to leverage all of the Department’s tools and authorities to prevent trade fraud that deprives the government of vital revenue, threatens critical domestic industries, undermines consumer confidence, and weakens national security. The Task Force is designed to pursue enforcement actions against parties who seek to evade tariffs and other duties, as well as smugglers who seek to import prohibited goods into the American economy. The Justice Department encourages whistleblowers to alert the government to credible allegations of fraud, including utilizing the qui tam provisions of the False Claims Act or through the Criminal Division’s Corporate Whistleblower Program at [email protected] using the form available here.
Straw Purchaser Sentenced to Prison for Buying a Gun for a Person Under IndictmentRead the Press Release
Aberdeen, MS – A DeSoto County woman was previously indicted for purchasing a firearm at a federal firearms licensee store on behalf of a person who was prohibited from purchasing one. She was also indicted for lying under oath in court, both for another defendant, Lavoris McGee. Dominikka Thomas, 27, previously pleaded guilty to the straw purchase of the firearm for McGee.
Court records established that the defendant purchased a firearm for a person the defendant knew was prohibited from possessing firearms. This is against the law.
Honorable Sharion Aycock sentenced Thomas to 30 months’ imprisonment followed by 3 years supervised release for the straw purchase. McGee was previously sentenced for illegal firearm possessions.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives investigated the case with assistance from the Leflore County Sheriff’s Department and the United States Marshal’s Service.
“In our effort to disrupt violent gun crime in our communities, ATF will continue to focus efforts on prohibited individuals who unlawfully possess firearms,” said ATF New Orleans Special Agent in Charge Joshua Jackson. “The sentence imposed today sends a message that ATF will continue to work alongside our partners at the U.S. Attorney’s Office to ensure these repeat offenders do not gain access to more firearms and these enablers who make straw purchases are held fully accountable so we can keep our neighborhoods safe as the top priority for ATF.”
Assistant U.S. Attorney Clyde McGee prosecuted the case.
Stockton man sentenced to 9.5 years in prison for robbing a Fire Wings restaurant at gunpointRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Douglas Sharron Piggee Jr., 55, of Stockton, was sentenced today by Senior U.S. District Judge John A. Mendez to 9.5 years in prison for interference with commerce by robbery and brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced.
According to court documents, on July 21, 2022, Piggee walked into a Fire Wings restaurant in Stockton, pointed a loaded gun at the cashier, and demanded money from the register. Piggee then took the money and fled on foot, leaving his car keys behind. Officers found his car parked down the street. Inside the car was the cash, an unserialized, loaded, privately manufactured firearm or “ghost gun,” an extended magazine loaded with 24 rounds of ammunition, and the clothes Piggee used during the robbery. Piggee committed this crime while on supervised release after serving prison sentences for two prior federal convictions: one for armed bank robbery and one for escape and illegal possession of a firearm.
Piggee pleaded guilty on March 25, 2025.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Stockton Police Department conducted the investigation Assistant U.S. Attorney Cameron Desmond prosecuted the case.
Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is the Department of Justice’s nationwide initiative that brings federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement, prosecutors, and other public safety partners together to coordinate efforts to combat violent crime and make communities safe. Coordinated by U.S. Attorneys’ offices in each of the 94 federal districts, PSN is tailored to particular communities to strategically address specific violent crime and public safety challenges. As a key component of Operation Take Back America, PSN serves a central role in the Department’s commitment to make our country safe. PSN emphasizes three core principles: rapid federal response to violent crime and criminal offenders; strong, strategic partnerships among law enforcement at all levels; and accountability and deterrence through the prosecution of the most serious, readily provable offenses and other strategies. These efforts complement and strengthen President Trump’s Homeland Security Task Forces, ensuring a comprehensive federal response to the most pressing public safety issues facing communities.
St. Louis Postal Worker Accused of Dumping 30,000 Pieces of MailRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – A St. Louis mail carrier has been accused of dumping at least 30,000 pieces of mail in vacant lots since 2024.
Armond Paige, 54, was indicted on September 2 in U.S. District Court in St. Louis on one count of delay or destruction of mail by a postal employee. The indictment says that Paige dumped mail in vacant, weedy lots rather than delivering it. From roughly 2024 to April 29, 2026, Paige discarded at least 30,000 pieces of mail in various vacant lots, the indictment says. At the time, Paige was working out of the Maryville Gardens Post Office on Meramec Street in south St. Louis.
Paige appeared in court Tuesday and pleaded not guilty.
A charge set forth in an indictment is merely an accusation and does not constitute proof of guilt. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty.
The charge carries a potential penalty of up to five years in jail, a fine of up to $250,000, or both prison and a fine.
The investigation is being conducted by the U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General. Assistant U.S. Attorney Gwen Carroll is prosecuting the case.
Southeast Missouri Man Sentenced to 20 Years in Prison for Two Armed RobberiesRead the Press Release
CAPE GIRARDEAU – U.S. District Judge Stephen N. Limbaugh Jr. on Tuesday sentenced a southeast Missouri man to 20 years in prison for his role in the armed robbery of two businesses and their patrons in 2024.
Tarrence Raybon, 41, and two other men robbed a tobacco and liquor store in Kennett on Jan. 17, 2024. The two other men were armed. One grabbed a man and threw him to the ground while pointing a gun at him. They stole cash and a cell phone from victims and cash and lottery tickets from the store. Raybon was out on bond and wearing a GPS monitoring device on his ankle, which showed him at store at the time it was robbed.
Four days later, Raybon and two other men robbed another Kennett business. One man held a gun to a victim’s head while Raybon stole cash from the store’s office. Raybon used bolt cutters to break into video gambling machines and steal cash while his accomplices held employees and patrons at gunpoint. They also stole cash, a gun and a cell phone from victims. Raybon's ankle monitor again put him at the scene of the robbery. Both robberies were also captured on video.
On Feb. 27, 2024, Raybon and two other people were in a stolen car and being pursued by Pemiscot County Sheriff’s deputies and officers with the Portageville Police Department. The driver of the vehicle crashed. After Raybon fled on foot, officers found his driver’s license and a distinctive chrome Lorcin .380 handgun used during both robberies.
Raybon, of Kennett, in Dunklin County, pleaded guilty in June in U.S. District Court in Cape Girardeau to two counts of robbery and one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm.
The Kennett Police Department, the Dunklin County Sheriff’s Office, the Pemiscot County Sheriff’s Office, the Portageville Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Shelton prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the Department of Justice’s nationwide initiative that brings federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement, prosecutors, and other public safety partners together to coordinate efforts to combat violent crime and make communities safe. Coordinated by U.S. Attorneys’ offices in each of the 94 federal districts, PSN is tailored to particular communities to strategically address specific violent crime and public safety challenges. As a key component of Operation Take Back America, PSN serves a central role in the Department’s commitment to make our country safe. PSN emphasizes three core principles: rapid federal response to violent crime and criminal offenders; strong, strategic partnerships among law enforcement at all levels; and accountability and deterrence through the prosecution of the most serious, readily provable offenses and other strategies. These efforts complement and strengthen President Trump’s Homeland Security Task Forces, ensuring a comprehensive federal response to the most pressing public safety issues facing communities.
Six Defendants Indicted by Grand Jury for Conspiracy to Steal $5.1 Million in Business ChecksRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – United States Attorney Daniel N. Rosen announced that Willie Roy Turner Jr., aka “J.S.B.” and “Little Willie,” 29, of Chicago, Illinois, along with five co-conspirators, has been indicted on one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud, one count of bank fraud, one count of aggravated identity theft, and one count of conspiracy to commit mail fraud.
Turner Jr. made his initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Shannon G. Elkins on September 4, 2026. Turner Jr. is the lead and one of six defendants in the case, and all were indicted by grand jury on June 26, 2026.
The defendants charged in this conspiracy and their charges include:
- Marc Anderson, aka “K.T.C.” and “Sam Smith,” is charged with one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud, one count of bank fraud, and one count of aggravated identity theft.
- Billy Ray Cameron Jr., aka “J.A.M.,” of Chicago, Illinois, is charged with one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud, one count of bank fraud, one count of aggravated identity theft, and one count of conspiracy to commit mail fraud.
- Devontay Colbert, aka “J.A.M.,” of Chicago, Illinois, is charged with one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud, one count of bank fraud, and one count of aggravated identity theft.
- Dontae Williams, aka “F.O.A.,” of Chicago, Illinois, was charged with one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud, one count of bank fraud, and one count of aggravated identity theft.
- Takiya Shemwell, of Chicago, Illinois, was charged with one count of conspiracy to commit mail fraud.
According to the indictment, from at least in or about November 2022 to at least on or about September 2024, Turner Jr., Anderson, Cameron Jr., Colbert, and Williams knowingly conspired to defraud banks and credit unions in the Twin Cities area by negotiating stolen checks. The five defendants opened, or attempted to open, fraudulent and unauthorized bank accounts in the names of business victims at Twin Cities financial institutions. They then deposited checks payable to or paid from the business victims, which had been stolen from the United States mail, into the accounts using fraudulent personal identification and documentation related to the business victims. The defendants then fraudulently withdrew or attempted to withdraw the funds.
The five defendants engaged in the scheme by registering the payee business victims as new Minnesota Limited Liability Corporations. They then used the Limited Liability Corporation documents to open and attempt to open the unauthorized and fraudulent bank accounts. In opening the bank accounts, the defendants presented fraudulent identification in the names of other individuals and falsely claimed that they were authorized representatives of the payee business victims. After depositing the funds, the defendants and their co-conspirators withdrew the fraudulently obtained funds through cash withdrawals or cashier’s check purchases.
As part of the scheme, Turner Jr., Cameron Jr., and Shemwell, conspired to steal the business victims’ checks from the U.S. Mail. Shemwell, who was then an employee of the United States Postal Service in Chicago, identified and stole business mail pieces which contained checks paid from or payable to the Business Victims. Shemwell then sold the business victims’ checks to Turner Jr. and Cameron Jr. in exchange for payments on a peer-to-peer money transfer application. Turner Jr. and Cameron Jr. then shared the stolen checks with other co-conspirators and with each other.
In the course of their scheme, these conspirators deposited or attempted to deposit business victim checks worth over $5.1 million at Twin Cities financial institutions. In total, the defendants were successful in stealing over $1.5 million in business victim funds.
The Minnesota Financial Crimes Task Force (MNFCTF) protects and serves the public by investigating financial crimes related to identity theft, with a special emphasis on organized criminal enterprises. The MNFCTF is comprised of multi-jurisdictional law enforcement agencies working together to provide investigative expertise and resources. The MNFCTF includes representatives from local, state, and Federal agencies.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted jointly under the auspices of the MNFCTF by the United States Postal Inspection Service, Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, Eagan Police Department, Richfield Police Department, and the Ramsey County Sheriff’s Office, with significant assistance from the United States Marshals Service in Minnesota, Illinois, and Arizona.
Assistant United States Attorneys Rebecca E. Kline and Bryan T. Mette are prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Sioux Falls Man Sentenced to over 4 Years in Federal Prison for Possession with Intent to Distribute MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
SIOUX FALLS - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced today that U.S. District Judge Karen E. Schreier sentenced a Sioux Falls, South Dakota, man convicted of Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine. The sentencing took place on August 31, 2026.
Angelo Mario Butler, Jr., 42, was sentenced to four years and nine months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Butler was indicted by a federal grand jury in January 2026 and pleaded guilty on June 22, 2026.
Butler’s conviction stems from a traffic stop on September 23, 2025, when he was found in possession of eight, individually-packaged baggies of methamphetamine and a handgun. He admitted he intended to distribute the methamphetamine to others.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN). Through PSN, the District of South Dakota seeks to bring together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce gun violence and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the Sioux Falls Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Joyce prosecuted the case.
Butler was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Sioux Falls Man Sentenced to 14 Months in Federal Prison for Possessing a Firearm as a FelonRead the Press Release
SIOUX FALLS - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced today that Chief Judge Roberto A. Lange, U.S. District Court, sentenced a Sioux Falls, South Dakota, man convicted of Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person. The sentencing took place on August 31, 2026.
Mohamed Mohamud Hassan, 22, was sentenced to one year and two months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Hassan was indicted by a federal grand jury in March 2026 and pleaded guilty on June 1, 2026.
Hassan was charged with possessing a firearm on October 2, 2025. On that day, he was driving a vehicle stopped by law enforcement and had a handgun on the driver’s seat of the vehicle. He was prohibited from possessing the firearm based on a prior felony conviction.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN). Through PSN, the District of South Dakota seeks to bring together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce gun violence and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, South Dakota Highway Patrol, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Sioux Falls Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Joyce prosecuted the case.
Hassan was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Singaporean Ringleader of $245 Million Cryptocurrency Racketeering Enterprise Pleads Guilty in Washington D.C.Read the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Malone Lam, 22, a citizen of Singapore and recent resident of Miami, pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in Washington D.C. in connection with his role as ringleader of an international cybercrime conspiracy that used social engineering to steal and launder cryptocurrency valued at more than $245 million, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
“If you build a cybercrime empire, we will find you, dismantle your operation, and hold you accountable,” said U.S. Attorney Pirro. “This defendant led an international network that preyed on victims through deception, invaded their privacy, and stole hundreds of millions of dollars in cryptocurrency. Working with our partners at the FBI and IRS-CI, we will continue to hunt down the criminals who weaponize technology to steal from innocent people.”
Lam pleaded guilty before U.S. District Court Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly to one count of participating in a RICO conspiracy. Judge Kollar-Kotelly set a status hearing December 8, 2026.
According to court documents, the criminal enterprise began no later than October 2023 and continued through at least May 2025. The scheme developed through connections made on online gaming platforms and was comprised of individuals based in California, Connecticut, New York, Florida, and abroad. The RICO conspiracy used social engineering and occasional home break-ins to obtain information that allowed the conspirators to drain their victims’ cryptocurrency wallets.
Lam, aka “Anne Hathaway,” “$$$,” “King Greavy,” organized the social engineering enterprise, identified target victims, and coordinated the roles of the different conspirators.
Members and associates of the conspiracy used the stolen cryptocurrency to purchase, among other things, nightclub services ranging up to $500,000 per evening, luxury handbags valued in the tens of thousands of dollars which were given away at nightclub parties, luxury watches valued between $100,000 up to over $500,000, luxury clothing valued in the tens of thousands of dollars, rental homes in Los Angeles, the Hamptons, and Miami, private jet rentals for travel, a team of private security guards, and a fleet of exotic cars, ranging in value from $100,000 to $3,800,000.
Law enforcement arrested Lam on Sept. 18, 2025, at his rental home in Miami.
This case is being investigated by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia, the FBI’s Washington Field Office, and the IRS-Criminal Investigation Washington D.C. Field Office. Significant investigative and operational support was provided by the FBI’s Los Angeles and Miami field offices, as well as the United States Attorney’s Officers in the Central District of California, Southern District of Florida, and the District of New Jersey.
The matter is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher R. Howland and David Liss of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia.
On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division. The core mission of the Fraud Division is to zealously investigate and prosecute those who steal or fraudulently misuse taxpayer dollars. Department of Justice efforts to combat fraud support President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President JD Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs.
24cr417
Senegalese Man Sentenced to 17 Months for Unlawfully Reentering the United States After a Prior RemovalRead the Press Release
BURLINGTON – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Vermont stated that on September 8, 2026, Alassane Sow, 34, of Senegal, was sentenced by Chief United States District Judge Christina Reiss to a time-served sentence, which equates to approximately 17 months of imprisonment. Sow previously pleaded guilty to unlawfully reentering the United States after having been previously removed.
According to court records, Sow moved from Senegal to Columbus, Ohio in 2014, eventually becoming a lawful permanent resident. While living in Ohio, Sow was arrested and convicted of multiple criminal offenses, including felony attempted vehicular assault in 2017, misdemeanor driving while impaired in 2018, felony theft in 2019, and felony receipt of stolen property in 2020. In 2023, while incarcerated in Ohio, Sow received a notice to appear for removal proceedings. Sow was subsequently removed on October 16, 2024. On April 13, 2025, at approximately 1:00 a.m., Sow crossed the international border between the United States and Canada near Holland, Vermont. Sow’s unlawful crossing was detected by U.S. Border Patrol sensors, and Sow was apprehended shortly thereafter by U.S. Border Patrol Agents.
First Assistant United States Attorney Jonathan A. Ophardt stated: “I am extremely grateful for the hard work and diligence of our Border Patrol Agents on the northern border. Their efforts ensure that those seeking to evade inspection at our ports of entry are swiftly detained. Due to these dedicated men and women, a man with a concerning criminal history was apprehended before he could proceed further into the United States.”
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Nate Burris and Matthew Greer. Sow was represented by Assistant Federal Public Defender Emily Kenyon.
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.
Sanford Man Sentenced to over 10 Years in Federal Prison for Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
WILMINGTON, NC – A federal judge sentenced Aaron Cotten, 50, of Sanford, NC, to 10 and half years in federal prison for conspiracy to distribution and possession with intent to distribute 11 pounds or more of cocaine, 400 grams or more of fentanyl and a quantity of heroin, possession with intent to distribution 500 grams or more of cocaine, and 40 grams or more of fentanyl.
“Cotten’s repeated traffic stops revealed large amounts of cocaine and fentanyl, along with cash and signs of armed associates, showing just how deeply he was involved in the dangerous drug game,” said U.S. Attorney Ellis Boyle. “His efforts to hide this poison, including stuffing a pound of fentanyl inside a car’s engine bay, put communities across Eastern North Carolina at serious risk. With prior convictions for violent crimes and a steady supply line stretching from Charlotte to Down East. This conviction shuts down a major pipeline of deadly drugs in our region. This Big Shark Bad Boy will no longer swim in the shallows threatening our children and communities. Simple Lesson: Drugs Kill, Prison Awaits – Do Right.”
On March 15, 2022, the Duplin County Sheriff’s Department stopped a vehicle with Cotten in the front passenger seat. Deputies detected a strong odor of marijuana and searched the vehicle, finding more than $15,000 in cash near Cotten’s seat. When deputies attempted to search Cotten, he became combative, resisting arrest. Deputies then searched Cotten and recovered more than a pound of cocaine and several ounces of fentanyl.
On April 3, 2024, the Lee County Sheriff’s Department conducted another traffic stop involving Cotten, who again sat in the front passenger seat. After a K‑9 alerted to narcotics, deputies searched the vehicle and discovered approximately one pound of fentanyl concealed in the engine bay of the car. Deputies also found a gun on another passenger.
The investigation revealed that Cotten distributed pounds and pounds of cocaine and fentanyl across Eastern North Carolina. He sourced the drugs from Charlotte. Cotten has prior convictions for robbery with a dangerous weapon and second‑degree burglary.
“Today’s sentence reinforces our commitment to holding drug traffickers accountable,” said Michael J. Connolly, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Atlanta Field Division. “Cocaine and fentanyl trafficking threaten the safety of our communities, and combating these threats requires teamwork and strong partnerships across law enforcement. We will continue working together to disrupt the flow of dangerous drugs and make progress toward a Fentanyl Free America.”
“Wherever illegal narcotics are being sold, you find that the likelihood of violent crime greatly increases,” said ATF Special Agent in Charge Alicia Jones. “Every drug trafficking network that gets taken down is an opportunity to prevent violent crime and better protect our communities.”
Ellis Boyle, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after the sentencing before Chief U.S. District Judge Richard E. Myers II. The ATF, DEA, Jacksonville Police Department, Beulaville Police Department, Goldsboro Police Department, Duplin County Sheriff’s Office, and Lee County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case.
A copy of this press release is located on our website. Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 7:24-CR-00068-M-RJ
Russian National Extradited to United States for Bank Account Takeover Fraud Scheme Causing Millions of Dollars in LossesRead the Press Release
ATLANTA – Sergei Anatolyevich Filimonov, a Russian national and web developer who was extradited from the Republic of Georgia, appeared in federal court last week on fraud and aggravated identity theft charges stemming from his alleged role in a transnational conspiracy responsible for large‑scale bank account takeovers.
“This investigation and indictment underscore our commitment to disrupting large-scale cyber theft,” said U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg. “With assistance from our international partners, we will relentlessly pursue those who weaponize technology for personal gain and hold them fully accountable in an American courtroom.”
“Filimonov allegedly used spoofed domains and fraudulent login pages to target unsuspecting online banking customers, stealing millions from victims,” said Marlo Graham, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. “This announcement is a powerful demonstration of the value of our partnerships on cybercrime, without which these extraditions and arrests would not be possible.”
According to U.S. Attorney Hertzberg, the charges, and other information presented in court: from November 2023 through October 2025, Filimonov and his co‑conspirators executed a sophisticated scheme involving spoofed domains that mimicked the websites of federally insured financial institutions. The conspirators purchased sponsored search‑engine links to divert unsuspecting banking customers to fraudulent login pages, where victims entered their credentials. The conspirators used the stolen credentials to access bank accounts, review account balances, and initiate unauthorized wire transfers to steal bank account funds.
The indictment also alleges that Filimonov developed and maintained online infrastructure supporting the operation, including interactive databases storing more than 5,000 stolen login credentials and software designed to capture and transmit sensitive authentication data. Filimonov and his co-conspirators allegedly attempted to obtain millions of dollars from victim accounts, including accounts held by companies located in the Northern District of Georgia.
In connection with the charged scheme, the Department of Justice previously seized the domain web3adspanels.org, which operated as a backend server storing stolen credentials harvested from fraudulent banking websites. The seized server contained thousands of compromised credentials, including those belonging to victims located in the Northern District of Georgia.
Since January 2025, the FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) received more than 5,100 complaints reporting bank account takeover fraud, with reported losses exceeding $262 million. The public is encouraged to stay vigilant and to follow steps recommended by the FBI, including regularly monitoring financial accounts, using “Bookmarks” or “Favorites” for navigating to login websites, and guarding against phishing attempts.
On November 4, 2025, a federal grand jury returned an indictment charging Sergei Anatolyevich Filimonov, 36, of Russia, with conspiracy to commit bank and wire fraud; access device fraud conspiracy; multiple counts of bank, wire, and access device fraud; and aggravated identity theft. On September 4, 2026, Filimonov appeared before a federal magistrate judge in Atlanta and pled not guilty. If convicted on all charges, he faces a minimum of two years and a maximum penalty of 175 years in prison.
Members of the public are reminded that the indictment only contains charges. The defendant is presumed innocent of the charges, and it will be the government’s burden to prove the defendant’s guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial.
Filimonov is being held in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending further proceedings.
This case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Substantial assistance was provided by the Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs, the Estonian Office of the Prosecutor General, the Estonian Police and Border Guard Board, the Prosecutor General’s Office of Georgia, the Georgian Central Criminal Police Department, and the FBI Office of the Law Enforcement Attaché in Tbilisi.
Assistant United States Attorney Jessica C. Morris and Senior Counsel Brian Mund of the Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section (CCIPS) are prosecuting the case. Former CCIPS Trial Attorney Jolee Porter assisted in the investigation.
For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at [email protected] or (404) 581-6185. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.
Russian National Extradited to United States for Bank Account Takeover Fraud Scheme Causing Millions of Dollars in LossesRead the Press Release
Sergei Anatolyevich Filimonov, 36, a Russian national and web developer who was allegedly involved in a transnational cyber‑fraud conspiracy responsible for large‑scale bank account takeover activity, was arraigned Friday in the Northern District of Georgia after being extradited from the Republic of Georgia. Filimonov was indicted by a federal grand jury on Nov. 4, 2025, for charges relating to a credential‑harvesting and bank‑fraud operation that targeted victims across the United States.
According to court documents, Filimonov and his co‑conspirators executed a sophisticated scheme involving spoofed domains that mimicked the websites of federally insured financial institutions. The conspirators purchased sponsored search‑engine links to divert unsuspecting banking customers to fraudulent login pages, where victims entered their credentials. The conspirators used the stolen credentials to access bank accounts, review account balances, and initiate unauthorized wire transfers to steal bank account funds.
The indictment also alleges that Filimonov developed and maintained online infrastructure supporting the operation, including interactive databases storing more than 5,000 stolen login credentials and software designed to capture and transmit sensitive authentication data. Filimonov and his conspirators allegedly attempted to obtain millions of dollars from victim accounts, including accounts held by companies located in the Northern District of Georgia.
In connection with the charged scheme, the Department of Justice previously seized the domain, web3adspanels.org, which operated as a backend server storing stolen credentials harvested from fraudulent banking websites. The seized backend database contained thousands of compromised credentials, including those belonging to victims located in the Northern District of Georgia.
Filimonov is charged with conspiracy to commit bank and wire fraud; access device fraud conspiracy; multiple counts of bank and wire fraud; possession of unauthorized access devices; possession of device‑making equipment; effecting transactions with unauthorized access devices; and aggravated identity theft. If convicted, he faces a minimum penalty of two years in prison and a maximum penalty of 175 years in prison.
Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg for the Northern District of Georgia, and FBI Special Agent in Charge Marlo Graham of the FBI Atlanta Field Office made the announcement.
The FBI Atlanta Field Office is investigating the case.
Senior Counsel Brian Mund of the Justice Department’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section (CCIPS) and Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica Morris for the Northern District of Georgia are prosecuting the case. Substantial assistance was provided by former CCIPS Trial Attorney Jolee Porter and the Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs, the Estonian Office of the Prosecutor General, the Estonian Police and Border Guard Board, the Prosecutor General’s Office of Georgia, the Georgian Central Criminal Police Department, and the FBI Office of the Law Enforcement Attaché in Tbilisi.
Since January 2025, the FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) has received more than 5,100 complaints reporting bank account takeover fraud, with reported losses exceeding $262 million. The public is encouraged to stay vigilant and to follow steps recommended by the FBI, including regularly monitoring financial accounts, using “Bookmarks” or “Favorites” for navigating to login websites and guarding against phishing attempts.
CCIPS investigates and prosecutes cybercrime and intellectual property (IP) crime 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 cyber and IP criminals, and court orders for the return of over $350 million in victim funds.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Restaurant Owner Pleads Guilty to Employment Tax SchemeRead the Press Release
BOSTON – The owner and operator of two Massachusetts restaurants pleaded guilty today in federal court in Boston to paying employees in cash over the course of six years without withholding and paying federal employment taxes to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS).
Marios Michalakis, 44, of Westwood, Mass., pleaded guilty to six counts of failing to collect, report and pay over federal employment taxes. Senior U.S. District Judge Nathaniel M. Gorton scheduled sentencing for Dec. 8, 2026.
From at least January 2016 through December 2022, Michalakis ran two restaurants – Amelia’s, located in Stoughton, Mass., and Sofia Italian Steakhouse, located in West Roxbury, Mass. At each restaurant, Michalakis paid employees in cash “under-the-table,” that is, failed to withhold income taxes, Social Security taxes and Medicare taxes from employee wages. In total, Michalakis failed to pay more than $580,000 in employee and employer taxes owed to the IRS and the Massachusetts Department of Revenue.
Michalakis faces up to five years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss, whichever is greater, together with restitution. 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 Thomas Demeo, Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigations in Boston made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Victor A. Wild of the Securities, Financial & Cyber Fraud Unit is prosecuting the case.
Pizza Store Robber Sentenced to 18 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – Justin Alan Seymour (37, Tampa) has been sentenced by U.S. District Judge Virginia M. Hernandez Covington to 18 years in federal prison for Hobbs Act robbery, brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence, and possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. A federal jury found Seymour guilty in April 2026. U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.
According to testimony and evidence presented at trial, in October 2024, while robbing a pizza store in Tampa, Seymour pointed a gun at the store clerk. Law enforcement obtained their first break in the case when they obtained dashcam video from a delivery vehicle parked outside the store, then utilized the video to ascertain specific unique characteristics of the suspect’s vehicle. Two days later, law enforcement pulled over the vehicle being driven by Seymour, who had a firearm in his waistband. Seymour’s cellphone data placed him near the pizza store at the time of the robbery.
At the time of the offense, Seymour had a prior felony conviction for attempted robbery with a firearm or deadly weapon. Therefore, he is prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition under federal law.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office. The Federal Bureau of Investigation assisted with the cellphone analysis. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Samantha Newman.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the Department of Justice’s nationwide initiative that brings federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement, prosecutors, and other public safety partners together to coordinate efforts to combat violent crime and make communities safe. Coordinated by U.S. Attorneys’ offices in each of the 94 federal districts, PSN is tailored to particular communities to strategically address specific violent crime and public safety challenges. As a key component of Operation Take Back America, PSN serves a central role in the Department’s commitment to make our country safe. PSN emphasizes three core principles: rapid federal response to violent crime and criminal offenders; strong, strategic partnerships among law enforcement at all levels; and accountability and deterrence through the prosecution of the most serious, readily provable offenses and other strategies. These efforts complement and strengthen President Trump’s Homeland Security Task Forces, ensuring a comprehensive federal response to the most pressing public safety issues facing communities.
Phoenix Man Sentenced to 171 Months in Prison for 2022 Peoria CarjackingRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – Adonijah Josiah Ortega, 23, of Phoenix, was sentenced on Sept. 3, by United States District Judge Douglas L. Rayes to 171 months in prison for a 2022 carjacking during which Ortega shot and assaulted a man with a firearm. Ortega previously pleaded guilty to Carjacking and Discharge of a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence.
On the morning of Aug. 8, 2022, Ortega approached the victim in a business parking lot in Peoria, Arizona. There, he demanded the victim’s wallet and keys and a physical confrontation ensued. During the confrontation, Ortega struck the victim in the head several times with a pistol and shot him in the leg. Ortega then fled with the victim’s vehicle and later attempted to set it on fire by dousing the interior with gasoline and shooting at it. Investigators with the FBI and Peoria and Phoenix Police Departments arrested Ortega three days later at an apartment complex.
“Violent perpetrators like Mr. Ortega should know there is no safe place for them in Arizona because we won’t rest until we see them behind bars,” said United States Attorney Timothy Courchaine. “Our office is committed to the Department of Justice’s Project Safe Neighborhoods because it is an initiative that continues to see results.”
Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is the Department of Justice’s nationwide initiative that brings federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement, prosecutors, and other public safety partners together to coordinate efforts to combat violent crime and make communities safe. Coordinated by U.S. Attorneys’ offices in each of the 94 federal districts, PSN is tailored to particular communities to strategically address specific violent crime and public safety challenges. As a key component of Operation Take Back America, PSN serves a central role in the Department’s commitment to make our country safe. PSN emphasizes three core principles: rapid federal response to violent crime and criminal offenders; strong, strategic partnerships among law enforcement at all levels; and accountability and deterrence through the prosecution of the most serious, readily provable offenses and other strategies. These efforts complement and strengthen President Trump’s Homeland Security Task Forces, ensuring a comprehensive federal response to the most pressing public safety issues facing communities.
The Peoria Police Department, in conjunction with the FBI’s Phoenix Division, conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Patrick E. Chapman and former Assistant U.S. Attorney Brett Day, District of Arizona, Phoenix, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: 22-CR-22-01078-PHX-DLR
RELEASE NUMBER: 2026-153_Ortega# # #
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.Palmetto Man Pleads Guilty to Straw Purchase of FirearmRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – Desmin Terrell Belvin Jr. (21, Palmetto) today pleaded guilty to making a false statement to a federally licensed firearm dealer. Belvin faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set. U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.
According to court records, on March 21, 2026, Belvin was the transferee of a Glock handgun from a firearm store in Bradenton. During the transfer, Belvin falsely stated that he was the actual transferee or buyer of the handgun, when in fact, he was obtaining the handgun on behalf of a juvenile. Belvin subsequently provided the handgun to the juvenile after leaving the store.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, and the Palmetto Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jeff Chang.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the Department of Justice’s nationwide initiative that brings federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement, prosecutors, and other public safety partners together to coordinate efforts to combat violent crime and make communities safe. Coordinated by U.S. Attorneys’ offices in each of the 94 federal districts, PSN is tailored to particular communities to strategically address specific violent crime and public safety challenges. As a key component of Operation Take Back America, PSN serves a central role in the Department’s commitment to make our country safe. PSN emphasizes three core principles: rapid federal response to violent crime and criminal offenders; strong, strategic partnerships among law enforcement at all levels; and accountability and deterrence through the prosecution of the most serious, readily provable offenses and other strategies. These efforts complement and strengthen President Trump’s Homeland Security Task Forces, ensuring a comprehensive federal response to the most pressing public safety issues facing communities.
.
Oregon Man Sentenced to 16 Months in Federal Prison for Abusing His Role at Mobile Phone Store to Give Customers’ Info to CriminalsRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – A former Oregon-based AT&T Store employee was sentenced today to 16 months in federal prison for selling his access to his employer’s network to a hacker by “SIM swapping” customers – fraudulently reassigning customers’ cell phone numbers – so the hacker could take control of the victims’ bank accounts and steal their money, causing nearly $600,000 in intended losses.
Kenneth Carter, 44, of Portland, Oregon, was sentenced by United States District Judge Stanley Blumenfeld, Jr., who also ordered him to pay $99,528 in restitution.
Carter pleaded guilty on March 24 to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and bank fraud.
“SIM swapping” is a technique in which a criminal fraudulently induces a mobile carrier to reassign a cell phone number from the legitimate subscriber’s Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) card to a SIM card controlled by another without the legitimate subscriber’s authorization or knowledge. This process allows a criminal to intercept two-factor authentication codes sent to the victim via phone call or text message, and to gain access to the victim’s various accounts.
According to Carter’s plea agreement, from May 2018 to November 2019, Carter worked at an AT&T retail store in Portland, Oregon. As part of the conspiracy, a co-conspirator identified potential victims who had bank accounts that could be accessed online and would obtain personal identifying information (PII) and cell phone numbers for those potential victims. This co-conspirator then sent to Carter victims’ PII and cell phone numbers so Carter could do the SIM swap, which he could do as an AT&T Store employee.
Carter, at the co-conspirator’s direction, then used the victim’s PII to fraudulently cause AT&T to swap the victim’s SIM card from the victim’s cell phone to a different cell phone controlled by Carter and other co-conspirators.
A co-conspirator then caused password reset information and two-factor authentication codes for a victim’s online bank account to be sent by text message to a phone Carter and his co-conspirators controlled. He and others then forwarded the information and codes to a co-conspirator, who then accessed the victim’s online bank account and made fraudulent wire transfers from it. Carter and the other conspirators received a cut of the illicitly obtained proceeds, typically $1,000 to $2,000 per SIM swap, one of which occurred at an AT&T Store in Lancaster.
In November 2019, law enforcement searched Carter’s residence in Oregon and found that he possessed PII belonging to victims, including the cell phone number, name, and Social Security number of a victim who had $99,528 fraudulently transferred to a Portuguese bank account controlled by Carter’s co-conspirators.
In total, three victims targeted in this scheme suffered a combined intended loss of at least $593,963. Carter further admitted that in addition to these three victims, he performed SIM swaps on the accounts of other AT&T customers.
AT&T terminated Carter in 2019.
“[Carter] abused the trust of his employer and sold his access to AT&T’s network to a hacker by SIM swapping AT&T customers so the hacker could take control of victims’ accounts and deplete their funds,” prosecutors argued in a sentencing memorandum. “One victim lost nearly $100,000, and other victims may have lost more had it not been for fraud prevention at various banks, which stopped the transfers the funds before they were wired overseas.”
The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation Office of Inspector General, the FBI, and IRS Criminal Investigation investigated this matter.
Assistant United States Attorneys Andrew M. Roach and Nisha Chandran of the Major Frauds Section prosecuted this case.
Omaha Men and Federal Inmate Sentenced for Cedar Bluffs Armed Bank RobberyRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Lesley A. Woods announced that Bruce J. Dortch, 31, Delonta McKnight, 34, and Dontae D. Orduna, 36, all of Omaha, Nebraska, were sentenced in federal court in Omaha for their roles in an armed bank robbery. Senior United States District Judge Joseph F. Bataillon sentenced Dortch on August 17, 2026, and Orduna on August 31, 2026, to 204 months’ imprisonment: 120 months for bank robbery and 84 months for brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence. McKnight was sentenced on August 31, 2026, to 60 months’ imprisonment for conspiracy to commit bank robbery. McKnight’s sentence will be served consecutive to concurrent 96-month sentences imposed in U.S. District Court of Nebraska and U.S. District Court of Northern Georgia.
There is no parole in the federal system. After Dortch and Orduna are released from prison, they will begin five-year terms of supervised release. McKnight will serve a three-year term of supervised release concurrent to the other terms of supervised release ordered in his prior cases. All were ordered to pay restitution to Community State Bank in the amount of $71,097.
Between October 3 and November 7, 2023, McKnight and Dortch had a group chat where they agreed to “get money” and began plotting. At that time, McKnight was incarcerated at FCI Pollock because of a prior federal bank robbery conviction. McKnight utilized a smuggled phone to initiate the group chat.
On January 14, 2025, Orduna and Dortch were captured on video surveillance arriving at Cedar Bluffs, Nebraska, and ultimately drove to the Community State Bank, where they were captured on video surveillance entering the bank wearing disguises to include realistic human face masks with handguns drawn.
They pointed handguns at the bank employees and demanded money. Dortch grabbed an employee, led her to the vault at gunpoint, and demanded she place the money in a bag. Dortch and Orduna directed bank employees to spread bills to ensure there were no dye packs. Orduna took the money from the teller drawers, then Dortch and Orduna zip-tied the bank employees, instructed them to lie on the floor of the vault, and then closed the vault with the employees inside.
Dortch and Orduna left the bank with $71,097.00, including bait bills.
Beginning on January 25, 2025, McKnight, while still in prison, searched eBay for realistic, silicone human face masks and saved maps to various banks in Nebraska and Iowa with a smuggled phone and subsequently used the phone to email Dortch about banks that presented good robbery prospects. He advised Dortch about multiple banks in rural towns outside of Omaha, estimated their cash on hand, the amount of law enforcement presence in those towns, expected law enforcement response times to those banks, and he provided maps to the banks. McKnight specifically identified a bank in Modale, Iowa.
On March 7, 2025, GPS tracking information taken in combination with records from Dortch and Orduna’s phone providers showed that Orduna and Dortch met up and travelled approximately 35 minutes together to Modale, Iowa, where they drove by the Community Bank to “case” it.
On March 12, 2025, law enforcement foiled their apparent plans and arrested Dortch and Orduna at their respective residences and executed search warrants. At Orduna’s residence, law enforcement recovered $5,520 and a firearm. At Dortch’s residence, law enforcement recovered $11,210 including the Community State Bank bait bills, two firearms, the masks worn by Dortch and Orduna, and clothing worn during the robbery.
“These sentences demonstrate that violence does not pay,” said U.S. Attorney Lesley Woods. “If you take a gun into a business and assault innocent employees who are simply doing their job, the United States Attorney’s Office will hold you maximumly accountable in federal court for those choices. The deputies and police officers that recovered the stolen money and the firearm performed a great public service in this case, and I thank them for it.”
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Omaha Police Department, and Saunders County Sheriff’s Office.
Omaha Man Granted Presidential Clemency Convicted Again: Felon in Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Lesley A. Woods announced that Khyre Holbert, 31, of Omaha, Nebraska, was sentenced on September 3, 2026, in federal court in Omaha for being a felon in possession of a firearm. United States District Judge Robert F. Rossiter, Jr. sentenced Holbert to 109 months’ imprisonment on the felon in possession charge and 46 months for violating his supervised release of a prior federal conviction, for a total of 155 months. There is no parole in the federal system. After Holbert is released from prison, he will begin a 3-year term of supervised release.
On October 4, 2025, at 0134 hours, an Omaha Police officer was patrolling The Old Market when he was alerted to a “person with a gun” located “up the street”. The officer exited his cruiser at which time he heard a single gunshot. A short time later, officers located Victim 1 who was suffering from a gunshot wound to his right hip. A description of the shooter was provided along with his path of travel. Officers located an individual matching the suspect’s description near 13th and Farnam streets, identifying him as Holbert.
Officers canvassed the area and located a single spent 9mm casing stamped “Aguila 9mm luger” at 12th and Howard streets. Officers canvassed the path of Holbert’s travel and located a discarded firearm directly in front of 1210 Howard Street. The firearm was located underneath a black Chevrolet SUV and identified as a Glock 43x 9mm handgun. The firearm was equipped with an extended high-capacity magazine that contained several rounds of “Aguila 9mm luger” live ammunition.
Officers reviewed video surveillance footage and noted Holbert appeared at approximately 0136 hours walking north on South 13th Street. During this time, Holbert appeared to observe a marked police cruiser at which time he began running north out of the camera view toward the Gene Leahy Mall. At 0150 hours, Holbert can be seen returning to the north facing entrance of an area hotel. Holbert remained in this area until he was taken into custody.
Officers obtained additional video surveillance from area businesses. The videos show Victim 1 and Holbert engaged in a verbal altercation on the corner of 13th and Howard streets. Holbert can be seen clutching his waistband repeatedly, as if concealing an item hidden underneath his clothing. Holbert and the victim then walk out of camera view to the southwest before a single gunshot is heard on the video. Holbert is then seen running east on Howard Street out of the camera view. The path of travel for Holbert was also noted to be the path where the firearm was located by officers.
The spent 9mm casing stamped “Aguila 9mm luger” recovered on scene was determined to have been fired from the recovered Glock Model 43X 9mm firearm. Two fingerprints were recovered from the firearm’s internal magazine. A senior forensic technician with the Omaha Police Forensic Investigations Unit identified the fingerprints as belonging to Holbert.
Holbert has multiple prior felony convictions for Carrying a Concealed Weapon -2nd offense, possession of a firearm by felon, both in the District Court for Douglas County, Nebraska.
Holbert was arrested in 2017 as part of Operation Brass Catcher, a Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives-led operation targeting Crips gang members. Holbert was indicted on 10 counts, including four counts of distributing crack cocaine, three counts of possessing a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking, and three counts of being a felon in possession of a firearm. Holbert pleaded guilty to several counts and was sentenced to 240 months’ custody in the Bureau of Prisons.
On January 21, 2025, Holbert, along with several thousand inmates, was granted Executive Clemency by the Biden administration and released after serving just 100 months of his original 240-month sentence.
Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is the Department of Justice’s nationwide initiative that brings federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement, prosecutors, and other public safety partners together to coordinate efforts to combat violent crime and make communities safe. Coordinated by U.S. Attorneys’ offices in each of the 94 federal districts, PSN is tailored to particular communities to strategically address specific violent crime and public safety challenges. As a key component of Operation Take Back America, PSN serves a central role in the Department’s commitment to make our country safe. PSN emphasizes three core principles: rapid federal response to violent crime and criminal offenders; strong, strategic partnerships among law enforcement at all levels; and accountability and deterrence through the prosecution of the most serious, readily provable offenses and other strategies. These efforts complement and strengthen President Trump’s Homeland Security Task Forces, ensuring a comprehensive federal response to the most pressing public safety issues facing communities.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Omaha Police Department.
Ohio Missionary Enters Guilty Plea for Child Exploitation Crimes in HaitiRead the Press Release
Today, Jeriah Mast, 45, of Millersburg, Ohio, entered a guilty plea today to two counts of engaging in illicit sexual conduct with minors in Haiti.
According to court documents, Mast traveled from the United States to Haiti on multiple occasions between 2002 and 2019, including with the organization Christian Aid Ministries (CAM), where he sexually abused minors. Law enforcement obtained flight records showing that Mast had taken over 30 flights from the United States to Haiti between November 2002 and August 2018. Sentencing is set for Dec. 15, 2026.
“Jeriah Mast preyed on vulnerable children while working in Haiti as a missionary,” said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “His guilty plea to multiple counts of engaging in illicit sexual conduct with minors reflects both the severity of his crimes and our unwavering commitment to holding U.S. citizens accountable when they exploit children abroad. This type of predatory conduct — committed by someone entrusted with missionary work — represents a profound betrayal of trust, and today’s plea is an important step toward justice for the many victims harmed by Mast’s actions.”
“This defendant violated the innocence of children and violated the trust of those who supported his supposed missionary work,” said U.S. Attorney David M. Toepfer for the Northern District of Ohio. “It is reprehensible behavior that we will prosecute to the fullest. We thank the investigators from HSI and the Holmes County Sheriff’s Office for their hard work bringing this man to justice.”
“The defendant’s guilty plea underscores HSI’s critical mission to identify and investigate those who exploit children, including individuals entrusted with positions of authority, no matter where the crimes are committed,” said Special Agent in Charge Jared Murphey of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Detroit. “Together with our law enforcement partners, HSI Cleveland will continue working to hold child predators accountable in the United States and to seek justice for victims wherever our investigations take us.”
HSI Cleveland investigated the case with substantial assistance from the Holmes County, Ohio, Sheriff’s Office.
Trial Attorney Jessica L. Urban of the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS) and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Margaret Kane and Jennifer King for the Northern District of Ohio are prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and 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, visit www.justice.gov/psc.