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Monday 21 July 2025
Justice Department Launches Second Investigation into George Mason UniversityRead the Press Release
The Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division announced today that it has launched an investigation into George Mason University to determine whether the University has denied equal treatment of individuals based on race or national origin, in violation of Title VI.
The compliance review investigation will examine whether George Mason University, a recipient of federal financial assistance, has engaged in discriminatory practices based on race, color, or national origin against its students. It will be conducted pursuant to Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibits a recipient of federal funds from discrimination based on such protected characteristics. Institutions of higher education that are governed by Title VI are to protect students’ unfettered access to the school’s educational environment and opportunities, free from discrimination. The investigation will focus on discrimination against students based on race or national origin in George Mason’s admissions practices and the awarding of student benefits and scholarships. It will also investigate the University’s response to antisemitism on campus.
“Public educational institutions are contractually obligated to follow our nation’s federal civil rights laws when receiving federal funds,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “No one should be denied access to opportunity or resources because of their race, color, or national origin, and the United States is committed to keeping our universities free of such invidious bias.”
Note: Review the notice letter here.
José Adolfo “Fito” Macías Villamar, Leader of Los Choneros Transnational Criminal Organization Extradited to Brooklyn Federal Court to Face International Drug and Gun ChargesRead the Press Release
BROOKLYN, NY – José Adolfo Macías Villamar, also known as “Fito,” a citizen of Ecuador, will be arraigned today at the federal courthouse in Brooklyn for crimes committed as the leader of Los Choneros, a transnational criminal organization based in Ecuador that is responsible for significant drug trafficking into the United States, firearms trafficking from the United States, and acts of extreme violence. Macías Villamar will be arraigned on a seven-count superseding indictment charging him with international cocaine distribution conspiracy; international cocaine distribution; using firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking; smuggling firearms from the United States; and straw purchasing of firearms conspiracy. Macías Villamar will be arraigned before United States Chief Magistrate Judge Vera M. Scanlon after being extradited yesterday from Ecuador to the Eastern District of New York.
Joseph Nocella, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York; Robert Murphy, Acting Administrator of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA); L.C. Cheeks, Jr., Special Agent in Charge, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Newark Field Division (ATF); and Jonathan Carson, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Department of Commerce, Office of Export Enforcement, New York Field Office (OEE), announced the extradition and arraignment.
“As alleged, the defendant served for years as the principal leader of Los Choneros, a notoriously violent transnational criminal organization, and was a ruthless and infamous drug and firearms trafficker. The defendant and his co-conspirators flooded the United States and other countries with drugs and used extreme measures of violence in their quest for power and control,” stated United States Attorney Nocella. “This case demonstrates our Office’s commitment to identifying and targeting the leadership of such organizations, wherever they may be located, and bringing them to face justice here in the United States.”
“José ‘Fito’ Macias thought he could traffic poison into our country, smuggle American weapons back to his killers, and further his criminal enterprise using chaos and bloodshed. He was wrong,” stated DEA Acting Administrator Robert Murphy. “Today, the kingpin of Los Choneros faces justice on U.S. soil for his crimes.”
“ATF remains dedicated to working with our local, state, and federal partners to disrupt the shooting cycle by focusing on those individuals and criminal organizations responsible for the gun violence that plagues our neighborhoods,” stated ATF Special Agent in Charge Cheeks. “ATF will continue to collaborate with our law enforcement partners to address violent gang and drug-related activity that endangers the safety of our communities. Our joint efforts are essential in bringing accountability to violent offenders, combatting threats to the public, and reducing violent crime.”
As alleged in the indictment and other public filings, from at least 2020 to 2025, Macías Villamar was the principal leader of Los Choneros, the most violent and powerful transnational criminal organization in Ecuador. As the principal leader of Los Choneros, Macías Villamar employed members of the organization to carry out serious acts of violence on the organization’s behalf. At Macías Villamar’s direction, Los Choneros committed violent acts toward Ecuadorean law enforcement, Ecuadorian politicians, attorneys, prosecutors, and civilians. Los Choneros obtained many of its firearms and weapons by illegally trafficking and exporting them from the United States to Ecuador. As alleged, the defendant specifically employed individuals who purchased firearms, firearms components, and ammunition in the United States and then illegally smuggled them to Ecuador for use by Los Choneros.
In 2011, Macías Villamar went to prison in Ecuador on murder, robbery, weapons possession, and drug trafficking charges. He escaped in 2013 before being recaptured months later. During his second imprisonment in Ecuador, Macías Villamar used contraband cell phones and the internet to continue to direct the activities of Los Choneros and publish external communications and threats on Los Choneros’ behalf. In January 2024, he escaped from Ecuadorian prison a second time—just two days ahead of his planned move to a maximum-security facility. In response to his escape, Ecuador erupted in violence—including prison riots, gang attacks, kidnappings, and bombings—and the government of Ecuador declared a state of emergency. Ecuadorian authorities recaptured Macías Villamar on June 25, 2025, and he was extradited from Ecuador yesterday.
Macías Villamar and members and associates of his organization used firearms in furtherance of their weapon and drug trafficking activities, including machine guns, AK-47 assault rifles, and grenades. Macías Villamar and the Los Choneros organization have also been sanctioned by the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC).
The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs and Ecuadorian authorities provided substantial assistance to secure the extradition of Macías Villamar. This marks Ecuador’s first extradition of an Ecuadorian national since an April 2024 popular referendum amended Ecuador’s constitution to allow for the extradition of Ecuadorian nationals.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs) and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
The charges in the superseding indictment are allegations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. If convicted, the defendant faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 20 years in prison and up to life.
The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s International Narcotics and Money Laundering Section, and as part of the work of the Office’s Transnational Criminal Organizations Strike Force. Assistant United States Attorneys Chand Edwards-Balfour, Lorena Michelen, and David Berman are in charge of the prosecution.
The Defendant:
JOSÉ ADOLFO MACÍAS VILLAMAR (also known as “Fito”)
Age: 45
EcuadorE.D.N.Y. Docket No.: 25-CR-114 (FB)
Johnston Man Indicted for Possessing Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE – A Johnston man convicted and sentenced in 2006 for felony assaults involving the molestation of two minors has been indicted by a federal grand jury for allegedly downloading child sexual abuse material (CSAM), announced Acting United States Attorney Sara Miron Bloom.
Jonathan P. Graziano, 41, is charged by indictment with possession of child pornography.
Court documents reflect that Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the Rhode Island State Police Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force reviewed a report from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children regarding a user distributing CSAM via a messaging application. Further investigation determined that an IP address at a Johnston address that Graziano shared with others was being used to distribute the material. A court-authorized search of the residence and of electronic devices resulted in the discovery of hundreds of images and videos of CSAM on Jonathan Graziano’s personal electronic device.
Graziano is currently detained in federal custody on a criminal complaint filed in this matter on June 18, 2025. He is scheduled to be arraigned on the indictment on July 25, 2025. An indictment is merely an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney G. Michael Seaman.
The matter was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the Rhode Island State Police Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. 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
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Jefferson County man sentenced to federal prison for trafficking methamphetamineRead the Press Release
BEAUMONT, Texas – A Beaumont man has been sentenced to federal prison for drug trafficking violations in the Eastern District of Texas, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs.
Tomaas Herron Stittem, 29, pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine and was sentenced to 140 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Marcia A. Crone on July 21, 2025.
According to information presented in court, in December 2023, local law enforcement began investigating Stittem as a drug trafficker in the Jefferson County area. On January 24, 2024, Stittem was stopped for a traffic violation and found to be in possession of 109.2 grams of methamphetamine. Throughout the investigation, Stittem is responsible for trafficking approximately 318.28 grams of methamphetamine.
This case was investigated by the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office, U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Beaumont Police Department. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan C. Lee.
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Jacksonville Convicted Child Sex Traveler Sentenced to More Than 17 Years in Prison for Attempting to Entice and Meet A 13-Year-Old Child to Engage in Sexual ActivityRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – Chief United States District Judge Marcia Morales Howard has sentenced Jeremy Wayne Leggett (37, Jacksonville) to 17 years and 6 months in federal prison for using the internet to attempt to entice and meet a 13-year-old child to engage in sexual activity. Leggett was arrested on June 19, 2023, and has remained been in federal custody. Leggett pleaded guilty on January 15, 2025.
According to court records, Leggett is a registered child sex offender, having been previously convicted in Florida in 2020 of traveling to meet a minor to commit an unlawful sexual offense and transmitting harmful materials to a minor.
On June 16, 2023, an undercover FBI agent (UC) in the Jacksonville area, posing as a child, was working online in a social media application (app) to identify individuals seeking to meet children for sexual activity. The UC engaged in online conversation with an app user “dAddi” who posted a notice in a public chat room that read “Lookingfor [under 18 emoji] wannaspoiladaughter.” During this online conversation, user “dAddi,” who was identified as Leggett, was advised that the “child” was 13 years old. Leggett asked if the “child” “[l]ike[d] older men,” and sent the “child” a photo of himself. Leggett denied being a murderer or a kidnapper, telling the “child” that he was “just a pedophile.” He suggested that that they meet so he could perform oral sex on “her” in his vehicle. After more conversation, Leggett sent the “child” explicit photos of himself. On June 17, 18, and 19, 2023, Leggett initiated text messages with the UC and continued attempting to persuade the “child” to meet for sex.
On June 19, 2023, Leggett and the “child” arranged through text messages to meet at a retail shopping center in Jacksonville. That evening, Leggett drove his vehicle to this location to meet the “child” and circled the parking lot. When law enforcement officers attempted to stop Leggett’s vehicle, he quickly reversed his vehicle and fled the scene. A short time later, officers with the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office and FBI agents located Leggett at a residence in Jacksonville and he was arrested.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office, and the Naval Criminal Investigative Service. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney D. Rodney Brown.
It is another case brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue child victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Iowa Man Indicted for Sex Trafficking Multiple VictimsRead the Press Release
An eight-count indictment in the Northern District of Iowa has been unsealed charging a Des Moines man with four counts of sex trafficking by force, fraud or coercion and four counts of interstate transportation for purposes of prostitution through coercion and enticement.
According to the indictment, Marlin Santana Thomas Sr., 49, used force, fraud and coercion to cause four adult women to engage in commercial sex acts in the Northern District of Iowa and elsewhere between 2009 and 2015. The indictment also alleges that Thomas transported women from Iowa to Illinois and North Dakota for the purpose of engaging in prostitution.
The charge of sex trafficking by force, fraud or coercion carries a mandatory minimum penalty of 15 years in prison and a maximum penalty of life in prison. It also carries a minimum of five years of supervised release up to a lifetime of supervised release along with a fine of up to $250,000. Finally, restitution is mandatory upon any conviction for sex trafficking. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence upon any conviction after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The FBI and Des Moines Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Emily Nydle for the Northern District of Iowa and Trial Attorney Slava Kuperstein of the Civil Rights Division’s Human Trafficking Prosecution Unit are prosecuting the case.
The FBI is asking that anyone with information about Thomas to contact the Omaha Field Office at (402) 493-8688.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Anyone who has information about human trafficking should report that information to the National Human Trafficking Hotline toll-free at 1-888-373-7888, which is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. For more information about human trafficking, please visit www.humantraffickinghotline.org. Information on the Justice Department’s efforts to combat human trafficking can be found at www.justice.gov/humantrafficking.
Indiana man sentenced to federal prison for exploiting Texas minor through gaming appRead the Press Release
BEAUMONT, Texas – A Putnam County, Indiana man has been sentenced to over 24 years in federal prison for production of child pornography in the Eastern District of Texas, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs.
Tristan Kalobbe Martin, 29, pleaded guilty to production of child pornography and was sentenced to 293 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Marcia A. Crone on July 21, 2025.
According to information presented in court, in June 2022, Martin began communicating with a minor from Jasper County, Texas, while gaming through an on-line game console. Although the victim told Martin they were 15 years old, Martin continued to communicate with the minor. Law enforcement authorities in Jasper contacted law enforcement in Indiana in reference to the relationship. Local law enforcement in Indiana seized Martin’s cell phone, which contained nine videos of the minor engaging in sexually explicit behavior.
This case was prosecuted as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
This case was investigated by the FBI; Putnam County, Indiana, Sheriff’s Office; and the Jasper Police Department. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Rachel Grove.###
Indian man arrested for possessing a forged alien resident cardRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Swapnil Ramesh Tejale, 34, a citizen of India, was arrested and charged by criminal complaint with possession of a forged alien resident card, which carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael J. Smith, who is handling the case, stated that according to the complaint, on July 10, 2025, the Niagara Falls Border Patrol Station received a request from the Niagara Falls Police Department to help identify three individuals that they had encountered during a traffic stop. Agents arrived at the scene and questioned the three individuals as to their citizenship. Tejale presented a Lawful Permanent Resident Card but voluntarily admitted that the card was fictitious. It was determined that Tejale was illegally present in the United States without any immigration documents that would allow him to remain in the country lawfully. After Tejale was taken into custody, agents located a Social Security Card in his name. Record checks verified that the Social Security Card was also fictitious.
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.
The complaint is the result of an investigation by the U.S. Border Patrol Niagara Falls Station, under the direction of Patrol Agent in Charge Brady Waikal.
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Independence Man Charged for Illegally Possessing a FirearmRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – An Independence, Mo., man has been charged with illegally possessing a stolen firearm.
Daryl O.D. Beck, 37, was charged by a federal grand jury on July 15, 2025, with being a felon in possession of a firearm and for possession of a stolen firearm Beck has prior felony convictions including for possession and intent to manufacture a controlled substance, as well as for aggravated assault. The secret indictment was unsealed today following Beck’s initial appearance.
Under federal law, it is illegal for anyone who has been convicted of a felony to be in possession of any firearm or ammunition.
The charges contained in this indictment are simply accusations, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charges must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Brad K. Kavanaugh. It was investigated by the Independence, Missouri Police Department.
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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INTERPOL Washington Advances Panama’s Ability to Disrupt Transnational Criminal Gangs and TerroristsRead the Press Release
Under Project TERMINUS, an INTERPOL Washington team recently deployed to Panama City, Panama, to deliver and install critical equipment and technology designed to assist Panamanian authorities in detecting and interdicting transnational criminals and terrorists before they reach our borders. This latest deployment builds on a previous mission in June 2024 where a TERMINUS team integrated INTERPOL data into Panama’s newly established Border Information and Analysis Targeting Unit (BIATU).
“Project TERMINUS reflects our commitment to forward-deploy U.S. capabilities and build out trusted partnerships in key locations that enhance global security,” said INTERPOL Washington’s Acting Deputy Chief of Staff Keith Hood, who oversees the program. “This project with our Panamanian partners serves as a model of success for TERMINUS. By equipping one of our closest allies against cartels with the tools and training they need to disrupt transnational crime at its source, we helped protect our own communities, the homeland, and the region at large.”
The visit was conducted in close coordination with the U.S. Department of Justice’s International Criminal Investigative Training Assistance Program (ICITAP) and funded by the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Counterterrorism. The team participated in operational briefings with U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the Panamanian National Police (PNP), Panama Immigration, and the Panamanian Passport Authority. During the visit, the team formally donated essential equipment to the PNP and to Panama’s immigration fusion center (UPAPF), reinforcing operational capacity and advancing joint security objectives.
The team also saw firsthand how SENAFRONT—the Panamanian border security agency—has connected to and is actively utilizing INTERPOL’s I-24/7 system, marking a major milestone in the country's border integration efforts.
Project TERMINUS continues to serve as a vital tool for strengthening international police cooperation, disrupting transnational threats, and promoting shared regional security.
Illegal Alien Sentenced to Federal Prison for Unlawfully Possessing a FirearmRead the Press Release
PENSACOLA, FLORIDA – Juan Dias-Zacarias, also known to law enforcement as “Gabriel P. Roberro” and “Gabriel Perez Roblero,” an illegal alien from South America, was sentenced to one year and one day in federal prison for Unlawful Possession of a Firearm by an Illegal Alien. The plea was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “Law-abiding citizens are guaranteed the right to keep and bear firearms by our U.S. Constitution, but illegal aliens who unlawfully enter our country have no such right. In this case, the defendant not only unlawfully possessed a firearm, he used it to violently threaten another person. This criminal alien has repeatedly attempted to evade detection by using various aliases, but law enforcement’s advanced biometric capabilities helped to confirm his actual identity and secure his federal conviction. President Donald J. Trump and Attorney General Pam Bondi promised to Take Back America from violent criminals, and my office will continue to fulfill that promise by aggressively prosecuting these cases to keep our communities safe.”
Court records reflect that Dias-Zacarias was asked by a security guard multiple times to evacuate a hotel located in Pensacola, Florida. Dias-Zacarias responded by removing a revolver from his waistband and pointing it at the security guard, causing him to fear for his life. Eventually, the guard was able to disable Dias-Zacarias, remove the firearm from him, and notify law enforcement. Dias-Zacarias was previously encountered by immigration authorities in the United States in 1998, and he returned to Mexico. The defendant’s history reflects he has provided varying names, dates of birth, and countries of origin to U.S. law enforcement since his removal and illegal return. Recorded biometrics, however, have allowed law enforcement to identify him on each occasion.
“This criminal illegal alien posed a clear threat to public safety by illegally possessing a firearm, brandishing it at other people, and by repeatedly attempting to deceive authorities on his true identity,” said Homeland Security Investigations Tallahassee Assistant Special Agent in Charge Nichola Ingegno. “His prior deportation and continued efforts to evade law enforcement demonstrate a complete disregard of the laws of the United States. This sentencing reinforces our commitment to work alongside our federal, state, and local partners to protect the public from these kinds of threats and hold accountable those who abuse our system and endanger others.”
An ICE detainer has been lodged against Dias-Zacarias, and he will begin deportation proceedings after he serves his federal prison term. Dias-Zacarias’ imprisonment will be followed by a three-year term of supervised release, meaning if he returns to the United States during such timeframe, he will potentially face an additional period of incarceration related to violating his supervision.
The case was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement Removal Operations. Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer H. Callahan prosecuted this case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America (https://www.justice.gov/dag/media/1393746/dl?inline ) a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.
Honduran National Sentenced to 27 Months in PrisonRead the Press Release
HAMMOND, INDIANA – Luis Banegas Rodriguez, 25 years old, of Honduras, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Philip P. Simon after pleading guilty to conspiracy to commit bank fraud in two cases, announced Acting United States Attorney M. Scott Proctor for the Northern District of Indiana.
Banegas Rodriguez was sentenced to 27 months in prison followed by 1 year of supervised release. He was also ordered to pay $533,043 in restitution.
According to documents in each case, on January 11, 2023, Banegas Rodriguez and his co-conspirators used fake identification cards to cash 169 fraudulent paychecks totaling $233,569 at three branches of the same bank in the Northern District of Indiana. The fraudulent paychecks were designed to look like they had been issued by a company that operates dairy farms in the Northern District of Indiana.
Almost six months later, on June 23, 2023, Banegas Rodriguez and his co-conspirators used fake identification cards to cash 178 fraudulent paychecks totaling $299,474 at five branches of the same bank and three check cashing businesses in the Eastern District of Oklahoma. The fraudulent paychecks were designed to look like they had been issued by a building materials supply company in the Eastern District of Oklahoma.
“Banegas Rodriguez participated in a far-reaching conspiracy that caused major financial harm to community banks and small businesses across the United States. Due to the unwavering efforts and collaboration between federal, state, and local law enforcement, Banegas Rodriguez was brought to justice for his role in this scheme,” said Proctor. “The sentence imposed by the court sends a message that there are real consequences for engaging in fraud, particularly in northwest Indiana.”
“The illicit actions of co-conspirators to commit bank fraud as they travel throughout the United States will not be tolerated,” said Matthew J. Scarpino, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) in Chicago. “HSI will continue to partner with our fellow law enforcement agencies to disrupt these types of offenders and hold them accountable for their crimes.”
These cases were investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the United States Secret Service, and the Indiana State Police, with valuable assistance provided by the Benton County (Indiana) Sheriff’s Department, the Benton County (Indiana) Prosecutor’s Office, the Poteau (Oklahoma) Police Department, and the Houston (Texas) Police Department.
The cases were prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Steven J. Lupa from the Northern District of Indiana and Assistant United States Attorneys Kara Traster and Jordan Howanitz from the Eastern District of Oklahoma.
Honduran Citizen Sentenced to Prison for Illegal Reentry; Faces DeportationRead the Press Release
WILLIAMSPORT -The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Elio Yoel Cardona-Torres, age 43, a citizen of Honduras, was sentenced on July 17, 2025, to time-served (five months in prison) by Chief United States District Judge Matthew W. Brann for illegally reentering the country after having previously been removed. Cardona-Torres had pleaded guilty to the charge.
According to Acting United States Attorney John Gurganus, Cardona-Torres was arrested during targeted enforcement in Sayre, Pennsylvania, on February 22, 2025. Cardona-Torres had previously been removed from the United States pursuant to court order in 2006, 2008 and 2010. Cardona-Torres again faces deportation proceedings.
The case was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Removal Operations. Assistant United States Attorney Robin Zenzinger prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America (https://www.justice.gov/dag/media/1393746/dl?inline) a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
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Hermandad de Pistoleros Latinos gang member sentenced to 100 months for heroin traffickingRead the Press Release
LAREDO, Texas – A 33-year-old Laredo man has been sentenced for possession with the intent to distribute 100 grams or more of heroin, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
Raul Garcia Jr. aka Rule pleaded guilty Aug. 6. 2024.
U.S. District Judge Keith P. Ellison has now ordered Garcia to serve 100 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by four years of supervised release. At the hearing, the court heard about Garcia’s numerous prior convictions and contacts with law enforcement. In handing down the sentence, the court noted this was a serious crime.
The investigation began in January 2024 when law enforcement learned Garcia may have been selling fentanyl in the Laredo area. Over the next three months, authorities discovered Garcia was selling narcotics out of his home.
A search warrant in March of that year resulted in the discovery of heroin packaged for street sale. A month later, law enforcement obtained a second search warrant and again found heroin. Similar to previously found drugs, the heroin was also packaged for street sale.
The searches also revealed methamphetamine, crack cocaine, fentanyl, marijuana, money and stolen firearm.
At the time of his plea, Garcia admitted to possessing the drugs located and seized throughout the investigation.
He will remain in custody pending transfer to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
The Drug Enforcement Administration, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Laredo Police Department’s Narcotics Division conducted the investigation with assistance from Immigration and Customs Enforcement - Homeland Security Investigations and Border Patrol. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Steven Chamberlin and Leslie Cortez prosecuted the case.
This case is being prosecuted as part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF is the largest anti-crime task force in the country. OCDETF identifies, disrupts and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found on the Department of Justice’s OCDETF webpage.
Guatemalan National Indicted for Illegal ReentryRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE – A Guatemalan national previously deported from the United States in 2018 has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Rhode Island on a charge of illegal reentry, announced Acting United States Attorney Sara Miron Bloom.
Jose Alejandro Morales Cordon, 37, came to the attention of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) through an automated biometric fingerprint match of fingerprints entered into the National Crime Enforcement Center in June 2025 following his arrest on state assault and cyberstalking charges. He is scheduled to be arraigned in U.S. District Court on July 28, 2025.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S Attorney Julie M. White.
The matter was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
A federal indictment is merely an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
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Grand Juries Charge Three Mexican Nationals with Illegal ReentryRead the Press Release
TOLEDO, Ohio – The United States Attorney’s Office (USAO) has announced that federal grand juries in the Northern District of Ohio have returned indictments charging three Mexican nationals with violating Title 8 U.S. Code (USC) 1326, illegal reentry. Additionally, one defendant was charged with using fraudulent documents. These are separate cases and not related.
Raul Samano-Fuerte, 49, has been charged with one count of illegal reentry. He has been previously removed from the United States four times with the most recent being March 10, 2009. On June 23, 2025, he was found in Norwalk, Ohio, without the consent of the U.S. Attorney General or the Secretary for Homeland Security for readmission.
Gonzalo Diaz-Resendiz, 29, has been charged with one count of illegal reentry. He has been previously removed from the United States on at least one occasion with the most recent being Sept. 6, 2013. On June 30, 2025, he was found in Ottawa, Ohio, without the consent of the U.S. Attorney General or the Secretary for Homeland Security for readmission.
Cesar Ramirez-Velazquez, aka Cesar Ramirez-Rincon, 44, has been charged with one count of illegal reentry. He has two previous removals from the United States with the most recent being June 7, 2009. He was again found in the country on March 19, 2024, in Norwalk, Ohio without the consent of the U.S. Attorney General or the Secretary for Homeland Security to be readmitted. He was also charged with two counts of possession of a fraudulent identification document for possessing a fraudulent permanent resident card and a fraudulent Social Security card in violation of Title 18 USC 1546 (a). Additionally, the defendant is charged with misuse of a Social Security Number, in violation of Title 42, USC 408 (a)(7)(B).
The investigations preceding the indictments were conducted by the U.S. Border Patrol-Sandusky Bay Station.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Ava Rotell Dustin is leading the prosecution.
An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. Each defendant is entitled to a fair trial in which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
If convicted, the defendant’s sentence will be determined by the Court after a review of factors unique to this case, including the defendant’s prior criminal records, if any, the defendant’s role in the offense and the characteristics of the violations.
These cases are part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations, and protect communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
Gillette man sentenced to 25 years in federal prison for trafficking methamphetamineRead the Press Release
Wade Schear, 42, of Gillette, Wyoming, was sentenced to 25 years’ imprisonment followed by five years of supervised release for possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine. Chief U.S. District Court Judge Kelly H. Rankin imposed the sentence on July 17, 2025, in Cheyenne.
Shear was convicted by a federal jury on April 30 following a three-day jury trial. According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, the Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation Central Enforcement Team began an investigation into the possession, transportation, and distribution of methamphetamine in Natrona County. During the investigation, Schear was identified as a person of interest. On June 22, 2024, the Platte County Sheriff's Office conducted a traffic stop on Schear's vehicle near Chugwater. Deputies searched Schear's vehicle after a K9 alerted to presence of controlled substances. Deputies located approximately 871 grams of methamphetamine in two large plastic bags hidden in Schear’s backpack. Trial evidence indicated Schear frequently traveled from Wyoming to Colorado to obtain large quantities of methamphetamine to bring back to Wyoming. Schear had previously been convicted of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine on two occasions.
The Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation Central Enforcement Team and the Platte County Sheriff’s Office investigated the crime. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Mackenzie R. Morrison and Eric Heimann prosecuted the case.
Case No. 24-CR-00136
Four Foreign Nationals Plead Guilty, Two Others Awaiting Trial in a Multi-State ATM and Retail Skimming ConspiracyRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE – Four foreign nationals illegally present in the United States have admitted to a federal judge in Rhode Island that they participated in a scheme that compromised more than 15,000 credit, debit, and Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) cards and that they made hundreds of thousands of dollars in unauthorized bank withdrawals and retail purchases, announced Acting United States Attorney Sara Miron Bloom.
The defendants admitted that they used credit card “skimming” devices to steal debit and credit card users’ personal financial account information, which they then appropriated for their own use. Skimming devices were placed on retail outlet point-of-sale terminals and on ATMs at various financial institutions
An investigation revealed that from May 2023 through February 2024, the defendants compromised more than 15,000 bank cards and gained users’ personal financial account information by placing card skimming devices on point-of-sale terminals at various locations of major retailers and on ATMs of various financial institutions in Virginia, Maryland, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, New York, Rhode Island, and Massachusetts.
In Rhode Island, more than 200 debit cards were compromised at two Rhode Island financial institutions, resulting in over $280,000 of unauthorized ATM withdrawals from 67 customer accounts.
Robby Vicson Codreanu, 21, a citizen of the United Kingdom; Isabela Ignat Codreanu, 24, a citizen of Romania; and Armando Ion Codreanu, 24, and Nicolas Longin Codreanu, 23, citizens of Ireland, each pleaded guilty to charges of conspiracy to commit access device fraud; producing, using and trafficking in counterfeit access devices; accessing fifteen or more counterfeit and unauthorized access devices; and access device making equipment. Nicolas and Armando Codreanu also pleaded guilty to a charge of access devices issued to another person.
Nicolas Codreanu will be sentenced on October 14, 2025. Isabella, Armando, and Robby Codreanu will be sentenced on October 21, 2025. The sentences imposed will be determined by a federal district judge after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Two other defendants, Ionut Zamfir, 38, and Mila Ciuciu, 21, both citizens of Romania, are awaiting trial.
The cases are being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ronald R. Gendron
The matter was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the Bristol Police Department, with the assistance of the Warwick Police Department, Coventry Police Department, Westerly Police Department, Johnston Police Department, Seekonk Police Department, United States Secret Service, and Homeland Security Investigations agents in Lafayette, LA, New York, NY, and Los Angeles, CA.
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Foster Man Admits to Downloading and Storing Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE – A Foster man previously convicted and incarcerated for sharing sexually explicit photographs online with a person he believed to be a 13-year-old girl with whom he also attempted to meet near her middle school to engage in sex today pleaded guilty to a charge of receipt of child pornography, announced Acting United States Attorney Sara Miron Bloom.
John Q. Adams, 36, admitted that on January 13, 2021, he downloaded and stored an explicit video file depicting child sexual abuse material involving two adult males and a prepubescent female. Further investigation determined that Adams had downloaded and stored approximately 112 images and 49 videos of child sexual abuse material.
Adams is scheduled to be sentenced on October 21, 2025. The sentence imposed will be determined by a federal district judge after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Denise M. Barton.
The matter was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the Rhode Island State Police Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. 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
To report suspected online child sexual exploitation and/or abuse, call the Know2Protect Tipline at 1-833-591-KNOW (5669) or visit the NCMEC CyberTipline® at https://report.cybertip.org/
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Former East Bay Financial Advisor Charged with Allegedly Operating Long-Running $9.5 Million Ponzi SchemeRead the Press Release
OAKLAND – A federal grand jury indicted Edwin Emmett Lickiss, Jr., on one count of wire fraud and one count of money laundering in connection with an alleged $9.5 million investment fraud scheme.
According to the indictment filed on July 17, 2025, and unsealed today, between 1998 and September 2024, Lickiss, 77, was a financial advisor based in Danville and Alamo, Calif., who owned and operated Foundation Financial Group, a firm that provided investment services to investors in the Northern District of California, Idaho, and throughout the United States. Lickiss was a registered broker until 2014, when the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority suspended his broker’s license. Despite the suspension and loss of his broker’s license, Lickiss allegedly continued to solicit and obtain investments from victim investors until around September 2024.
The indictment alleges that as part of his scheme, Lickiss falsely represented to investors that he would invest their funds in government bonds and other bonds. To induce his victims to invest their money with him, Lickiss claimed he had exclusive access to fictitious bonds that paid very high rates of returns, including rates in excess of 20 percent. Lickiss described the fictitious bonds as safe, secure, and tax-free, and falsely claimed, among other things, that they could be redeemed at any time.
In order to convince investors that he had invested their funds as promised, Lickiss allegedly gave fraudulent promissory notes that included the terms of the fake bond investments and purported to track investors’ total investment in the fake bonds. Lickiss also occasionally made lulling payments to victim investors, falsely describing the payments as interest that had accrued on the nonexistent bonds, when, in fact, the payments were made with funds Lickiss fraudulently obtained from subsequent victim investors. In addition to making the foregoing misrepresentations, Lickiss allegedly failed to disclose to victim investors that he had been suspended in 2014 from association with any broker-dealer and that he subsequently lost his broker’s license in 2016.
Instead of investing the funds as promised, Lickiss allegedly used victim investors’ funds to pay earlier investors, in the manner of a Ponzi scheme, and for his personal use, including cash withdrawals, home renovations, travel, and car, mortgage, and personal credit card payments. In all, Lickiss allegedly obtained at least $9.5 million from no fewer than 50 victim investors.
United States Attorney Craig H. Missakian, FBI Special Agent in Charge Sanjay Virmani, and IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) Oakland Field Office Special Agent in Charge Linda Nguyen made the announcement.
Lickiss is scheduled to make his initial appearance on July 22, 2025, at 10:30 a.m., before U.S. Magistrate Judge Nathanael Cousins in Courtroom F in San Francisco.
An indictment merely alleges that crimes have been committed, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. Defendant faces a maximum statutory sentence of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine on the wire fraud count, and 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine on the money laundering count. Any sentence following conviction would 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 U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission has also filed a civil enforcement action against Lickiss in the Northern District of California.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ryan Arash Rezaei and Benjamin J. Wolinsky are prosecuting the case with the assistance of Lynette Dixon. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the FBI and IRS-CI. The U.S. Attorney’s Office thanks the Atlanta Regional Office of the SEC for its assistance in the investigation.
Lickiss Indictment
Former Assistant Director of Central Pennsylvania Youth Ministries Charged with Child-Pornography OffensesRead the Press Release
HARRISBURG - The United States Attorney for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that former Assistant Director of Central Pennsylvania Youth Ministries, Daniel Reed, age 51, of Thompsontown, Juniata County, Pennsylvania, was charged by criminal complaint with attempted production of child pornography, production of child pornography, and possession of child pornography.
According to Acting United States Attorney John Gurganus, the criminal complaint alleges that Central Pennsylvania Youth Ministries received a report from an adult female who said that she was “groomed” into a sexual relationship with Reed when she was between 14 and 17 years old. It is further alleged that thereafter a “peep hole” and two-way mirror was discovered in the second-floor hallway closet of the Youth Ministries and looked into the second-floor bathroom which had a shower.
Following the execution of a search warrant at Reed’s residence, law enforcement seized an electronic device which contained internet searches relating to the use of hidden cameras for illicit purposes. It also included a text message to a group that included two 16-year-old minor females, appearing to encourage them to use the shower at the Youth Ministries’’ facility. Also, on a hard drive seized from the residence, law enforcement discovered at least seven nude images of minor females from the second-floor bathroom at the Youth Ministries’ facility, and images of others in other bathrooms and bedrooms. All the images appeared to have been taken from a hidden camera.
The FBI's Philadelphia Field Office is seeking to identify potential victims. If you, your family member, or anyone that you know may have information relating to these matters under investigation and/or would like to report a crime, please contact the FBI Philadelphia Office at (215) 418-4000.
The case was investigated by the Pennsylvania State Police and Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant United States Attorney K. Wesley Mishoe is prosecuting the case.
The maximum penalty upon conviction for the charged offenses is 70 years’ imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, a fine, and the imposition of a special assessment. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by a court after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
Criminal complaints only contain allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.
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Former Accountant for Chicago Construction Company Sentenced to More Than Two Years in Prison for $1.8 Million EmbezzlementRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — A former senior accountant for a Chicago construction company has been sentenced to more than two years in federal prison for embezzling company funds.
RICHARD A. MANDARINO entered false payment requests in the construction company’s accounting system, causing checks to be issued to vendor companies for goods and services that Mandarino knew were never provided. Mandarino then converted those payments to his and others’ personal use. He concealed the thefts by creating fictitious credits and offsets in the construction company’s accounting system.
Mandarino committed the fraud from 2015 to 2017 while he resided in Canada and worked on the Chicago construction company’s Canadian business projects. As a result of his conduct, Mandarino caused losses totaling more than $1.8 million.
Mandarino, 46, of Scarborough, Ontario, Canada, pleaded guilty last year to a federal wire fraud charge. In an order issued on Friday, U.S. District Judge Steven C. Seeger sentenced Mandarino to two years and two months in federal prison and ordered him to pay more than $1.8 million in restitution to his victims.
The sentence was announced by Andrew S. Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and Douglas S. DePodesta, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI. The government was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kartik K. Raman and former Assistant U.S. Attorneys Yusef Dale and Patrick J. King, Jr.
“Defendant engaged in a deceptive and calculated scheme against his employer who trusted him with its finances,” the government argued in its sentencing memorandum. “The scheme was complex and multilayered.”
Foreign National Sentenced for Conspiring to Export U.S.-Made Drill Rigs to Iran in Violation of U.S. Sanctions LawsRead the Press Release
Brian Assi, also known as Brahim Assi, 63, of Beirut, Lebanon, was sentenced to 44 months in prison for conspiring to violate the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) and the Iranian Transactions and Sanctions Regulations (ITSR), attempted unlawful export of goods from the United States to Iran without a license, attempted smuggling goods from the United States, submitting false or misleading export information, and conspiracy to commit money laundering.
“The defendant conspired to export millions of dollars of U.S.-made heavy machinery to Iran, a leading state sponsor of terrorism,” said John A. Eisenberg, Assistant Attorney General for National Security. “The National Security Division will find and prosecute those who illegally sell American products to our adversaries.”
“The defendant threatened U.S. economic and national security by conspiring and concealing his efforts to circumvent our export controls to provide heavy machinery to Iran, a designated state sponsor of terrorism for the past 40 years,” said U.S. Attorney John P. Heekin for the Northern District of Florida. “My office will continue to aggressively pursue anyone who violates our laws and offers material support to America’s enemies.”
Assi was convicted of the charges in October 2024. According to evidence presented at trial, Assi was a Middle East-based salesman of a multinational heavy machinery manufacturer with a U.S.-based subsidiary and production plant located in Alachua, Florida. Assi conspired with individuals affiliated with Sakht Abzar Pars Co. (SAP-Iran), based in Tehran, Iran, to export U.S.-made heavy machinery indirectly to Iran without first obtaining the required licenses from the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC).
Assi and his Iranian co-conspirators orchestrated the scheme by locating an Iraq-based distributor to serve as the forward-facing purchaser of two U.S.-origin blasthole drills from the U.S. subsidiary of Assi’s employer. The drills are a type of heavy machinery used to create holes in the ground that are then filled with controlled explosives for mining.
Assi facilitated the sale of the drills and attempted export them to Iran and used freight forwarding companies to ship the heavy equipment from the U.S. to Turkey. In doing so, Assi concealed any Iranian involvement in the transaction from his employer, claiming the drills were ultimately destined for use in Iraq. But in truth, Assi intended for his Iranian co-conspirators to transship or reexport those items from Turkey to Iran, in circumvention of the U.S. export control and sanction laws.
In furtherance of the conspiracy, Assi concealed his activities with his Iranian co-conspirators by causing false information to be entered into the Automated Export System (AES), a U.S.-government database containing information about exports from the United States. The U.S.-based plant hired a U.S. freight forwarder to arrange the drill’s export from the U.S. to Iraq. As part of the shipping process, the freight forwarder submitted information to AES about the shipment, including the ultimate consignee’s name and the ultimate delivery destination. Assi misled his employer by claiming that the Iraqi distributor was the ultimate consignee, and that the ultimate delivery destination was Iraq. In fact, Assi knew that his co-conspirators in Iran were the true intended recipients, and Iran was the ultimate intended delivery destination.
In furtherance of the illicit transaction, Assi and his co-conspirators caused the transfer of approximately $2.7 million from Turkey to pass through the United States.
The Commerce Department Bureau of Industry and Security’s Office of Export Enforcement investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Andrew J. Grogan and Harley W. Ferguson for the Northern District of Florida and Trial Attorney Ahmed Almudallal of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section prosecuted the case.
Foreign Citizen Extradited to New Zealand to Stand Trial for Child RapeRead the Press Release
HONOLULU – Acting United States Attorney Kenneth M. Sorenson announced that a foreign citizen overstaying a visitor visa on Oahu was extradited to New Zealand where he is wanted to stand trial for the alleged rape of a twelve year- old. The man invoked his right to name suppression under New Zealand law and is not being identified by the United States Attorney’s Office.
According to the extradition request submitted by New Zealand, the man is charged with rape, indecent assault on a young person, and unlawful sexual connection, among other offenses, for a 2015 encounter with the minor victim in a guest room adjoining the minor’s family home. Multiple witnesses provided statements to New Zealand Police, including a female friend of the victim, who corroborated the victim’s story and reported having also been inappropriately touched by the man in the months preceding the incident. Following an initial encounter with New Zealand Police in September 2015, the man fled New Zealand, eventually finding his way to Hawaii.
The United States Marshals Service, with substantial assistance from Homeland Security Investigations, arrested the man in March 2024. On April 3, 2025, following federal court proceedings in Honolulu, the court certified him as extraditable to New Zealand. The United States Secretary of State thereafter granted the extradition request, and he was surrendered to New Zealand authorities on May 30, 2025.
The case was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan D. Slack of the District of Hawaii and the Office of International Affairs in the Justice Department’s Criminal Division
Federal inmate sentenced for trafficking methamphetamine in prisonRead the Press Release
BEAUMONT, Texas – A federal inmate has been sentenced to additional time in federal prison for drug trafficking violations in the Eastern District of Texas, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs.
Kerry Wayne Feaster, 49, pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and was sentenced to 63 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Marcia A. Crone on July 21, 2025.
According to information presented in court, on August 14, 2024, a correctional officer at the federal prison in Beaumont conducted a search of Feaster, an inmate at the prison. The search revealed a black package in Feaster’s gym bag containing 52.488 grams of methamphetamine.
This case was investigated by the FBI and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Rachel Grove.
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Eye Consultants of Pennsylvania, PC Agrees to Pay $790,000.00 to Settle False Claims Act AllegationsRead the Press Release
HARRISBURG, PA —The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Eye Consultants of Pennsylvania, PC (ECOP) has agreed to pay $790,000.00 to resolve False Claims Act allegations of civil liability for submitting claims to Medicare for Evaluation & Management (E&M) services that violated Medicare rules and regulations.
According to the Acting United States Attorney John C. Gurganus, between September 1, 2018, and April 7, 2025, ECOP submitted claims to Medicare Part B for E&M services on the same date of service for beneficiaries receiving bilateral eye injections in violation of the applicable Medicare rules and regulations.
“The United States Attorney’s Office in the Middle District of Pennsylvania is dedicated to working with its law enforcement partners to zealously investigate allegations of the submission of unsupported claims to federal healthcare programs,” said Acting United States Attorney John C. Gurganus. “Improperly billing federal healthcare programs increases the costs of these taxpayer-funded programs. Settlements like this one are an important part of the fight against fraud, waste and abuse.”
“Providers who participate in the Medicare program must abide by the program’s rules when submitting claims,” said Maureen Dixon, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “HHS-OIG is committed to protecting the integrity of the Medicare program and maintaining the trust of the people it serves. We will continue to work with the United States Attorney’s Office and other law enforcement partners to address allegations brought under the False Claims Act.”
This matter was handled by the Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG), and Assistant U.S. Attorney Tamara Haken of the Affirmative Civil Enforcement Unit of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania.
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Engineer Pleads Guilty to Stealing for Chinese Government’s Benefit Trade Secret Technology Designed for Missile Launch and DetectionRead the Press Release
A Santa Clara County man and former engineer at a Southern California company pleaded guilty today to stealing trade secret technologies developed for use by the U.S. government to detect nuclear missile launches, track ballistic and hypersonic missiles, and to allow U.S. fighter planes to detect and evade heat-seeking missiles.
Chenguang Gong, 59, of San Jose, pleaded guilty to one count of theft of trade secrets. He remains free on $1.75 million bond.
According to his plea agreement, Gong – a dual citizen of the United States and China – transferred more than 3,600 files from a Los Angeles-area research and development company where he worked – identified in court documents as the victim company – to personal storage devices during his brief tenure with the company last year.
The files Gong transferred include blueprints for sophisticated infrared sensors designed for use in space-based systems to detect nuclear missile launches and track ballistic and hypersonic missiles, as well as blueprints for sensors designed to enable U.S. military aircraft to detect incoming heat-seeking missiles and take countermeasures, including by jamming the missiles’ infrared tracking ability. Some of these files were later found on storage devices seized from Gong’s temporary residence in Thousand Oaks.
In January 2023, the victim company hired Gong as an application-specific integrated circuit design manager responsible for the design, development and verification of its infrared sensors. Beginning on approximately March 30, 2023, and continuing until his termination on April 26, 2023, Gong transferred thousands of files from his work laptop to three personal storage devices, including more than 1,800 files after he had accepted a job at one of the victim company’s main competitors.
Many of the files Gong transferred contained proprietary and trade secret information related to the development and design of a readout integrated circuit that allows space-based systems to detect missile launches and track ballistic and hypersonic missiles and a readout integrated circuit that allows aircraft to track incoming threats in low visibility environments.
Gong also transferred files containing trade secrets relating to the development of “next generation” sensors capable of detecting low observable targets while demonstrating increased survivability in space, as well as the blueprints for the mechanical assemblies used to house and cryogenically cool the victim company’s sensors. This information was among the victim company’s most important trade secrets that are worth hundreds of millions of dollars. Many of the files had been marked “[VICTIM COMPANY] PROPRIETARY,” “FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY,” “PROPRIETARY INFORMATION,” and “EXPORT CONTROLLED.”
Law enforcement also discovered that, between approximately 2014 and 2022, while employed at several major technology companies in the United States, Gong submitted numerous applications to ‘Talent Programs’ administered by the People’s Republic of China (PRC). The PRC government has established these talent programs as a means to identify individuals who have expert skills, abilities, and knowledge of advanced sciences and technologies in order to access and utilize those skills and knowledge in transforming the PRC’s economy, including its military capabilities.
In 2014, while employed at a U.S. information technology company headquartered in Dallas, Gong sent a business proposal to a contact at a high-tech research institute in China focused on both military and civilian products. In his proposal, translated from Chinese, Gong described a plan to produce high-performance analog-to-digital converters like those produced by his employer. In another Talent Program application from September 2020, Gong proposed to develop “low light/night vision” image sensors for use in military night vision goggles and civilian applications. Gong’s proposal included a video presentation that contained the model number of a sensor developed by an international defense, aerospace, and security company where Gong worked from 2015 to 2019.
Gong travelled to China several times to seek Talent Program funding in order to develop sophisticated analog-to-digital converters. In his Talent Program applications, Gong underscored that the high-performance analog-to-digital converters he proposed to develop in China had military applications, explaining that they “directly determine the accuracy and range of radar systems” and that “[m]issile navigation systems also often use radar front-end systems.” In a 2019 email, translated from Chinese, Gong remarked that he “took a risk” by traveling to China to participate in the Talent Programs “because [he] worked for…an American military industry company” and thought he could “do something” to contribute to China’s “high-end military integrated circuits.”
According to his plea agreement, the intended economic loss from Gong’s criminal conduct exceeds $3.5 million.
U.S. District Judge John F. Walter scheduled sentencing for Sept. 29, at which time Gong faces a statutory maximum penalty of 10 years in prison.
The FBI’s Los Angeles Field Office through the Counterintelligence Task Force in partnership with the State Department’s Diplomatic Security Service and Homeland Security Investigations is investigating this matter. The FBI’s San Francisco Field Office and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of California also provided substantial assistance.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys David C. Lachman and Nisha Chandran for the Central District of California and Trial Attorney Brendan Geary of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section are prosecuting the case.
Engineer Pleads Guilty to Stealing Trade Secret Technology Designed for Missile Launch DetectionRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – A Santa Clara County man and former engineer at a Southern California company pleaded guilty today to stealing trade secret technologies developed for use by the United States government to detect nuclear missile launches, track ballistic and hypersonic missiles, and to allow U.S. fighter planes to detect and evade heat-seeking missiles.
Chenguang Gong, 59, of San Jose, pleaded guilty to one count of theft of trade secrets. He remains free on $1.75 million bond.
According to his plea agreement, Gong – a dual citizen of the United States and China – transferred more than 3,600 files from a Los Angeles-area research and development company where he worked – identified in court documents as the victim company – to personal storage devices during his brief tenure with the company in 2023.
The files Gong transferred include blueprints for sophisticated infrared sensors designed for use in space-based systems to detect nuclear missile launches and track ballistic and hypersonic missiles, as well as blueprints for sensors designed to enable U.S. military aircraft to detect incoming heat-seeking missiles and take countermeasures, including by jamming the missiles’ infrared tracking ability. Some of these files were later found on storage devices seized from Gong’s temporary residence in Thousand Oaks.
In January 2023, the victim company hired Gong as an application-specific integrated circuit design manager responsible for the design, development and verification of its infrared sensors. Beginning on approximately March 30, 2023, and continuing until his termination on April 26, 2023, Gong transferred thousands of files from his work laptop to three personal storage devices, including more than 1,800 files after he had accepted a job at one of the victim company’s main competitors.
Many of the files Gong transferred contained proprietary and trade secret information related to the development and design of a readout integrated circuit that allows space-based systems to detect missile launches and track ballistic and hypersonic missiles and a readout integrated circuit that allows aircraft to track incoming threats in low visibility environments.
Gong also transferred files containing trade secrets relating to the development of “next generation” sensors capable of detecting low observable targets while demonstrating increased survivability in space, as well as the blueprints for the mechanical assemblies used to house and cryogenically cool the victim company’s sensors. This information was among the victim company’s most important trade secrets that are worth hundreds of millions of dollars. Many of the files had been marked “[VICTIM COMPANY] PROPRIETARY,” “FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY,” “PROPRIETARY INFORMATION,” and “EXPORT CONTROLLED.”
Law enforcement also discovered that, between approximately 2014 and 2022, while employed at several major technology companies in the United States, Gong submitted numerous applications to ‘Talent Programs’ administered by the People’s Republic of China (PRC) government. The PRC government has established these talent programs as a means to identify individuals who have expert skills, abilities, and knowledge of advanced sciences and technologies in order to access and utilize those skills and knowledge in transforming the PRC’s economy, including its military capabilities.
In 2014, while employed at a U.S. information technology company headquartered in Dallas, Gong sent a business proposal to a contact at a high-tech research institute in China focused on both military and civilian products. In his proposal, translated from Chinese, Gong described a plan to produce high-performance analog-to-digital converters like those produced by his employer.
In another Talent Program application from September 2020, Gong proposed to develop “low light/night vision” image sensors for use in military night vision goggles and civilian applications. Gong’s proposal included a video presentation that contained the model number of a sensor developed by an international defense, aerospace, and security company where Gong worked from 2015 to 2019.
Gong also travelled to China to seek Talent Program funding in order to develop sophisticated analog-to-digital converters. In his Talent Program applications, Gong underscored that the high-performance analog-to-digital converters he proposed to develop in China had military applications, explaining that they “directly determine the accuracy and range of radar systems” and that “[m]issile navigation systems also often use radar front-end systems.” In a 2019 email, translated from Chinese, Gong remarked that he “took a risk” by traveling to China to participate in the Talent Programs “because [he] worked for…an American military industry company” and thought he could “do something” to contribute to China’s “high-end military integrated circuits.”
According to his plea agreement, the intended economic loss from Gong’s criminal conduct exceeds $3.5 million.
United States District Judge John F. Walter scheduled a September 29 sentencing hearing, at which time Gong will face a statutory maximum sentence of 10 years in federal prison.
The FBI’s Los Angeles Field Office through the Counterintelligence Task Force in partnership with the State Department’s Diplomatic Security Service and Homeland Security Investigations is investigating this matter. The FBI’s San Francisco Field Office and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of California also provided substantial assistance.
Assistant United States Attorneys David C. Lachman of the Terrorism and Export Crimes Section and Nisha Chandran of the Major Frauds Section are prosecuting this case, with valuable assistance from Department of Justice Trial Attorney Brendan P. Geary of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section.
District Man Sentenced to 11.5 Years in Scheme to Steal Residential Real Estate Using Fraudulent DeedsRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON - Jeffrey M. Young-Bey, 68, of the District of Columbia, was sentenced today to 138 months in prison for his role a scheme that stole residential real estate property in order to generate more than $850,000 in fraudulent loans, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
Young-Bey was found guilty by a jury on Feb.12, 2024, on 12 federal charges: one count of conspiracy to commit mail fraud and bank fraud, two counts of bank fraud, two counts of mail fraud, two counts of money laundering, and five counts of aggravated identity theft. In addition to the term of incarceration, U.S. District Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly ordered five years of supervised release.
Joining in the announcement was FBI Assistant Director in Charge Steven J. Jensen of the Washington Field Office, which led the investigation.
According to the government’s evidence, beginning in November 2019, Young-Bey conspired to steal a residential townhome located in LeDroit Park in order to obtain mortgage financing against the stolen property.
Young-Bey identified a target property owned free and clear by an elderly homeowner. He then prepared a fraudulent property deed, including forged signatures of the true owners and used a fake notary stamp to make the deed appear legitimate.
Young-Bey filed the deed with the District of Columbia Recorder of Deeds, transferring the title from the true owners to a corporate entity. Young-Bey passed a check to the D.C. Recorder of Deeds to pay for the transfer taxes but put a stop payment order on the check before the D.C. government could cash the check. After causing the fake deed to be recorded with the D.C. Recorder of Deeds, he falsely told a mortgage services business that another individual had inherited the property and wanted to take a large loan against the value of the home.
Young-Bey created a fake rental lease and deceived the mortgage company into loaning one of his associates approximately $360,000 against the value of the home they did not own, which was split evenly between the two. Young-Bey used his half of the proceeds to buy a BMW 3-Series valued at approximately $23,000.
After succeeding on the first scam, Young-Bey executed a second fraudulent scheme on a Shephard Park property in the District, forging the names of the two owners, using the fake notary stamp, and recording the deed at the D.C. Recorder of Deeds Office. Young-Bey again put a stop payment order on the transfer tax check before it could be cashed. Young-Bey used the recorded deed to obtain a construction loan of more than $500,000 against the value of the house. Young-Bey took a portion of the loan and purchased a BMW 7-Series worth approximately $120,000. He promptly sold the home to a legitimate real estate company for an additional $42,000 in profit. The fraud was discovered when the real estate company began performing renovations on the home and the rightful owners were alerted to the construction and demolition by their neighbors.
This case was investigated by the FBI’s Washington Field Office with assistance from the Metropolitan Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher R. Howland and Kevin L. Rosenberg of the Fraud, Public Corruption, and Civil Rights Section with the assistance of Paralegal Specialist Gina Torres. Valuable assistance was provided by Assistant U.S. Attorney Joshua S. Rothstein, who investigated and indicted the case, as well as former Assistant U.S. Attorney Virginia Cheatham, former Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Viviana Vasiu, and Paralegal Specialist Lisa Abbe, each of whom assisted in investigating the case. The prosecution team was also assisted by Tonya Jones from the Victim Witness Assistance Unit and Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel Lenerz from the Appellate Section.
21cr661
Department of Justice Honors Senate Judiciary Committee Request for Information Related to Clinton Email InvestigationRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Attorney General Pamela Bondi released the following statement regarding Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley's request for information related to the FBI's handling of the investigation into Hillary Clinton's use of a private email server and mishandling of classified information during her time as Secretary of State:
“Today, the Department of Justice honored Chairman Grassley’s request to release information relating to former-FBI Director James Comey’s failed investigation into Hillary Clinton’s mishandling of highly classified information during her tenure as Secretary of State. I commend Chairman Grassley for his unwavering, years-long commitment to exposing the truth and holding those who seek to conceal it accountable. This Department of Justice is fully committed to transparency and will continue to support good-faith efforts in Congress to ensure accountability across the federal government.”
Department of Justice Coordinates Release of Files Related to Assassination of Martin Luther King Jr.Read the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Today, Attorney General Pamela Bondi hosted Dr. Alveda King at the Department of Justice to commemorate the release of files regarding the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. The release contains 230,000 pages of documents and comes in accordance with Donald J. Trump’s Executive Order 14176.
This disclosure is the product of months of collaboration between the Department of Justice (DOJ), Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI), Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), and National Archives and Records Administration (NARA). DOJ Attorneys spent hundreds of hours preparing and digitizing these documents for release.
"The American people deserve answers decades after the horrific assassination of one of our nation’s great leaders," said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. "The Department of Justice is proud to partner with Director Gabbard and the ODNI at President Trump’s direction for this latest disclosure."
"I am grateful to President Trump and Attorney General Bondi for delivering on their pledge of transparency in the release of these documents on the assassination of Martin Luther King, Jr.," said Dr. Alveda King. "My uncle lived boldly in pursuit of truth and justice, and his enduring legacy of faith continues to inspire Americans to this day. While we continue to mourn his death, the declassification and release of these documents are a historic step towards the truth that the American people deserve."
Attorney General Bondi and Dr. King discussed the remarkable life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and the need for transparency pertaining to his assassination on April 4th, 1968, in Memphis, Tennessee.
Please see a link to the documents here.
Crystal Lake Man to Federal Prison for Meth ConspiracyRead the Press Release
A man who conspired to distribute methamphetamine was sentenced July 19, 2025, to more than five years in federal prison.
Jeremy Nedved, age 42, from Crystal Lake, Iowa, received the prison term after a January 6, 2025, guilty plea to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine.
At sentencing, Nedved admitted that between February and September 2024, he utilized the “dark web”, a part of the internet that is not visible to search engines and requires the use of an anonymizing browser called Tor to be accessed, to purchase methamphetamine that he further distributed to others. In August 2024, law enforcement had become aware Nedved was using the U.S. mail to receive controlled substances. On August 29, 2024, a mail watch notification was triggered for Nedved’s P.O. Box in Crystal Lake on a package. A search warrant was obtained to intercept and search the package which netted approximately a half pound of methamphetamine. On September 3, 2024, a controlled delivery of the methamphetamine package took place at the Crystal Lake post office. Nedved retrieved this parcel and was arrested.
Nedved was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand. Nedved was sentenced to 63 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system. Nedved is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Patrick T. Greenwood and investigated by the United States Postal Inspection Service, the Iowa Department of Criminal Investigation and the Hancock County Sheriff’s Office.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 24-CR-03040.
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Charges Filed After Alleged Water Damage to ICE’s York County Office SpaceRead the Press Release
HARRISBURG - The United States Attorney for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Guerdison Printus, age 27, a citizen of Haiti, was indicted by a federal grand jury for destruction of government property.
According to Acting United States Attorney John Gurganus, the indictment alleges that, on or about June 25, 2025, in York County, Printus tampered with a sprinkler, causing water damage in the office space of the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement. The indictment further alleges that the resulting damage exceeded the sum of $1,000.
The case was investigated by the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Assistant United States Attorney K. Wesley Mishoe is prosecuting the case.
The maximum penalty upon conviction for the charged offense is 10 years imprisonment, one year of supervised release following imprisonment, a fine, and the imposition of a special assessment. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by a court after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
Indictments are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.
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Cedar Rapids Man Who Conspired to Distribute Thousands of Fentanyl Pills Sentenced to Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
A man who conspired to distribute fentanyl pills was sentenced today to 14 years in federal prison. Jaylon William Throgmartin, age 22, from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, received the prison term after a guilty plea to conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance.
In a plea agreement and at the sentencing hearing, evidence showed that Throgmartin distributed thousands of fentanyl pills between December 2023 and October 2024. Throgmartin also facilitated the sale of a firearm in exchange for fentanyl pills. In January 2025, he distributed at least one fentanyl pill to someone who overdosed. The victim recovered after receiving Narcan.
Throgmartin was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams. Throgmartin was sentenced to 168 months’ imprisonment and must also serve a four-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Devra T. Hake and was investigated as part of the Northern Iowa Heroin Initiative and the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) program of the United States Department of Justice through a cooperative effort of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Cedar Rapids Police Department, the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, and the Iowa Division of Intelligence and Fusion Center. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence‑driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America (https://www.justice.gov/dag/media/1393746/dl?inline) a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
Throgmartin is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 25-CR-5.
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Career Offender Sentenced to Fourteen Years in Federal Prison for Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE – The leader of a large-scale drug trafficking conspiracy who began trafficking kilogram quantities of powder cocaine and various quantities of crack cocaine and fentanyl within three months of completing a term of incarceration in state prison for drug trafficking was sentenced today to fourteen years in federal prison, announced Acting United States Attorney Sara Miron Bloom.
William Mendez, 51, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Mary S. McElroy to a term of incarceration of 168 months to be followed by five years of supervised release. In October 2024, Mendez pled guilty to charges of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute 5 kilograms or more of cocaine and conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl. His conduct included distributing cocaine base, powder cocaine and approximately 769.5 grams of fentanyl to a government agent.
In September 2021, Mendez and more than a dozen other individuals were charged in federal court with having had a role in a drug trafficking conspiracy that he led. Like Mendez, many of the defendants had previously been convicted of violent crime offenses such as firearm, robbery, assault, assault with intent to commit murder, and domestic violence charges.
Court records reflect that prior to his arrest in this matter in September 2021, William Mendez had served a total of twenty-two plus years in prison related to three separate serious felony drug convictions and two separate violent felony assault convictions; when arrested he was serving a term of state probation, having been released from Rhode Island state prison less than three months prior after completing a term of incarceration of nearly seven years.
The FBI Safe Street Task Force, DEA, and Providence Police Narcotics Bureau joint investigation targeted all levels of drug dealing in several communities.
Federal court records reflect the following:
- Ramon Barriera, 53, Providence, pled guilty on October 23, 2024, to a charge of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute cocaine and was sentenced on June 18, 2025, to 70 months of incarceration and four years of supervised release.
- Rafael Cruz, 75, of Providence, pled guilty on January 3, 2024, to a charge of conspiracy to distribute cocaine and was sentenced on May 29, 2024, to time served and three years of supervised release.
- Nelson Hazin, 57, of Providence, pled guilty on October 30, 2024, to a charge of conspiracy to distribute cocaine and was sentenced on April 14, 2025, to time served and three years of supervised release.
- Ricardo Martinez, Jr., 37, of Providence, pled guilty on October 16, 2024, to a charge of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine and was sentenced on June 6, 2025, to 78 months of incarceration to be followed by five years of supervised release.
- Jonathan Masa-Gonzalez, 24, of Providence, pled guilty on June 5, 2024, to a charge of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine and was sentenced on March 18, 2025, to 60 months of incarceration to be followed by four years of supervised release.
- Juan Betancourt Sosa, 29, of New Bedford, pled guilty on October 16, 2024, to a charge of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine and was sentenced on April 14, 2025, to70 months of incarceration to be followed by four years of supervised release.
- Victor Yandel Aponte-Cirano, 25, of Taunton, pled guilty on September 6, 2023, to a charge of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute cocaine and was sentenced on January 22, 2024, to time served and three years of supervised release.
- Keven Restrepo, 33, of Providence pled guilty on December 12, 2022, to a charge of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl and was sentenced on April 27, 2023, to 77 months of incarceration to be followed by four years of supervised release.
- Juan Gonzalez, 47, of Providence, pled guilty on January 25, 2024, to a charge of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute cocaine and was sentenced on July 16, 2024, to 72 months of incarceration to be followed by four years of supervised release.
- Charles Sims, 60, of Providence, pled guilty on November 20, 2023, to a charge of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute cocaine and was sentenced on September 25, 2024, to time served and three years of supervised release.
- Anthony Lacoste, 33, Woonsocket, pled guilty on October 29, 2024, to a charge conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute cocaine. He is scheduled to be sentenced on July 22, 2025.
- Karla Rivera-Rosa, 34, of Taunton, pled guilty on October 29, 2024, to a charge of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute cocaine and is awaiting sentencing on a date yet to be set by the court.
- Felix Robles, 63, of Providence, is awaiting trial on a charge of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute cocaine.
Law enforcement agents seized approximately $78,000 in drug proceeds from Mendez at the time of his arrest.
The cases are being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Stacey A. Erickson and Taylor A. Dean, with the assistance of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christine D. Lowell and Sandra R. Hebert.
Acting United Sates Attorney Blooms thanks the FBI, DEA, and Providence Police Department for leading this investigation; the United States Postal Inspection Service for their invaluable assistance throughout the investigation; and the United States Marshals Service, Rhode Island State Police, Cranston, Central Falls, Fall River, North Smithfield, Pawtucket, Portsmouth, Warwick, West Warwick, and Woonsocket Police Departments for their assistance with the arrests of the defendants and the execution of search warrants.
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Carbon County Man Sentenced to 188 Months’ Imprisonment for Drug Trafficking OffenseRead the Press Release
SCRANTON – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Jason Mika, age 44, of Lansford, Pennsylvania, was sentenced on July 17, 2025, to 188 months’ imprisonment and four years of supervised release by United States District Judge Karoline Mehalchick for one count of possess with intent to distribute 50 grams and more of methamphetamine.
According to Acting United States Attorney John Gurganus, Mika previously pled guilty to possessing with the intent to distribute over 50 grams of a mixture or substance containing methamphetamine. As part of his guilty plea, Mika also admitted to possessing over 400 grams of methamphetamine, other controlled substances, and a revolver--all of which were found in his Lansford, PA, home during the execution of a search warrant by members of the Nesquehoning Police Department, and other investigators.
The matter was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Office of the Attorney General of Pennsylvania, the Lehighton Borough Police Department, the Nesquehoning Police Department, the Lansford Police Department, the Franklin Township Police Department, and the Carbon County District Attorney’s Office. United States Attorney James Buchanan prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America (https://www.justice.gov/dag/media/1393746/dl?inline) a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
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Brooklyn Man Charged with Arson of 10 NYPD VehiclesRead the Press Release
Earlier today, at the federal courthouse in Brooklyn, a complaint was unsealed charging Jakhi McCray with arson for setting 10 New York City Police Department vehicles and a trailer on fire in a locked parking lot. McCray was arrested today and will make his initial appearance this afternoon before United States Magistrate Judge Vera M. Scanlon.
Joseph Nocella, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York; Bryan Miller, Special Agent in Charge, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, New York Division (ATF); Jessica S. Tisch, Commissioner, New York City Police Department (NYPD); and Robert S. Tucker, Commissioner, New York Fire Department (FDNY) announced the arrest.
“This destructive act of arson was deliberate, dangerous, and deeply disruptive,” said United States Attorney Nocella. “Setting police vehicles ablaze is not a form of protest—it is a federal crime. Our Office will not tolerate violence or destruction that undermines law enforcement efforts to ensure public safety and will prosecute this individual to the fullest extent of the law.”
Mr. Nocella also expressed his thanks to the ATF-NYPD Arson & Explosives Task Force, the FDNY Marshalls, and the United States Marshalls Services NY/NJ Regional Fugitive Task Force for their valuable contribution to the case.
“Intentionally setting fire to police vehicles is a dangerous criminal act and a direct threat to public safety. The ATF Arson and Explosives Task Force — which includes ATF, the NYPD, and FDNY — is fully committed to identifying and bringing to justice anyone responsible for these dangerous and unlawful acts. This arrest demonstrates our shared resolve and unified approach to protecting our communities. We are grateful to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York, U.S. Marshals Service NY/NJ Regional Fugitive Task Force, the NYPD and the FDNY for their continued partnership in pursuing justice,” stated ATF Special Agent in Charge Miller.
“The arson attack against New York City Police Department vehicles in Bushwick, Brooklyn was as cowardly as it was criminal,” stated NYPD Commissioner Tisch. “The defendant in this case may have wanted to send a message – but all he did was mobilize the full force of the NYPD, the ATF, and the FDNY to identify, locate, and arrest him. Now, through the work of the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, he will face much-deserved justice. Thank you to all the NYPD detectives, as well as our law enforcement partners, who closed this case.”
“Burning a police vehicle is an intolerable crime that could have killed a police officer,” stated FDNY Commissioner Tucker. “We are grateful to our FDNY Fire Marshals for their role in investigating this crime, and our partners in law enforcement for their assistance in identifying the suspect. Arson is a serious crime that must be punished.”
According to the complaint, at 12:52 a.m. on June 12, 2025, McCray was recorded on surveillance video scaling a fence into a secure private lot for reserve NYPD vehicles assigned to precincts in northern Brooklyn. The lot contained numerous NYPD vehicles and was located on DeKalb Avenue between Wilson Avenue and Central Avenue in the Bushwick section of Brooklyn. McCray remained in the lot for approximately 32 minutes, during which he lit 10 NYPD vehicles and one trailer on fire.
At approximately 1:24 a.m., an NYPD officer arrived to inspect the lot. As he approached, the officer saw the fire and observed McCray attempting to escape by scaling a fence, then fleeing through an existing hole in the fence. Subsequently, NYPD personnel recovered at the scene a cigar lighter torch and a pair of sunglasses. They also discovered 22 retail fire starters and 10 BBQ dragon egg fire starters that were placed under three undamaged vehicles. It was later determined that the sunglasses had McCray’s fingerprints on them. The vehicles were ignited two days before protests were scheduled to be held over the June 14-15, 2025 weekend. The NYPD has estimated that the total replacement cost of for the damaged vehicles is over $800,000.
The charge in the complaint is an allegation, and McCray is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. If convicted, McCray faces a mandatory minimum sentence of five years’ imprisonment and a maximum of 20 years in prison.
The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s General Crimes Section. Assistant United States Attorney Rebecca M. Urquiola is in charge of the prosecution.
The Defendant:
JAKHI MCCRAY
Age: 21
Brooklyn, New YorkE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 25-MJ-238
Belle Fourche Man Sentenced to Nearly 13 Years in Federal Prison for Money LaunderingRead the Press Release
RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that District Court Judge Camela C. Theeler has sentenced a man from Belle Fourche, South Dakota, for Conspiracy to Commit Money Laundering. The sentencing took place on July 14, 2025.
Turner Heinbaugh, 35, was sentenced to 12 years and seven months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Heinbaugh was indicted for Conspiracy to Commit Money Laundering by a federal grand jury in November 2024. He pleaded guilty on April 22, 2025.
The money that Heinbaugh laundered was generated from a methamphetamine operation in the Black Hills. Heinbaugh worked with others to collect drug proceeds and then sent the proceeds through electronic payments to other co-conspirators in the United States and Mexico. Altogether, investigators believe Heinbaugh was responsible for transferring approximately $98,000 in drug proceeds through financial institutions. He was also involved in selling methamphetamine during his involvement in the conspiracy.
This case was investigated and prosecuted as part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF), a federal program established in 1982 to combat transnational organized crime and reduce the availability of illicit narcotics in the nation by using a prosecutor-led, multi-agency approach to drug enforcement. OCDETF leverages the resources and expertise of its partners in concentrated, coordinated, long-term investigations of transnational organized crime, money laundering, and major drug trafficking networks.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Unified Narcotics Enforcement Team (UNET), and the Drug Enforcement Administration. UNET is comprised of law enforcement from the Pennington County Sheriff’s Office, the Rapid City Police Department, the South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation, the South Dakota Highway Patrol, and the South Dakota National Guard. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Mark Hodges and Paige Petersen prosecuted the case.
Heinbaugh was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Activity in the U.S. Attorney's OfficeRead the Press Release
Possession of Child Pornography
George Jared Peck, 36 of Greybull, Wyoming, was sentenced to 125 months’ imprisonment followed by 10 years of supervised release for possession of child pornography, subsequent offense. The court ordered the defendant to pay $23,000 in restitution to the victims whose images were obtained and shared. According to court documents, on March 5, 2024, the National Center of Missing and Exploited Children received a CyberTip that someone was attempting to upload a Child Exploitation Image online. The tip was sent to the Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation (DCI) Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force, which was able to track it back to the defendant. Multiple images and videos were uploaded and distributed from the same account. Peck had previous felony convictions, including promoting a sexual performance of a child under 17 years of age, corruption of minors, and sexual abuse of children. The DCI-ICAC Task Force investigated this crime, and Z. Seth Griswold prosecuted the case. The defendant was indicted on Nov. 20, 2024, and pleaded guilty on April 10. Chief U.S. District Court Judge Kelly H. Rankin imposed the sentence on July 14 in Cheyenne.
Drug Trafficking
Mary Renee Weymouth, 63, of Lander, Wyoming, was sentenced to 70 months’ imprisonment followed by five years of supervised release for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and marijuana. According to court documents, the defendant was under investigation for drug distribution in Fremont County. Agents had information that her source of supply was in Las Vegas and the investigation indicated Weymouth was possibly in Las Vegas. Investigators intercepted Weymouth and her codefendant, Cathy Kay Gordon, on their return trip from Las Vegas back to Shoshoni, where a search yielded approximately six pounds of methamphetamine and 29 pounds of marijuana. The FBI and Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation investigated the crime. Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy W. Gist prosecuted the crime. The defendant was indicted on Nov. 11, 2024, and pleaded guilty on April 24. U.S. District Court Judge Alan B. Johnson imposed the sentence on July 14 in Cheyenne. Case No. 25-CR-00022
Cathy Kay Gordon, 54, of Shoshoni, Wyoming, was sentenced to 120 months for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and carrying a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime. According to court documents, the defendant conspired with Mary Renee Weymouth to distribute drugs in Fremont County. Agents had information that Weymouth’s source of supply was in Las Vegas and the investigation indicated Weymouth was possibly in Las Vegas. Investigators intercepted Weymouth and her codefendant, Cathy Kay Gordon, on their return trip from Las Vegas back to Shoshoni, where a search yielded approximately six pounds of methamphetamine and 29 pounds of marijuana. The FBI and Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation investigated the crime. Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy W. Gist prosecuted he crime. The defendant was indicted on Jan. 15 and pleaded guilty on March 31. U.S. District Court Judge Alan B. Johnson imposed the sentence on July 14 in Cheyenne. Case No. 25-CR-00022
Illegal Re-Entry of a Previously Deported Alien
Angel Anibel Felipe-Perez, 32, of Tabasco, Mexico, was sentenced to 18 months’ imprisonment followed by 3 years of supervised release and will be deported for aggravated illegal reentry into the United States following his imprisonment. According to court documents, on Feb. 8, the defendant was arrested by the Uinta County Sheriff’s Department for interference with a peace officer and duty to stop when vehicle accident involves death or injury. ICE was contacted. They determined that Felipe-Perez had previously been removed from the U.S. and had not applied for permission to reenter after being formally removed in November 2019. ICE investigated the crime, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Cameron J. Cook prosecuted the case. U.S. District Court Judge Alan B. Johnson imposed the sentence in Cheyenne on July 15. Case No. 25-CR-00041Manuel Ruiz-Ruiz, 42, of Zacatecas, Mexico, was sentenced to time served and will be deported for illegal reentry into the United States. According to court documents, on April 23, Ruiz-Ruiz was arrested by the Cheyenne Police Department for driving under a cancelled, suspended, or revoked license and giving a false identity. The defendant used at least seven different aliases and three birthdates. The Laramie County jail contacted Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). The defendant’s fingerprints were examined against ICE’s database, and a match was found. ICE determined that Ruiz-Ruiz had previously been removed from the U.S. and had not applied for permission to reenter after being formally removed in July 2019. ICE investigated the crime, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Cameron J. Cook prosecuted the case. U.S. District Court Judge Alan B. Johnson imposed the sentence in Cheyenne on July 17. Case No. 25-CR-00092.
David Leon-Campos, 33, of Guanajuato, Mexico, was sentenced to 7 months’ imprisonment and will be deported for illegal reentry into the United States and employment document fraud. According to court documents, on July 14, 2024, Leon-Campos was arrested in Sweetwater County for DWUI, interference, failure to report an accident, suspended license, and no insurance. ICE was contacted, and they determined that Leon-Campos had previously been removed from the U.S. and had not applied for permission to reenter after being formally removed in November 2020. Investigators with Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) learned that Leon-Campos used a fake Social Security card and a fake green card to obtain employment. ICE and HSI investigated the crimes, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Cameron J. Cook prosecuted the case. U.S. District Court Judge Scott W. Skavdahl imposed the sentence in Casper on July 16. Case No. 25-CR-00137
Public Lands Violation
Stephanie K. McGee, age 45 of Boonesboro, Maryland, was sentenced to 30 days of incarceration after admitting to violating the terms of her unsupervised probation in previous driving under the influence (DUI) cases in Yellowstone National Park. On September 3, 2024, McGee was convicted of two separate DUI charges and other substance-related offenses and sentenced to seven days of incarceration and a term of unsupervised probation that required her, among other terms, not to use or possess alcohol or controlled substances. On May 14, U.S. Park Rangers in Acadia National Park found McGee in her vehicle while under the influence of alcohol and in possession of a half-full 750 ml bottle of vodka. McGee admitted that her actions in May 2025 constituted a violation of her probation terms. U.S. Magistrate Judge Stephanie A. Hambrick imposed the sentence on July 15 in Mammoth.
About the United States Attorney’s Office
The United States Attorney’s Office is responsible for representing the federal government in virtually all litigation involving the United States in the District of Wyoming, including all criminal prosecutions for violations of federal law, civil lawsuits brought by or against the government, and actions to collect judgments and restitution on behalf of victims and taxpayers. The Office is involved in several programs designed to make our communities safer. They include:
Project Safe Childhood
Project Safe Childhood (PSC) is a DOJ initiative that combats the proliferation of technology-facilitated sexual exploitation crimes against children. The threat of sexual predators soliciting children for sexual contact is well-known and serious.
Operation Take Back America
Operation Take Back America is 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. It also streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
Victim Witness Program
The Victim Witness Coordinator for the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Wyoming is dedicated to ensuring victims of federal crimes and their family members are treated with compassion, fairness, and respect.To report a federal crime, go to: https://www.justice.gov/actioncenter/report-crime
22 Sentenced to Federal Prison for Meth and Cocaine Trafficking Operation from Southwest Border to IndianapolisRead the Press Release
INDIANAPOLIS- The following 22 individuals have been sentenced to federal prison for their roles in an extensive methamphetamine and money laundering conspiracy responsible for trafficking hundreds of pounds of methamphetamine. The 23rd defendant, Edeer Avila, remains a fugitive.
DefendantCharge(s)SentenceEdeer Avila, 34
Mexico
Conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine
Conspiracy to launder monetary instruments
FUGITIVEMartin Felix-Garcia, 36 Phoenix, AZConspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine
Conspiracy to launder monetary instruments
25 years’ imprisonment
5 years of supervised release
Isaias Gonzalez-Torres, 34 Indianapolis, INConspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine
Conspiracy to launder monetary instruments
24 years, 4 months’ imprisonment
5 years of supervised release
Erlin Lucero-Asencio, 33 Indianapolis, INConspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine
Conspiracy to launder monetary instruments
Possession with intent to distribute controlled substances
Illegal Alien Found in the United States
27 years’ imprisonment
5 years of supervised release
Abel Ayala-Garcia, 34
Columbus, IN
Conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine
Conspiracy to launder monetary instruments
24.5 years’ imprisonment
5 years of supervised release
Juliann Magallanez, 36
Terre Haute, IN
Possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine
Unlawful possession of a firearm by a convicted felon
Possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime
15 years’ imprisonment
5 years of supervised release
John Whiffing, 50
Terre Haute, IN
Conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine14 years’ imprisonment
5 years of supervised release
Victor Vazquez-Hernandez, 42
Seymour, IN
Possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine10 years, 7 months’ imprisonment
5 years of supervised release
Eduardo Rodriguez, 29
Indianapolis, IN
Conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine
Conspiracy to launder monetary instruments
14 years, 8 months’ imprisonment
5 years of supervised release
Andrew Calix-Maldonado, 30 Indianapolis, INConspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine
Conspiracy to launder monetary instruments
11 years, 3 months’ imprisonment
3 years of supervised release
Julio Vicente-Guox, 36
Indianapolis, IN
Conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine11 years, 3 months’ imprisonment
2 years of supervised release
Luis Daniel Hernandez, 27 Indianapolis, INConspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine
Conspiracy to launder monetary instruments
9 years’ imprisonment
3 years of supervised release
Jendry Medina, 23
Indianapolis, IN
Conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine
Conspiracy to launder monetary instruments
9 years, 2 months of imprisonment
3 years of supervised release
Abner Rodas-Abelardez, 39
Indianapolis, IN
Conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine5 years, 10 months’ imprisonment
5 years of supervised release
Kenia Acosta, 41
Indianapolis, IN
Conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine9 years’ imprisonment
3 years of supervised release
Jeami Waleska Sevilla Luna, 30
Indianapolis, IN
Conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine8 years, 10 months’ imprisonment
3 years of supervised release
Dillon Smith, 34
Terre Haute, IN
Possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine17 years, 6 months’ imprisonment
5 years of supervised release
Allison Perdue, 27
Seymour, IN
Conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine
Possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine
9 years’ imprisonment
3 years of supervised release
Eulalia Murillo-Resura, 34
Indianapolis, IN
Conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine7 years, 3 months’ imprisonment
3 years of supervised release
Nathan Lee, 31
Columbus, IN
Distribution of methamphetamine10 years’ imprisonment
5 years of supervised release
Emilio Landa-Lagunes, 27
Seymour, IN
Possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine6 years’ imprisonment
3 years of supervised release
Claudio Garcia-Morales, 38
Columbus, IN
Conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine3 years, 10 months’ imprisonment
2 years of supervised release
Candy Medina-Corcoles, 27
California
Conspiracy to launder monetary instruments4 years, 8 months’ imprisonment
2 years of supervised release
According to court documents, Isaias Gonzalez-Torres was the primary Indianapolis ringleader of a drug trafficking organization responsible for distributing large quantities of methamphetamine, cocaine, and fentanyl into Indianapolis and surrounding areas, including Seymour, Columbus, and Terre Haute. The investigation resulted in the seizure of 82 pounds of methamphetamine, 1,750 fentanyl pills, a kilogram of cocaine, and nine firearms. The conspiracy would operate as follows:
Isaias Gonzalez-Torres and Erlin Lucero-Asencio worked in unison to coordinate large shipments of methamphetamine and other illegal narcotics from Edeer Avila in Mexico, Martin Felix-Garcia in Arizona, and others. The Indianapolis-based drug trafficking organization (DTO) utilized an elaborate system of drug couriers and clandestine mail parcels to transport the methamphetamine and other drugs across the country for redistribution in rural communities throughout the Southern District of Indiana. Once the shipments of methamphetamine arrived in Indianapolis, the DTO utilized multiple stash houses to break down and store the drugs for further distribution.
The DTO employed multiple drug couriers, including Luis Daniel Hernandez, Andrew Calix-Maldonado, Julio Vicente-Guox, and Eduardo Rodriguez, to deliver the methamphetamine to local distributors in Seymour, Columbus, and Terre Haute. These local distributors then broke down the narcotics for further redistribution in their respective communities.
Additionally, between October 2021 and March 2022 the defendants and other conspirators engaged in money laundering by depositing approximately $3,586,092 in United States currency into Candy Medina-Corcoles’ Bank of America account. Deposits occurred in Arizona, California, Colorado, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Missouri, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Tennessee. From there, a conspirator would remove the funds from the account and transfer those drug proceeds to bank accounts based in Mexico.
Between January 2020 and April 2022, the defendants also engaged in money laundering by sending at least 324 wire transfers totaling $291,116.08 from Indiana to Phoenix, Arizona and Mexico utilizing nominees to conceal their involvement in the wire transfers.
“This case exemplifies the mission of Operation Take Back America- to dismantle transnational criminal organizations and protect our communities from the devastating effects of methamphetamine, fentanyl, and cartel-driven crime,” said Tom Wheeler, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana. “Thanks to the dedication of our law enforcement partners and AUSA, we have severed a key pipeline of deadly drugs and illicit funds flowing into Indiana.”
“This case was a success thanks to the partnership between the Department of Justice, the DEA, and local law enforcement Task Force Officers,” said Greg O’Brien, Chief of the Seymour Police Department. “Without these TFOs, small rural towns wouldn’t have the resources to carry out operations like this. We value and appreciate our ongoing collaboration with the Department of Justice.”
The Drug Enforcement Administration, Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation, Seymour Police Department, and Joint Narcotics Enforcement Team (JNET) investigated this case. The sentences were imposed by Chief U.S. District Judge James R. Sweeney II.
U.S. Attorney Wheeler thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Patrick Gibson, who prosecuted this case.
This case was investigated and prosecuted by the Indiana Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) as part of Operation Take Back America. HSTFs, which were established by President Trump in Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion, are joint operations led by the Department of Justice and the Department of Homeland Security. Operation Take Back America is a nationwide federal 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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Friday 18 July 2025
Weekly Immigration Caseload Dips Below 200 in Western District of TexasRead the Press Release
SAN ANTONIO – United States Attorney Justin R. Simmons for the Western District of Texas announced today, that federal prosecutors in the district filed 178 new immigration and immigration-related criminal cases from July 11 through July 17.
Among the new cases, Edgar Josue Montelongo-Loera was charged in a criminal complaint in Del Rio for trafficking in firearms. On June 12, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) agents, assisting in a Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) investigation, allegedly observed Montelongo-Loera transfer a plastic bag containing seven 9mm pistols to a non-immigrant alien co-conspirator at a parking lot in Eagle Pass. The criminal complaint states that HSI agents followed the co-conspirator to the Eagle Pass Port of Entry, where Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers allegedly located eight firearms concealed inside the vehicle during an inspection. Further investigation by ATF revealed that Montelongo-Loera allegedly purchased one of the pistols at a retail location in San Antonio.
Also in the Del Rio sector, Mexican national Jose Elias Gavina-Vasquez was arrested on July 14 and charged with illegal re-entry. Gavina-Vasquez has seven prior deportations, and he was most recently deported to Mexico on Feb. 23, 2023. He has a prior felony conviction from June 2022 and a separate conviction for driving while intoxicated from March 2022.
Mexican national and convicted felon Juan Antonio Torres-Moreno was also arrested and charged with illegal re-entry in Del Rio. Torres-Moreno has three prior removals and a voluntary departure, the last being a deportation in 2019. The 2019 deportation resulted from his second illegal-re-entry conviction. He was sentenced to nine months confinement in that case.
Sergio Villeda-Hernandez, also a Mexican national, was arrested in Eagle Pass on July 13 and charged with illegal re-entry after he was recently removed from the U.S. on March 18. Villeda-Hernandez is a convicted felon, having been sentenced to just over a year in prison in 2007 for a felony battery, possession of cocaine, and selling cocaine in DeSoto County, Florida.
In El Paso, Mexican national Mario Humberto Sanchez-Hernandez was found less than a mile and a half west of the Paso Del Norte Port of Entry without immigration documents allowing him to be or remain in the U.S. Sanchez-Hernandez was just removed from the U.S. to Mexico for the third time on June 21 through San Diego and was convicted in October 2024 for driving under the influence in Newark, New Jersey.
Two brothers were arrested in El Paso, each charged with one count of alien smuggling. U.S. Border Patrol agents conducted an undercover operation that led them to meet Marcos Dominguez, who allegedly believed the agents were transporting two illegal aliens and were in need of a stash house. A criminal complaint affidavit alleges that Marcos exited his vehicle to assist with transferring one of the illegal aliens from the agents’ vehicle to his own. Marcos was then detained for further investigation and agreed to guide the agents to his residence. At the residence, the agents encountered Marcos’s brother, Andres Dominguez, who allegedly admitted that illegal aliens were present inside. Agents located four subjects determined to be illegal aliens. The illegal aliens were arrested and transported to the Ysleta Border Patrol Station. The investigation revealed that Marcos allegedly housed more than 40 illegal aliens at his residence, was paid $200 per day for his smuggling actions, and would split the earnings with his brother Andres, whom he said helped him house and transport the illegal aliens.
In Austin, the Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Fugitive Operations Team (FOT) encountered Honduran national Jimmy Reinel Espinal-Mejia on July 16. Espinal-Mejia was convicted for illegal re-entry in May 2024 after being previously removed in January 2024. For that conviction, he was sentenced to 63 days confinement and removed in July 2024. Six years earlier, in 2018, Espinal-Mejia was convicted for aggravated assault causing serious bodily injury and sentenced to 12 years in prison.
In Waco, a Mexican national was charged with illegal re-entry on July 17 when Temple Police responded to a vehicle collision in Temple and identified Eloy Hernandez-Ponce as one of the vehicle occupants. ICE identified Hernandez-Ponce as a previously removed alien who was last deported in March 2010 following a felony conviction for intoxication manslaughter with a vehicle in Houston.
These cases were referred or supported by federal law enforcement partners, including Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE ERO), U.S. Border Patrol, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS), and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), with additional assistance from state and local law enforcement partners.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Texas comprises 68 counties located in the central and western areas of Texas, encompasses nearly 93,000 square miles and an estimated population of 7.6 million people. The district includes three of the five largest cities in Texas—San Antonio, Austin and El Paso—and shares 660 miles of common border with the Republic of Mexico.
These cases are part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
Indictments and criminal complaints are merely allegations and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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U.S. Attorney’s Office Filed 84 Border-Related Cases This WeekRead the Press Release
SAN DIEGO – Federal prosecutors in the Southern District of California filed 84 border-related cases this week, including charges of assault on a federal officer, bringing in aliens for financial gain, reentering the U.S. after deportation, and importation of controlled substances.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of California is the fourth-busiest federal district, largely due to a high volume of border-related crimes. This district, encompassing San Diego and Imperial counties, shares a 140-mile border with Mexico. It includes the San Ysidro Port of Entry, the world’s busiest land border crossing, connecting San Diego (America’s eighth largest city) and Tijuana (Mexico’s second largest city).
In addition to reactive border-related crimes, the Southern District of California also prosecutes a significant number of proactive cases related to terrorism, organized crime, drugs, white-collar fraud, violent crime, cybercrime, human trafficking and national security. Recent developments in those and other significant areas of prosecution can be found here.
A sample of border-related arrests this week:
- On July 11, Nicolas Duarte-Moreno, a Mexican citizen, was arrested and charged with Bringing in Aliens for Financial Gain. According to a complaint, Duarte-Moreno was arrested by Customs and Border Protection officers after he attempted to enter the U.S. in a Mitsubishi Eclipse Spyder through a Sentri lane at the Otay Mesa Port of Entry with an undocumented immigrant hiding in the vehicle. Officers found the immigrant from Guatemala concealed in the cargo area where the convertible top retracts. While CBP officials dismantled the cargo area by removing bolts and speakers to find and extricate the immigrant, he complained that he could not breathe. He was immediately taken to a hospital.
- On July 15, Luis Angel Galvez Alvarez, Julio Cesar Oros Castro and Francisco Javier Castro Acosta, all Mexican citizens, were arrested and charged with Importation of a Controlled Substance. According to a complaint, the trio attempted to enter the U.S. about the same time, each driving a Freightliner tractor through the Otay Mesa Commercial Facility. Customs and Border Protection officers stopped each vehicle; they found about 29 pounds of cocaine concealed in the walls behind the beds of each tractor. The complaint said all three drivers admitted they were employed by the same trucking company.
- On July 16, Jorge Ismael Valencia-Julian, a Mexican citizen, was arrested and charged with Deported Alien Found in the United States. According to a complaint, Valencia-Julian was arrested by a Border Patrol agent who tracked his footprints for five hours as the defendant tried to escape in rough terrain. Valencia-Julian was previously deported in March 2024 at the San Ysidro Port of Entry.
Also recently, a number of defendants with criminal records were convicted by a jury or sentenced for border-related crimes such as illegally re-entering the U.S. after previous deportation. Here are a few of those cases:
- On July 11, 2025, Ricardo Velez-Torres, a Mexican National who was previously convicted of Burglary in the First Degree in 2006 and Illegal Reentry in 2002, was sentenced in federal court to 21 months in custody for again entering the U.S. illegally.
- On July 18, Julio Leyva-Solis, a Mexican national who was previously convicted of the felony facilitation of human smuggling, felony theft of property on three occasions, and felony possession of methamphetamine, was sentenced in federal court to 12 months plus one day in custody for again entering the U.S illegally.
Pursuant to the Department’s Operation Take Back America priorities, federal law enforcement has focused immigration prosecutions on undocumented aliens who are engaged in criminal activity in the U.S., including those who commit drug and firearms crimes, who have serious criminal records, or who have active warrants for their arrest. Federal authorities have also been prioritizing investigations and prosecutions against drug, firearm, and human smugglers and those who endanger and threaten the safety of our communities and the law enforcement officers who protect the community.
The immigration cases were referred or supported by federal law enforcement partners, including Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE ERO), Customs and Border Protection, U.S. Border Patrol, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS), and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), with the support and assistance of state and local law enforcement partners.
Indictments and criminal complaints are merely allegations and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of New Mexico Weekly Immigration and Border Crimes ReportRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – Today, the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of New Mexico announced its immigration enforcement statistics for this week. These cases are prosecuted in partnership with the El Paso Sector of the U.S. Border Patrol, along with Homeland Security Investigations El Paso, and assistance from other federal, state, and county agencies.
In the one-week period ending June 18, 2025, the United States Attorney’s Office brought the following criminal charges in New Mexico:
- 42 individuals were charged this week with Illegal Reentry After Deportation (8 U.S.C. 1326)
- 4 individuals were charged this week with Alien Smuggling (8 U.S.C. 1324)
- 31 individuals were charged this week with Illegal Entry (8 U.S.C. 1325)
- 31 individuals were charged this week with Illegal Entry (8 U.S.C. 1325), violation of a military security regulation (50 U.S.C. 797) and Entering Military, Naval, or Coast Guard Property (18 U.S.C. 1382), arising from the newly established National Defense Area in New Mexico.
Many of the defendants charged pursuant to 18 U.S.C. 1326 had prior criminal convictions for assault, drug trafficking, and illegal reentry.
In one significant case, James Casady Cangro, a key figure in a Sinaloa Cartel-linked drug and firearms trafficking ring tied to white supremacist gangs, was sentenced to 11 years in prison for his role in distributing fentanyl, methamphetamine, and illegal firearms in Albuquerque.
In another case Kervin Castellanos-Buroz was charged by criminal complaint with escape from custody. On July 11, Customs and Border Protection agents apprehended Castellanos-Buroz for illegal reentry near Mount Cristo Rey and placed him in the back of a CBP vehicle. A short time later, when an agent opened the vehicle door, Castellanos-Buroz jumped out and ran toward the river in an attempt to return to Mexico. Agents pursued him into the water, where an altercation ensued before they were able to detain him.
These cases are part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
These statistics represent prosecutions by the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of New Mexico only. The numbers do not include individuals apprehended by immigration enforcement officials and subjected solely to administrative process.
Under current leadership, public safety and a secure border are the top priorities for the District of New Mexico. Enhanced enforcement both at the border and in the interior of the district have yielded aliens engaged in unlawful activity or with serious criminal history, including human trafficking, sexual assault and violence against children.
The District of New Mexico consists of 33 counties and shares 180 miles of international border with Mexico. Assistant U.S. Attorneys from Albuquerque and Las Cruces work directly with our federal, state and local law enforcement partners to prosecute immigration-related and other federal offenses.
Two Denver Gang Members Sentenced to Federal Prison for Trafficking Fentanyl and CocaineRead the Press Release
DENVER—The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado announces Carlos Sanford-Valdez, a.k.a. “Charlie Vuitton,” age 30, was sentenced to 240 months and five years of supervised release for his role in a conspiracy to distribute fentanyl and cocaine. Co-defendant Kataina Jackson-Keeling, a.k.a. “Tana Ten Birdz,” age 37, was sentenced to 120 months for his role in the conspiracy.
According to the defendants’ plea agreements, from May 2022 to April 2023, Mr. Sanford-Valdez and Mr. Jackson-Keeling—Crip gang members who were also part of a criminal network that called themselves the “Bird Gang”—and others sold large amounts of fentanyl and cocaine in the Denver Metro area. The defendants separately traveled to Arizona to obtain fentanyl pills, which they then transported or attempted to transport back to Colorado for distribution. They operated out of multiple locations across the Denver Metro area, where they stored and distributed the narcotics as part of their drug trafficking operation.
According to Sanford-Valdez’s plea agreement, Sanford-Valdez flew to Arizona on July 30, 2022, to obtain fentanyl pills, which he provided to an associate for transport back to Colorado. The associate was stopped by law enforcement en route to Colorado, and authorities seized approximately 60,000 fentanyl pills. The associate was later indicted along with Sanford-Valdez.
On August 19, 2022, law enforcement executed a search warrant on a vehicle driven by Sanford-Valdez and another associate who was later indicted with Sanford-Valdez. During the search, officers recovered a 9mm handgun, 15 rounds of ammunition, $2,494 in cash, and more than 10,000 fentanyl pills. Further, on October 11, 2022, Sanford-Valdez was stopped in Arizona for erratic driving but fled the scene. Following a brief pursuit, law enforcement searched the vehicle he was driving and recovered three cell phones, $37,670 in cash, a firearm, and marijuana.
According to Jackson-Keeling’s plea agreement, on November 14, 2022, Jackson-Keeling mailed a package from Arizona to Colorado. The package was intercepted and searched by law enforcement. Inside, officers found several children’s toys and ten individually wrapped bundles containing a total of 10,102 fentanyl pills.
Investigators also identified an automotive shop in Denver as a distribution location for the criminal network. On November 17, 2022, law enforcement executed a search warrant at the shop and recovered approximately 706 grams of fentanyl pills and 60 grams of fentanyl powder. That same day, law enforcement officers also search a location frequented by Sanford-Valdez and found 50 grams of cocaine.
According to court documents, Sanford-Valdez has several prior felony convictions which involved drugs and firearms. Jackson-Keeling was previously sentenced to 10 years in prison for an aggravated robbery in which he threatened a victim at gun point. Jackson-Keeling had a semi-automatic handgun in his possession when he was arrested in Texas on the indictment in this case.
“This case is a perfect example of how organized criminal networks, like the so-called ‘Bird Gang,’ are fueling the fentanyl crisis in our communities,” said United States Attorney Peter McNeilly. “These defendants trafficked tens of thousands of fentanyl pills into the Denver Metro area. Thanks to the coordinated efforts of federal, state, and local law enforcement, we were able to disrupt their operation, prevent deadly substances from reaching our streets, and prosecute the people who were most responsible.”
“This investigation demonstrates the resolve of DEA and our partners, by stopping the Bird Gang and its members from spreading poisonous fentanyl and committing acts of violence in our communities,” said Drug Enforcement Administration Rocky Mountain Field Division Special Agent in Charge Jonathan Pullen. “We’ll continue to investigate, prosecute, and destroy these criminal networks with all we have.”
“The Denver Police Department greatly appreciates our partnership with local and federal law enforcement agencies where together, we work to ensure those trying to distribute dangerous narcotics are held accountable,” said Denver Police Chief Ron Thomas. “This investigation, arrest, conviction and sentencing demonstrate our collective commitment to stopping the distribution of deadly drugs in our community and should serve as a warning to anyone who is or considering bringing illegal drugs into our city.”
United States District Judge Charlotte Sweeney presided over the sentencing. Agents and task force officers assigned to a Drug Enforcement Administration task force which includes the Denver Police Department and the Northern Colorado Drug Task Force conducted the investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Alexander Duncan handled the prosecution.
Case Number: 1:23-cr-00092-CNS and 1:23-cr-00092-CNS-2
Tri-Cities Registered Sex Offender Facing Federal Charges for Assaulting ICE AgentsRead the Press Release
Richland, Washington – Acting United States Attorney Stephanie Van Marter announced that Victor Martin Lara-Lopez, age 41, has been charged by complaint with two counts of Assault on a Federal Officer. Lara-Lopez made his initial appearance in federal court on July 17, 2025.
According to court documents and information presented in court, on the morning of June 13, 2025, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Deportation Officers attempted to detain Lara-Lopez on an Administrative Warrant for Arrest of an Alien. The officers spotted Lara-Lopez driving his F-350 truck in Pasco, Washington.
The officers, driving two separate vehicles, activated the emergency lights on their vehicles, parked in front of and behind Lara-Lopez, then approached the driver side window. Both officers were wearing ICE-issued ballistic vests with “POLICE” patches on the front and back.
The officers instructed Lara Lopez to roll down the window. Lara-Lopez only rolled the window halfway down and refused a request to turn off the vehicle or give his name or identification to the officers.
Lara-Lopez then attempted to roll up the window. One of officers stepped on the vehicle’s running board and attempted to keep the window down. Lara-Lopez took the vehicle out of park and started to back up. Both officers struggled with Lara-Lopez through the half-closed window in an attempt to gain control of Lara-Lopez and the vehicle.
After reversing a short distance, Lara-Lopez put the vehicle in drive and began to drive forward. Both ICE agents jumped backward to avoid being crushed between the F-350 and the agent’s parked vehicle. Lara-Lopez drove up on the sidewalk, struck the agent’s vehicle, then sped off. Both agents remained at the scene and did not pursue Lara-Lopez.
One of the ICE agents had bruises on their arm from the altercation. The other agent experienced pain and loss of mobility in their left shoulder.
Later that day, a federal complaint and arrest warrant were obtained for Lara-Lopez. Federal law enforcement authorities sought, but were unable to locate, Lara-Lopez for approximately one month. During this time, a Washington State Department of Corrections warrant was also issued for Lara-Lopez after he failed to report to his Community Corrections Officer. Lara-Lopez was under supervision by the Washington State DOC due to a conviction from 2022 for Child Molestation in the Second Degree with the Aggravating Circumstance of Position of Trust for which Lara-Lopez was sentenced to 36 months of imprisonment to be followed by 36 months of supervision. Lara-Lopez was also sentenced to a number of conditions, to include a prohibition on contact with minors.
On July 15, 2025, Law enforcement identified the same F-350 driven by Lara-Lopez on June 13th, driving on Highway 12 between Walla Walla and Pasco, Washington. Officers stopped the truck and the driver, a female, and a juvenile exited the vehicle. Lara-Lopez was also in the vehicle, but refused to exit until he was advised that K9 unit had been called to respond to the scene. Lara-Lopez then exited from the passenger door of the truck and was arrested by law enforcement.
“Every day, law enforcement officers in this district go to work to protect our community. Often, they must contact individuals with serious criminal histories who do not want to be apprehended and present a danger to our community. It is not uncommon for law enforcement to be assaulted in the course of doing the job, which is not lawful and should never be acceptable,” stated Acting United States Attorney Stephanie Van Marter. “My office will continue to hold those accountable who use violence in attempt to avoid arrest.”
This case was investigated by the FBI. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Laurel J. Holland.
A complaint is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
4:25-mj-07126-ACE
Tokio, ND Woman Sentenced to Federal Prison for Involuntary Manslaughter and Child NeglectRead the Press Release
Fargo – Acting United States Attorney Jennifer Klemetsrud Puhl announced today that Tierra Lynn Scott, age 31 from Tokio, ND, was sentenced before Chief Judge Peter D. Welte, United States District Court for the District of North Dakota, to 168 months in federal prison – the statutory maximum of 96 months for Involuntary Manslaughter and 24 months consecutive on each of the three Child Neglect counts in Indian country. Judge Welte also sentenced Scott to serve three years of supervised release following her incarceration and to pay restitution for funeral-related expenses.
On August 17, 2024, law enforcement responded to a residence in Fort Totten, North Dakota, where an adult male was later pronounced dead. The investigation revealed the man had been struck and run over by a motor vehicle driven by Scott. Scott had no driver’s license and was under the influence of intoxicating liquor and in possession of a controlled substance and drug paraphernalia and Scott was backing and otherwise driving recklessly, and without due care for the rights and safety of others. The investigation further revealed Scott had three minor children in the vehicle with her at the time.
“In August 2024, a man lost his life due to the negligence of Tierra Scott,” said FBI Minneapolis Special Agent in Charge Alvin M. Winston Sr. “She also placed three minor children at risk, driving with them while under the influence of alcohol and in possession of drugs and drug paraphernalia. The FBI will work together with our law enforcement partners to ensure our community is safe for all, especially for children.”
“This was an entirely preventable death which was tragically witnessed by others, including children who were in and outside the defendant’s vehicle, all who have no doubt been traumatized,” said Acting US Attorney Jennifer Puhl. “Sadly, in recent years law enforcement has responded to increased incidents of alcohol-impaired driving deaths on the Spirit Lake Reservation. I hope this sentence serves as a reminder of the severe legal consequences for individuals who choose to drive under the influence and will deter that behavior.”
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation with assistance from the Bureau of Indian Affairs and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Lori H. Conroy.
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Tennessee man sentenced to prison for operating investment schemeRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, KAN. – A Tennessee man was sentenced to 71 months in prison after being convicted of running a $1.9 million Ponzi scheme.
According to court documents, Alcides Roman, 66, of Lebanon, Tennessee, pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud.
Roman defrauded victims in Kansas, New York, Texas, and in Canada by soliciting their participation in purportedly high-yield investment programs. In truth, these investment opportunities were fraudulent. Roman did not invest the funds and failed to redeem the investments upon the victims’ requests. Rather, he left the funds in bank accounts he controlled and used the money for his own and others’ benefit. Roman induced victims to make additional or larger investments by making payments to them, ostensibly as returns on investment. Those payments, however, were from the same victim’s prior principal investments or another victim’s investments.Roman used funds from the scheme to pay for his personal living expenses, to buy vehicles and land, and to send money to numerous foreign and domestic companies. The total known loss to victims was $1,977,857.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan J. Huschka prosecuted the case.
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Taunton Man Sentenced to 15 Years in Prison for Drug Distribution, Access Device Fraud and Aggravated Identity Theft ChargesRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Taunton man was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Boston for participating in drug distribution and a drug conspiracy involving wholesale quantities of cocaine, fentanyl, fentanyl analogue and methamphetamine. He was also sentenced for using an unknowing individual’s identity and an unauthorized access device to fraudulently rent locations he used for the purposes of drug trafficking.
Terrence Pyrtle, a/k/a “Big T,” a/k/a “T,” a/k/a “big_t558,” 42, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Patti B. Saris to 15 years in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release. In April 2025, Pyrtle pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 500 grams and more of cocaine, 400 grams and more of fentanyl, 100 grams and more of fentanyl analogue and methamphetamine; one count of possession with intent to distribute 500 grams and more of cocaine, 400 grams and more of fentanyl, 100 grams and more of fentanyl analogue and methamphetamine; one count of possession with intent to distribute 400 grams and more of fentanyl and 100 grams and more of fentanyl analogue; one count of conspiracy to commit access device fraud and aggravated identity theft; one count of access device fraud; and one count of aggravated identity theft. Pyrtle was charged in April 2023, along with co-conspirator Ashley Roostaie.
Pyrtle and Roostaie utilized the personal identification information (including name, date of birth and Social Security number) of an unknowing individual to fraudulently enter into lease agreements for two apartments in Braintree and Somerville, which Pyrtle then used to participate in a drug conspiracy involving distribution quantities of cocaine, fentanyl, fentanyl analogue and methamphetamine. The drug conspiracy in which Pyrtle participated also extended to other locations across the state.
Pyrtle and Roostaie also created an email account and obtained a counterfeit driver’s license using the individual’s identification information. Pyrtle and Roostaie also used the individual’s identification information to obtain a Green Dot debit card account, which they used to make payments associated with the apartments. By placing the apartment leases under another individual’s personal identification information, Roostaie and Pyrtle were able to conceal their connection to and use of the apartments which were used by Pyrtle in furtherance of his drug distribution and drug conspiracy.
In May 2025, Roostaie was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Patti B. Saris to two years of probation and was ordered to pay a $1,000 fine as well as restitution of $1,000.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Ted E. Docks, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; and Colonel Geoffrey D. Noble, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Boston, Brockton, East Bridgewater and Bridgewater Police Departments and Plymouth County, Suffolk County and Bristol County Sheriff’s Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kaitlin R. O’Donnell and David Cutshall of the Criminal Division prosecuted the case.
This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
Swedish Man Who Licensed Rights to Late Colombian Drug Lord Pablo Escobar Pleads Guilty to Fraud, Money Laundering ChargesRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – A Swedish national who licensed the rights of the late Colombian narco-terrorist Pablo Escobar pleaded guilty today to six federal criminal charges for defrauding investors by marketing and selling products – including flamethrowers and cellphones – that he never delivered.
Olof Kyros Gustafsson, 32, a.k.a. “El Silencio,” pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and mail fraud, one count of wire fraud, one count of mail fraud, one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering, one count of concealment money laundering, and one count of international concealment money laundering.
Gustafsson has been in federal custody since March 28, when he was extradited to the United States from Spain, where he was arrested in December 2023.
According to his plea agreement, Gustafsson was the CEO of Escobar Inc., a corporation registered in Puerto Rico that held successor-in-interest rights to the persona and legacy of Pablo Escobar, the deceased Colombian narco-terrorist and late head of the Medellín Cartel. Escobar Inc. used Pablo Escobar’s likeness and persona to market and sell purported consumer products to the public.
From July 2019 to November 2023, Gustafsson identified existing products in the marketplace that were being manufactured and sold to the public. He then used the Escobar persona to market and advertise similar and competing products purportedly being sold by Escobar Inc., advertising them at a price substantially lower than existing counterparts being sold by other companies.
Gustafsson then purportedly sold the products – including an Escobar Flamethrower, an Escobar Fold Phone, an Escobar Gold 11 Pro Phone, and Escobar Cash (marketed as a “physical cryptocurrency”) – to customers, receiving payments via PayPal, Stripe, Coinbase, among other payment processors, as well as bank and wire transfers.
Despite receiving customer payments, Gustafsson did not deliver the Escobar Inc. products to paying customers because the products did not exist.
In furtherance of the scheme, Gustafsson sent crudely made samples of the purported Escobar Inc. products to online technology reviewers and social media influencers to attempt to increase the public’s demand for them. For example, Gustafsson sent Samsung Galaxy Fold Phones wrapped in gold foil and disguised as Escobar Inc. phones to online technology reviewers to attempt to induce victims who watched the online reviews into buying the products that never would be delivered.
Also, rather than sending paying customers the actual products, Gustafsson mailed them a “Certificate of Ownership,” a book, or other Escobar Inc. promotional materials so there was a record of mailing from the company to the customer. When a paying customer attempted to obtain a refund when the product was never delivered, Gustafsson fraudulently referred the payment processor to the proof of mailing for the Certificate of Ownership or other material as proof that the product itself was shipped and that the customer had received it so the refund requests would be denied.
Gustafsson also caused bank accounts to be opened under his name and entities he controlled to be used as funnel accounts – bank accounts into which he deposited and withdrew proceeds derived from his criminal activities. The purpose was to conceal and disguise the nature, location, source, ownership, and control of the proceeds. The bank accounts were located in the United States, Sweden, and the United Arab Emirates.
United States District Judge Fernando L. Aenlle-Rocha scheduled a December 5 sentencing hearing, at which time Gustafsson will face a statutory maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison for each fraud-related count and up to 10 years in federal prison for each money laundering-related count.
As part of his plea agreement, Gustafsson agreed to pay up to $1.3 million in restitution to victims, as well as to forfeiture to funds that were proceeds of the fraud schemes, including money currently held in a bank account in Sweden.
IRS Criminal Investigation, the FBI, and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation-Office of Inspector General are investigating this matter, with assistance from the Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs, the United States Marshals Service, Eurojust, Spanish authorities, and French judicial authorities.
Assistant United States Attorney Joshua O. Mausner of the Violent and Organized Crime Section is prosecuting this case.
Stanislaus County Mother-Son Duo Sentenced to Prison for Inmate Unemployment Insurance Claims ConspiracyRead the Press Release
Jaime Ornelas, 27, formerly of Modesto, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Dena Coggins to three years and one month in prison and ordered to pay $150,000 in restitution for conspiracy to commit mail fraud arising from fraudulently submitted unemployment insurance benefits, Acting U.S. Attorney Kimberly A. Sanchez announced.
On June 6, 2025, Jaime Ornelas’s mother and co-defendant Misty Ornelas, 48, of Turlock, was sentenced to 18 months in prison.
According to court documents, beginning in June 2020, Jaime Ornelas and Misty Ornelas operated a scheme to submit fraudulent unemployment insurance benefit claims to the California Employment Development Department (EDD). Jaime Ornelas, who was then-incarcerated at the High Desert State Prison in Lassen County, provided Misty Ornelas personally identifiable information of fellow inmates. Misty Ornelas then used that information to submit fraudulent unemployment insurance benefit applications to EDD. The submitted applications misrepresented the eligibility of the inmates, including that they had last worked within the prior few months and had become unemployed because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The fraudulent claims were worth more than $150,000.
This case was the product of an investigation by Federal Bureau of Investigation and EDD. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Chan Hee Chu and Denise N. Yasinow prosecuted the case.
This case is part of the California COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Strike Force, which is one of the interagency COVID-19 fraud strike forces established by the United States Department of Justice. The California Strike Force combines law enforcement and prosecutorial resources in the Eastern and Central Districts of California, and focuses on large-scale, multistate, and egregious pandemic relief fraud. The strike force uses prosecutor-led, and data analyst-driven, teams to identify and bring to justice those who stole pandemic relief money.