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8 September 2026
Ohio Missionary Enters Guilty Plea for Child Exploitation Crimes in HaitiRead the Press Release
Today, Jeriah Mast, 45, of Millersburg, Ohio, entered a guilty plea today to two counts of engaging in illicit sexual conduct with minors in Haiti.
According to court documents, Mast traveled from the United States to Haiti on multiple occasions between 2002 and 2019, including with the organization Christian Aid Ministries (CAM), where he sexually abused minors. Law enforcement obtained flight records showing that Mast had taken over 30 flights from the United States to Haiti between November 2002 and August 2018. Sentencing is set for Dec. 15, 2026.
“Jeriah Mast preyed on vulnerable children while working in Haiti as a missionary,” said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “His guilty plea to multiple counts of engaging in illicit sexual conduct with minors reflects both the severity of his crimes and our unwavering commitment to holding U.S. citizens accountable when they exploit children abroad. This type of predatory conduct — committed by someone entrusted with missionary work — represents a profound betrayal of trust, and today’s plea is an important step toward justice for the many victims harmed by Mast’s actions.”
“This defendant violated the innocence of children and violated the trust of those who supported his supposed missionary work,” said U.S. Attorney David M. Toepfer for the Northern District of Ohio. “It is reprehensible behavior that we will prosecute to the fullest. We thank the investigators from HSI and the Holmes County Sheriff’s Office for their hard work bringing this man to justice.”
“The defendant’s guilty plea underscores HSI’s critical mission to identify and investigate those who exploit children, including individuals entrusted with positions of authority, no matter where the crimes are committed,” said Special Agent in Charge Jared Murphey of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Detroit. “Together with our law enforcement partners, HSI Cleveland will continue working to hold child predators accountable in the United States and to seek justice for victims wherever our investigations take us.”
HSI Cleveland investigated the case with substantial assistance from the Holmes County, Ohio, Sheriff’s Office.
Trial Attorney Jessica L. Urban of the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS) and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Margaret Kane and Jennifer King for the Northern District of Ohio are prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Newport News bank robber sentenced to over 12 years in prisonRead the Press Release
NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – A Newport News man was sentenced today to 12 years and three months in prison for bank robbery with a dangerous weapon and brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence.
According to court documents, on or about Oct. 29, 2025, Curtis A. Robertson, 39, entered a bank in Newport News and waited in the teller line with a newspaper in his hands. When Robertson approached the teller window, he placed his newspaper, partially concealing a firearm, on the counter. The barrel of the firearm was visible to and pointed at the teller. Robertson passed the teller a note demanding money and the teller complied. Robertson then fled the bank with the stolen funds, leaving behind the note. Robertson discarded his newspaper and the hoodie he was wearing during the robbery into nearby dumpsters.
On Nov. 4, 2025, Robertson again entered a Newport News bank, waited in line, and passed a teller a note demanding money. A number of sightings were reported of a suspicious person running through backyards, and a witness identified Robertson from photo surveillance. Robertson was arrested on Nov. 6, 2025.
Theophani K. Stamos, First Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Dominique Evans, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Norfolk Field Office, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Mark S. Davis. The Newport News Police Department assisted in the investigation.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian J. Samuels prosecuted the case.
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. 4:26-cr-17.
New York Man Pleads Guilty to Bank Fraud ConspiracyRead the Press Release
BANGOR, Maine: A New York man pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in Bangor to conspiring to commit bank fraud.
According to court records, between July and October 2024, Sean Stevens, 23, fraudulently obtained money by driving coconspirators to bank locations, instructing them on what to do inside, and providing them with fictitious identification cards in order to allow them access to legitimate customer accounts. Stevens also agreed with coconspirators to travel to banks outside of Maine.
Stevens faces up to 30 years in prison, a maximum fine of $1 million, and up to five years of supervised release. He will be sentenced after the completion of a presentence investigative report by the U.S. Probation Office. A federal district judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The FBI investigated the case with assistance from the Bangor Police Department, the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency, and the Maine Bureau of Motor Vehicles – Enforcement Services Division.
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New Orleans Man Sentenced for Violations of the Federal Controlled Substances and Federal Gun Control ActsRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – On September 2, 2026, REUBEN WEBB (“WEBB”), age 33, a resident of New Orleans, pleaded guilty to two counts of a four-count indictment charging him with violations of the Federal Controlled Substances Act and the Federal Gun Control Act, announced U.S. Attorney David I. Courcelle.
In Count 2, WEBB is charged with possession with the intent to distribute controlled substances, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1) and (b)(1)(C). In Count 3, WEBB is charged with possession of a firearm, in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 924(c)(1)(A)(i).
U.S. District Judge Greg G. Guidry sentenced WEBB to a term of imprisonment of 66 months. Following his sentence, WEBB will be supervised by the U.S. Probation Office for five years. WEBB must also pay a $200.00 mandatory special assessment fee.
According to documents filed in federal court, beginning in August 2024, the New Orleans Police Department (NOPD) and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, (ATF) conducted a joint criminal investigation within the Uptown neighborhood of New Orleans. On September 9, 2024, the New Orleans Police Department (NOPD) conducted surveillance specifically focusing on a target location in the 8800 block of Fig Street. While conducting surveillance, detectives observed a known individual standing on the front porch of the residence in possession of a firearm. Minutes later, WEBB arrived at the residence, driving a gray Jaguar F-Pace with no license plate. WEBB exited the driver’s seat and was observed in possession of a firearm. Shortly after, WEBB walked to a nearby neighborhood store. Surveilling units elected to stop WEBB. Uniformed officers entered the store and attempted to apprehend WEBB. Upon observing the officers, WEBB fled but officers arrested him shortly thereafter. During a search of WEBB’s waistband area, officers located his firearm, a Glock 29 Model Gen 4, ten-millimeter caliber pistol. The firearm was equipped with a magazine containing fifteen (15) live rounds and one live round in the firearm’s chamber.
After WEBB’s September 2024 arrest, members of law enforcement continued to investigate WEBB. After learning that WEBB continued to illegally possess firearms and continued to engage in drug trafficking, NOPD detectives obtained a search warrant for WEBB’s Instagram account. A search of WEBB’s Instagram account revealed pictures of WEBB in possession of firearms and Tapentadol. The search also revealed messages regarding the sale of controlled substances between WEBB and others. In response, detectives obtained court authorization to monitor WEBB’s location.
On May 15, 2025, NOPD detectives located WEBB’s 2019 Jaguar F-Pace car and stopped WEBB’s who was inside the vehicle. Officers later obtained a search warrant for WEBB’s vehicle and located a Glock Model 29, Gen 4, ten-millimeter caliber pistol in the glove box.
A residential search warrant was also obtained for WEBB’s residence. During the search, detectives recovered the following controlled substances and items/paraphernalia used by drug traffickers for packaging-controlled substances for distribution, including 180 tablets of Tapentadol, cocaine, two digital scales, and a vacuum sealer.
A stolen, Kel-Tec Model PLR-16, AR-15 pistol, was also recovered along with one (1) live round of ten-millimeter ammunition; two (2) boxes of .223 live rounds of ammunition; one (1) live round of .40 caliber ammunition; a black magazine containing thirty-eight (38) live rounds of 2.23x56 caliber ammunition; and one Magpul 60 round drum magazine.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the New Orleans Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Brittany Reed of the Violent Crime Unit.
Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is the Department of Justice’s nationwide initiative that brings federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement, prosecutors, and other public safety partners together to coordinate efforts to combat violent crime and make communities safe. Coordinated by U.S. Attorneys’ offices in each of the 94 federal districts, PSN is tailored to particular communities to strategically address specific violent crime and public safety challenges. As a key component of Operation Take Back America, PSN serves a central role in the Department’s commitment to make our country safe. PSN emphasizes three core principles: rapid federal response to violent crime and criminal offenders; strong, strategic partnerships among law enforcement at all levels; and accountability and deterrence through the prosecution of the most serious, readily provable offenses and other strategies. These efforts complement and strengthen President Trump’s Homeland Security Task Forces, ensuring a comprehensive federal response to the most pressing public safety issues facing communities.
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New Jersey Man Pleads Guilty to Bank Fraud Conspiracy Involving More Than $1 Million in Fraudulent Pandemic Relief LoansRead the Press Release
Boise – U.S. Attorney for the District of Idaho Bart M. Davis announced today that Xanare Bomani, of New Jersey, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit bank fraud for participating in a scheme to defraud financial institutions and the Small Business Administration (SBA) through fraudulent Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) applications.
On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division (Fraud Division). The Fraud Division is laser-focused on investigating and prosecuting those who commit fraud against the American people. The Department’s work to combat fraud supports President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs.
According to court records, between July 2020 and April 2021, Bomani worked with co-conspirators to falsify financial information and submit false applications to financial institutions in Boise and elsewhere to fraudulently obtain more than $1 million in COVID relief funds.
Bomani faces a maximum penalty of 30 years in federal prison, a fine of up to $1 million, and up to five years of supervised release, along with restitution as determined by the court. Sentencing is scheduled for December 15, 2026, before Senior U.S. District Judge B. Lynn Winmill.
This case was investigated by the Buffalo field offices of the IRS-CI and FBI.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Brittney Campbell of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Idaho is prosecuting the case.
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New Britain Man Charged with Gun Possession and Drug Distribution OffensesRead the Press Release
David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, P.J. O’Brien, Special Agent in Charge of the New Haven Division of the FBI, and West Hartford Police Chief Vernon Riddick, Jr., today announced that JAMIE PATTERSON, also known as “Diddy,” 28, of New Britain, has been charged by indictment with firearm possession and drug distribution offenses.
Patterson appeared today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Maria E. Garcia in New Haven and pleaded not guilty to the charges.
As alleged in court documents and statements made in court, on June 12, 2026, West Hartford Police observed Patterson engaging in suspected drug sales on New Park Avenue in West Hartford. Later that day, officers attempted to stop Patterson’s vehicle but he fled at a high rate of speed. Law enforcement tracked Patterson’s vehicle to Middletown, where Patterson was taken into custody. A search of Patterson’s person revealed a 9mm pistol and distribution quantities of fentanyl and cocaine.
It is alleged that Patterson’s criminal history includes state convictions for drug and firearm offenses, and federal convictions in May 2023 for unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon, and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl.
Patterson has been detained since June 12, 2026. On August 26, 2026, a federal grand jury in Hartford returned an indictment charging him with unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 15 years; possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and cocaine, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years; and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, an offense that carries a mandatory consecutive sentence of at least five years.
Patterson, who is on federal supervised release, faces additional penalties if he is found in violation of his supervised release.
U.S. Attorney Sullivan stressed that an indictment is not evidence of guilt. Charges are only allegations, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This investigation is being conducted by the FBI’s Northern Connecticut Gang Task Force and the West Hartford Police Department. The Task Force includes members from the Connecticut State Police, the Connecticut Department of Correction, and the East Hartford, Hartford, New Britain, West Hartford, Wethersfield, and Newington Police Departments. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Reed Durham.
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.
New Appointments Strengthen the USAO EDNC Commitment to Safer CommunitiesRead the Press Release
First Assistant United States Attorney administered the oath of office to newly appointed personnel who will serve in the Eastern District of North Carolina, including three Assistant United States Attorneys and a Budget Analyst. The USAO EDNC is responsible for a broad range of federal criminal and civil matters and works closely with local communities and law enforcement partners by upholding the rule of law, protecting constitutional rights, and strengthening public trust throughout the eastern region of NC.
Multi-Kilogram Fentanyl Seizure in Homeland Security Task Force Investigation Nets Guilty Plea by Fort Walton Beach ManRead the Press Release
Pensacola, Florida – Aubrey Darnell Joseph Sr., 36, of Fort Walton Beach, Florida, pleaded guilty in federal court to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl and possession with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl. John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida announced the charges.
U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “President Donald J. Trump designated fentanyl as a weapon of mass destruction because of the utter devastation it has wrought on communities nationwide, and this criminal was caught peddling large quantities of this deadly drug to make a profit off of the death and despair it inflicts. Thanks to the outstanding investigative work of our state and federal law enforcement partners, supported by the Gulf Coast High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Task Force, his days of threatening the health and safety of our communities are now at an end.”
Court records establish that between 2024 and 2026, the defendant participated in a conspiracy to obtain and distribute large quantities of fentanyl in the Northern District of Florida. In April 2026, federal authorities executed a search warrant at the defendant’s house in Fort Walton Beach, during which nearly two and a half kilograms of fentanyl, an industrial sized press and multiple press plates, and almost $5,000 in cash were found and seized.
The defendant faces a minimum mandatory sentence of 10 years’ imprisonment, and up to life imprisonment, on each count.
The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office, with assistance from the Gulf Coast High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) Task Force. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Jessica S. Etherton and Alicia H. Forbes.
This prosecution is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF comprises agents and officers from multiple agencies with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndfl.
Montgomery County Man Charged with Cyberstalking in Connection with Messages Targeting Local Official, Police Officer, and Their FamiliesRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that Scott Testa, 60, of Lafayette Hill, Pennsylvania, was arrested and charged by indictment with two counts of cyberstalking, arising from online conduct targeting a local government official, a police officer, and their families.
The defendant appeared in federal court this afternoon for a hearing before U.S. Magistrate Judge Scott W. Reid, at which Testa was ordered detained in federal custody pending trial.
The indictment alleges that, on multiple dates in April of this year, the defendant, with the intent to harass and intimidate two victims affiliated with Whitpain Township, used the internet and/or electronic mail to engage in a course of conduct that caused, attempted to cause, and would be reasonably expected to cause substantial emotional distress to the victims.
Specifically, as alleged, in April 2026, Testa posted on Reddit an AI-altered image depicting one victim wearing a white Ku Klux Klan robe with the name of his current employer in the background, and included false information about the victim, which defendant Testa knew to be false when it was posted. Then, as further alleged, Testa posted the names of this victim’s children and an address of a home which he believed to be the victim’s true home address.
In addition, the indictment alleges that, also in April 2026, Testa posted on Reddit an AI-altered image of a second victim and his family, including his minor children, with their faces exposed so that they could be identified, depicting them all wearing white Ku Klux Klan robes. Each time, along with the photograph, the defendant identified the victim and his family. Testa also posted messages directed at the victim, like “we are watching you,” “we are coming,” and “…This does not get erased; it’s forever. Your career and your family’s future is going to be pockmarked with you cowards. … we are going to run you out of town.”
If convicted, the defendant faces a maximum possible sentence of 10 years’ imprisonment, three years of supervised release, a $500,000 fine, and a $200 special assessment.
This case was investigated by FBI Philadelphia’s Fort Washington Resident Agency and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney J. Jeanette Kang.
The charges and allegations contained in the indictment are merely accusations. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty in court.
Missouri Man Sentenced for $284,000 Pandemic Rental Assistance FraudRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – A Moberly, Missouri man was sentenced to 27 months in prison Tuesday and ordered to repay the $284,000 that he fraudulently obtained via a pandemic rental assistance scam.
Steven W. Hendren, 34, submitted numerous fraudulent applications for State Assistance for Housing Relief (SAFHR) rental assistance to the Missouri Housing Development Commission from March 2021 through June 2024. Hendren falsely listed himself as a landlord in the loan applications and included fake lease agreements and financial statements. He also submitted other applications in which he fraudulently inflated rent amounts and altered lease agreements and financial statements.
The SAFHR program was designed to provide emergency assistance for rent, utility bills and other expenses during the pandemic. Hendren received $284,840, much of which he used for personal expenses including the purchase of a 2020 GMC Yukon.
Hendren pleaded guilty in June in U.S. District Court in St. Louis to one felony count of wire fraud.
The FBI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Derek Wiseman prosecuted the case.
On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division ('Fraud Division'). The Fraud Division is laser-focused on investigating and prosecuting those who commit fraud against the American people. The Department’s work to combat fraud supports President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs.
Minnesota State Trooper Sentenced to 27 Years’ Imprisonment for the Production and Distribution of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – United States Attorney Daniel N. Rosen announced that Jeremy Francis Plonski was sentenced to 324 months in prison and 180 months of supervised release for the production of child pornography and the distribution of child pornography.
Plonski was sentenced before U.S. District Judge Kate M. Menendez on September 8, 2026. He previously pleaded guilty on October 8, 2025.
According to court documents, from about April 2023 to October 2023, Plonski produced 23 child pornographic videos. In some of the videos, Plonski, who worked as a Minnesota State Trooper, wore his uniform while personally sexually abusing a minor victim. Plonski then distributed videos that depicted him sexually abusing the minor victim on a social media application.
“This defendant took an oath to protect the public, but he instead committed one of the most abhorrent offenses imaginable. Today’s sentence represents my office’s commitment to protect vulnerable children and the cooperation among federal and local law enforcement,” said United States Attorney Daniel N. Rosen.
“As we said in our previous statement, no badge, no title, and no position will ever place anyone above the law. Protecting the vulnerable is our duty. Anyone who violates that duty has no place in this organization or in our profession. We are grateful for the work that went into this investigation and for the accountability that followed,” said Colonel Christina Bogojevic, Chief of the Minnesota State Patrol. “Jeremy Plonski was terminated by the Minnesota State Patrol.”
“Jeremy Plonski betrayed everything he swore to protect,” said FBI Minneapolis Field Office Special Agent in Charge Christopher D. Dotson. “The sexual abuse and exploitation of children is always horrendous crime, and as a law enforcement officer, Mr. Plonski knew the terrible harms that come to victims of these offenses. As we did in this case, the FBI and our partners will always act with immediacy and spare no resource to protect children from predators. While a prison sentence cannot repair the harms these crimes have caused, we hope that today’s outcome will offer the victim and their family the sense of peace, safety, justice, and hope they deserve as they work toward healing.”
“When someone sexually abuses a child, it is repulsive to all of us, but when it is also someone who wears a badge, it is even more disturbing,” said Bureau of Criminal Apprehension Superintendent Drew Evans. “He vowed to uphold the law and he broke that promise. We are thankful for this result and that he has been held accountable for his actions.”
This case was the result of an investigation by the FBI, Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, with assistance from the Minnesota State Patrol and other law enforcement partners.
The case was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Minnesota.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Note: Previous press release on the defendant’s charge and indictment linked here.
Mexican National Sentenced to Prison for Aggravated Identity Theft, Passport Fraud, and Firearms OffensesRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – Ivvan Hernandez Servin (38, Mexico) has been sentenced by United States District Judge Paul Byron three years in federal prison for aggravated identity theft, passport fraud, and firearms offenses. Hernandez Servin pleaded guilty on May 28, 2026. U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.
According to court documents, Hernandez Servin is a Mexican national who was unlawfully in the United States. He used the stolen identity of a United States citizen to fraudulently obtain a United States passport, which he used to travel back and forth between the United States and Mexico. At the time of his arrest, Hernandez Servin was found in possession of several firearms, despite being a prohibited person. To obtain two of those firearms, Hernandez Servin had falsely stated that he was born in the United States.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. It was prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Matthew Del Mastro.
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.
Mexican National Sentenced to 24 Months for Illegal ReentryRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – Marcos Moreno-Navarro (33, Mexico) has been sentenced by U.S. District Judge Paul G. Byron to two years in federal prison for illegal reentry into the United States. Moreno-Navarro pleaded guilty on May 22, 2026. U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.
According to court documents, Moreno-Navarro is a citizen of Mexico. He was previously deported from the United States in 2015 and again in 2022. Moreno-Navarro was previously convicted of two felony offenses. In 2017, Moreno-Navarro was convicted of illegal reentry by a previously deported alien and sentenced to three months and seven days’ imprisonment. In 2022, Moreno-Navarro was convicted of possession of methamphetamine and sentenced to one month imprisonment and one year of probation. On February 27, 2026, Moreno-Navarro was encountered by the Lake County Sheriff’s Office and arrested for driving under the influence, for which he was subsequently convicted. He was identified as an alien unlawfully present in the United States, and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement was contacted.
This case was investigated by the Lake County Sheriff’s Office and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations. It was prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Jerry M. Harre.
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.
Mexican Illegal Alien Indicted for Illegal Re-Entry of Removed Alien, with Enhanced Penalty for Prior Felony ConvictionsRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA –ANDRES TOVAR-MERCADO ("TOVAR-MERCADO"), age 39, a native of Mexico, was indicted on September 3, 2026, for illegal re-entry of a removed alien, in violation of Title 8, United States Code, Sections 1326(a) and 1326(b)(2), announced U.S. Attorney David I. Courcelle.
According to the charging document, the defendant was found in the United States on August 18, 2026, having reentered the United States without authorization from the Attorney General of the United States after being previously deported on October 13, 2016.
TOVAR-MERCADO faces up to two years imprisonment, a fine of up to $250,000, up to one year of supervised release, and a mandatory special assessment fee of $100.00 for re-entry of a removed alien. He is also eligible for a 10-year enhanced sentencing because of felony convictions in the Western District of Texas for illegal re-entry into the United States.
U.S. Attorney Courcelle reiterated that an indictment is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.
U.S. Attorney Courcelle praised the work of the United States Border Patrol in investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Carter K.D. Guice, Jr. of the General Crimes Unit is in charge of the prosecution.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
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Massachusetts Man Sentenced to More Than 7 Years in Federal Prison for New England Bank Robbery SpreeRead the Press Release
David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that TAYLOR DZICZEK, 44, formerly of Chicopee, Massachusetts, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Sarala V. Nagala in Hartford to 90 months of imprisonment and three years of supervised release for a bank robbery spree in 2021 and 2022.
According to court documents and statements made in court, between September 2021 and August 2022, Dziczek committed the following 14 robberies and one attempted robbery of banks and credit unions in Connecticut, Massachusetts, Vermont, and New Hampshire:
- September 9, 2021 Arrha Credit Union, West Springfield, Mass.
- September 20, 2021 American Eagle Credit Union, Enfield, Conn.
- October 4, 2021 People’s United Bank, Brattleboro, Vt.
- October 15, 2021 Webster Bank, East Windsor, Conn.
- October 21, 2021 People’s United Bank, Brattleboro, Vt. (attempt)
- October 22, 2021 Webster Bank, Somers, Conn.
- November 5, 2021 Workers Credit Union, Athol, Mass.
- November 19, 2021 Liberty Bank, Avon, Conn.
- November 20, 2021 Savings Bank of Walpole, Keene, N.H.
- December 16, 2021 Greenfield Cooperative Bank, Montague, Mass.
- January 6, 2022 KeyBank, East Windsor, Conn
- January 21, 2022 Franklin First Credit Union, Greenfield, Mass.
- May 26, 2022 People’s United Bank, Plainville, Conn.
- June 3, 2022 TD Bank, Nashua, N.H.
- August 17, 2022 Liberty Bank, Meriden, Conn.
During each robbery, Dziczek typically turned off his cellphone and drove his car with the license plates removed to the bank or credit union. He then entered the bank or credit union wearing a hooded sweatshirt, surgical mask, and baseball cap, and handed the teller a note demanding cash in large denominations and claiming to have a gun.
During the investigation, Dziczek was identified as a suspect who robbed the Peoples United Bank, located at 117 East Street in Plainville, Connecticut, on May 26, 2022. On that date, Dziczek entered the bank, approached the teller counter and gave the teller a note stating words to the effect of, “I have a gun. Don‘t call 911. Don‘t set off any alarms.“ When the teller stated she did not have any more money, Dziczek pulled what appeared to be a black firearm from the front pocket of his sweatshirt and made additional statements including “Give me all the money,” “I have a gun,” and “Don‘t be a hero.”
Dziczek removed some of the paper money wrappers from the money he received from the teller and discarded them at the bank before he fled the scene. Plainville Police detectives collected the discarded money wrappers as evidence.
On October 21, 2022, FBI special agents surveilled Dziczek while he was in the MGM Casino in Springfield, Massachusetts, and retrieved an energy drink can with a black straw from which Dziczek was observed drinking. Laboratory analysis connected DNA found on the straw to DNA found on discarded money wrappers from the Plainville bank robbery.
Dziczek has been detained since his arrest on December 1, 2022. On September 26, 2025, he pleaded guilty to three counts of bank robbery.
Judge Nagala ordered Dziczek to pay restitution in the total amount of $82,567.
This investigation was conducted by the FBI New Haven Division’s Violent Crimes Task Force, FBI Boston Division, FBI Albany Division, Connecticut State Police, Massachusetts State Police, Athol (Mass.) Police Department, Avon (Conn.) Police Department, Brattleboro (Vt.) Police Department, Chicopee (Mass.) Police Department, East Windsor (Conn.) Police Department, Enfield (Conn.) Police Department, Greenfield (Mass.) Police Department, Keene (N.H.) Police Department, Meriden (Conn.) Police Department, Montague (Mass.) Police Department, Nashua (N.H.) Police Department, Plainville (Conn.) Police Department, Somers (Conn.) Police Department, and Springfield (Mass.) Police Department. The Connecticut Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection, Division of Scientific Services provided valuable assistance to the investigation.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Daniel E. Cummings, and Stephanie T. Levick. U.S. Attorney Sullivan thanked the U.S. Attorney’s Offices for the Districts of New Hampshire, Massachusetts, and Vermont and for their close cooperation in investigating and prosecuting this matter.
Madison Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Federal Prison for Attempted Enticement of a MinorRead the Press Release
SIOUX FALLS - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced today that U.S. Chief Judge Roberto A. Lange has sentenced a Madison, South Dakota, man convicted of Attempted Enticement of a Minor Using the Internet. The sentencing took place on August 31, 2026.
Lawrence Johnson, age 51, was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund in the amount of $100. Johnson must register as a sex offender upon release from federal prison.
Johnson was indicted by a federal grand jury in December 2024 and pleaded guilty on June 1, 2026.
The conviction stemmed from an undercover chat operation conducted by the Des Moines County, Iowa, Sheriff’s Office between September 15, 2024, and October 10, 2024, during which law enforcement posed online as underage child personas to catch individuals who seek sexual acts or sexually explicit materials from minors.
In Johnson’s case, he was using his cell phone to access Facebook and befriended “Abby,” an undercover law enforcement officer who told Johnson she was 13 years old. Throughout the conversation, Johnson attempted to convince “Abby” to send him nude images of herself and travel to South Dakota for the purpose of having sex with him. Johnson was arrested, and when interviewed by law enforcement, admitted his behavior and belief that “Abby” was a real 13-year-old girl from whom he was seeking sexually explicit images and sex.
This case was investigated by the Des Moines County Sheriff’s Office, the South Dakota DCI, and Homeland Security Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth Ebert-Webb prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
Johnson was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Lincoln Man Sentenced for Possession with Intent to Distribute MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Lesley A. Woods announced that Curtis Soester, 49, of Lincoln, Nebraska, was sentenced on August 27, 2026, in federal court in Lincoln for one count of possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of actual methamphetamine. United States District Judge Susan M. Bazis sentenced Soester to 262 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After Soester’s release from prison, he will begin a 10-year term of supervised release.
On August 28, 2025, Soester’s parole officer received information that Soester was selling drugs while at work. Lincoln Police Officers went to his workplace and spoke with him. Soester admitted he had methamphetamine and turned over a pouch containing approximately 16 grams of methamphetamine packaged in several bags. Soester also admitted he had methamphetamine in his car. Investigators searched his car and found approximately 62 grams of methamphetamine, multiple unused baggies, and a digital scale. At the time, Soester was on parole for drug distribution. His sentence was enhanced because of his prior felony convictions for drug distribution and robbery.
This case was investigated by the Lincoln Police Department and the Lincoln/Lancaster County Narcotics Task Force (LLCNTF).
Lafourche Parish Resident Sentenced for Furthering a Drug Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LA – First Assistant United States Attorney Michael M. Simpson announced today that MICHAEL LEWIS, (“LEWIS”), age 44, of Thibodaux, Louisiana was sentenced on September 3, 2026 to 48 months imprisonment, followed by 12 months of supervised release, by U.S. District Judge Brandon Long after previously pleading guilty to illegal use of communications facility to further a drug trafficking crime, in violation of Title 21, U.S.C. §843(b) and Title 18, U.S.C. §2.
According to the court documents, beginning at a time unknown, but continuing until at least June 5, 2024, LEWIS conspired with other individuals, mainly Linez Green and John Paul Gage Jr., to distribute, and possess with intent to distribute, methamphetamine throughout the Lafourche and Terrebonne Parish region of the Eastern District of Louisiana. The conspiracy involved obtaining narcotics from Houston, Texas and transporting the narcotics to Thibodaux, Louisiana. The conspiracy was carried out through wire and electronic communications, and the use of multiple vehicles. On multiple occasions, LEWIS used his cell phone to further this conspiracy, and helped others distribute methamphetamine to numerous customers in Thibodaux. Both Green and Gage Jr. have also previously pled guilty in this case.
First Assistant U.S. Attorney Simpson praised the work of the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Louisiana State Police, the Thibodaux Police Department, the Lafourche Parish Sheriff’s Office, and the Terrebonne Parish Sheriff’s Office. The prosecution is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney Stuart Theriot of the Violent Crimes Unit.
This prosecution is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF New Orleans comprises agents and officers from the Department of Homeland Security, Federal Bureau of Investigations, Drug Enforcement Administration and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Louisiana.
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Lafourche Parish Resident Sentenced for Cocaine Distribution ConspiracyRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LA – First Assistant United States Attorney Michael M. Simpson announced today that JOHN PAUL GAGE JR., (“GAGE JR.”) age 43, of Des Allemands, Louisiana, was sentenced on September 1, 2026 by United States District Judge Brandon S. Long to 262 months imprisonment, followed by five years of supervised release, after he previously pled guilty to conspiracy to distribute, and possess with the intent to distribute, five kilograms or more of cocaine and a quantity of methamphetamine, in violation of Title 21, U.S.C. §841(a)(1), §841(b)(1)(A), §841(b)(1)(C), and §846, as well illegal use of communications facility, in violation of Title 21, U.S.C. §843(b) and Title 18, U.S.C. §2.
According to the indictment, beginning on a time unknown but continuing until at least June 5, 2024, GAGE JR. conspired with several individuals to distribute, and possess with intent to distribute cocaine and methamphetamine throughout the Lafourche and Terrebonne Parish region of the Eastern District of Louisiana. The conspiracy involved obtaining narcotics from Houston, Texas and transporting the narcotics to Thibodaux, Louisiana. The conspiracy was carried out through wire and electronic communications, and the use of multiple vehicles. On numerous occasions, GAGE JR. used his cell phone to further this conspiracy and distributed cocaine and methamphetamine to numerous customers in Thibodaux, Louisiana. GAGE JR. ultimately trafficked at least thirty kilograms of cocaine from Houston into the Eastern District of Louisiana.
First Assistant U. S. Attorney Simpson, praised the work of the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Louisiana State Police, the Thibodaux Police Department, the Lafourche Parish Sheriff’s Office, and the Terrebonne Parish Sheriff’s Office. The prosecution is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney Stuart Theriot of the Violent Crimes Unit.
This prosecution is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF New Orleans comprises agents and officers from the Department of Homeland Security, Federal Bureau of Investigations, Drug Enforcement Administration and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Louisiana.
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Kansas Woman Pleads Guilty to Bank Fraud and Identity Theft ChargesRead the Press Release
BANGOR, Maine: A Kansas woman pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in Bangor to one count of conspiring to commit bank fraud and eight counts each of bank fraud, passport fraud, and aggravated identity theft.
According to court records, in October 2025, Rachael Kennedy, 37, entered multiple financial institutions in Penobscot and Aroostook counties and impersonated actual account holders by presenting fictitious U.S. passport cards in the account holders’ names. Kennedy obtained $30,400 by withdrawing funds from preexisting home equity lines of credit. Kennedy was arrested in Canada after fleeing from police when she left a bank in Houlton.
For bank fraud, Kennedy faces up to 30 years in prison, a maximum fine of $1 million, and up to five years of supervised release. For aggravated identity theft, she faces a mandatory prison term of two years, consecutive to any other sentence imposed; a $250,000 fine; and up to one year of supervised release. For passport fraud, Kennedy faces up to 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine, and up to three years of supervised release. She will be sentenced after the completion of a presentence investigative report by the U.S. Probation Office. A federal district judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service, Portsmouth Resident Office, and Homeland Security Investigations investigated the case with assistance from U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the Maine State Police, the Hampden Police Department, the Houlton Police Department, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, and the Canadian Border Services Agency.
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Kansas City Man Arrested for Illegal FirearmsRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Kansas City, Mo. man was charged after police officers located two machine guns in the vehicle he was driving.
Dominic M. Miller, 21, was charged in a two-count criminal complaint on Sept. 5, 2026.
The federal criminal complaint charges Miller with being a felon in possession of firearms and possession of machine guns on July 24, 2026.
According to the affidavit filed in support of the complaint, uniformed officers of the Kansas City, Missouri Police Department were conducting general patrol in the area of Martin Luther King Boulevard and Propsect Avenue, when they noticed a vehicle driving with an improper license plate. Officers stopped the vehicle and contacted the driver, Miller, and two other passengers. A computer check revealed Miller had an active warrant out of Kansas and he was arrested.
During a subsequent search of the vehicle, officers located two Glock handguns under the passenger floorboard. Both firearms were equipped with a machine gun conversion device, more commonly known as a “switch.” These devices convert semi-automatic firearms into fully automatic firearms, more commonly known as machine guns. Laboratory testing confirmed that both firearms functioned as fully automatic machine guns. On Sept. 3, 2026, the Kansas City, Misouri Police Department crime lab located genetic information (“DNA”) consistent with Miller’s DNA on one of the firearms. Prior to this incident, Miller was convicted of the felony of Unlawful Use of a Weapon in Jackson County, Mo., Case Number 2416-CR000871-01.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert M. Smith. It was investigated by the Kansas City, Missouri Police Department.
Project Safe Neighborhoods
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.
Justice Department to Conduct Election Monitoring in New Hampshire Primary ElectionRead the Press Release
Today, the Department of Justice is monitoring polling sites in two New Hampshire cities — Manchester and Nashua — for the state’s primary election to ensure transparency, ballot security, and compliance with federal law.
“The Department of Justice is continuing its monitoring efforts all the way through primary season,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “This is the last week before the Division begins ramping up preparations for midterm election monitoring, which will help ensure trust and transparency throughout the country.”
“The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of New Hampshire is proud to partner with the Civil Rights Division on election integrity,” said U.S. Attorney Erin Creegan for the District of New Hampshire. “New Hampshire’s elections, including our critical First-in-the-Nation Primary, deserve to instill the highest possible confidence. My office will continue bringing together state and federal partners to ensure that Granite State elections are free, fair, and in accordance with all applicable laws.”
The Department, through the Civil Rights Division, enforces federal voting rights laws to ensure the right to vote is protected for all eligible citizens. The Department regularly deploys its staff to monitor for compliance with federal civil rights laws in elections in communities across the country.
The Department is currently monitoring polls with four DOJ staff from the Civil Rights Division’s Voting Section in each city.
The Civil Rights Division’s Voting Section enforces various federal statutes that protect the right to vote, including the Voting Rights Act, National Voter Registration Act, Help America Vote Act, Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act, the Americans with Disabilities Act, and the Civil Rights Acts.
From now and up to Election Day on Nov. 3, Civil Rights Division personnel will be available to receive questions and complaints from the public related to possible violations of federal voting rights laws. If you would like to request election monitoring in a particular jurisdiction, please contact the Voting Section at [email protected], and the Civil Rights Division will determine whether monitoring is warranted.
Jacksonville Sex Predator Sentenced to 10 Years in Federal Prison for Possession of Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – Alexander Charles Whitaker (41, Jacksonville) has been sentenced by Chief United States District Judge Marcia Morales Howard to 10 years in federal prison, followed by a lifetime of supervised release, for possession of child sex abuse material (CSAM). Whitaker pleaded guilty on May 8, 2026. U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.
According to court documents, law enforcement officers received a cybertip that a social media user from Jacksonville had uploaded files of CSAM. After reviewing the information in the cybertip, law enforcement officers obtained a search warrant for the social media account and learned that it belonged to Whitaker. After reviewing Whitaker’s Facebook account, further evidence led to a search warrant of Whitaker’s home where his cellphone was seized and searched. Whitaker’s phone contained more than 100 images and videos depicting CSAM.
At the time of this offense, Whitaker was on probation following a Florida state prison sentence for possession of child pornography. In addition, since Whitaker has been classified as a sexually violent predator, once he serves his prison sentence, under Florida law, he will be committed to a security facility for control, care, and treatment.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office, and the Northeast Florida INTERCEPT Task Force. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney John Cannizzaro.
It is another case 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, rescue, and seek justice for victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Iowa and Michigan Men Sentenced to Federal Prison for Conspiracy to Distribute FentanylRead the Press Release
DES MOINES, Iowa – Two men were sentenced to federal prison for conspiracy to distribute more than 400 grams of a mixture and substance containing fentanyl.
According to public court documents and evidence presented at sentencing, the Des Moines Police Department began investigating Corser Scott Paine, 29, of Des Moines, and Eric Tyrone White, 31, of Detroit, following the overdose death of a Des Moines man in April 2025. During a search of Paine’s apartment five days after the overdose death, law enforcement found hundreds of grams of fentanyl powder mixed with Xylazine (a veterinary sedative), BTMPS (an industrial chemical), and methamphetamine, as well as fentanyl test strips, scales, baggies, gloves, and a blender that had been used to mix the drugs. At least nine cellphones were seized and searched, which allowed law enforcement to connect Paine to the overdose victim and demonstrated that White served as Paine’s drug source of supply.
On July 7, 2026, Paine was sentenced to 126-months’ imprisonment, followed by a five-year term of supervised release. On September 3, 2026, White was sentenced to 195-months’ imprisonment, followed by a five-year term of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
United States Attorney David C. Waterman of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. The Des Moines Police Department’s Vice and Narcotics Control Unit investigated the case.
Illegal alien sentenced for firearm possession after visa overstay in HoustonRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – A 25-year-old Mexican national who illegally resided in Houston has been ordered to federal prison for unlawful possession of a firearm.
Erik Guadalupe Ibarra Venegas pleaded guilty June 5.
U.S. District Judge Keith P. Ellison has now ordered Venegas to serve 16 months in federal prison and a $100 special assessment. As an illegal alien, he is expected to face removal proceedings following his imprisonment.
Oct. 28, 2025, law enforcement responded to a report of a suspicious man pushing two bicycles and carrying tools in a cul-de-sac. Authorities found Venegas walking in the middle of the road obstructing traffic.
During the police encounter, the defendant was asked if he had any firearms. Venegas showed the officer a 5.56 caliber pistol that was on his person.
Venegas had no identification and provided a fake name, but fingerprint analysis later confirmed his identity.
The investigation revealed Venegas had overstayed his visa and was unlawfully present in the United States. As a result, he is prohibited under federal law from possessing firearms and ammunition.
He has been and will remain in custody pending transfer to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
Hedwig Village Police Department, ICE - Homeland Security Investigations, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives conducted the investigation. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin Smith and AUSA Byron Black prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigrants, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations, and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
Illegal Alien from England Sentenced for Entering the US Without Inspection and Lying to Federal InvestigatorsRead the Press Release
BANGOR, Maine: A citizen of the United Kingdom was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Bangor for entering the United States without inspection and lying to federal investigators.
U.S. Magistrate Judge John C. Nivison sentenced Mohammed Sultan Saleh, 22, to time served. Saleh pleaded guilty on June 18, 2026.
According to court records, Saleh and three other men walked through the heavily wooded border between Quebec and Somerset County during the pre-dawn hours of April 3, 2026. Their point of entry was within a few hundred yards of the Saint Zacharie, Maine port of entry that was manned by agents of U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Office of Field Operations (“OFO”). Upon exiting the woods, Saleh and his companions began walking down the Golden Road heading east.
Passersby in the area reported to an OFO agent seeing the four men walking east on the Golden Road. The OFO agent reported the sighting to the U.S. Border Patrol (“USBP”) station in Jackman. A USBP agent and an OFO agent responded to the area of the sighting, located the four men and took them into custody without incident. When questioned about their citizenship, Saleh and his three companions stated they were citizens of the United Kingdom. The four were then transported back to the Jackman Border Patrol station.
During subsequent questioning by FBI and USBP agents, Saleh maintained that he had not intentionally entered the United States. He falsely claimed that he and his friends were on a hike in Canada and had accidentally crossed into the U.S.
USBP, OFO, Homeland Security Investigations, and the FBI investigated the case.
Operation Take Back America: 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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Illegal Alien Sentenced for Passport and Benefit FraudRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Dominican national unlawfully residing in Salem, N.H., was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for passport and SNAP fraud.
Juan Felipe Chalas, 58, was sentenced by Judge Leo T. Sorokin to one year and one day in prison, to be followed by two years of supervised release. Chalas was also ordered to pay restitution of $304,932. The defendant is subject to deportation upon completion of the imposed sentence. Chalas was arrested in March 2026 and in May 2026, pleaded guilty to passport fraud and illegal acquisition of SNAP benefits.
For over two decades, Chalas used the name, birthdate and Social Security number of a United States citizen to apply for and receive Massachusetts driver’s licenses, U.S. passports, and over $25,000 in Social Security disability benefits, more than $12,000 in SNAP benefits and over $266,000 in MassHealth benefits. SNAP is a federal program administered by the states that provides funds for low-income individuals and families to purchase food. MassHealth is a federal and state program that provides medical benefits to low-income individuals.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley: Jeff Grimming, Acting Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England; Amy Connelly, Special Agent in Charge of the Social Security Administration, Office of Inspector General, Office of Investigations, Boston Field Division; Charmeka Parker, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Agriculture - Office of Inspector General, Northeast Region; Nathan Hebert, Special Agent in Charge of U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service, Boston Field Office; and Roberto Coviello, Special Agent in Charge of the Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Grady of the Major Crimes Unit prosecuted the case.
On March 26, 2026, United States Attorney Leah B. Foley announced the creation of the Benefit & Voter Fraud Team, a district-wide initiative established in response to the rampant fraud being uncovered across Massachusetts. Members of the public are encouraged to report suspected benefit fraud in Massachusetts by calling 1-855-SCAM-MA-1 (855-722-6621).
On April 7, 2026, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division. The Fraud Division is investigating and prosecuting those who commit fraud against the American people. The Department’s work to combat fraud supports President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs.
Illegal Alien Pleads Guilty to Healthcare Benefit Fraud and Aggravated Identity TheftRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Dominican national unlawfully residing in Dorchester, Mass. pleaded guilty on Sept. 2, 2026 in federal court in Boston to healthcare benefit fraud and aggravated identity theft.
Manuel Antonio Baez, 52, pleaded guilty to one count of falsely representing a Social Security number, one count of making false statements relating to health care matters and one count of aggravated identity theft. U.S. District Court Chief Judge Denise J. Casper scheduled sentencing for Dec. 2, 2026. In May 2026, Baez was arrested and charged and has been held in custody since his arrest.
Baez used the stolen identity of a U.S. citizen, including the citizen’s Social Security number, to obtain government benefits. Specifically, Baez represented that he was a U.S. citizen when applying for healthcare benefits in Massachusetts and submitted a sworn affidavit falsely alleging the same. Baez ultimately obtained over $80,000 in MassHealth benefits using the stolen identity. Baez also committed drug offenses in the name of the U.S. citizen, including a 2018 conviction for trafficking heroin and a 2007 conviction for possession with intent to distribute a Class B substance.
The charge for falsely representing a Social Security number provides for a sentence of up to five years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. The charge of making false statements relating to a health care program provides for a sentence of up to five years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. The charge of aggravated identity theft provides for a mandatory two-year sentence to run consecutively to any other sentence imposed, one year of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. The defendant is subject to deportation upon completion of any sentence imposed. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
On March 26, 2026, United States Attorney Leah B. Foley announced the creation of the Benefit & Voter Fraud Team, a district-wide initiative established in response to the rampant fraud being uncovered across Massachusetts. Members of the public are encouraged to report suspected benefit fraud in Massachusetts by calling 1-855-SCAM-MA-1 (855-722-6621).
On April 7, 2026, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division. The core mission of the Fraud Division is to zealously investigate and prosecute those who steal or fraudulently misuse taxpayer dollars. Department of Justice efforts to combat fraud support President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste and abuse within Federal benefit programs.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Jeff Grimming, Acting Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England; and Roberto Coviello, Special Agent in Charge of the Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Colin T. Missett of the Health Care Fraud Unit is prosecuting the case.
Husband and Wife Fraudsters Extradited from Jamaica After Wife’s Failed Attempt to Flee JusticeRead the Press Release
United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Jamie McDonald, and United States Marshal for the Southern District of New York, Ricky J. Patel, announced the extradition of husband and wife, SWAYNE BARKER and RICKI RICKALINE GIBBS, from Jamaica today on fraud and bail jumping charges, respectively. BARKER faces charges of conspiracy, wire fraud, mail fraud, money laundering, and receiving stolen money for his role in a multi-year scheme to defraud elderly victims across the United States, resulting in losses of over $1.7 million to more than 20 victims. GIBBS was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Kenneth M. Karas in January 2026 to 51 months in prison for conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud in connection with this scheme. Following sentencing, GIBBS fled to Jamaica and now faces additional charges for bail jumping. BAKER and GIBBS arrived in the United States on August 27, 2026, and were presented before U.S. Magistrate Judge Andrew E. Krause. Both cases are assigned to U.S. District Judge Kenneth M. Karas.
“Today’s extradition makes clear that fraudsters who exploit vulnerable victims will be held accountable and that those who would seek to escape the consequences of their crimes will be relentlessly pursued until they are brought to justice,” said U.S. Attorney Jamie McDonald.
“Attempting to escape a federal sentence or hide from charges across the ocean is a losing strategy,” said U.S. Marshal Ricky J. Patel. “Ricki Rickaline Gibbs jumped bail and fled to Jamaica, but the USMS in the Southern District of New York and the USMS Jamaica Foreign Field Office, working hand-in-hand with local Jamaican law enforcement, tracked both Gibbs and Swayne Barker down. Our message is clear: if you prey on vulnerable individuals there will be nowhere safe for you to hide. We will find you and bring you back to answer for your crimes.”
According to the Superseding Indictment through which BARKER is charged and statements made in public filings and in public court proceedings:(1)
From at least in or about 2019 through at least in or about 2023, BARKER and GIBBS defrauded more than 20 victims of over $1.7 million by representing to victims that they had won prizes in a sweepstakes and needed to transfer money to pay taxes and fees to claim their purported prizes. In truth, the victims had not won any sweepstakes prizes, and BARKER, GIBBS, and others misappropriated these victims’ funds.
Victims of this scheme typically received an unsolicited phone call or text from an individual using a common name—e.g., “Robert James,” “Robert Hill,” or “Mark Miller”—claiming they had won a life-changing amount of money and a luxury car but needed to pay taxes or fees to addresses and accounts specified by the caller before receiving the prize. The caller then remained in contact with the victims and, after the victims made their initial payments as directed, informed the victims that additional payments were required to receive their purported winnings. In particular, victims were instructed to send money by mailing checks, money orders, Vanilla Visa gift cards, and cash concealed in books, as well as by wire and Zelle transfer, to addresses and accounts identified by the caller. After luring victims in with the sweepstakes lie, the perpetrators of this scheme also used romance scam tactics to induce victims to continue making payments. Gibbs is a dual citizen of Jamaica and the United States, who participated in the scheme from both New York and Jamaica, alongside co-conspirators based in Jamaica, including BARKER, who is a citizen of Jamaica.
According to the Indictment charging GIBBS with failure to surrender for service of sentence and statements made in public filings and in public court proceedings:
GIBBS was sentenced by the Honorable Kenneth M. Karas on January 7, 2026, and ordered to surrender on February 9, 2026, to the United States Marshal for the Southern District of New York, or to a designated facility. GIBBS failed to surrender to the United States Marshal on that date and instead fled to Jamaica, where she was arrested in April 2026 pursuant to a U.S. provisional arrest warrant.
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BARKER is charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud and mail fraud, wire fraud, mail fraud, and conspiracy to commit money laundering, each of which carries a maximum term of 20 years in prison, as well conspiracy to receive stolen money, which carries a maximum term of five years in prison. GIBBS is charged with failure to surrender for service of sentence, which carries a maximum term of 10 years in prison. In addition to this new charge, GIBBS has been extradited to serve her pending sentence of 51 months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release. GIBBS has also been ordered to pay forfeiture of $1,018,703, and restitution of $1,379,402.
The maximum potential sentences in this case are prescribed by Congress and provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendants will be determined by the judge.
Mr. McDonald praised the outstanding investigative work of the Special Agents of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York and the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Division. Mr. McDonald also thanked the U.S. Marshals Service, the U.S. Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs and Jamaican authorities, including the Jamaican Constabulary Force, for their assistance in securing BARKER and GIBBS’s arrest and extradition.
This case is being handled by the Office’s White Plains Division. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Benjamin Levander, Margaret Vasu, and Ioannis Drivas are in charge of the prosecution.
The charges against BARKER in the Superseding Indictment and against GIBBS in the Indictment are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
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As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Superseding Indictment against BARKER and the description of the Superseding Indictment against BARKER set forth herein constitute only allegations, and every fact described should be treated as an allegation.
Grand jury indicts Cincinnati man for assaulting postal workerRead the Press Release
CINCINNATI – A federal grand jury has indicted Wendell Terrence Swan, 56, of Cincinnati, charging him with assaulting a federal employee.
According to the indictment, on Aug. 5, Swan intentionally assaulted a United States Postal Service mail carrier while the victim was engaged in his official duties. Swan allegedly struck the mail carrier several times and threw him to the ground, inflicting bodily injury.
Swan was indicted on Sept. 2 and brought into custody today.
Assaulting a federal employee carries a potential penalty of up to 20 years in prison.
Dominick S. Gerace II, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; and Lesley Allison, Inspector in Charge, U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS); announced the charges. Assistant United States Attorney Anthony Springer is 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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Former Physician at Veteran Affairs Medical Center Pleads Guilty to Child Pornography OffensesRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A former physician employed at the Veterans Affairs (VA) Medical Center in Bedford, Mass., pleaded guilty on Aug. 27, 2026 in federal court in Boston to receiving and possessing child sexual abuse material (CSAM).
Sven Knudsen Ljaamo, 71, pleaded guilty on Aug. 27, 2026 to on one count of receipt of child pornography and one count of possession of child pornography. U.S. District Court Chief Judge Denise J. Casper scheduled sentencing for Nov. 18, 2026. The defendant was previously arrested and charged by criminal complaint on April 23, 2025 and later indicted by a federal grand jury in May 2025.
According to the charging documents, law enforcement learned that over 100 files of suspected CSAM files had been uploaded to Ljaamo’s Google account. Several CSAM files, along with tens of thousands of pornography files, were found during a review of Ljaamo’s devices, including on a cell phone Ljaamo kept in his office at the VA Medical Center.
The charge of receipt of child pornography provides for a sentence of at least five years and up to 20 years in prison, at least five years and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The charge of possession of child pornography provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, at least five years and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Ted E. Docks, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; and Christopher Algieri, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General, Northeast Field Office made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Billerica, Lowell and Salem Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sandra Gonzalez Sanchez of the Criminal Division is prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
Former Foundation IT Manager Sentenced to Prison for Embezzling Nearly $1 Million from EmployerRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, Pa. - A resident of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, has been sentenced in federal court to 12 months and one day of imprisonment on his conviction of wire fraud, United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.
United States District Judge Christy Criswell Wiegand imposed the sentence on Charles A. Richardson, 45.
According to information presented to the Court, Richardson was employed as an information technology professional with the Pittsburgh-based philanthropic foundation The Heinz Endowments. Between 2016 and 2024, Richardson embezzled nearly $1 million in funds from his employer through a shell corporation Richardson controlled by authorizing payment for fraudulent invoices that billed the foundation for work not performed either by Richardson’s shell corporation or other vendors.
Assistant United States Attorney William Guappone prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.United States Attorney Rivetti commended the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Allegheny County District Attorney’s Office for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Richardson.
Former Army Pay Technician Sentenced for Claiming Pay for Military Funeral Honors Ceremonies That Never OccurredRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – CHRISTOPHER O’CONNOR (“O’CONNOR”), a former Army pay technician, was sentenced on September 3, 2026 by U.S. District Judge Nannette Jolivette Brown to five years’ probation, 100 hours of community service, and payment of $98,691 in restitution, announced U.S. Attorney David I. Courcelle.
O’CONNOR previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy, for submitting fraudulent reimbursement requests for military funeral honors that he and six other Army reservists allegedly performed, but had not.
U.S. Attorney Courcelle praised the work of The Department of the Army Criminal Investigation Division.
Assistant United States Chandra Menon, Chief of the Public Corruption Unit, was in charge of the prosecution.
Updated for accuracy. The United States Army Criminal Investigation Command is currently named The Department of the Army Criminal Investigation Division.
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Foreign National Pleads Guilty to Health Care Fraud Scheme Targeting Medicare Advantage ProgramsRead the Press Release
SAN JOSE - Sevindik Huseynov, a national of Azerbaijan, pleaded guilty in federal court today to three counts of health care fraud in connection with a $137 million scheme targeting Medicare Advantage Programs.
Huseynov, 48, formerly of Sunnyvale, California and a national of Azerbaijan was indicted by a federal grand jury on September 25, 2025. Under the plea agreement, Huseynov pleaded guilty to three counts of health care fraud.
In pleading guilty, Huseynov, who was the Chief Executive Officer of a fraudulent durable medical equipment (DME) company, Vonyes Inc., admitted to aiding and abetting a scheme to submit thousands of fraudulent claims to Medicare Advantage Organizations (MAOs). The claims were submitted on behalf of unsuspecting beneficiaries and sought reimbursement for medical equipment such as wound dressing and orthotic braces. Beginning in January 2025 and continuing until Huseynov was arrested on June 17, 2025, he participated in the scheme with other individuals in the United States and abroad to submit large volumes of claims to MAOs offering Medicare Part C benefit plans. In total, Huseynov, through Vonyes, sought reimbursements of at least $137 million from MAOs for medical equipment that was not provided, not needed by patients, and not authorized by a medical provider. Huseynov admitted to receiving reimbursement checks for $2.8 million and depositing those checks in Vonyes bank accounts he set up. After the money was deposited, Huseynov wired most of the money to bank accounts in Hong Kong.
Huseynov is currently in federal custody. Huseynov’s sentencing hearing is scheduled for February 2, 2027 at 1:30 PM before U.S. District Judge Noel Wise. Huseynov faces a maximum statutory penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for a violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1347, health care fraud. Any sentence will be imposed by the court after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal statute governing the imposition of a sentence, 18 U.S.C. § 3553.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Maya Karwande with the assistance of Lynette Dixon, Ambereise McElrath, and Mimi Lam. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
On April 7, 2026, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division (“Fraud Division”). The Fraud Division is investigating and prosecuting those who commit fraud against the American people. The Department’s work to combat fraud supports President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs.
Following trial, Hamilton man sentenced to 2 years for unlawfully possessing firearmsRead the Press Release
MISSOULA – A Hamilton man who unlawfully stored a cache of firearms at his house was sentenced today to 24 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release, Acting U.S. Attorney Mark Steger Smith said.
After a one-day trial on April 13, 2026, a jury found Shawn Ryan Cowan, 46, guilty of unlawfully possessing a firearm.
U.S. District Judge Donald W. Molloy presided.
The government alleged in court documents and at trial that Cowan, who had previously been convicted of multiple felonies, was keeping guns in his home. A tip to law enforcement led investigators to seek a warrant and search Cowan’s home.
There they found:
- Ruger SR-22, .22 cal. pistol
- Raven Arms P25, .25 cal. pistol
- F.LLI Pietta Fabrica D'Armi, Big Bore Rough Rider, .357 cal. revolver
- Derya Arms (Derya Silah Sanayi) TM22-A-18, .22 cal. rifle
- Marlin Firearms Co. 20, .22 cal. rifle
- High Standard Sentinel, .22 cal. revolver
- North American Arms NAA22, .22 cal. revolver
- Smith & Wesson 18, .22 cal. revolver
- Derya Arms (Derya Silah Sanayi) VRPA40, 12-gauge shotgun
- Heritage Mfg. Inc. Rough Rider, .22 cal. revolver
Investigators also found various types of ammunition.
Cowan had been convicted previously of aggravated kidnapping, burglary, and possession of dangerous drugs in Montana and so was required to register as a violent offender for life. Cowan, who became belligerent with agents as he was arrested, acknowledged he was “technically a felon,” but said he owned guns because his conviction was fraudulently obtained by county officials.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case. The ATF and Ravalli County Sheriff’s Office conducted the investigation.
First week of September brings 239 more cases in continued border enforcement effortsRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – Another 247 people have been charged, including 232 illegal aliens, in 239 cases involving immigration and border security-related crimes from Aug. 28-Sept. 3.
A total of 171 criminal complaints were filed for felony reentry after prior removal, while another 41 people face charges of illegal entry. Most of those illegal aliens have prior felonies involving narcotics, violent crime, immigration offenses, and more. In addition, 42 people have been charged with human smuggling which includes 20 illegal aliens themselves. The remaining cases charged this week relate to other immigration crimes and firearms charges.
Three illegal aliens charged during this period were already removed this year, but returned again unlawfully to the Rio Grande Valley, according to new criminal complaints against them. Junior Fidel Ramos-Leiva is a Honduran male who allegedly has a prior conviction of robbery with dangerous weapon, while Mexican nationals Brayan Valadez-Hernandez and Brayan Gutierrez-Salvador have two prior felony drug convictions and an alien smuggling conviction, respectively.
Law enforcement discovered three more Mexican males illegally in the United States. Jose Ivan Hernandez-Martinez and Jose Francisco Torres-Olguin allegedly have prior convictions for alien in possession of a firearm and alien smuggling before their removals in 2025. Jose Luis Amezcua-Gutierrez was discovered near Hidalgo, despite having been removed in 2024 following his conviction and sentence for indecent liberties with child.
All five face up to 20 years in federal prison if convicted.
In addition to the new cases, Ivan Gerardo Castillo-Castro, an illegal alien from Nuevo Laredo, Tamaulipas, Mexico, received a 33-month federal prison sentence for being an alien in possession of a firearm. At the hearing, the court heard about his prior criminal history, including convictions for assault and illegal reentry, as well as incidents in which he assaulted a domestic partner, a juvenile, and a police officer attempting to arrest him. While awaiting sentencing, he also participated in a gang-style assault on other inmates.
The cases are referred or supported by federal law enforcement partners, including ICE - Homeland Security Investigations, ICE - Enforcement and Removal Operations, Border Patrol, Drug Enforcement Administration, FBI, U.S. Marshals Service, as well as the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives with additional assistance from state and local law enforcement partners.
The cases are part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigrants, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations, and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
Under current leadership, public safety and a secure border are the top priorities for the Southern District. Enhanced enforcement both at the border and in the interior of the district have yielded aliens engaged in unlawful activity or with serious criminal histories, including convictions for human trafficking, sexual assault, and violence against children.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Texas remains one of the busiest in the nation. It represents 43 counties and more than 10 million people covering 44,000 square miles. Assistant U.S. Attorneys from all seven divisions including Houston, Galveston, Victoria, Corpus Christi, Brownsville, McAllen, and Laredo work directly with our law enforcement partners on the federal, state, and local levels to prosecute the suspected offenders of these and other federal crimes.
An indictment or criminal complaint is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence. A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.
Final Defendant in Child Sex Trafficking Ring Sentenced to 25 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
COLUMBIA, S.C. — Antonio Marquis Nicholson, 34, of West Columbia, has been sentenced to 25 years in federal prison for conspiracy to commit sex trafficking of children.
Evidence obtained in the investigation revealed that in 2023, Nicholson and his codefendants targeted vulnerable minors, specifically 16 and 17-year-old girls. One victim was a missing and runaway minor from another state. Two victims were Columbia-area high school students with clear vulnerabilities. Together, the four defendants enticed, harbored, transported, advertised, provided, and exploited the three girls into commercial sexual exploitation. They took photographs of the victims, gave them lingerie, advertised them on commercial sex websites, and confiscated the proceeds. Victims were subjected to physical violence and forced to have sex with adult men. They were exposed to drugs, guns, and dangerous encounters with violent customers. The young girls did not have access to medical care, food, or other daily necessities.“This is the behavior of a monster. Nicholson and his codefendants exploited these children in the most vulnerable way possible,” said U.S. Attorney Bryan Stirling for the District of South Carolina. “I commend law enforcement for working together at the federal, state and local level to intervene and rescue these children, who are survivors of such heinous acts.”
“Antonio Nicholson targeted vulnerable kids, including runaways, and treated them like property to be advertised, sold, and controlled,” said HSI Carolinas Special Agent in Charge Mark M. Zito. “Today’s sentence sends a clear message: if you prey on children, you will pay for it. HSI and our partners will keep working to protect children and other vulnerable people and bring these predators to justice.”
“It’s heartbreaking to think sex trafficking happens in our communities. Our children are our greatest asset while also being our most vulnerable. To profit off cruelty and abuse to a child is reprehensible,” said SLED Chief Mark Keel. “In South Carolina, the local, state, and federal partnerships we have mean those who commit such disgusting crimes will face the consequences. Every survivor deserves justice.”United States District Judge Sherri A. Lydon sentenced Nicholson to 300 months’ imprisonment, to be followed by a lifetime of court-ordered supervision. Three co-defendants were previously sentenced. Terrell Counts was previously sentenced to 135 months’ imprisonment. Rebecca Melanie Perry was sentenced to 150 months’ imprisonment. Monesha Tatayana Lapri Gary was sentenced to 165 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit Justice.gov/PSC.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division, and the Columbia Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Elliott B. Daniels and Ariyana N. Gore prosecuted the case.###
Fannin County man sentenced to federal prison for buying and selling firearms without a licenseRead the Press Release
SHERMAN, Texas –A Bonham man has been sentenced to federal prison for a firearms conspiracy in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs.
Raymundo Duran Baza, 21, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to engage in the business of dealing firearms without a license and was sentenced to 60 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Michael Truncale on September 4, 2026.
According to information presented in court, from September 2024 through October 2024, Baza and at least one other person conspired to engage in the business of dealing in firearms, while not being a licensed firearms dealer. During this time, Baza was responsible for buying and re-selling firearms and Machine Gun Conversion Devices for profit.
Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is the Department of Justice’s nationwide initiative that brings federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement, prosecutors, and other public safety partners together to coordinate efforts to combat violent crime and make communities safe. Coordinated by U.S. Attorneys’ offices in each of the 94 federal districts, PSN is tailored to particular communities to strategically address specific violent crime and public safety challenges. As a key component of Operation Take Back America, PSN serves a central role in the Department’s commitment to making our country safe. PSN emphasizes three core principles: rapid federal response to violent crime and criminal offenders; strong, strategic partnerships among law enforcement at all levels; and accountability and deterrence through the prosecution of the most serious, readily provable offenses and other strategies. These efforts complement and strengthen President Trump’s Homeland Security Task Forces, ensuring a comprehensive federal response to the most pressing public safety issues facing communities.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Maureen Smith.
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Evansville Drug Trafficking Organization Dismantled as Six Head to Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
EVANSVILLE- Six individuals, all from Evansville, have been sentenced to federal prison for their roles in a methamphetamine, fentanyl, and cocaine trafficking ring operating in Southern Indiana.
DefendantSentenceCharge(s)Lovechild McGuire, 3328 years’ imprisonment, five years of supervised releaseConspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. Christopher Flax, 5013 years’ imprisonment, three years of supervised releaseConspiracy to distribute over 500 grams of methamphetamineAmiee Ranes, 4615 years’ imprisonment, five years of supervised releaseConspiracy to possess with intent to distribute 500 Grams or more of methamphetamineTrent Marion. 3915 years’ imprisonment, five years of supervised releaseConspiracy to distribute over 500 grams of methamphetamineUnique Carter, 28 Seven years’ imprisonment, five years of supervised releaseConspiracy to distribute over 500 grams of methamphetamineCamri Outlaw, 31Time served, two years of supervised releaseConspiracy to distribute over 500 grams of methamphetamineAccording to court documents, investigators began examining the organization in January 2023, identifying a coordinated group responsible for distributing crystal methamphetamine, cocaine, and fentanyl throughout the Evansville area. McGuire served as the local leader of the trafficking ring, securing bulk quantities of narcotics from a supplier in Springfield, Tennessee. Flax, Ranes, Marion, and Carter operated as mid‑level distributors.
During the investigation, officers learned that the N-Handz barber shop on South Green River Road was being used as a primary distribution location. Additionally, a storage unit at Eastside Park served as the organization’s main stash site.
On November 30, 2023, McGuire directed his romantic partner, Camri Outlaw, to pay drug couriers $60,000 for 35 pounds of methamphetamine. Outlaw transported the narcotics from her home to the storage unit controlled by McGuire and Carter. That same day, federal agents executed a search warrant on the unit, recovering approximately 34.8 pounds of crystal methamphetamine, 13,000 fentanyl pills, and one kilogram of cocaine.
Between June 1, 2023, and December 5, 2023, the drug trafficking organization distributed more than 4.5 kilograms of actual methamphetamine into the Evansville community.
“Methamphetamine and other deadly controlled substances have devastating impacts on users, their loved ones, and our communities,” said Tom Wheeler, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana. “Drug traffickers like these defendants, responsible for pushing this poison from across the country into our neighborhoods, must be held accountable for the suffering they cause in search of quick profits. This operation is an outstanding example of the impact we can have with the help of our state and local law enforcement partners.”
The Drug Enforcement Administration and Evansville Vanderburgh County Drug Task Force investigated this case. The sentences were imposed by U.S. District Court Judge Matthew P. Brookman.
U.S. Attorney Wheeler thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Lauren Wheatley, who prosecuted this 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.
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Eastern NC Drug Pipeline Dismantled: 35 Years Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
Raleigh, N.C. – A federal judge sentenced Alexander Sandoval, 29, to thirty‑five years in federal prison for trafficking large quantities of fentanyl, meth, and cocaine throughout the Eastern District of North Carolina. On December 12, 2025, Sandoval plead guilty to conspiring to distribute 50 grams or more of meth, distributing 50 grams or more of meth, and possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug‑trafficking crime.
“This depraved drug pusher pumped staggering amounts of fentanyl, meth, and cocaine into our communities, hiding his poison in furniture and moving it across Eastern North Carolina,” said U.S. Attorney Ellis Boyle. “Even up to the bitter end, armed with a revolver, fleeing at more than 100 miles an hour, and running from officers on foot, he refused to stop. But, in the end, he fought the law and the law won. Let this be a stark warning, we will put you in prison for decades. Simple Lesson: Drugs Kill, Prison Awaits – Do Right.”
In 2022, investigators identified Sandoval as a narcotics supplier. As they expanded their investigation, law enforcement discovered his drug‑trafficking organization hid fentanyl, meth, and cocaine inside furniture and shipped to Fayetteville. Once the shipments arrived, he directed others to retrieve the packages, dismantle the furniture, and collect the drugs for distribution. Sandoval’s operation moved approximately 79 pounds of fentanyl, 1,817 pounds of meth, and 174 pounds of cocaine into Eastern North Carolina. Literally a ton of poison meant to kill citizens and their children so he and his minions could scam a few bucks.
Between February and June 2023, investigators conducted several controlled meth purchases from Sandoval, who consistently carried a firearm during the drugs. When Hope Mills Police later attempted to stop him for speeding, he took off, leading officers on a high‑speed chase that exceeded 100 mph before he abandoned his vehicle and ran away on foot. As he fled, he unsuccessfully tried to toss a revolver and meth, but the cops eventually found those after they arrested him.
Despite his track history for criminal recklessness, the state judges just released him from state custody. Sandoval immediately returned to his criminal ways. Within just a few months, he again fled in a high-speed chase from police, eventually ditching his car, and attempted to toss his cocaine. Despite his arrest, Sandoval remained undeterred, shamelessly making multiple phone calls from jail to organize his drug distribution upon his release. All of those calls were recorded, and law enforcement followed all his plans.
“This sentence reflects the FBI’s unwavering commitment to protecting our communities from dangerous drug traffickers,” said the Reid Davis FBI Special Agent in Charge in North Carolina. “In the past year alone, federal drug‑trafficking investigations led to thousands of arrests nationwide, including significant increases in cases involving fentanyl and methamphetamine. These arrests are the result of coordinated efforts with our federal, state, and local partners, and they underscore our intensified crackdown on the criminal networks driving the fentanyl epidemic. The FBI will continue to crush violent crime, dismantle these organizations, and hold those who threaten the safety of North Carolinians accountable.”
"This guilty plea and subsequent sentencing reflect our relentless commitment to removing violent, habitual offenders from the streets of Fayetteville. Drug trafficking and gun violence inflict deep, lasting harm on our neighborhoods, and our department will not stand by while violent actors endanger our residents and threaten the peace of our community,” said Assistant Chief Todd Joyce, Fayetteville Police Department. “This outcome demonstrates what is possible through seamless coordination between local officers, federal investigators, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office. To those who choose to introduce dangerous narcotics and illegal firearms into Fayetteville; you will be met with the full weight of our combined resources, and you will be held accountable under federal law."
This prosecution is part of Operation Couch Potato, a component of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) established under Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole‑of‑government initiative committed to dismantling criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking networks operating in the United States and abroad. Through unprecedented interagency coordination, HSTF directs federal law enforcement resources to investigate and prosecute the broad spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations. The HSTF places a particular emphasis on targeting offenders involved in crimes against children and uses all available legal authorities to identify, prosecute, and remove violent criminal aliens from the United States.
W. Ellis Boyle, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, made the announcement following sentencing by U.S. District Judge James C. Dever III. FBI, the Fayetteville Police Department, and the Hope Mills Police Department investigated the case.
A copy of this press release is available on our website. Related court documents and additional information can be found at the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:25-CR-89-D-BM-1.
Des Moines Man Sentenced to 15 Years in Federal Prison for Receipt and Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
DES MOINES, Iowa – A Des Moines man was sentenced on September 3, 2026 to 15 years in federal prison for receiving and possessing child pornography.
According to public court documents, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children received a CyberTip that an account, later determined to be associated with Jacob Adam Toler, 31, uploaded and distributed files containing child sexual abuse material. Law enforcement seized a cell phone and a laptop during a search of Toler’s Des Moines residence. A forensic examination of the seized electronic devices showed that Toler used them to receive and possess more than 125 videos containing child sexual abuse material.
After completing his term of imprisonment, Toler will be required to serve a 10‑year term of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system. Toler was also ordered to pay $48,500 in restitution.
United States Attorney David C. Waterman of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. The Iowa Department of Public Safety-Division of Criminal Investigation-Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force and the Federal Bureau of Investigation-Child Exploitation Task Force investigated the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and 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 information about internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the resources tab.
Del Rio Felon Sentenced to 15 Years in Federal Prison for Firearm PossessionRead the Press Release
DEL RIO, Texas – A Del Rio felon was sentenced to 180 months in federal prison for felon in possession of a firearm, announced U.S. Attorney Justin R. Simmons for the Western District of Texas.
According to court documents, in July 2022, Texas Department of Public Safety Criminal Investigation Division special agents conducted a traffic stop on Alfredo Martinez Jr., 42, and located a firearm in the vehicle, which he denied owning.
In November 2022, the Texas Department of Public Safety executed a state search warrant on Martinez’s residence. During the search, agents found a .357 revolver and two shotguns. Martinez again denied ownership of the firearms, claiming that two individuals had left items at his house that could not fit in their vehicle and that, despite being a convicted felon, he agreed to store their things.
Further investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives determined that one of the shotguns found in the search of Martinez’s residence had been stolen. On Jan. 11, 2023, a federal grand jury indicted Martinez for two counts of felon in possession of a firearm.
On Jan. 26, 2023, a Val Verde Sheriff’s Office deputy conducted a traffic stop on Martinez. The deputy notified an ATF special agent, who arrived on scene and located a loaded MP-25 pistol along with an additional loaded magazine inside Martinez’s vehicle. Martinez was arrested for the charges from the Jan. 11, 2023, indictment. A search warrant was executed on Martinez’s residence, resulting in the recovery of two more firearms and assorted ammunition.
Martinez pleaded guilty on July 10, 2023, to one count of felon in possession of a firearm. Last week, Chief U.S. District Judge Alia Moses sentenced Martinez to the statutory maximum.
The ATF and TX DPS CID investigated the case with assistance from the Val Verde Sheriff’s Office.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Ashley Ellis-Dotson and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Allyson Breech prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
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Defendants sentenced after pleading guilty to illegally transporting a stolen motor vehicleRead the Press Release
STATESBORO, Georgia: An illegal alien has been sentenced to federal prison for his role in a stolen vehicle operation. His co-defendant’s have also been sentenced.
The sentences were imposed by U.S. District Court Judge L. Randal Hall and announced by Margaret E. “Meg” Heap, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. They include:
Marcial Diaz-Sanchez, 25, of El Salvador, was sentenced to 18 months in prison, three years of supervised release and ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $70,859 after pleading guilty to Interstate Transportation of a Stolen Motor Vehicle.
Isaiah Joseph Jaimes, 25, of South Houston, Texas, was sentenced to time served followed by three years of supervised release, 40 hours of community service and ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $70,859 after pleading guilty to Interstate Transportation of a Stolen Motor Vehicle.
There is no parole in the federal system.
As described in court documents and testimony, in November 2024, Diaz-Sanchez and his co-defendant attempted to sell a vehicle, which they knew had been stolen from Texas. The defendants used Facebook Marketplace to negotiate and arrange the sale of the vehicle, which unbeknownst to them was to an undercover Jenkins County Deputy Sheriff.
A subsequent search of the defendant’s phone revealed photos of high-end vehicles, counterfeit Texas titles and VINs, and large amounts of U.S. currency.
An additional co-defendant, Rene Armando Reyes Velasquez, 24, of El Salvador, was previously sentenced in June after pleading guilty to Interstate Transportation of a Stolen Motor Vehicle.
“Know this: those that steal another’s property and disregard federal law will face justice,” said U.S. Attorney Heap. “Our extensive relationship with our law enforcement partners was instrumental in the prosecution of this case, directly impacting the safety of our communities and security of our property.”
“Stealing vehicles and attempting to turn stolen property into profit comes with serious consequences,” said Brad Snider, Supervisory Senior Resident Agent of FBI Atlanta’s Statesboro office. “The FBI and our law enforcement partners will continue to work together to disrupt these schemes, recover stolen property, and hold those responsible accountable.”
The FBI and Jenkins County Sheriff’s Office assisted in the investigation of this case and was prosecuted for the United States by Southern District of Georgia Assistant U.S. Attorneys Marcela C. Mateo and Kelsey L. Scanlon.
Columbus man sentenced to 15 years in prison for cyberstalking exes, creating AI-generated obscene material of adults & childrenRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ohio – James Strahler II, 37, of Columbus, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court to 180 months in prison for cybercrimes that included both real and AI-generated sexually explicit images and threats of violence to numerous victims.
Strahler had installed more than 24 AI platforms and more than 100 AI web-based models on his phone. The defendant used telephone calls, voicemails, text messages and web postings to engage in a campaign of harassment against his victims.
Strahler pleaded guilty in April to cyberstalking, producing obscene visual representations of child sexual abuse and publication of digital forgeries. His conviction of publication of digital forgeries is part of the Take It Down Act, a law enacted in 2025 that prohibits non-consensual online publication of intimate visual depictions and AI forgeries.
“I’m proud of my Office’s prosecution of this case—the first in the Nation under the Take It Down Act,” said U.S. Attorney Dominick S. Gerace II. “Thanks to this new law, we can now show offenders like Strahler that they will not get away with producing and posting disturbing AI-generated content. Today’s sentence should serve as a warning that significant prison time will result from this repulsive conduct.”
“The Take It Down Act was enacted to protect innocent victims from AI-generated deepfakes or intimate images shared online without permission,” stated FBI Cincinnati Special Agent in Charge Jason Cromartie. “The FBI will continue to investigate these digital crimes used to harm real people and ensure offenders are brought to justice.”
“This case demonstrates the importance of taking these types of crimes seriously and working together to protect victims and hold offenders accountable,” said Hilliard Police Chief Mike Woods. “We are proud of the work our officers and detectives did to help bring this case forward and grateful to our federal and local partners for seeing it through to justice.”
From December 2024 until June 2025, Strahler sent harassing messages to at least six adult female victims. These messages included nude images of the victims, both real and AI-generated.
For example, Strahler used AI to create pornographic videos depicting at least one adult victim engaged in sex acts with her father. He then distributed those videos to the victim’s co-workers. He also messaged the mothers of the adult females and demanded nude photos of them, threatening to circulate explicit or obscene images he created of their daughters if they did not comply. He often called the victims and left voicemails of him masturbating or threatening rape. He referred to the victims’ specific home addresses in his threats.
Strahler also posted online AI-generated obscenities he created of children. He generated these files using the faces of minor boys from his community. He then morphed the face of the minor boys onto the bodies of other adults or children and created videos that depicted the boys engaged in sex acts. Strahler specifically created AI-generated obscenity of the minor boys having sex with their mothers and/or grandmothers.
Strahler created more than 700 images of both real victims and animated persons and posted them to a website dedicated to child sexual abuse. An additional 2,400 images and videos on his phone were flagged as depicting nudity, morphed child sexual abuse material or violence.
Strahler’s criminal conduct was first reported to the Hilliard Police Department and the Delaware County Sheriff’s Office before being referred to the FBI. He was arrested on federal charges in June 2025.
Dominick S. Gerace II, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Jason Cromartie, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division; Hilliard Police Chief Mike Woods and officials with the Maryland AI and Synthetic Media Threats Task Force (MASTTF); announced the sentence imposed today by Chief U.S. District Court Judge Sarah D. Morrison. Assistant United States Attorney Emily Czerniejewski is representing the United States in this case.
This case is part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims.
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Columbus Man Receives 27-Year Federal Sentence for Sexually Exploiting Child in His CareRead the Press Release
INDIANAPOLIS- Andrew Wade Case, 39, of Columbus, Indiana, has been sentenced to 27 years and three months in federal prison, followed by a lifetime of supervised release, after pleading guilty to sexual exploitation of a child, as well as distribution and possession of child sexual abuse material. Upon release from federal prison, Case must register as a sex offender wherever he lives, works, or goes to school, as required by law.
According to the indictment, on December 19, 2024, Andrew Case forced Minor Victim 1 — a child under the age of 12 and in his custody and care— to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing a four-minute video. In addition to exploiting the child in his care, Case also distributed other child sexual abuse material to individuals over a peer‑to‑peer network.
The Indiana Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force and the Bloomington Police Department received alerts related to the videos Case shared. When investigators executed a search warrant at Case’s home, they found Minor Victim 1 living in severely neglected conditions, including sleeping on the floor amid insects and showing signs of untreated lice.
A forensic examination of Case’s cell phone revealed more than 600 images and videos depicting prepubescent children engaged in sexually explicit conduct, including content involving sadomasochistic abuse and other depictions of violence or exploitation of infants and toddlers.
“A child’s home should be a sanctuary of safety, trust, and protection where they are shielded from the dangers of the world. Instead, this safe space was violated by the defendant. It is paramount we safeguard children from every threat, especially when those threats come from within their own home,” said Tom Wheeler, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana. “While this child has endured irreversible trauma, we hope today’s sentence helps restore her trust in the justice system and offers a measure of peace as she moves forward.”
“The Secret Service is committed to leveraging the full weight of its cyber and forensic resources to support investigations into crimes against children,” said Ike Barnes, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Secret Service Indianapolis Field Office. “This case is a sobering reminder of the threat a child can face inside of their own home. Our investigators are committed to using every tool available to hold those who victimize children in their care accountable. We thank the Indiana State Police and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Indiana for their steadfast partnership throughout this investigation, and we’ll continue to work together to ensure anyone preying on a child in our community is brought to justice.”
"The Indiana Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force maintains zero tolerance for adults who abuse positions of trust to sexually exploit, harm, or abuse children," said Indiana State Police Lieutenant Christopher Cecil, the commander of the Indiana Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force. " We are committed to locating, investigating, and arresting offenders who prey on children. No child deserves to live in fear."
The United States Secret Service and the Indiana State Police Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force investigated this case. The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Court Judge James P. Hanlon
U.S. Attorney Wheeler thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Kyle M. Sawa, who prosecuted this case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by 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.
If you are a victim of child sexual exploitation, please contact your local police department. Resources for victims of child exploitation can be found on our website at https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdin/project-safe-childhood
This investigation was conducted by the Indiana Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force, a multiagency task force led by the Indiana State Police that investigates and prosecutes persons who use the internet to sexually exploit or entice children. Each year, Indiana ICAC investigators evaluate thousands of tips, investigate hundreds of cases, and rescue dozens of children from ongoing sexual abuse. Visit https://www.internetcrimesagainstkids.com to learn more about their efforts.
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Clovis woman arrested for multimillion dollar fraud schemeRead the Press Release
Criminal complaint:
brown_kelly_complaint.pdfFRESNO, Calif. — Kelly Lynn Brown, 47, of Clovis, was arrested Friday, Sept. 4, 2026, on a criminal complaint for using her employer’s company credit card to make more than $4 million of unauthorized, personal purchases, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced.
According to court records, between November 2020 and October 2024, Brown worked as a bookkeeper at a leading Fresno business specializing in custom countertops and commercial hardwood products. In her role, she had access to the personally identifiable information of employees, including the business’s owner.
In January 2021, Brown recommended that the owner obtain an American Express credit card for business expenses. The owner, however, was not interested in obtaining an American Express credit card for himself or for his business. Nevertheless, two weeks later Brown gave the owner two American Express credit cards, one under the owner’s personal name and the other under the business name.
A few months later and unbeknownst to the owner, Brown obtained a credit card in her own name under the owner’s American Express account without his authorization. Brown began using this credit card for unauthorized personal expenses, including luxury retail purchases, travel, health and beauty treatments, and a down payment on a 2022 Harley-Davidson motorcycle and a 2023 Chevrolet Silverado 2500.
In August 2022, Brown started an online apparel store, Western Edge Boutique. Around the same time, she made numerous clothing and apparel-related purchases on the unauthorized card.
Brown used the business’s bank account to make payments to American Express from 2021 through 2024 to conceal and further her fraud scheme. In late 2024, the owner discovered the scheme and fired Brown. Brown spent more than $4 million dollars on unauthorized purchases.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Arelis M. Clemente is prosecuting this case.
If convicted, Brown faces a maximum statutory penalty of 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine, and three years of supervised release. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Chicago Man Indicted for Interstate ThreatsRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – Daquan Lamont Smith (20, Chicago, IL) has been charged by indictment with interstate transmission of a threat. If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 5 years in federal prison. United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.
According to the indictment, on December 6, 2025, Smith knowingly transmitted in interstate commerce a communication containing a true threat to injure passengers on a cruise ship, including during a recorded call to the cruise, during which Smith stated: “I’m coming from, I’m coming. I’m on the cruise boat coming from Bahamas that left two days ago, and I’m letting you guys know now I have a bomb on the boat and I want to blow it up.”
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys in the Orlando division of the United States Attorney’s Office.
Camden County Business Owner Admits to Employment Tax FraudRead the Press Release
CAMDEN, N.J. – A Camden County man admitted to failing to pay over to the IRS payroll taxes for the employees of his business, U.S. Attorney Robert Frazer and Assistant Attorney General Colin M. McDonald announced.
Tyrone Pitts, 60, of Lawnside, New Jersey, pleaded guilty before Chief U.S. District Judge Renée Marie Bumb to an information charging him with one count of failing to collect, truthfully account for, and pay over to the IRS payroll taxes.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
From 2020 through 2023, Pitts was the owner, operator, and president of a construction company called Arline Electrical Construction Services LLC (“AECS”). Pitts had the authority to exercise significant control over AECS’s financial affairs and was a “responsible person” of AECS, meaning that he was required to collect, truthfully account for, and pay over to the IRS the payroll taxes withheld from the wages of AECS’s employees. However, during that same time period, Pitts almost entirely failed to file Form 941 employment tax returns and failed to pay over to the IRS approximately $810,403 in employment taxes.
The tax fraud count carries a maximum penalty of 5 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentencing is scheduled for January 12, 2027.
U.S. Attorney Robert Frazer and Assistant Attorney General Colin M. McDonald credited special agents of IRS-Criminal Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Jenifer Piovesan in Newark, with the investigation leading to today’s guilty plea.
On April 7, 2026, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division (“Fraud Division”). The Fraud Division is investigating and prosecuting those who commit fraud against the American people. The Department’s work to combat fraud supports President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey Bender of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Camden and Trial Attorney Hayter L. Whitman of the National Fraud Enforcement Division.
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Defense counsel: Nicholas Harbist, Esq., Princeton, New Jersey.
pitts.information.pdfBuffalo man sentenced for attacking postal carrierRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, N.Y. -- U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Jacob D. Ortiz, 34, of Buffalo, NY, who was convicted of assaulting a federal employee resulting in bodily injury, was sentenced to time served and three years’ supervised release by U.S. District Judge Richard J. Arcara.
On September 9, 2025, a United States Postal Service (USPS) Letter Carrier approached the mailbox of a residence on Columbus Avenue in South Buffalo and observed Ortiz on the front porch of the house. Without any warning or provocation, Ortiz descended the front steps and lunged toward and tackled the letter carrier (victim) to the ground. Ortiz then began punching the victim repeatedly with his fists, forcing the victim to use their hands to protect their face as Ortiz delivered punches to the victim’s face, head, and midsection. Ortiz temporarily stopped, but then charged a second time, forcing the victim to flee the scene for their own safety. Ortiz gave chase but was unable to catch up, allowing the victim to get to safety. As a result, the victim sustained bodily injury, including a bump on the back of the head, several contusions to other parts of the head and face, and bruises and scrapes to their elbows and knees.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Colleen M. McCarthy. The sentencing is the result of an investigation by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service Boston Division, under the direction of Acting Inspector-in-Charge Justin Page.
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Broken Bow Resident Pleads Guilty to Three Counts of Child Abuse in Indian CountryRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Vicki Lou Rhyne, age 45, of Broken Bow, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to three counts of Child Abuse in Indian Country, each count punishable by a term of up to Life in prison and a $5,000 fine.
The Indictment alleged that between in or about January 2025 and on or about August 5, 2025, Rhyne willfully and maliciously caused harm, failed to protect from harm, and tortured and injured three children under the age of eighteen. The Indictment further alleged that Rhyne withheld food as punishment, restrained the minor victims, and struck and slapped them, all while responsible for the children’s health, safety, and welfare.
The crimes occurred in McCurtain County, within the boundaries of the Choctaw Nation Reservation, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma.
The charges arose from an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the McCurtain County Sheriff’s Office.
The Honorable Jason A. Robertson, Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, accepted the plea and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report.
A U.S. District Court Judge will determine the sentence to be imposed after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Rhyne will remain in the custody of the United States Marshals Service pending sentencing.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicole Paladino represented the United States.