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3 September 2025
Idaho woman sentenced to 11 years in prison for trafficking drugs on the Flathead Indian ReservationRead the Press Release
MISSOULA – An Idaho woman who possessed methamphetamine and fentanyl with the intention of selling on the Flathead Indian Reservation was sentenced today to 132 months in prison to be followed by 7 years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.
Nicole Lynn Shain, 40, pleaded guilty in April 2025 to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl.
U.S. District Judge Donald W. Molloy presided.
The government alleged in court documents that on July 1, 2024, law enforcement officers were patrolling in Pablo, MT, when they observed a black SUV with an Idaho license parked near an area frequented by persons actively addicted to controlled substances. Investigators circled the block to surveil the vehicle, but upon returning to the area where they’d seen the SUV, it was no longer there.
Several hours later, investigators again saw the SUV parked in Ronan, MT. The SUV had a single occupant, Nicole Shain. Investigators learned Shain had been previously convicted of distributing dangerous drugs in Idaho. Investigators stopped Shain after observing her dispose of a piece of tin foil with drug residue on it. Investigators applied for a search warrant for Shain’s vehicle, and found inside 26.8 grams of methamphetamine, several grams of fentanyl powder and 1,092 pills containing fentanyl. These quantities of drugs significantly exceeded a user amount.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian Lowney prosecuted the case. Homeland Security Investigations and Flathead Tribal Police conducted the investigation.
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Honduran and Colombian drug traffickers sentenced to prison for conspiring to transport cocaine into the United StatesRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – The last of three foreign nationals was sentenced to prison yesterday for his role in a conspiracy to traffic cocaine from Colombia through Honduras and ultimately into the United States.
According to court documents, Colombian national Humberto Cantillo Duran, aka Niño or Juan Carlos, 37; Honduran national Mario Rodolfo Mejia-Cubillas, aka Yofo, 54; and Honduran national Edgardo Rene Velasquez Navarro, aka Burro, 54, led a large drug trafficking conspiracy based in Colón, Honduras, responsible for the distribution of thousands of kilograms of cocaine valued at millions of dollars into the United States. The conspiracy operated from eastern Honduras where they received shipments of cocaine from South America before forwarding them through Central America and ultimately into the United States.
Cantillo Duran, based in Colombia and Honduras, was responsible for coordinating the shipment of large amounts of cocaine from Colombia to Honduras. Cantillo Duran also assisted in finding buyers, including Mejia-Cubillas and Velasquez Navarro. After the cocaine arrived in Honduras, it was unloaded, broken-down, and prepared for transport across Honduras, supervised by Mejia Cubillas, Velasquez Navarro, and Cantillo Duran. For years, Honduran law enforcement captured communications between the conspirators in which they discussed cocaine shipments, payments, acts of violence towards suspected rival narcotraffickers, South American sources of supply, the U.S. market for cocaine, and the United States being the ultimate destination for their cocaine. On several occasions, Honduran law enforcement seized large shipments of cocaine moved by the co-conspirators.
All three defendants pled guilty to conspiracy to distribute cocaine with the intent of unlawful importation into the United States.
On March 11, Velasquez Navarro was sentenced to 12 years in prison. On April 1, Mejia-Cubillas was sentenced to 13 years and four months in prison. Cantillo Duran was sentenced yesterday to 15 years in prison.
Erik S. Siebert, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Christopher C. Goumenis, Special Agent in Charge for the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) Washington Division, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Leonie M. Brinkema.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kristin S. Starr, Anthony T. Aminoff, and Philip Alito 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 achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs). Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs).
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:23-cr-142.
Honduran National Sentenced for Illegal Reentry into the United StatesRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson announced that WILMER ANTONIO GARCIA-AQUINO (“GARCIA-AQUINO”),age 43, a citizen of Honduras, was sentenced on August 21, 2025, for illegal reentry of a removed alien, in violation of Title 8, United States Code, Sections1326(a) and 1326(b)(1).
GARCIA-AQUINO was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Lance M. Africk to 3 months imprisonment, 3 years of supervised release upon release from imprisonment, and payment of a mandatory $100 special assessment fee. At the completion of his imprisonment, he will be surrendered to the custody of the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement for removal proceedings consistent with the Immigration and Nationality Act.
Acting U.S. Attorney Simpson praised the work of the United States Bureau of Customs and Border Protection investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Irene González of the General Crimes Unit is in charge of the prosecution.
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Honduran National Sentenced for Illegal ReentryRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – Acting United States Attorney Michael M. Simpson announced that, JORGE LUIS VILLANUEVA (“VILLANUEVA”), age 35, was sentenced on August 14, 2025, by United States District Judge Carl J. Barbier, after previously pleading guilty to illegal reentry of a removed alien, in violation of Title 8, United States Code, Section 1326(a) and Title 8, United States Code, Section 1326(b)(1).
VILLANUEVA was sentenced to time served, one year of supervised release, and a mandatory $100 special assessment fee.
According to the bill of information, VILLANUEVA, reentered the United States after being previously deported on September 11, 2013.
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).
Acting United States Attorney Michael M. Simpson praised the work of the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office in investigating this matter. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Mary Katherine Kaufman of the General Crimes Unit.
Honduran Man Guilty of Illegal Reentry of a Removed AlienRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – Acting United States Attorney Michael M. Simpson announced that PEDRO TAILOR CASTILLO-BONILLA (“CASTILLO”), age 43, plead guilty on August 20, 2025, to illegal reentry of a previously removed alien, in violation of Title 8, United States Code, Section 1326(a).
According to the charging document, CASTILLO was found in the United States on June 18, 2025, having reentered the United States, without authorization from the Attorney General of the United States, after being previously deported on August 15, 2012.
CASTILLO faces a maximum term of imprisonment of two (2) years, followed by up to one (1) year of supervised release, a fine of up to $250,000.00, and a mandatory special assessment fee of $100.00.
CASTILLO’s sentencing is set for November 19, 2025, before United States District Judge Lance M. Africk.
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).
Acting U.S. Attorney Simpson praised the work of the United States Coast Guard and the United States Customs and Border Protection in investigating this case. Special Assistant United States Attorney Rick Veters of the General Crimes Unit is in charge of the prosecution.
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Hinesville Man Convicted at Trial for Threatening to Kill Federal Employees and AmericansRead the Press Release
SAVANNAH, GA: A Hinesville man has been found guilty at trial for making threatening phone calls to the Department of Veterans Affairs in December 2024.
Alexis Beatles, 44, of Hinesville, was convicted after a two-day jury trial in U.S. District Court on charges of Interstate Communications with Threats to Injure Another, said Margaret E. Heap, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. The convictions subject the Defendant to up to a total of 10 years of imprisonment, followed by a period of supervised release upon completion of any prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
Beatles was arrested on a criminal complaint in January and was later formally indicted by a federal grand jury. Savannah Police Department SWAT and EOD Teams assisted the FBI with making the arrest. As described at trial, on December 18, 2024, Beatles called a Department of Veterans Affairs hotline and made demands to the phone operator wherein he threatened to kill federal employees and others if his demands were not met. Beatles made numerous threats, including threatening to crash his car into the Savannah VA Clinic, to “destroy” U.S. citizens, to rig his home with explosives to kill any police officers that came to his home, and to kill the children of any officers who attempted to arrest him.
“Those who make threats against members of our community in violation of federal law will be held accountable, as we continue to work with our law enforcement partners to identify and bring to justice those who seek to intimidate and instill fear in our citizens,” said U.S. Attorney Heap.
“VA personnel and the veterans they serve should feel safe while working and receiving care within VA facilities,” said Special Agent in Charge David Spilker with the Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General’s Southeast Field Office. “The VA OIG and our law enforcement partners are committed to identifying and stopping threats of terrorism and violence against VA personnel and operations.”
“Threats of violence against federal employees and our communities will never be tolerated,” said Paul Brown, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. “This conviction demonstrates the FBI’s commitment to working with our partners to protect those who serve the public and to hold accountable anyone who seeks to cause fear and harm through threats.”
The case was being investigated by the FBI, with assistance from the Savannah Police Department and prosecuted for the United States by Assistant United States Attorneys L. Alexander Hamner and Darron Hubbard.
High Springs Man Sentenced for Distribution of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
GAINESVILLE, FLORIDA – Jon Walter Crawford, 36, of High Springs, Florida, was sentenced to ten years in prison after previously pleading guilty to distribution of child pornography. The sentence was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “I commend the hard work done by our state and federal law enforcement partners to investigate, identify, and bring this offender to justice for peddling child sexual abuse material. It is one of my office’s highest duties to protect the most vulnerable members of our community – our children – from exploitation and victimization, and we will not hesitate to prosecute to the fullest extent of the law the sick individuals who commit these crimes.”
Court documents reflect the Alachua County Sheriff’s Office began an investigation based on a cyber tip received from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. Sheriff deputies identified Crawford and confirmed his possession and distribution of child sex abuse material. Homeland Security Investigations determined that Crawford possessed over one thousand files of videos and images depicting the sexual abuse of children.
Sheriff Chad D. Scott said: “I commend the relentless work of our Detectives whose dedication and expertise were critical to this investigation. Their efforts, in conjunction with our federal partners, demonstrate our unwavering commitment to protecting the most vulnerable among us—our children. Let this serve as a clear message: anyone who seeks to exploit or harm children will be found, held accountable, and delivered into the arms of justice. The Alachua County Sheriff’s Office will continue to use every available resource to ensure these predators are stopped and that our community’s children are safe.”
“Child predators who collect this type of horrific imagery are directly contributing to the ongoing and lifetime abuse of children,” said Homeland Security Investigations Tallahassee Assistant Special Agent in Charge Nicholas Ingegno. “HSI, alongside our law enforcement partners, will continue to work relentlessly with our partners to protect the most vulnerable and ensure those who exploit them are brought to justice.”
The conviction and sentence were the result of a joint investigation by the Alachua County Sheriff’s Office and the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jason R. Coody.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice and led by the U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Divisions Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), it marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.
Groton Man Sentenced to 30 Years in Federal Prison for Making and Possessing Child Sex Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that MICHAEL W. LANDON, 39, of Groton, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Kari A. Dooley in Bridgeport to 360 months of imprisonment and 15 years of supervised release for producing and possessing child sex abuse material.
According to court documents and statements made in court, in March 2023, the FBI began investigating an individual, subsequently identified as Landon, who was distributing child pornography on Wickr, a secure messaging and collaboration service that provides end-to-end encryption for messages, calls, and file sharing. Landon was trading videos in a Wickr chat room dedicated to spy cameras and voyeurism. The videos Landon shared depicted surreptitious videos of a minor girl in a bathroom and bedroom.
On April 4, 2023, investigators seized Landon’s iPhone. Forensic analysis of the phone revealed a video of Landon sexually assaulting a minor boy, and additional videos and images depicting child sexual abuse. The phone also contained messages using the Telegram application with links to “CP (‘child pornography’) And Rape Mega Drive Collection” and “Forced Teen Sex.”
Landon has been detained since his arrest on related state charges on June 28, 2023. On April 8, 2025, he pleaded guilty in federal court to one count of production of child pornography and one count of possessing and accessing with intent to view child pornography. The state charges against Landon are pending.
This matter was investigated by the FBI and the Town of Groton Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sean P. Mahard and Nancy V. Gifford through the U.S. Department of Justice’s Project Safe Childhood Initiative, which is aimed at protecting children from sexual abuse and exploitation. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
U.S. Attorney Sullivan thanked the New London State Attorney’s Office for its cooperation in the investigation and prosecution of this case.
To report cases of child exploitation, please visit www.cybertipline.com.
Greenwich Investment Group Operator Sentenced to 54 Months in Prison for Stealing more than $3.4 Million in Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that JUSTIN C. MURPHY, 50, of Stamford, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Victor A. Bolden in New Haven to 54 months of imprisonment and three years of supervised release for operating an investment fraud scheme.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Murphy owned and operated Greenwich-based Mara Investment Group, LLC, also known as Mara Investment Management LP and Mara Investments Global Management LLC (“Mara”), which Murphy purported to be a hedge fund that solicited and accepted investments and used a quantitative strategy that balanced long and short positions in securities. Between approximately 2016 and September 2022, Murphy defrauded investors by pursuing a much riskier investment strategy than he told investors; diverting substantial investor funds for his own personal use and benefit; representing to investors that their invested funds were performing more favorably than was, in fact, the case, including providing investors with account statements that falsely representing their account balances; and providing investors with federal tax forms that falsely reported business income upon which investors would be required to pay tax.
Murphy stole approximately $3,465,812 in investor funds through this scheme and used the funds to pay for personal expenses, to purchase a personal stake in his relative’s startup company, and then to fund nearly a year of living in luxury hotels in Brazil while avoiding investor complaints and lawsuits.
Judge Bolden ordered Murphy to pay restitution of $3,782,154, which includes losses to an additional investor who had placed money with Murphy prior to the beginning of the charged scheme.
Murphy was arrested in Brazil on December 6, 2023, and was detained for nearly 11 months while awaiting extradition to the U.S. On April 29, 2025, he pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud and one count of money laundering.
Murphy, who was released on a $250,000 bond on November 1, 2024, is required to report to prison on October 15.
This investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation Division. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs and Brazilian authorities provided assistance. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney David E. Novick.
Grand jury indicts 3 U.S. citizens, 22 Chinese nationals, 4 Chinese pharmaceutical companies in international drug trafficking, money laundering conspiraciesRead the Press Release
CINCINNATI – FBI Director Kash Patel, United States Attorney Dominick S. Gerace II, FBI Cincinnati Special Agent in Charge Elena Iatarola and DEA Detroit Acting Special Agent in Charge Andrew Lawton announced today that a federal grand jury in Dayton returned charges against dozens of defendants, including Chinese nationals and companies, in narcotics and money laundering conspiracies involving illegal cutting agents.
“Protecting Americans from fentanyl is one of this Department’s most important missions — and it starts with dismantling the international pipelines that bring deadly drugs and precursor to our shores," said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “We will not rest until we stop Chinese companies from shipping poison to our citizens and bring everyone involved in this lethal trade to swift, complete justice.”
“Our indictment alleges that Chinese companies and affiliated foreign nationals intentionally and openly marketed, delivered, and exported to the United States controlled substances and other compounds that they knew would be used by domestic drug dealers to increase the yield and potency of fentanyl distributed in this country,” said U.S. Attorney Dominick S. Gerace II. “As explained in court documents, these deadly drug mixtures were then sold directly into our communities here in southern Ohio.”
“Today’s announcement marks a first-of-its-kind international operation for the FBI targeting the fentanyl plague that has killed tens of thousands of Americans and indicting the companies and individuals in mainland China that manufacture the precursor chemicals fueling the destruction of our communities,” said FBI Director Kash Patel. “This operation has already seized enough fentanyl powder to kill 70 million Americans and enough fentanyl pills to kill another 270,000. And we have now indicted the Chinese precursor companies and exposed the funding streams that facilitate this deadly trade.”
“The FBI is using an aggressive investigative strategy to target businesses in China which are sending lethal drugs to the streets of our cities,” stated FBI Cincinnati Special Agent in Charge Elena Iatarola. “The FBI will continue to relentlessly pursue these companies and drug distributors as we work to crush violent crime and keep people safe from the dangers of illicit narcotics.”
According to charging documents, from at least 2022 until present, Eric Michael Payne, 39, of Tipp City, Ohio, served as a main supplier of illegal cutting agents to fentanyl traffickers operating in southern Ohio. Payne allegedly purchased several kilogram shipments of the cutting agents from multiple Chinese companies purporting to be online pharmacies and legitimate chemical companies.
It is believed that the U.S. defendants purchased from the Chinese companies at least 10 kilograms of fentanyl cutting agents, which, in turn, could yield more than 150 kilograms of fentanyl mixture bound for street-level sales in southern Ohio. The cutting agents included animal tranquilizers up to 200 times more powerful than morphine.
The companies allegedly used a series of Chinese foreign nationals located overseas to solicit, negotiate, and secure payments for illegal cutting agents from U.S. customers. It is alleged the foreign nationals generally directed U.S. customers to pay for the cutting agents using cryptocurrency transferred to crypto wallets under the foreign national’s control for ultimate deposit into financial institutions located overseas.
Payne’s significant other, Auriyon Tresan Rayford, 24, also of Tipp City, Ohio, and Ciandrea Bryne Davis, 39, of Atlanta, allegedly assisted Payne in transferring more than $60,000 in cryptocurrency to Chinese foreign nationals associated with the Chinese companies since 2022. Rayford also allegedly allowed illegal substances to be stored at her residence in Ohio.
All the defendants are charged with conspiring with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl mixture and conspiring to launder money internationally. Payne is also charged with possessing with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl mixture and tampering with evidence. Rayford is charged with maintaining a drug-involved premises.
The Chinese companies and nationals charged include:
- Guangzhou Tengyue Chemical Company, Ltd.,
- Guanghzou Wanjiang Biotechnology Co., Ltd.,
- Hebei Hongjun New Material Technology Co., Ltd.,
- Hebei Feilaimi Technology Co., Ltd.,
- Lihui Zhao,
- FNU LNU a/k/a “Anna Sofia,”
- Shanhong Jiang,
- Yan Yang,
- Fengdi Zhang,
- Dehui Xia,
- Xing Wu Chen,
- Qing Lin Wang,
- Xiaojun Huang,
- Meixiang Yao,
- Zhanpeng Huang,
- Yuqing Feng,
- Dongjing Sun,
- Chengqi Nong,
- Tiduo Wei,
- Zhisong Nie,
- Jichao Zhu,
- Zhengzhe Yin,
- Changgen Du,
- Hongfei Wang,
- Huatao Yao, and
- Xuening Gao.
Concurrent with the charges brought against this network, the U.S. Department of the Treasury today has imposed sanctions on one of these Chinese companies, Guangzhou Tengyue, and two of its representatives, Zhanpeng Huang and Xiaojun Huang, targeting them pursuant to Treasury’s counternarcotics authorities.
Deputy Criminal Chief Brent G. Tabacchi and Assistant United States Attorney Elizabeth McCormick are representing the United States in this case.
An indictment merely contains allegations, and defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.
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Grand Jury Indicts Three U.S. Citizens, 22 Chinese Nationals, Four Chinese Pharmaceutical Companies in International Drug Trafficking, Money Laundering ConspiraciesRead the Press Release
The Justice Department announced today that a federal grand jury in Dayton, Ohio, returned charges against dozens of defendants, including Chinese nationals and companies, in narcotics and money laundering conspiracies involving illegal cutting agents.
“Protecting Americans from fentanyl is one of this Department’s most important missions — and it starts with dismantling the international pipelines that bring deadly drugs and precursor to our shores,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “We will not rest until we stop Chinese companies from shipping poison to our citizens and bring everyone involved in this lethal trade to swift, complete justice.”
“Our indictment alleges that Chinese companies and affiliated foreign nationals intentionally and openly marketed, delivered, and exported to the United States controlled substances and other compounds that they knew would be used by domestic drug dealers to increase the yield and potency of fentanyl distributed in this country,” said U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio Dominick S. Gerace II. “As explained in court documents, these deadly drug mixtures were then sold directly into our communities here in southern Ohio.”
“Today’s announcement marks a first-of-its-kind international operation for the FBI targeting the fentanyl plague that has killed tens of thousands of Americans and indicting the companies and individuals in mainland China that manufacture the precursor chemicals fueling the destruction of our communities,” said FBI Director Kash Patel. “This operation has already seized enough fentanyl powder to kill 70 million Americans and enough fentanyl pills to kill another 270,000. And we have now indicted the Chinese precursor companies and exposed the funding streams that facilitate this deadly trade.”
According to charging documents, from at least 2022 until present, Eric Michael Payne, 39, of Tipp City, Ohio, served as a main supplier of illegal cutting agents to fentanyl traffickers operating in southern Ohio. Payne allegedly purchased several kilogram shipments of the cutting agents from multiple Chinese companies purporting to be online pharmacies and legitimate chemical companies.
It is believed that the U.S. defendants purchased from the Chinese companies at least 10 kilograms of fentanyl cutting agents, which, in turn, could yield more than 150 kilograms of fentanyl mixture bound for street-level sales in southern Ohio. The cutting agents included animal tranquilizers up to 200 times more powerful than morphine.
The companies allegedly used a series of Chinese foreign nationals located overseas to solicit, negotiate, and secure payments for illegal cutting agents from U.S. customers. It is alleged the foreign nationals generally directed U.S. customers to pay for the cutting agents using cryptocurrency transferred to crypto wallets under the foreign national’s control for ultimate deposit into financial institutions located overseas.
Payne’s significant other, Auriyon Tresan Rayford, 24, also of Tipp City, Ohio, and Ciandrea Bryne Davis, 39, of Atlanta, allegedly assisted Payne in transferring more than $60,000 in cryptocurrency to Chinese foreign nationals associated with the Chinese companies since 2022. Rayford also allegedly allowed illegal substances to be stored at her residence in Ohio.
All the defendants are charged with conspiring with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl mixture and conspiring to launder money internationally. Payne is also charged with possessing with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl mixture and tampering with evidence. Rayford is charged with maintaining a drug-involved premises.
The Chinese companies and nationals charged include:
Guangzhou Tengyue Chemical Company, Ltd.,
Guanghzou Wanjiang Biotechnology Co., Ltd.,
Hebei Hongjun New Material Technology Co., Ltd.,
Hebei Feilaimi Technology Co., Ltd.,
Lihui Zhao,
FNU LNU a/k/a “Anna Sofia,”
Shanhong Jiang,
Yan Yang,
Fengdi Zhang,
Dehui Xia,
Xing Wu Chen,
Qing Lin Wang,
Xiaojun Huang,
Meixiang Yao,
Zhanpeng Huang,
Yuqing Feng,
Dongjing Sun,
Chengqi Nong,
Tiduo Wei,
Zhisong Nie,
Jichao Zhu,
Zhengzhe Yin,
Changgen Du,
Hongfei Wang,
Huatao Yao, and
Xuening Gao.
Concurrent with the charges brought against this network, the U.S. Department of the Treasury today has imposed sanctions on one of these Chinese companies, Guangzhou Tengyue, and two of its representatives, Zhanpeng Huang and Xiaojun Huang, targeting them pursuant to Treasury’s counternarcotics authorities.
Deputy Criminal Chief Brent G. Tabacchi and Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth McCormick are representing the United States in this case.
An indictment merely contains allegations, and defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.
Georgia Woman Admits Defrauding Missouri, Kansas Victims with Law Enforcement Spoofing ScamRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – A woman from the Atlanta area on Wednesday admitted aiding scammers pretending to be law enforcement officers.
Ariel Burden, 33, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in St. Louis to one count of wire fraud. She admitted being part of a group that called victims from phone numbers that appeared to be associated with local law enforcement. The “spoofers” claimed to be law enforcement officers or affiliated with law enforcement and told victims that they had outstanding warrants for missing court appearances. They also falsely claimed that victims needed to pay thousands of dollars to a bondswoman to avoid being arrested. The scammers stayed in contact with the victims until they met with the supposed bondswoman, Burden. Burden, who called herself “Jennifer Davis,” collected the money and provided victims with a receipt that contained fake citation numbers and other false information.
In one example in Burden’s plea agreement, a scammer called a Jefferson County, Missouri victim on Feb. 28, 2024, while pretending to be with the Crystal City Police Department. The victim arrived at Crystal City’s City Hall and paid Burden $12,000 for “bond.” Burden then handed over a receipt with the bogus citation number “ft9 CV 1892 COC CV 1893,” a line noting that the payment had been made to the “Crystal City Court” and a line indicating that
The payment had been accepted by “Jennifer Davis.”In all, Burden admitted defrauding three victims, including two in Kansas, out of a total of $28,000.
Burden is scheduled to be sentenced on Jan. 14, 2026. The wire fraud charge carries potential penalty of up to 20 years, a fine of up to $250,000 or both prison and a fine. Burden will also be ordered to repay the money.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations, in conjunction with the Jefferson County, Missouri Sheriff’s Office and the McPherson, Kansas Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin Ladendorf is prosecuting the case.
Former St. Louis County Man Indicted and Accused of Lottery Scam 6 Years Ago Has Been ArrestedRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – A man indicted nearly six years ago and accused of participating in a Jamaican lottery scam has been arrested, U.S. Attorney Thomas C. Albus announced Wednesday.
Christopher Gibbon, 54, was initially charged by complaint in U.S. District Court in St. Louis on July 26, 2018, and later indicted in December 2019 with one count of conspiracy to commit mail fraud, wire fraud and bank fraud, four counts of mail fraud and one count of bank fraud.
The indictment says that between Dec. 1, 2016, and July of 2018, Gibbon participated in a scheme in which victims were contacted by phone and email and falsely told that they had won the lottery. Victims were then told that they needed to send money to pay the taxes on their winnings. Gibbon received payments from at least four victims and then forwarded some of that money to co-conspirators in Jamaica, the indictment says. In one example listed in the indictment, a North Carolina resident sent $50,000 to Gibbon's address.
A motion seeking to have Gibbon held in jail until trial says that on July 20, 2018, less than two days after he was interviewed by U.S. Postal Inspectors, Gibbon told his wife that he was going to work but did not show up there and did not return home.
The motion says he was living with a girlfriend in Springfield, Mass. under the name Raseqhenre Heedram but wore a name tag reading Amos Johnson when he was arrested by Postal Inspectors in Connecticut on Aug. 28, 2025.
Gibbon will be detained in jail until trial. On Wednesday, a judge in U.S. District Court in Hartford ordered him sent to St. Louis.
Charges set forth in an indictment or a criminal complaint are merely accusations and do not constitute proof of guilt. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty.
“This arrest proves the resolve and relentless pursuit Postal Inspectors have in bringing those who defraud victims to justice,” stated Inspector in Charge, Ruth Mendonça, who leads the Chicago Division of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, which includes the St. Louis Field Office. “I commend our local, state, and federal partners who assisted in this case and arrest.”
The U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the U.S. Marshals Service Jamaica Foreign Field Office and the Connecticut Organized Financial Fraud Task Force investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Tracy Berry is prosecuting the case.
Former Quincy Man Pleads Guilty to Possession with Intent to Distribute Nearly 10 Pounds of MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A former Quincy man currently residing in Las Vegas pleaded guilty in federal court in Boston to distribution of methamphetamine.
Samuel Jean-Baptiste, a/k/a “Jett Black,” 39, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances and one count of possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. U.S. Senior District Court Judge William G. Young scheduled sentencing for Nov. 24, 2025. Jean-Baptiste was arrested in May 2024 and was subsequently indicted by a federal grand jury in July 2024.
In early July 2023, Jean-Baptiste was identified as a significant distributor of controlled substances in the Boston area. A confidential source made three controlled purchases totaling over 680 grams of fentanyl from Jean-Baptiste. In the subsequent months, Jean-Baptiste communicated with a second confidential source to set up a sale of approximately 10 pounds of methamphetamine. On May 29, 2024, Jean-Baptiste arrived at an agreed-upon location for the sale of methamphetamine and was subsequently arrested. At the time of his arrest Jean-Baptiste was carrying a backpack that contained approximately 10 pounds of suspected methamphetamine.
The charges of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances and possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine each carry a mandatory minimum of 10 years and maximum sentence of life in prison, at least five years of supervised release and a maximum fine of $10 million. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Ted E. Docks, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian J. Sullivan of the Narcotics & Money Laundering Unit is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/ocdetf.
Former Postal Worker Stripped of Citizenship, Sentenced to 66-Months in Prison, for Stealing $1.6 Million from the U.S. MailRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Hachikosela Muchimba, 45, a former letter carrier for the U.S. Postal Service and resident of the District of Columbia, was stripped of his U.S. citizenship and sentenced to 66 months in federal prison today in connection with mail theft and bank fraud scheme that illegally netted him $1.6 million, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
A federal jury found Muchimba guilty on March 14, 2025, of conspiracy to commit theft of mail and bank fraud; theft of mail; bank fraud; engaging in a monetary transaction in property derived from specified unlawful activity, and unlawful procurement of citizenship or naturalization.
In addition to the 66-year prison sentence, U.S. District Court Judge Rudolph Contreras ordered Muchimbato to pay $651,068.35 in restitution to victims and to forfeit his ill-gotten gains of $1,273,403.36. Muchimba also will be subject to deportation.
Muchimba, originally of the Republic of Zambia, was naturalized as an American citizen on May 26, 2022. The mail theft and bank fraud scheme ran from December 2020 until March 2023. On his application for citizenship he falsely claimed to United States Citizenship and Immigration Services that he had not previously committed any criminal activity, all the while he was actively conducting his theft of mail and scheme to defraud. Because it was unlawfully procured, the Court revoked Muchimba’s citizenship.
Joining in the announcement of the sentencing was Special Agent in Charge Kathleen Woodson, of the U.S. Postal Service-Office of the Inspector General.
According to court documents, between December 2020 and March 2023, Muchimba was a letter carrier based in Friendship Heights, when he executed a scheme to steal U.S. Treasury checks and private party checks from the U.S. mail. The stolen checks were intended for District postal customers living on over 30 different mail routes. Muchimba deposited the checks, sometimes while wearing his U.S. Postal uniform, into bank accounts under his control. Bank surveillance footage captured images of him making deposits and withdrawals of the funds.
The total amount of the U.S. Treasury checks fraudulently deposited into Muchimba’s various bank accounts was over $1.6 million. Muchimba used the money to fund a lavish lifestyle that included international travel, stays at luxury hotels, and $100,000 spent at gentlemen’s clubs.
Muchimba was arrested on Sept. 20, 2023, at Dulles International Airport as he attempted to board a flight to Zambia. At the time of his arrest, Muchimba had $2,000 in cash in his luggage.
The investigation was conducted by the U.S. Postal Service-Office of the Inspector General, the Department of Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration, and Homeland Security Investigations.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S Attorneys John Borchert and Diane Lucas of the Fraud, Public Corruption, and Civil Rights Section.
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Former Chief Financial Officer Sentenced to Federal Prison for Theft in Connection with Health CareRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Ore.— Today, Pamela J. Kahut, 68, of Wilsonville, Oregon, was sentenced to eight months in federal prison and three years of supervised release for stealing money from the Pacific States Marine Fisheries Commission (PSMFC) health benefit trust account. At the time of the offense, Kahut was PSMFC’s Chief Financial Officer. PSMFC is an interstate agency that conserves, develops, and manages Pacific Ocean fishery resources.
Kahut was also ordered to pay $211,083.27 in restitution to PSMFC and to pay a $10,000 fine.
According to court documents, Kahut, as Chief Financial Officer of PSMFC, had access to and controlled PSMFC’s health benefit trust account that was created to pay benefits, fees, and other charges for PSMFC employees covered under its self-funded health care benefit program. The health benefit trust account was funded, in part, through federal grant money issued to the PSMFC.
Between about October 2014 and September 2020, Kahut stole $211,083.27 from the health benefit trust account. Kahut used the funds to pay for her spouse’s long-term care annual premiums, pay off her pension loans, and to pay her credit card bills.
On April 8, 2025, Kahut was charged by information with Theft in Connection with Health Care.
On June 5, 2025, Kahut pleaded guilty to Theft in Connection with Health Care.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, U.S. Department of Commerce Office of Inspector General, and U.S. Department of Energy Office of Inspector General. It was prosecuted by Robert Trisotto, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon.
Foreign-owned companies to pay $2.3 million to resolve False Claims Act allegations related to improper receipt of Paycheck Protection Program loansRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, N.Y. – U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Immco Diagnostic LLC (Immco) and Primus Corporation (Primus) have agreed to pay $2.375 million to resolve False Claims Act allegations that they improperly obtained Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans from the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) for which they were not eligible.
In March of 2020 Congress created the PPP to provide emergency financial assistance to American businesses suffering from the economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. A PPP loan was both forgivable and guaranteed by the SBA. One of the requirements for a business to obtain a second draw PPP loan, was the business had to have 300 or fewer employees.
In 2021, both Immco and Primus obtained second draw PPP loans. When Immco and Primus made their loan applications and again when they sought loan forgiveness, they were owned and controlled by Trinity Biotech plc (Trinity), a company based in Ireland with multiple subsidiaries worldwide. Trinity and its affiliates, which included Immco and Primus, had over 300 employees when they applied for the loans and corresponding forgiveness. The United States therefore contends that Immco and Primus were ineligible for these loans because, together with their affiliates, they had more than 300 employees, in violation of the PPP rules.
“PPP was designed to support small business during the COVID-19 pandemic, but these companies failed to disclose accurate information about their size and eligibility thereby obtaining $1.8 million in forgiven loans that they were not entitled to,” said U.S. Attorney DiGiacomo. “This office is committed to recovering taxpayer dollars that were improperly obtained by through the PPP.”
This matter was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorneys David M. Coriell and Jonathan W. Ferris, and Investigator Margaret McFarland, with assistance from the SBA’s Office of General Counsel.
Individuals with information about allegations of fraud involving COVID-19 are encouraged to report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only; there has been no determination of liability.
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Foreign Nationals Sentenced for Illegally Reentering the United States and Transferred to Immigration Officials for Deportation ProceedingsRead the Press Release
MOBILE, AL – Two foreign nationals were sentenced this week for illegally reentering the United States after previously having been deported. These felony cases were prosecuted as 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.
According to court documents, Hermes Castillo, 44, and Miguel Alvarado-Villanueva, 36, both of Honduras, were encountered by the Elberta, Alabama Police Department during a traffic stop on May 29, 2025. Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) was notified of the encounter. HSI arrested Castillo and Alvarado after determining that they were illegally in the United States.
Castillo had previously been deported from the United States three times. Castillo had also been convicted of Possession of Cocaine in violation of Florida state law and illegal reentry in 2012. Alvarado had been previously deported from the United States three times. At sentencing, Castillo and Alvarado were each sentenced to time-served and a 1-year term of supervised release upon their release if not deported. Castillo and Alvarado had been in custody since their arrests on May 29, 2025. Both defendants were ordered to be transferred to immigration officials for deportation proceedings upon their release from prison.
Several other defendants were recently prosecuted as part of Operation Take Back America’s ongoing collaboration between federal agencies with the assistance of state and local law enforcement and sentenced in federal court.
In July, Miguel Castro-Gonzales, 48 of Mexico, and Albert Marel Padilla-Castro, 43, of Honduras were sentenced for illegal reentry. The Summerdale Police Department arrested Castro-Gonzales for public intoxication and resisting arrest on May 18, 2025. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) - Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) was notified of the arrest and determined that Castro-Gonzales was previously deported on three occasions. The Saraland Police Department encountered Padilla-Castro during a traffic stop on May 6, 2025. United States Border Patrol (USBP) responded to the stop. USBP arrested Padilla-Castro after determining that he was illegally present in the United States and had been previously removed on two occasions.
In August, Antonio Flores, 41, of Mexico, Ali Torres-Barahona, 34, of Honduras, and Jorge Magana-Cartagena, 31, of El Salvador were sentenced for illegal reentry. The Foley Police Department arrested Flores for DUI in September 2023, but he was later released on bond under a false alias. ICE/ERO determined Flores’ true identity and concluded that he was illegally in the United States and had been deported twice. He was charged by a federal grand jury with illegal reentry and arrested in June 2025 by federal agents. The Mobile Police Department arrested Torres-Barahona for organized retail theft on June 8, 2025. ICE/ERO was notified of the arrest and determined that Torres-Barahona was illegally in the United States and had been deported three times. Federal agents encountered Magana during a worksite enforcement operation in Foley, Alabama on June 16, 2025. HSI agents arrested Magana after determining he was illegally in the United States and had been deported twice.
These defendants were all sentenced to time-served and had been in custody since their respective arrests on federal charges. Upon their releases from prison, all defendants were ordered to be transferred to immigration officials for deportation proceedings. All defendants were ordered to pay $100.00 each in special assessments.
U.S. Attorney Sean P. Costello of the Southern District of Alabama made the announcement.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO), Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), U.S. Border Patrol (USBP), U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA), Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) investigated the cases with the assistance of state and local law enforcement partners, including, the Elberta Police Department, Summerdale Police Department, Saraland Police Department, Foley Police Department, and Mobile Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin D. Kopf prosecuted the cases on behalf of the United States.
In addition to repelling the invasion of illegal immigration, Operation Take Back America aim includes the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs) and protecting our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
In addition to repelling the invasion of illegal immigration, the Operation Take Bank America initiative is committed to leveraging Department of Justice resources to achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and to protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
Felon Sentenced After Jury Convicted Him of Unlawful Firearm PossessionRead the Press Release
TULSA, Okla. – A Tulsa man was sentenced after a federal jury convicted him in April of being a Felon in Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition, announced U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.
Today, U.S. District Judge John D. Russell sentenced Prophet Kelly Lamar Clark, 53, to 15 months imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release.
Tulsa Police officers responded to a 911 call about a suspect with a gun. The physical description provided to law enforcement was later identified as Clark. Responding officers saw Clark walking away from the caller’s home on the phone, with a pair of keys and a loaded magazine in his right hand.
When the officer asked Clark if he had a weapon, he did not respond. While Clark was being placed in handcuffs, the officer pointed out the magazine in Clark’s hand and asked again if he had a firearm on him. Clark told the officer, “right,” implying the firearm was on his right side. A purple handgun was taken from Clark’s right side. Once Clark’s identity was confirmed, records showed that he was a convicted felon.
Court records show that in 2010, Clark pled guilty to felony possession of a controlled drug in state court, driving without a driver’s license, and improper tail lamps. He was sentenced to a five-year deferred sentence, which was ultimately converted to a conviction in 2011, resulting in Clark being placed on probation.
Clark was detained at sentencing, pending transfer to the U.S. Bureau of Prisons.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, along with the Tulsa Police Department, investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Mallory Richard and Jessica Wright prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN.
Federal Judge Sentences Elizabeth City Career Criminal to 14 YearsRead the Press Release
RALEIGH, N.C. – A U.S. District Judge sentenced Miguel Yasmir Williams, a 35-year-old man from Elizabeth City to 14 years in prison after he pleaded guilty to possessing cocaine with the intent to distribute and possessing a firearm as a felon. Williams entered his guilty plea on January 29, 2025.
“Miguel Williams kept on selling drugs and poisoning our communities. No more,” said U.S. Attorney Ellis Boyle. “This prison sentence puts him out of business. Law enforcement officers caught this dangerous drug dealer armed with a gun that he used to terrorize good citizens and families. We will ensure he pays the price for harming our communities by spending a long time in prison.”
“For too long, drugs have profoundly affected the lives of countless individuals in our community. We want to send a clear message: if you are engaged in selling this poison, especially to our family members, we will not stand idly by. We are committed to actively pursuing those who distribute these harmful substances. Weapons and drugs will no longer plague our community,” said Elizabeth City Police Interim Chief Eddie Graham.
“There is an absolute connection between drug dealing and gun violence in our communities,” said ATF Special Agent in Charge Alicia Jones. “A firearm in the hands of a drug dealer and felon is a serious danger, and ATF and our law enforcement partners will continue to do everything possible to apprehend those that pose these threats to our communities.”
According to court documents and information presented in court, Elizabeth City Police Officers responded to a bar in downtown Elizabeth City on February 10, 2024, after the bar requested emergency assistance. When EMS arrived, they found Williams unresponsive and prepared him for transport to the hospital. EMS personnel noticed a gun handle sticking out of his pocket. The gun was not only loaded but also stolen. At the hospital, medical personnel discovered a bag containing cocaine in his possession. This cocaine was packaged into numerous smaller baggies for distribution.
Due to his extensive criminal history, including convictions for kidnapping and possession with intent to manufacture, sell, or deliver cocaine, as well as larceny of a firearm, Williams faced enhanced federal sentencing.
Ellis Boyle, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, announced the sentencing after Judge Dever's ruling. The Elizabeth City Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives investigated the case, while Assistant U.S. Attorneys Phil Aubart and Robbie Dodson prosecuted it.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
Related court documents can be found on the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina's site or on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:24-CR-28.
Federal Inmate Sentenced to Nearly 3 Years for Assaulting Prison GuardRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Chadwick M. Elgersma, Acting United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Demetrius Brown, 47, an inmate at the Federal Correctional Institutional in Oxford, Wisconsin, was sentenced late last week by U.S. District Judge William M. Conley to 33 months in federal prison for physically assaulting a prison guard. Brown’s sentence will be served consecutive to the sentence he is already serving for drug trafficking. Brown pleaded guilty to the assault charge on June 9, 2025.
On August 24, 2024, Brown attacked a prison guard after the guard found an item of contraband in Brown’s cell. The guard suffered minor injuries.
At sentencing, Judge Conley found it troubling that in addition to causing injury to the guard, Brown’s conduct jeopardized the safety of other staff who responded to the assault. Judge Conley also expressed disappointment that Brown appeared to lack insight into his violent behavior.
The charge against Brown was the result of an investigation conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Federal Bureau of Prisons. Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven Ayala prosecuted this case.
Federal Grand Jury Indicts Cal State Channel Islands Professor on Charge that He Threw Tear Gas Canister at Agents in CamarilloRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – A federal grand jury today indicted a professor at California State University Channel Islands who is charged with throwing a tear gas canister at federal agents executing a search warrant at a marijuana farm in Camarillo this summer.
Jonathan Caravello, 37, of Ventura, is charged with one count of assault on a federal officer using a deadly or dangerous weapon.
Caravello, who is free on $15,000 bond, is expected to be arraigned in the coming weeks in United States District Court in Los Angeles.
According to the first superseding indictment and court documents previously filed in this case, on July 10, federal agents with Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and United States Border Patrol executed a high-risk search warrant at a marijuana farm sitting on a 160-acre property in Camarillo. A group of protesters gathered near law enforcement personnel around the farm’s entrance and used their bodies and their vehicles to impede law enforcement from exiting the location.
Later, protesters became violent, throwing rocks at the government vehicles attempting to depart the location because of the danger and to provide security to a detainee who had been hospitalized. The thrown rocks broke windows and side-view mirrors, among other damage to the vehicles.
For agents’ safety, law enforcement deployed tear gas among the protesters to assist with crowd control, ensure officer safety, and to allow law enforcement to depart the location. Border Patrol agents rolled tear gas canisters by protesters’ feet and Caravello ran up to one of the canisters and attempted to kick it. After the canister rolled past him, Caravello turned around, ran towards the canister, picked it up, and threw it overhand back at Border Patrol agents.
Border Patrol agents eventually arrested Caravello, who continuously kicked his legs and refused to give agents his arms during the arrest.
An indictment contains allegations. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
If convicted, Caravello would face a statutory maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison.
HSI is investigating this matter.
The Major Frauds Section is prosecuting this case.
Five Indictments Returned for Previously Deported Illegal Aliens Identified in Recent Immigration Enforcement ActionsRead the Press Release
TALLAHASSEE & PENSACOLA – Today, United States Attorney John P. Heekin announced that five previously deported illegal aliens have been indicted separately by a federal grand jury for illegal reentry into the United States.
Narciso Oswaldo Moreno-Zepeda, 42, of Honduras, allegedly reentered the United States illegally and was located in Escambia County in June 2025, after previously being deported in 2014. Trial is set for October 6, 2025, before United States District Judge M. Casey Rogers.
Hector Chaves-Morales, 27, of Guatemala, allegedly reentered the United States illegally and was located in Walton County in May 2025, after previously being deported in 2016. The matter is pending.
Franklin David Zelaya-Funez, 32, of Honduras, allegedly reentered the United States illegally and was located in Escambia County in June 2025, after previously being deported in 2021. The matter is pending.
Kevin Noel Ochoa-Venegas, 32, of Honduras, allegedly reentered the United States illegally and was located in Bay County in April 2025, after previously being deported in 2016 and 2021. Trial is set for September 22, 2025, before United States District Judge Mark Walker.
Edwin Martinez-Cruz, 38, of Honduras, allegedly reentered the United States illegally and was located in Escambia County in July 2025, after previously being deported in 2022. Trial is set for October 20, 2025, before United States District Judge T. Kent Wetherell, II.
The penalty for illegally reentering the United States after deportation is a maximum of two years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Ochoa-Venegas faces a maximum of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine pursuant to allegations of prior convictions qualifying for an increased maximum sentence.
The cases are being investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Homeland Security Investigations and Enforcement and Removal Operations with assistance from the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office, the Bay County Sheriff’s Office, and the Walton County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant United States Attorneys Jessica S. Etherton, Alicia H. Forbes, Brooke DiSalvo, and Justin M. Keen are prosecuting the cases.
An indictment is merely an allegation by a grand jury that a defendant has committed a violation of federal criminal law and is not evidence of guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial, during which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
The cases are part of Operation Take Back America (https://www.justice.gov/dag/media/1393746/dl?inline ) a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.
Eau Claire Man Sentenced to 10 Years for Methamphetamine TraffickingRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Chadwick M. Elgersma, Acting United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that John A. Soung, 48, Eau Claire, Wisconsin, was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Judge William M. Conley to 10 years in federal prison for possessing methamphetamine intended for distribution. The prison term will be followed by 5 years of supervised release. Soung pleaded guilty to this charge on June 5, 2025.
In July 2024, investigators received information from a confidential source that a large quantity of methamphetamine was being stored inside a storage unit in Eau Claire. Investigators obtained a search warrant for the storage unit and found a backpack with approximately six pounds of methamphetamine inside. Records showed that Soung rented the storage unit, and he ultimately admitted that he used it to store methamphetamine for distribution around the Eau Claire area. On July 12, 2024, Soung was arrested during a traffic stop and inside the car, officers found a 9mm handgun that Soung later admitted was his. Soung is prohibited from legally possessing firearms because of prior felony convictions.
In handing down Soung’s substantial sentence, Judge Conley recognized that this case represented a “great escalation” in Soung’s history of methamphetamine dealing. Judge Conley also noted that Soung was illegally possessing a firearm while regularly distributing methamphetamine.
The charge against Soung was the result of an investigation conducted by the West Central Drug Task Force, Eau Claire Police Department, Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Clark County Sheriff’s Department. The ATF Madison Crime Gun Task Force also assisted with the case. The ATF Madison Crime Gun Task Force consists of federal agents from ATF and Task Force Officers from state and local agencies throughout the Western District of Wisconsin. Assistant U.S. Attorney William M. Levins prosecuted the case.
Federal criminal cases involving drugs and firearms are part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
Dominican National Faces Third DeportationRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE – A twice-deported Dominican national faces deportation for a third time, having been sentenced today in federal court on a charge of illegal reentry, announced Acting United States Attorney Sara Miron Bloom.
Celso Herrera-De Los Santos, 49, ordered deported from the United States in 2011 and in 2017, came to the attention of Immigration and Customs Enforcement in May during a routine screening at the ACI where he was being held on Rhode Island state charges of possession with intent to deliver cocaine and possession with intent to deliver 1 oz to 1 kilo of cocaine.
Herrera-De Los Santos, detained in federal custody since his arraignment on June 23, 2025, was sentenced today by U.S. District Court Judge Melissa R. DuBose to time served. An immigration detainer has been lodged by Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Peter I. Roklan, with the assistance of Assistant United States Attorney Dulce Donovan.
The matter was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
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Dallas Resident Guilty of Being Felon in Possession of Firearm and Ammunition While Attempting to Board a PlaneRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS – Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson announced that TREVIS WILLIAMS (“WILLIAMS”),age 46, pleaded guilty today for violating the Federal Gun Control Act.
According to court documents, on March 16, 2025, a Transportation Security Administration (TSA) agent conducting security screening at Louis Armstrong International Airport noticed what appeared to be a firearm and nine (9) rounds of ammunition in the carry-on bag of the defendant. The TSA agent then notified the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office (JPSO) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). An FBI Special Agent conducted an investigation and determined that WILLIAMS was prohibited from possessing the firearm and ammunition, as he had previously been convicted of a felony in the 24th Judicial District Court, Parish of Jefferson, State of Louisiana.
The firearm was determined to be a Glock Model 30, .45 caliber, semi-automatic pistol, along with the nine (9) rounds of ammunition, a violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 922(g)(1) and 924(a)(8). WILLIAMS faces a maximum term of imprisonment of fifteen years, a fine of up to $250,000, up to three years of supervised release after imprisonment, and a $100 mandatory special assessment fee. U.S. District Judge Sarah S. Vance set sentencing for December 16, 2025.
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.
Acting U.S. Attorney Simpson praised the work of the Transportation Security Administration, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office in investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Jon Maestri of the General Crimes Unit is in charge of the prosecution.
Cuban Man Living in Louisville Charged with Assaulting ICE OfficersRead the Press Release
Louisville, Kentucky – A federal indictment was returned today that charged Laryen Torres-Carmona, a Cuban national, for assaulting two U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers who were attempting to effect a lawful arrest.
U.S Attorney Kyle G. Bumgarner of the Western District of Kentucky and Acting Special Agent in Charge Dennis M. Fetting of the Homeland Security Investigations Nashville made the announcement.
“This complaint and indictment allege that Torres-Carmona committed crimes while paroled into our country, overstayed his welcome, then strangled a domestic partner, and ultimately assaulted two ICE officers attempting to make a lawful arrest,” said U.S. Attorney Kyle Bumgarner. “This conduct will not be tolerated in the Western District of Kentucky.”
“Threats and assaults on federal agents and officers, who are working diligently night and day to uphold the nation’s laws, will never be tolerated,” said Homeland Security Investigations Nashville acting Special Agent in Charge Dennis M. Fetting. “HSI remains steadfast in its mission to hold accountable those who threaten the safety of our law enforcement personnel and the communities they protect and serve.”
According to the indictment, Laryen Torres-Carmona, 25, is charged with two counts of forcibly assaulting, resisting, opposing, impeding, intimidating, or interfering with two Immigration Enforcement Operations (ERO) Deportation Officers (DO) who were employees of the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), an agency of a branch of the United States government, while they were engaged in the performance of their official duties.
Last week a criminal complaint and supporting affidavit were filed that alleged that Torres-Carmona, was permitted to enter the United States on July 25, 2023, as a parolee with an expiration of June 27, 2025. While in the United States on parole, Torres-Carmona was arrested by Louisville Metropolitan Police Officers on charges of theft by unlawful taking and criminal trespassing. In July 2025, after his parole had expired, Torres-Carmona was arrested again for strangulation during an event of domestic violence.
The criminal complaint further alleges that on August 26, 2025, Torres-Carmona reported to United States Citizenship and Immigration Service’s Louisville office. As alleged, Torres-Carmona shoved two ICE officers and continued resisting officers attempting to effectuate his arrest. Based upon these actions, Torres-Carmona was charged in the criminal complaint with a violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 111(a), making it unlawful to assault, resist, oppose, impede, intimidate, or interfere with federal officers or employees, including ICE officers.
The defendant made his initial appearance on the complaint last week before a U.S. Magistrate Judge of the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Kentucky. He was arraigned on the indictment today. The Court ordered the defendant detained pending trial. If convicted, Torres-Carmona faces a combined maximum sentence of 16 years in federal prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors
There is no parole in the federal system.
This case is being investigated by the HSI Louisville Office.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Joe Ansari is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
A criminal complaint and indictment are merely allegations. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Couple Charged in Cross-Border Identity Theft and Immigration Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
SAN DIEGO – Luis Enrique Villegas Brownell and his girlfriend, Kassandra Sanchez, were charged in federal court with stealing the identity of Sanchez’s brother to commit a variety of federal crimes in the United States.
According to the indictment, Villegas, a Mexican citizen without legal status in the United States, and Sanchez, a U.S. citizen, conspired to steal identification documents belonging to Sanchez’s brother, identified in court records as J.D.S. Villegas then used those documents to falsely pose as a U.S. citizen and apply for entry into the United States.
Once in the United States, Villegas went to the California DMV and provided false information under penalty of perjury to obtain a state ID card in the name of J.D.S. but bearing Villegas’s photo and thumbprint. He and Sanchez then used the fraudulent ID to impersonate J.D.S. and cross the border unlawfully for more than a year. Prosecutors say that Villegas crossed more than 50 times in the past 17 months, often with Sanchez driving to the port of entry and presenting the fraudulent ID to border officers. Port-of-entry video shows Sanchez lying to officers about Villegas’s birthplace and concealing his true identity.
According to court documents, the real J.D.S. applied for entry to the United States at the San Ysidro Port of Entry in April 2025 but was unable to cross due to the theft of his identity. During that encounter, J.D.S. reported to border officers that his sister, Sanchez, asked for his identity documents to smuggle her Mexican boyfriend into the United States. When he declined, she took them without his consent.
The government also alleges Villegas used J.D.S.’s identity to commit other federal crimes, including smuggling an undocumented immigrant through the San Ysidro Port of Entry and fraudulently obtaining California public benefits such as Medi-Cal.
Sanchez allegedly committed the offenses while on supervised release for a prior federal conviction in the Southern District of California relating to an arrest for smuggling methamphetamine into the United States.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Patrick C. Swan.
DEFENDANTS Case Number: 25cr3286-BTM
Luis Enrique Villegas Brownell Age: 20 Tijuana, Mexico
Kassandra Sanchez Age: 23 San Diego, California
SUMMARY OF CHARGES
Conspiracy – Title 18, U.S.C., Section 371
Maximum penalty: Five years in prison and $250,000 fine
Conspiracy – Title 18, U.S.C., Section 1028(f)
Maximum penalty: Fifteen years in prison and $250,000 fine
Unlawful Production of Identification Document – Title 18, U.S.C., Sections 1028(a)(1), (b)(1)(A)(ii), and 2
Maximum penalty: Fifteen years in prison and $250,000 fine
False Personation in Immigration Matter – Title 18, U.S.C., Sections 1546(a) and 2
Maximum penalty: Ten years in prison and $250,000 fine
False Claim to U.S. Citizenship – Title 18, U.S.C., Section 911
Maximum penalty: Three years in prison and $250,000 fine
Aggravated Identity Theft – Title 18, U.S.C., Section 1028A(a)(1)
Maximum penalty: Mandatory two years in prison, served consecutive to any other sentence
INVESTIGATING AGENCIES
Homeland Security Investigations
U.S. Customs and Border Protection
*The charges and allegations contained in an indictment or complaint are merely accusations, and the defendants are considered innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Convicted Felon Who Threatened Rochester Woman with Gun Sentenced to 15 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – Divaunte Kartrell Young, age 24, has been sentenced to 180 months of imprisonment and 3 years of supervised release following a federal jury trial in which Young was found guilty of illegally possessing a firearm as a felon, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Joseph H. Thompson.
“Career criminals are not in charge of Minnesota,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Joseph H. Thompson. “Young threatened this victim with a gun and then tried to bribe his way out of accountability. Acts of violence and corruption like this will always end the same way—with years in federal prison.”
In Spring of 2023, Young spent the day running errands with the victim, who had recently met Young. The victim kindly chauffeured Young around Rochester, Minnesota, in her car. At the end of the day, Young told the victim he wanted her to drive him from Rochester to the Twin Cities (a four-plus hour roundtrip for the victim). The victim repeatedly said no. Young then unzipped a crossbody bag he was wearing and showed the victim that he had a gun in his bag. Young threatened to shoot the victim, making statements like, “what if I shot your brain” and saying he could shoot up the car. The victim was badly frightened, and ultimately fled, leaving Young with her car. Alone on the road, in freezing mid-March temperatures, the victim hyperventilated and became sick, which the Court observed was “an intense physical reaction to an intensely frightening situation.”
The victim called the police, and officers soon responded to the location the victim left her car and found Young asleep in the front passenger seat. Officers arrested Young and searched the car. They found Young’s cross-body bag in the glove compartment. Inside was a black and silver Taurus nine-millimeter handgun.
Young was detained pending his trial. From jail, Young attempted to obstruct justice. He called the victim, telling her to lie to the police and court about what happened. When the victim refused to lie, Young attempted to bribe her with money.
Young has a long and violent criminal history. Young’s history includes felony convictions for domestic assault, aggravated robbery, burglary, and assault of a corrections officer. Before he committed his crime, Young was on probation in four separate cases, but had absconded from supervision.
On March 26, 2025, following a trial, a federal jury found Young guilty of being a felon in possession of a firearm.
Young was sentenced today by United States District Judge Eric C. Tostrud. In handing down his sentence Judge Tostrud noted that defendant’s history and characteristics were “deeply troubling” to the Court and demonstrated the defendant “was, in fact, a lifelong criminal” with five prior adult felonies. Judge Tostrud explained that “Reasonable people fear for their lives when they are threatened with a firearm. There is no question the victim’s fears were justified. The defendant was in a prime position to act on his threats.” In handing down the maximum sentence of 15 years of imprisonment, Judge Tostrud concluded that the defendant was “a great danger to the public” who had “no respect for the law.”
The U.S. Attorney’s Office commends the bravery of the victim in this case.
The case is the result of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) and the Rochester Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Evan B. Gilead, David B. Green, and Ruth S. Shnider prosecuted the case.
Columbia Falls man sentenced to over 4 years in prison for illegal gun possessionRead the Press Release
MISSOULA – A Columbia Falls man who possessed a firearm illegally was sentenced today to 51 months in prison to be followed by 3 years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.
Zachary Matthew Gargasz, 38, pleaded guilty in March 2025 to prohibited person in possession of a firearm.
U.S. District Judge Donald W. Molloy presided.
The government alleged in court documents that on October 6, 2017, Gargasz was convicted in Flathead County District Court of Operation of a Clandestine Drug Laboratory and sentenced to 10 years with the Montana Department of Corrections, with all that time suspended. On November 9, 2018, Gargasz signed a Firearms Regulation Form acknowledging he was prohibited from possessing a firearm as a convicted felon.
On December 1, 2023, Gargasz reported to his probation officers for a scheduled visit. Officers searched his vehicle and discovered 11 rounds of .45 ammunition in the center console. Officers also located two AR magazines taped together in opposite directions, loaded with 63 .233 caliber rounds, behind the passenger seat. Probation officers then searched Gargasz’s home and found underneath Gargasz’s mattress a .45 caliber handgun loaded with seven rounds. At a later revocation hearing on April 11, 2024, Gargasz admitted to possessing the firearm.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian Lowney prosecuted the case. The ATF and State of Montana Probation and Parole conducted the investigation.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN.
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Chinese Nationals Plead Guilty to Fake Apple Device Return Fraud that Conned the Technology Giant Out of More Than $16 MillionRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – Two Chinese nationals living in Riverside County pleaded guilty today to participating in a large-scale, trans-Pacific scheme to defraud Apple Inc. through the fraudulent “returns” of thousands of counterfeit iPhones, iPads, and other Apple goods that caused the Cupertino-based technology company at least $16.2 million in losses.
Yushan Lin, 31, and Shuyi Xing, 35, both of Corona, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and mail fraud. Xing also pleaded guilty to an additional count of conspiracy to commit money laundering in connection with a separate money laundering scheme involving the laundering of more than $1 million in funds from various elder fraud schemes. Lin and Xing are the last of the five defendants charged in this case, and six defendants total, to plead guilty to federal criminal charges arising from their massive counterfeit Apple device fraud scheme in Southern California.
The four other defendants who have also pleaded guilty and await sentencing are:
- Wenhui Huang, 40, of Chino Hills, the group’s ringleader, who is an illegal alien;
- Yang Song, 38, of Corona, the group’s second-in-command;
- Junwei Jiang, 38, of East Los Angeles; and
- Zhengxuan Hu, 27, of Alhambra, who is an illegal alien.
According to Lin’s and Xing’s plea agreements, from at least December 2015 to March 2024, Huang, Song, and others coordinated with co-conspirators in China to smuggle counterfeit Apple iPhones, iPads, and other devices to them and other U.S.-based co-conspirators. The counterfeit Apple devices smuggled to Huang, Song, and others in the U.S. were designed to look like genuine Apple devices and included identification numbers matching the numbers on real Apple products that had been sold in North America, were owned by real people, and were under warranty through Apple’s manufacturer warranty and AppleCare+, Apple’s extended warranty program. The real identification numbers and serial numbers on the counterfeit devices that defendants returned were designed to essentially impersonate the real Apple devices owned by real people throughout the United States – and therefore deceived Apple into replacing the counterfeit devices with real devices under Apple’s warranty programs.
Once the counterfeit devices were smuggled into the U.S., the defendants fraudulently returned the counterfeit iPhones, iPads, and other devices to Apple as if they were genuine and had been legitimately purchased, were eligible for Apple’s warranty programs, and as if they were the lawful possessor of the Apple devices. The defendants knowingly and fraudulently represented that the counterfeit Apple devices they returned were genuine but were broken or non-operational and were covered by the company’s warranty programs. Some of the false reasons given to Apple store employees were because the devices purportedly would not power on, were physically damaged, or had other defects. But the defendants knew that the Apple devices they were returning were counterfeit and fraudulently used the identification numbers and serial numbers of real people’s Apple devices to victimize both Apple and the device owners.
As part of the scheme, the defendants visited multiple Apple stores throughout Southern California, including stores in Beverly Hills, Sherman Oaks, Pasadena, Irvine, Northridge, Manhattan Beach, Brea, Rancho Cucamonga, Cerritos and at shopping malls such as The Grove in Los Angeles, South Coast Plaza in Costa Mesa, Fashion Island in Newport Beach, and The Americana at Brand in Glendale. In many cases, they visited as many as 10 different Apple stores where they would allegedly return counterfeit devices.
Once at the Apple stores, Apple employees either replaced or repaired the counterfeit Apple device with a genuine Apple device in the same visit or, on other occasions, took the defendants’ counterfeit devices and shipped them to a repair center. Apple then shipped to the defendants a genuine replacement Apple device or a repaired device to either an Apple store, where the defendants returned to pick up the new device, or at the dozens of mailboxes at UPS Stores that the defendants rented across Southern California to receive counterfeit devices from China and receive genuine replacement devices from Apple.
After successfully returning the counterfeit Apple devices for genuine ones, the defendants shipped the genuine devices to co-conspirators both in the United States and abroad, primarily in China, where the genuine Apple devices were resold at a substantial profit.
Lin and Xing personally fraudulently returned and attempted to return at least 1,584 counterfeit devices to Apple, causing at least $1,116,544 in actual losses to the company. The larger conspiracy fraudulently returned and attempted to return more than 27,645 counterfeit devices to Apple, causing at least $16,239,254 in actual losses to the company.
United States District Judge André Birotte Jr. scheduled December 10 sentencing hearings for Lin, who faces a statutory maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison, and Xing, who faces up to 40 years in federal prison.
Homeland Security Investigations and IRS Criminal Investigation are investigating this matter. The United States Postal Inspection Service and the Los Angeles Police Department provided substantial assistance.
Assistant United States Attorney Andrew M. Roach of the General Crimes Section is prosecuting this case.
Cherokee County Resident Sentenced for Federal Firearm CrimeRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Timothy Allen Truelove, age 50, of Tahlequah, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 33 months in prison for one count of Felon in Possession of Ammunition.
The charge arose from an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Cherokee Nation Office of the Attorney General.
On April 7, 2025, Truelove pleaded guilty to the charge. According to investigators, on January 24, 2024, Truelove knowingly possessed 179 rounds of ammunition, which had been shipped and transported in interstate commerce, after having been previously convicted of a crime punishable by more than one year imprisonment.
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).
The Honorable Ronald A. White, Chief U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over the hearing. Truelove will report to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility on October 3, 2025, to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan E. Soverly represented the United States.
Charleston Woman Pleads Guilty to Federal Drug CrimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Tiffany Dawn Shaffer, 36, of Charleston, pleaded guilty today to possession with intent to distribute a quantity of methamphetamine.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on June 17, 2025, a law enforcement officer conducted a traffic stop of a vehicle driven by Shaffer near St. Albans. Shaffer admitted that she possessed 2 pounds of methamphetamine in the back of the vehicle during the traffic stop.
At the time of this offense, Shaffer was serving a term of supervised release after pleading guilty to distribution of 5 grams or more of methamphetamine in United States District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia on June 28, 2021. Shaffer has a criminal history that also includes prior convictions for conspiracy to operate a clandestine drug laboratory and being a felon in possession of a firearm.
Shaffer is scheduled to be sentenced on December 15, 2025, and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, at least three years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $1 million.
Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the St. Albans Police Department and the assistance provided by the Metropolitan Drug Enforcement Network Team (MDENT), which is composed of the Charleston Police Department, the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office, the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office, the Nitro Police Department, the St. Albans Police Department and the South Charleston Police Department.
United States District Judge Joseph R. Goodwin presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney JC MacCallum is prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:25-cr-144.
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Canonsburg Resident Sentenced to 20 Years in Prison for Sexual Exploitation of Minors and Destruction of EvidenceRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, Pa. – A former resident of Canonsburg, Pennsylvania, was sentenced in federal court on August 27, 2025, to 240 months in prison, to be followed by 10 years of supervised release, and ordered to pay $28,000 in restitution to his victims for his convictions of violating federal law regarding the sexual exploitation of minors and the destruction of evidence, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.
United States District Judge J. Nicholas Ranjan imposed the sentence on Justin Darby, 37.
According to information presented to the Court, on or about October 28, 2021, Darby knowingly altered and destroyed records associated with an instant messaging application on his cellular telephone with the intent to impede and obstruct an investigation of Darby for offenses involving the sexual exploitation of children when agents with the Federal Bureau of Investigation attempted to execute a search warrant at the defendant’s residence. Darby additionally was convicted for attempting to induce and inducing a minor to send to him an image of the minor engaging in sexually explicit conduct over a social media application on February 6, 2024. Darby also accepted responsibility for additional offenses involving the sexual exploitation of minors, including the inducement of three other minors to send him visual depictions of themselves engaged in sexually explicit conduct through text messages and social media applications during 2023 and early 2024.
In imposing the sentence, Judge Ranjan emphasized that the sentence was justified by Darby’s lack of respect for the law and continued pattern of criminal behavior.
Assistant United States Attorney Heidi M. Grogan prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
Acting United States Attorney Rivetti commended the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Homeland Security Investigations for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Darby.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Cambridge Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Federal Prison for Conspiracy, Possession with Intent to Distribute Controlled SubstancesRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – Judge James K. Bredar sentenced Deandrae Stull, 34, of Cambridge, Maryland, to 10 years in federal prison for conspiracy to distribute controlled substances and possession with intent to distribute controlled substances.
Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the sentence with Special Agent in Charge Christopher C. Goumenis, Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) – Washington Division; Acting Special Agent in Charge Evan Campanella, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) – Baltimore; Special Agent in Charge Kareem Carter, Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), Washington D.C. Field Office; Chief Robert O. McCullough, Baltimore County Police Department (BCPD); and Chief Richard Worley, Baltimore City Police Department (BPD).
According to the guilty plea, in 2023, multiple federal agencies partnered to investigate a Baltimore-based drug trafficking organization (DTO) distributing large quantities of cocaine. The DTO used various methods to transport bulk quantities of cocaine from California to Maryland. Stull, a DTO member, and various other co-conspirators, transported cocaine via commercial flights.
The DTO concealed cocaine in “ghost bags” on commercial flights. The term “ghost bag” is the process of purchasing a flight ticket under a proxy name to a specific destination and then checking the luggage that contains large quantities of narcotics on to the flight without the ticketed passenger. When the flight reaches its destination, a co-conspirator retrieves the contraband-laden luggage.
During the investigation, law enforcement reviewed the flight records of various DTO members. As law enforcement analyzed flight records from January 2023 to May 2023, authorities discovered at least 22 ghost-bag flights from Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) to Baltimore/Washington International Airport (BWI) were billed directly to Stull’s home address. Law enforcement also obtained records from the internet providers of the IP addresses used to purchase the 22 ghost-bag flights. Stull’s cellular phone connected to at least seven IP addresses that were used to purchase seven different ghost-bag flights. As a result, HSI placed Stull on its flight-watch list.
On June 14, 2023, United Airlines notified HSI about Stull’s plans to travel from LAX to BWI on June 15. Notably, “James Davis” was a ticketed passenger on the flight. Investigators knew the DTO consistently used “James Davis” as a proxy name for ghost-bag flights. On two occasions, on April 2, and then on April 5, Stull’s home address was listed as the billing address for ghost-bag flights under the name “James Davis.” Additionally, on April 2, Stull was a listed passenger on the same flight as a “James Davis” ghost bag.
Then on June 15, HSI established a surveillance team at BWI prior to Stull’s arrival. One group of investigators set up at the check-in conveyor with a drug-detection K-9 that scanned luggage from Stull’s flight. The drug-detection K-9 found the presence of controlled substances emitting from a black suitcase with “James Davis” on the baggage ticket. Authorities sent a photograph of the luggage to the investigative team surveilling Stull’s exit from his flight.
Stull arrived at the baggage carousel and retrieved the black suitcase. Shortly after leaving the baggage claim area, authorities approached Stull, asking him who was the owner of the suitcase. Stull replied it belong to a friend. During the encounter, a second drug-detection K-9 arrived, to scan the suitcase. The second K-9 also alerted authorities to the presence of controlled substances. Law enforcement searched Stull’s suitcase and recovered 15 kilograms of cocaine.
This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the DEA, HSI, IRS-CI, BCPD, and BPD for their work in the investigation. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Calvin C. Miner 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, please visit justice.gov/usao-md and justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.
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Brothers Sentenced for Child ExploitationRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – Two brothers were sentenced for sexually abusing a minor, with one receiving 204 months in prison and the other 135 months.
There is no parole in the federal system.
According to court documents, between 2019 and 2022, Dustin Roy Rockmen, 33, of Navajo, New Mexico, and Kenzie Roy Rockmen, 26, of Hunters Point, Arizona, both enrolled members of the Navajo Nation, used electronic communications to coerce a minor and engage in sexual acts with the child.
Dustin and Kenzie both pled guilty to one count of coercion and enticement of a minor. Upon their release from prison, Dustin and Kenzie will be subject to 10 years of supervised release and must register as sex offenders.
Acting U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison and Acting Special Agent in Charge Philip Russell of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office made the announcement today.
The Gallup Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Navajo Police Department and Navajo Department of Criminal Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Robert James Booth II and Mark A. Probasco are prosecuting this case as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit Justice.gov/PSC.
Brevard County Man Pleads Guilty to Drug and Firearm OffensesRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces that Cedrick Deon Hawkins (43, Cocoa) has pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute controlled substances and possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking. Hawkins faces a minimum penalty of 10 years, up to life, in federal prison. Sentencing is set for November 12, 2025. Hawkins has agreed to forfeit the firearms and ammunition seized from inside his residence, which were used in the commission of the offenses.
According to the plea agreement, between October 2024 and February 2025, Hawkins sold methamphetamine and fentanyl to a confidential source. In April 2025, a search warrant was executed on Hawkins’s residence in Cocoa. During the search, agents located additional methamphetamine, fentanyl, and drug processing materials. Agents also located five firearms throughout the home, including three rifles and a handgun in the master bedroom closet and a loaded pistol in a kitchen cabinet. Six additional firearms and ammunition were found in a pickup truck parked in the yard of the residence.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Titusville Police Department, with assistance from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Megan Testerman.
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.
Bradenton Man Sentenced to More Than 15 Years for Coercion and Enticement of A Minor, Receipt and Possession of Child Sex Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Mary S. Scriven has sentenced James Stephen Ahearn, Jr. (33, Bradenton) to 15 years and 8 months in federal prison for coercion and enticement of a minor to engage in sexual activity and receipt and possession of child sex abuse material (CSAM). Ahearn pleaded guilty on May 5, 2025.
According to court documents, using the Snapchat application, Ahearn misrepresented himself to be a 19-year-old male and coerced and enticed a 14-year-old victim to engage in sexual activity. Following the execution of search warrants, the FBI located similar sexually explicit messages with additional minor females in Ahearn’s cellphone. The FBI also located images of CSAM requested and received by Ahearn.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigations. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Courtney Derry.
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 Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Braddock Felon Sentenced to More Than Eight Years in Prison for Drug and Firearm CrimesRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, Pa. - A resident of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, was sentenced in federal court to 100 months of imprisonment on his conviction of drug trafficking and illegally possessing firearms, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.
United States District Judge William S. Stickman IV imposed the sentence on Jeffrey Lee Hancock Jr., 41, of the Braddock neighborhood of Pittsburgh, on September 2, 2025.
According to information presented to the Court, on April 25, 2024, the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Pennsylvania State Police executed a search warrant of Hancock’s residence in connection with an ongoing investigation into drug trafficking activity by Hancock and two co-conspirators. As investigators entered the residence, Hancock threw a bag containing approximately 50 bricks of fentanyl from the second story window of the home. Inside the residence, investigators also found an additional 200 bricks of fentanyl and $2,902, as well as two handguns, which Hancock was prohibited from possessing based upon his prior felony convictions. Hancock admitted to conspiring to distribute a total of between 280 and 400 grams of fentanyl.
Prior to imposing sentence, Judge Stickman noted Hancock as a “recidivist drug trafficker and illegal gun user” who was involved in “poisoning our community” through “the dark and dangerous drug trade.” Judge Stickman stated that a sentence of 100 months—at the high end of the advisory guideline range—reflects the serious nature of Hancock’s crimes and should signal to others that a “career of crime [will be] met with stiff federal time.”
Assistant United States Attorney Rebecca L. Silinski prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
Acting United States Attorney Rivetti commended the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Pennsylvania State Police for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Hancock.
Arnold Resident Pleads Guilty to Fentanyl and Heroin TraffickingRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, Pa. – A resident of Arnold, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty in federal court to a charge of fentanyl and heroin trafficking, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.
Kevin Watson, 36, pleaded guilty before United States District Judge W. Scott Hardy to possession with the intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl and 100 grams or more of heroin.
In connection with the guilty plea, the Court was advised that, on April 26, 2019, Watson was pulled over by the Pennsylvania State Police for traffic violations, with a young child present in the back seat of Watson’s vehicle. When asked to get out of the vehicle, Watson sped away from the traffic stop and led officers on a high-speed chase that reached speeds of 115 mph. Eventually, Watson crashed the vehicle and fled on foot, leaving the child, who was not seriously injured, alone and unattended in the vehicle. Later, the Pennsylvania State Police obtained a search warrant for the vehicle, which revealed more than $100,000 of a mixture containing fentanyl and heroin in the trunk. Watson has an extensive criminal history that includes, among other convictions, three previous drug trafficking convictions, and was on parole at the time of this offense.
Judge Hardy scheduled sentencing for January 8, 2026. The law provides for a total sentence of not less than 10 years and up to life in prison, a fine of up to $10 million, or both. Under the federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history of the defendant. Pending sentencing, Watson will remain in the custody of the United States Marshals Service.
Assistant United States Attorneys Kelly M. Locher and Barbara K. Doolittle are prosecuting this case on behalf of the United States.
The Pennsylvania State Police and Drug Enforcement Administration conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Watson.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.
Arizona man arraigned on charge of attempted child enticementRead the Press Release
MISSOULA – An Arizona man with ties to Missoula, accused of attempting to entice a minor to engage in sexual activity, appeared today for arraignment, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.
The defendant, Manuel Flores, 71, pleaded not guilty to an indictment charging him with one count of attempted coercion and enticement of a minor. The maximum penalties for the offense are ten years to life in prison, a $250,000 fine, and five years to a lifetime of supervised release.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Kathleen L. DeSoto presided. Flores was detained pending further proceedings.
The indictment alleges that on or between June 2024 and August 17, 2025, at Missoula, in Missoula County, in the State and District of Montana, and elsewhere, including Arizona, the defendant, MANUEL FLORES, knowingly used a means of interstate commerce, including the internet and a cellular phone, to attempt to persuade, induce, entice, and coerce any individual who had not attained the age of 18 years to engage in sexual activity for which any person can be charged with a criminal offense, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 2422(b).
Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian Lowney is prosecuting the case. The FBI’s Montana Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force and the Missoula County Sheriff’s Office conducted the investigation.
The charging document is merely an accusation and defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Anyone who has information about possible crimes committed by Flores, or the physical or online exploitation of any children, are encouraged to call the FBI Salt Lake City Field Office at (801) 579-1400 or submit a tip online at tips.fbi.gov.
PACER case reference. 25-41.
The progress of cases may be monitored through the U.S. District Court Calendar and the PACER system. To establish a PACER account, which provides electronic access to review documents filed in a case, please visit http://www.pacer.gov/register.html. To access the District Court’s calendar, please visit https://ecf.mtd.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/PublicCalendar.pl.
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Animal Abuse Task Force Comprised of Federal and Local Law Enforcement Agencies FormedRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – Acting United States Attorney Bill Essayli today announced the creation of a federal animal abuse task force aimed at prosecuting violations of the federal Preventing Animal Cruelty and Torture (PACT) Act signed into law by President Trump in 2019.
Those statutes criminalize engaging in animal abuse in or affecting interstate or foreign commerce and making “animal crush” videos that depict obscene animal abuse.
“Animal abuse is among the most heartbreaking and despicable type of crimes that law enforcement sees,” said Acting United States Attorney Bill Essayli. “Together with our federal and local partners, my office intends to root out and punish those who profit from hurting animals.”
The new task force will be led by federal prosecutors in the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s Environmental Crimes and Consumer Protection Section working in partnership with the FBI, the United States Department of Agriculture Office of Inspector General, the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office, the Los Angeles Police Department, Los Angeles City Animal Control, and other state and local law enforcement officers. The task force will focus on charging serious animal abuse throughout the Central District of California, the most populous federal district in the country.
The seven-county district is home to approximately 20 million residents and is comprised of the counties of Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, and Ventura.
Today, the group conducted a community outreach operation in the Skid Row area of Los Angeles, and conducted welfare checks on a dozen dogs ensuring they had access to clean water and food, looked for evidence of animal neglect and abuse, provided resources, collars, and leashes, and seized one dog who was abandoned by his owner.
To report animal abuse, please go to tips.fbi.gov or call 1-800-CALL-FBI.
32-Year-Old Caguas Man Arrested for Child ExploitationRead the Press Release
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – Joseph Cruz-Santiago, a 32-year-old man from Caguas, Puerto Rico, was arrested on criminal charges related to child exploitation, announced W. Stephen Muldrow, United States Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico. On September 2, 2025, Homeland Security Investigations special agents arrested Cruz-Santiago.
On August 28, 2025, a federal grand jury indicted Joseph Cruz-Santiago on charges involving the sexual exploitation and coercion and enticement of two female minors, receipt and possession of child exploitation material, and transfer of obscene material to a minor.
According to court documents, from December 2024 to February 2025, Cruz-Santiago used a cellphone, online instant messaging services, and social media to knowingly persuade, induce, entice, and coerce an 11-year-old female minor and an 11 to 12-year-old female minor to engage in sexual activity. The defendant produced sexually explicit images of such conduct. Cruz-Santiago is also facing charges for the receipt of child exploitation material and for using the internet to knowingly transfer obscene material to both female minor victims.
Additionally, from on or about July 13, 2024, through on or about July 2, 2025, Cruz-Santiago knowingly possessed and accessed with intent to view images of child pornography, including child pornography of a prepubescent minor or a minor who had not attained 12 years of age.
“There’s no greater priority than safeguarding our children from those who seek to exploit or harm them,” said W. Stephen Muldrow, United States Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico. “The U.S. Attorney’s Office will continue to prioritize the prosecution of child sexual predators. We will not rest until those who commit these heinous crimes are brought to justice.”
Rebecca González-Ramos, HSI San Juan’s Special Agent in Charge said: “Child predators will find endless ways to manipulate their victims as part of their ill behavior. It’s important that we understand the mechanisms they are using and the risks our children have online. Parents and trusted adults must commit to educate themselves about potential threats and the latest online platforms to protect our children from sexual exploitation. Let’s all together take a Pledge to Protect.”
Assistant U.S. Attorney Emelina M. Agrait-Barreto of the Crimes Against Children, Human Trafficking and Immigration Unit, is prosecuting the case. The Puerto Rico Crimes Against Children Task Force led by HSI is in charge of the investigation.
If convicted for the charges the defendant faces the following penalties: (1) sexual exploitation of a minor – a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of 15 years and a maximum term of imprisonment of 30 years; (2) coercion and enticement of a minor - a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of 10 years up to life in prison; (3) receipt of child exploitation material - a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of five years and a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years; (4) possession of child exploitation material - a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of 20 years and a maximum term of imprisonment of 10 years; and (5) transfer of obscene material to a minor – up to 10 years in prison. All charges of conviction are to be followed by a term of supervised release after imprisonment of no less than 5 years up to life. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
For more information about HSI’s efforts to protect children from sexual predators, visit Know2Protect.gov. To report suspicious activities, call 787-729-6969 or send an email to [email protected].
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 the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit 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.
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2 September 2025
Vanderwagen Man Sentenced for Firing Rifle During AssaultRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – A Vanderwagon man was sentenced to 85 months in prison for using a firearm to threaten and assault another individual.
There is no parole in the federal system.
According to court documents, on May 1, 2023, Perris Jeremiah Arthur, 36, confronted the victim at his residence on the Navajo Nation. After starting a physical altercation, Arthur retrieved a .22 caliber rifle from his ATV, fired two rounds into the residence, and later pointed the weapon directly at the victim, threatening to cause serious harm. Fortunately, the victim was not injured during the alternation.
Arthur pleaded guilty to assault with a dangerous weapon and using carrying and brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence. Upon his release from prison, Arthur will be subject to three years of supervised release.
Acting U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison and Acting Special Agent in Charge Philip Russell of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office made the announcement today.
The Gallup Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Navajo Nation Department of Investigation and Department of Criminal Investigations. Assistant United States Attorney Nicholas J. Marshall is prosecuting the case.
United States Sues State of Illinois for Providing Financial Aid and In-state Tuition to Illegal Aliens Attending Colleges and UniversitiesRead the Press Release
EAST ST. LOUIS, Ill. – The U.S. Department of Justice’s Civil Division and the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Illinois filed a complaint in federal court Thursday against the state of Illinois for policies directing financial support for illegal aliens that are not provided to non-resident U.S. citizens.
“Illinois has an apparent desire to win a ‘race to the bottom’ as the country’s leading sanctuary state. It’s misguided approach mandating in-state tuition, scholarships, and financial aid to illegal aliens plainly violates federal law,” said U.S. Attorney Steven D. Weinhoeft. “This policy treats illegal aliens better than U.S. citizens living in other states and incentivizes even more illegal immigration, all on the taxpayer’s dime. Illinois citizens deserve better.”
Federal law prohibits states from granting postsecondary education benefits, like in-state tuition or state financial aid, to illegal aliens unless the state provides equivalent benefits to all U.S. citizens, regardless of residency.
Illinois law classifies certain aliens who are not lawfully present in the United States as “residents” and requires public state colleges to provide reduced tuition and other post-secondary education financial benefits, while U.S. citizens from other states, who do not meet the residency requirements, must pay higher out-of-state tuition rates and do not qualify for certain other benefits.
In addition to providing in-state tuition, the state of Illinois also provides illegal aliens with taxpayer-funded scholarships through state programs administered under the Retention of Illinois Students and Equity (RISE) Act. This financial aid is accessed through an alternative FAFSA form only available to noncitizens. These benefits are not afforded to U.S. citizens who reside outside of Illinois.
This discriminatory treatment in favor of aliens not lawfully present in the United States over U.S. citizens is squarely prohibited and preempted by federal law.
Signed into law on June 21, 2019, the Illinois RISE Act expanded access to state financial aid for undocumented students in Illinois who are ineligible for federal support through the Free Application for Federal Student Aid. FAFSA disqualifies illegal aliens based on their lack of lawful status.
United States Intervenes and Sues ProMedica Health System, Inc. and Its Affiliates for Providing Grossly Substandard Nursing Home ServicesRead the Press Release
The United States has intervened and filed a complaint in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania under the False Claims Act (FCA) against ProMedica Health System, Inc. (ProMedica) and various affiliated entities including HCR ManorCare Inc. and four nursing homes located in Pennsylvania, Ohio, South Carolina, and Virginia (the defendants). ProMedica is a nonprofit corporation that is headquartered in Toledo, Ohio. From 2018 to 2023, it owned and controlled the following four nursing homes: ProMedica Skilled Nursing and Rehabilitation - Pottstown (Pennsylvania), ProMedica Skilled Nursing and Rehabilitation - Riverview (Ohio), ProMedica Skilled Nursing, Rehabilitation - Greenville East (South Carolina), and ProMedica Skilled Nursing and Rehabilitation - Imperial (Virginia).
In its complaint in intervention, the United States alleged that the four nursing homes provided non-existent, grossly substandard skilled nursing facility care or services that otherwise failed to meet the required standards of care under the Nursing Home Reform Act. The United States alleged that, from 2017 to 2023, the defendants failed to develop or follow individualized care plans for their residents. Specifically, in many cases, the facilities failed to provide adequate wound care to prevent pressure ulcers, failed to maintain residents’ hygiene and to provide showers as required, and failed to provide residents with appropriate assistance with feeding, which led to severe weight loss in many cases. To conceal their provision of grossly substandard care, in some cases, defendants falsely documented in resident medical records that care and services had been provided to residents when it had not been.
“The Justice Department is committed to protecting the most vulnerable members of our society, including elderly and infirm individuals who depend on nursing homes for safe and dignified skilled nursing care,” said Assistant Attorney General Brett A. Shumate of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “Grossly substandard care places nursing home residents at serious risk of harm and this suit sends a clear message that we will pursue health care providers who fail to meet their legal obligations to provide required care and who betray the trust of the residents they are meant to serve.”
“An increasing number of older adults and persons with disabilities are residing in long-term care facilities. These residents are often particularly vulnerable to inadequate assessment and treatment of their needs,” said U.S. Attorney David Metcalf for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. “Beginning almost 30 years ago, the Civil Division of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania filed some of the first False Claims Act complaints and reached some of the first settlements in the United States to focus on quality of care in the nursing home environment. Today’s complaint again serves notice to the nursing home industry that a failure to provide adequate nursing home care will not be tolerated. Public funds expended for nursing home residents must result in appropriate care, which is what the government pays for, and the law requires.”
The complaint in intervention is the result of a coordinated effort by the Civil Division’s Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, with assistance from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of Inspector General. This matter is being handled by Fraud Section attorneys Susan C. Lynch, Robbin O. Lee, and Samuel P. Robins, and Assistant U.S. Attorneys David Degnan and Gerald B. Sullivan for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania.
The case is captioned United States, et al., ex. rel. Compton v. HCR ManorCare, Inc., et al., No. 16-cv-0851 (E.D. Pa.).
The claims asserted in the complaint are allegations only. There has been no determination of liability.
United States Intervenes and Sues ProMedica Health System, Inc. and Its Affiliates for Providing Grossly Substandard Nursing Home ServicesRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf and the Department of Justice announced that the United States has intervened and filed a complaint in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania under the False Claims Act (FCA) against ProMedica Health System, Inc. (ProMedica) and various affiliated entities including HCR ManorCare Inc. and four nursing homes located in Pennsylvania, Ohio, South Carolina, and Virginia (the defendants).
ProMedica is a nonprofit corporation that is headquartered in Toledo, Ohio. From 2018 to 2023, it owned and controlled the following four nursing homes: ProMedica Skilled Nursing and Rehabilitation - Pottstown (Pennsylvania), ProMedica Skilled Nursing and Rehabilitation - Riverview (Ohio), ProMedica Skilled Nursing, Rehabilitation - Greenville East (South Carolina), and ProMedica Skilled Nursing and Rehabilitation - Imperial (Virginia).
In its complaint in intervention, the United States alleged that the four nursing homes provided non-existent, grossly substandard skilled nursing facility care or services that otherwise failed to meet the required standards of care under the Nursing Home Reform Act. The United States alleged that, from 2017 to 2023, the defendants failed to develop or follow individualized care plans for their residents.
Specifically, in many cases, the facilities failed to provide adequate wound care to prevent pressure ulcers, failed to maintain residents’ hygiene and to provide showers as required, and failed to provide residents with appropriate assistance with feeding, which led to severe weight loss in many cases. To conceal their provision of grossly substandard care, in some cases, defendants falsely documented in resident medical records that care and services had been provided to residents when it had not been.
“An increasing number of older adults and persons with disabilities are residing in long-term care facilities. These residents are often particularly vulnerable to inadequate assessment and treatment of their needs,” said U.S. Attorney Metcalf. “Beginning almost 30 years ago, the Civil Division of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania filed some of the first False Claims Act complaints and reached some of the first settlements in the United States to focus on quality of care in the nursing home environment. Today’s complaint again serves notice to the nursing home industry that a failure to provide adequate nursing home care will not be tolerated. Public funds expended for nursing home residents must result in appropriate care, which is what the government pays for, and the law requires.”
“The Justice Department is committed to protecting the most vulnerable members of our society, including elderly and infirm individuals who depend on nursing homes for safe and dignified skilled nursing care,” said Assistant Attorney General Brett A. Shumate of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “Grossly substandard care places nursing home residents at serious risk of harm and this suit sends a clear message that we will pursue healthcare providers who fail to meet their legal obligations to provide required care and who betray the trust of the residents they are meant to serve.”
The complaint in intervention is the result of a coordinated effort by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania and the Civil Division’s Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section, with assistance from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General. This matter is being handled by Assistant U.S. Attorneys David Degnan and Gerald B. Sullivan and Fraud Section attorneys Susan C. Lynch, Robbin O. Lee, and Samuel P. Robins.
The case is captioned United States, et al., ex. rel. Compton v. HCR ManorCare, Inc., et al., No. 16-cv-0851 (E.D. Pa.).
The claims asserted in the complaint are allegations only. There has been no determination of liability.
Two men arrested for visa fraud in separate complaintsRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, N.Y. – U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Fredy Hernandez-Lopez, 19, a citizen and national of Mexico, and Pablo Marlon Frias Teran, 40, a citizen and national of Ecuador, were arrested and charged in separate criminal complaints with Visa fraud, which carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael J. Smith, who is handling the case, stated that according to the complaints, in the early morning hours of August 26, 2025, Hernandez-Lopez and Frias Teran were passengers in a vehicle that made a wrong turn onto the Peace Bridge Port of Entry, coming from the United States. When questioned by Customs and Border Protection officers, Hernandez-Lopez was not in possession of an identity document and was escorted to secondary inspection, during which officers located what appeared to be a United States Permanent Resident Card and a United States Social Security Card, both bearing the name “Freddy HERNANDEZ.” Subsequent investigation determined that both cards were fraudulent. Frias Teran also was not in possession of an identity document and was escorted to secondary to determine his immigration status. Officers discovered an Alien Registration Receipt Card, bearing the name Marlon Teran, which was also determined to be fraudulent. Previously, Frias Teran was ordered removed from the United States in July 2024 but never left the country.
The defendants made initial appearances before U.S. Magistrate Judge H. Kenneth Schroder, Jr. and were detained.
The complaint is a result of an investigation by Customs and Border Protection, under the direction of Director of Field Operations Rose Brophy.
The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
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Two Sentenced to Prison for Laundering Sinaloa Cartel Drug ProceedsRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge Sarah E. Pitlyk on Tuesday sentenced two men to prison for laundering money in the St. Louis area for the Sinaloa drug cartel.
Judge Pitlyk sentenced Carl Von Garrett, 55, of St. Charles, Missouri, to 135 months in prison and Tobiyyah Israel, 39, of Ohio, to 36 months in prison in separate hearings. Both men were found guilty by a jury in U.S. District Court in St. Louis in May of one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering and one count of money laundering. Von Garrett was also found guilty of one additional count of money laundering.
Evidence at the trial showed that Von Garrett laundered nearly $1 million in seven transactions in the spring of 2021 for the Sinaloa cartel. In addition to his prison sentence, Von Garrett faces a money judgment of $744,864, representing the drug proceeds that made it to the cartel. Investigators also seized $211,000 from Israel and $7,040 from Garrett.
During the Von Garrett sentencing hearing, Judge Pitlyk said the large quantity of money in the case reflected significant drug sales and that Von Garrett’s crime was “threatening to the community.”
Luis Miguel Hernandez, 38, of Phoenix, previously pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering and two counts of money laundering and admitted being driven by Von Garrett to a meeting with an undercover Drug Enforcement Administration task force officer in St. Louis on March 1, 2021. Hernandez delivered $100,095 in drug proceeds and then arranged a series of meetings between Antonio Jones, 51, of Florissant, Missouri, and the task force officer. On March 8, 2021, Jones handed over $100,000. Jones delivered $150,030 on March 17 and $100,000 on March 31. On April 8, Jones delivered $109,740.
Israel was a courier, like Jones, evidence and testimony showed. On April 14, Israel picked up $221,020 from Von Garrett. Von Garrett was then stopped by investigators, who found six phones and a ledger that contained dates and amounts of money roughly corresponding to cash drops, evidence showed. Israel told investigators that he’d been promised $1,000 to pick up the cash, and that he’d done so once before.
Jones then delivered $100,100 on May 18 and another $100,100 on May 25.
Hernandez was sentenced in January to 87 months in prison and Jones was sentenced to 37 months in prison. Jones pleaded guilty to two counts of money laundering.
The Drug Enforcement Administration, the Internal Revenue Service, the FBI, the St. Louis County Police, the Bridgeton Police Department, the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department, and the St. Charles County Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jim Delworth and Ricardo Dixon are prosecuting the case.
This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
Two Guatemalan men arrested for illegal re-entryRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, N.Y. – U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Hugo Lopez Morales, 48, and Martin Lopez Morales, 30, both a citizen and national of Guatemala, were arrested and charged in separate criminal complaints with illegal re-entry, which carries a maximum penalty of two years in prison and a $250,000 fine. In addition, Hugo Lopez Morales is charged with illegal re-entry of a previously deported alien following a felony conviction, which carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison.
Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael J. Smith, who is handling the case, stated that according to the complaints, on the afternoon of August 16, 2025, Hugo Lopez Morales was driving a vehicle at the Lewiston Bridge Port of Entry in Lewiston, NY. There were five passengers in the vehicle, including Martin Lopez Morales. Neither defendant had valid U.S. entry documents. The occupants of the vehicle were escorted to secondary inspection. Subsequent investigation determined that Hugo Lopez Morales was physically removed from the United States to Guatemala in November 2016. Also, he was previously convicted of illegal reentry in June 2023 and was again deported in August 2023. In addition, he previously voluntarily returned from the United States to Mexico in July 1998, and December 2004. Martin Lopez Morales was physically deported to Guatemala in October 2020. He was also given a voluntary return from the United States to Mexico in April 2001 and twice in May 2021.
The defendants made initial appearances before U.S. Magistrate Judge H. Kenneth Schroder, Jr. and were detained.
The complaint is a result of an investigation by Customs and Border Protection, under the direction of Director of Field Operations Rose Brophy.
The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
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