Latest Records
Newest first across public DOJ and U.S. Attorney press releases.
8 September 2026
Armed Drug Trafficker from Springfield, Massachusetts Sentenced to 144 Months for Conspiring to Distribute Fentanyl and Cocaine in Bennington, VermontRead the Press Release
RUTLAND – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Vermont stated that on September 8, 2026, Alec Diaz, a/k/a “Benn Tenn,” 22, of Springfield, Massachusetts, was sentenced by United States District Judge Mary Kay Lanthier to a term of 144 months’ imprisonment to be followed by a 5-year term of supervised release. Diaz previously pleaded guilty to conspiring to distribute fentanyl and cocaine base, possessing with intent to distribute 28 grams or more of cocaine base, and carrying and using a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
According to court records, between January 2023 and September 2025, Diaz was a manager and supervisor of a drug trafficking organization operating around Bennington, Vermont. Diaz and his associates imported kilograms of cocaine into Vermont on multiple occasions. Once the cocaine was in Vermont, 90% of it was cooked into cocaine base. Diaz and his associates also regularly imported fentanyl. Numerous individuals, including a juvenile, distributed drugs on behalf of Diaz, at times selling over 1,000 bags of fentanyl a day. On September 24, 2025, law enforcement arrested Diaz in Pownal, Vermont. In the camper where Diaz was found, agents seized a .45 caliber handgun, approximately 26 grams of cocaine, approximately 32 grams of cocaine base, and $15,000 cash.
In addition to drug trafficking, Diaz was involved in firearms trafficking. Diaz obtained both handguns and AR-style rifles from a Bennington-area resident, and later transferred them to another drug trafficker. Diaz also used firearms during his drug trafficking activities, displaying them to intimidate others and protect his drug trafficking operation. On at least one occasion, Diaz obtained a firearm in exchange for drugs.
First Assistant United States Attorney Jonathan A. Ophardt commended the collaborative investigatory efforts of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the Bennington County Sheriff’s Department, the Vermont State Police Narcotics Investigation Unit, the Bennington Police Department, the Massachusetts State Police, the Springfield (MA) Police Department, the United States Marshals Service, and the Cambridge (NY) Police Department.
First Assistant United States Attorney Ophardt added: “For two and a half years, Diaz pushed kilograms of poisonous drugs into Vermont for profit while facilitating the movement of firearms to other drug traffickers. Diaz’ lengthy prison sentence should serve as a warning to others who would do the same.”
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jason Turner. Diaz was represented by Assistant Federal Public Defender Samuel Ansell.
Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is the Department of Justice’s nationwide initiative that brings federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement, prosecutors, and other public safety partners together to coordinate efforts to combat violent crime and make communities safe. Coordinated by U.S. Attorneys’ offices in each of the 94 federal districts, PSN is tailored to particular communities to strategically address specific violent crime and public safety challenges. As a key component of Operation Take Back America, PSN serves a central role in the Department’s commitment to make our country safe. PSN emphasizes three core principles: rapid federal response to violent crime and criminal offenders; strong, strategic partnerships among law enforcement at all levels; and accountability and deterrence through the prosecution of the most serious, readily provable offenses and other strategies. These efforts complement and strengthen President Trump’s Homeland Security Task Forces, ensuring a comprehensive federal response to the most pressing public safety issues facing communities.
60-Year-Old Man from Arecibo Found Guilty of Child ExploitationRead the Press Release
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – On September 3, 2026, after a four-day jury trial, Willie Torres-Gerena, 60, of Arecibo, PR, was found guilty of transportation of a minor with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity. United States District Court Senior Judge Francisco A. Besosa presided over the trial.
On January 25, 2024, FBI Special Agents arrested Torres-Gerena, former boxing coach, for attempting to engage in sexual activity with a 16-year-old female minor. Evidence and witness testimonies presented during trial revealed that the defendant, who was a trusted father figure for the victim, invited her to lunch and instead transported her to a motel and attempted to rape her.
“These cases are particularly sensitive and require expertise, patience, understanding, and compassion for the victim,” said Acting U.S. Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico Héctor Ramírez Carbó. “This verdict sends a clear message that those who exploit minors or attempt to do so will be held fully accountable and face significant consequences for their crimes.”
“Today’s verdict reflects our unwavering commitment to protecting the most vulnerable members of our community,” said Carlos R. Goris, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s San Juan Field Office. “Thanks to the courage of the victim and the dedicated work of our partners at the U.S. Attorney’s Office, justice was served. The FBI will continue to work tirelessly to ensure that those who exploit or harm children are brought to account, no exceptions.”
The defendant faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years up to life in prison, followed by a supervised release term of five years up to life. Sentencing is scheduled for December 2, 2026, at 9:00 am. The defendant was ordered detained in custody of the Bureau of Prisons pending sentencing.
The FBI investigated the case with the collaboration of the Puerto Rico Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Daynelle Álvarez‑Lora and Fabiola Rivera-Laboy from the Child Exploitation and Immigration Unit prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
###
45-Year-Old Canóvanas Man Arrested for Child ExploitationRead the Press Release
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – On August 25, 2026, special agents with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement arrested David Ortiz-García, a 45-year-old male from Canóvanas, Puerto Rico, on criminal charges for child exploitation, announced Héctor Ramírez-Carbó, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico.
On August 20, 2026, a federal grand jury indicted Ortiz-García on six charges of production, receipt, transportation, and possession of child exploitation material.
According to court documents, from in or about November 2025, to July 2026, defendant Ortiz-García possessed and knowingly accessed with intent to view child pornography. Ortiz-García, using his cellular telephone and other electronic devices, which had internet capabilities, possessed images and videos of child pornography including images of toddlers, prepubescent minors or minors who had not attained 12 years of age.
From or about January 9, 2026, to on or about January 12, 2026, Ortiz-García knowingly induced, enticed, and coerced a minor, or attempted to do so, that is a 3-year-old male minor, to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing child pornography. The defendant is also charged with two more counts of production of child pornography in February and April 2026, for enticing and coercing a prepubescent male minor to engage in sexually explicit conduct to produce child pornography. Ortiz-García is also facing one count of receipt and one count of transportation of child pornography.
“Those who prey on children will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Héctor Ramírez-Carbó of the District of Puerto Rico. “I thank the dedicated HSI agents and prosecutors who investigated and charged this case for their tireless efforts to protect the most vulnerable in our community.”
“Behind every child exploitation case is a child who has been harmed, and this arrest is another urgent reminder that predators do not fit one profile, and victims do not fit one gender,” said HSI San Juan Acting Special Agent in Charge Yariel Ramos. “HSI San Juan has seen a troubling pattern of adult males seeking to exploit male minors, and we will continue to call attention to that reality without minimizing the risk to any child. Our message is clear: child exploitation is not limited by stereotypes, and neither is our enforcement response. HSI San Juan will follow the evidence, identify victims, and pursue those accused of targeting children with the full weight of our investigative authorities.”
Assistant U.S. Daynelle Álvarez-Lora from the Child Exploitation and Immigration Unit, is prosecuting the case. The Puerto Rico Crimes Against Children Task Force led by HSI is in charge of the investigation.
If convicted for the charges the defendant faces the following penalties: (1) production of child pornography – minimum sentence of 15 years and a maximum of 30 years in prison; (2) receipt of child exploitation material – five to 20 years in prison; (2) transportation of child exploitation material – five to 20 years in prison; and (3) possession of child pornography – a maximum of 20 years of imprisonment. All charges of conviction are to be followed by a term of supervised release after the term of imprisonment. A federal district court judge will determine the sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
For more information about HSI’s efforts to protect children from sexual predators, visit Know2Protect.gov. To report suspicious activities, call 787-729-6969 or send an email to [email protected].
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
###
5 September 2026
It’s a New Day in Fort Worth: Federal operation aims to remove violent offenders from the communityRead the Press Release
FORT WORTH, Texas — United States Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Ryan Raybould announced that federal prosecutors, in coordination with federal and local law enforcement partners, launched Operation New Day, a public safety initiative aimed at ridding the Fort Worth community of dangerous criminal offenders in advance of the upcoming holiday season.
Formally launched on Aug. 24, this 90-day operation focuses on prosecuting narcotics traffickers, dangerous illegal aliens and other violent offenders. By removing these threats from the community, U.S. Attorney Raybould aims to help ensure a safer and more family‑friendly holiday season.
Less than two weeks since its inception, Operation New Day has resulted in 23 new federal cases being filed by the Fort Worth Division.
“Those who break our laws, flood our streets with drugs and commit violent acts in our community should understand that they are not welcome in Fort Worth,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan Raybould. “North Texas will not serve as a refuge for individuals who persist in violating federal law, nor will it provide a respite for those who believe they can evade justice.”
Since launching Operation New Day, the Fort Worth Division has seized more than 20 kilograms of methamphetamine, along with distribution quantities of crack cocaine, and powder cocaine. Additional charges have been filed against multiple individuals for offenses including possession of a machine gun, escape from detention, narcotics distribution and illegal reentry into the United States.
Fort Worth is the 10th‑largest city in the nation and Operation New Day represents a significant step toward making Fort Worth the safest big city in the nation.
4 September 2026
U.S. Attorney’s Office Committed to Protecting Children in the Digital AgeRead the Press Release
WHEELING, WEST VIRGINIA – The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of West Virginia is proud to share two new online safety flyers designed to help parents, caregivers, educators, and community leaders safeguard children in an increasingly digital world.
“Protecting children in today’s digital world requires vigilance, teamwork, and a shared commitment to their well‑being,” said U.S. Attorney Matthew L. Harvey. “By empowering families and communities with clear, practical information, we strengthen our ability to keep every child safe online.”
As technology continues to evolve, so do the risks facing our youth. These handouts provide practical guidance to help adults understand online dangers, recognize warning signs, and take proactive steps to keep children safe on smartphones, the internet, and social media platforms.
We encourage schools, community organizations, and families across West Virginia to use these resources and share them widely. By spreading this information, we strengthen our collective ability to protect children and support safe online habits.
Together, we can help make the digital world a safer place for our most vulnerable.
Thank you to all our partners for your continued commitment to child safety.
View and download the online safety flyers here:
www.justice.gov/usao-ndwv/media/1460206/dl?inline
www.justice.gov/usao-ndwv/media/1460211/dl?inline
Tampa Fentanyl Trafficker Sentenced to More Than 30 YearsRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – Javontez Daniels (31, Tampa) has been sentenced by U.S. District Judge William F. Jung to more than 30 years in federal prison for conspiracy to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl, possession of 400 grams or more of fentanyl with the intent to distribute it, and possession of ammunition as a convicted felon. The court also ordered Daniels to forfeit ammunition, an instrumentality of the offense. A federal jury found Daniels guilty on April 22, 2026. United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.
According to evidence and testimony introduced at trial, Daniels and a co-defendant maintained a premises to process fentanyl, which they distributed in the Middle District of Florida. Daniels had more than 250 grams of fentanyl mixtures in the stash location when it was searched in December 2024. Agents also recovered blenders with fentanyl residue, a kilo press, a mask, a vacuum sealer, and cutting agents. Daniels was apprehended by federal agents after he fled in the parking garage of his apartment complex. Daniels failed to stop his car, ultimately crashing into an agent’s vehicle, and attempting to flee on foot.
During the investigation, agents learned that Daniels had conspired to deliver fentanyl to at least four individuals in Pinellas and Pasco Counties. He also discussed an overdose with his co-conspirator before arranging to deliver more fentanyl to her for distribution. Daniels also transported fentanyl for distribution to gas stations in Pasco County, where he sat to solicit customers.
Daniels was held accountable for conspiring to distribute more than two kilograms of fentanyl between October and December 2024. He was previously convicted of cocaine sales in Pinellas County and served more than four years’ imprisonment before committing these offenses.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Tampa Police Department, the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office, the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office, the Sarasota Police Department, the Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office, and the Bradenton Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Samantha E. Beckman.
South Florida Men Sentenced to Prison for $34.8M Health Care Fraud Scheme Targeting Medicare BeneficiariesRead the Press Release
MIAMI – Two South Florida men were sentenced to multiple years in prison for their roles in a $34.8 million health care fraud conspiracy billing Medicare for thousands of orthotic braces sent to Medicare beneficiaries who did not need them.
“These fraudsters billed Medicare $34.8 million for braces that patients didn’t need and didn’t request — and now they’re paying the price,” said Assistant Attorney General Colin M. McDonald of the Justice Department’s National Fraud Enforcement Division. “They paid kickbacks for fake doctors’ orders, shuffled billing among several companies to dodge payment suspensions, and pocketed millions that belonged to American taxpayers. Their prison sentences make clear: if you steal from Medicare, you will be caught, you will be prosecuted, and you will be held accountable.”
“Medicare is not a blank check for fraudsters,” said U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida. “These defendants built a $34.8 million scheme around medically unnecessary braces, fraudulent doctors’ orders, and illegal kickbacks, all to enrich themselves at the expense of American taxpayers. Today’s sentences reinforce a simple message: if you steal from our health care programs, we will find you, prosecute you, and hold you accountable.”
According to court documents, Kenneth Charles Kessler, III, 43, of Miami, and Michael Andrew Gomez, 43, of Miramar, owned and operated seven durable medical equipment (DME) supply companies based in Florida. Through these DME companies, they submitted millions of dollars in false claims to Medicare for medically unnecessary orthotic braces.
Kessler and Gomez also paid illegal kickbacks and bribes to obtain fraudulent signed doctors’ orders. They used these orders to ship orthotic braces to Medicare beneficiaries nationwide, including to beneficiaries who neither requested nor needed the braces, and then claimed payment for those braces from Medicare. Kessler and Gomez used their multiple DME companies to evade Medicare payment suspensions by shifting their fraudulent billing between their DME companies.
Kessler profited more than $1.4 million, and Gomez profited more than $2.3 million from the fraudulent scheme.
Kessler was sentenced to 33 months of imprisonment, and Gomez was sentenced to 24 months of imprisonment.
In May 2026, Kessler and Gomez each pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit health care fraud.
Assistant Attorney General Colin M. McDonald of the Justice Department’s National Fraud Enforcement Division; U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida; Special Agent in Charge Brett Skiles of the FBI Miami Field Office; and Acting Deputy Inspector General for Investigations Miranda Bennett of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG), made the announcement.
FBI and HHS-OIG investigated the case.
Trial Attorneys Aisha Schafer Hylton and Owen Dunn of the National Fraud Enforcement Division’s Health Care Fraud Section prosecuted the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Daren Grove for the Southern District of Florida is handling asset forfeiture.
On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division. The core mission of the Fraud Division is to zealously investigate and prosecute those who steal or fraudulently misuse taxpayer dollars. Department of Justice efforts to combat fraud support President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs.
The Department of Justice’s Health Care Fraud Strike Force Program, currently comprised of nine strike forces operating in federal districts across the country, has charged more than 6,200 defendants who collectively billed federal health care programs and private insurers more than $45 billion since 2007. In addition, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, working in conjunction with the Office of the Inspector General for the Department of Health and Human Services, are taking steps to hold providers accountable for their involvement in health care fraud schemes. More information can be found at www.justice.gov/criminal-fraud/health-care-fraud-unit.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov, under case numbers 25-cr-60188.
###
Shiprock Man Convicted of Federal Sexual Abuse and Kidnapping ChargesRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – After a four-day trial and approximately three hours of deliberation, a federal jury convicted Keanu Lee of sexually abusing two minor victims and kidnapping and seriously injuring one of them.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, between June 2024 and February 2025, Lee, 34, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, kidnapped minor Jane Doe 1, sexually abused her, and assaulted her, causing serious bodily injury.
The evidence further established that on two occasions between 2012 and 2014, Lee sexually abused a second minor victim, identified as Jane Doe 2.
For these actions, jurors found Lee guilty of three counts of aggravated sexual abuse, one count of sexual abuse, kidnapping, and assault resulting serious bodily injury. At sentencing, Lee faces a mandatory minimum of 30 years and up to life in prison.
First Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison and Special Agent in Charge Justin A. Garris of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today.
The Farmington Resident Agency of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Navajo Nation Police Department and Navajo Department of Criminal Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Meg Tomlinson and Patrick E. Cordova are prosecuting the case as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the Department of Justice’s nationwide initiative that brings federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement, prosecutors, and other public safety partners together to coordinate efforts to combat violent crime and make communities safe. Coordinated by U.S. Attorneys’ offices in each of the 94 federal districts, PSN is tailored to particular communities to strategically address specific violent crime and public safety challenges. As a key component of Operation Take Back America, PSN serves a central role in the Department’s commitment to make our country safe. PSN emphasizes three core principles: rapid federal response to violent crime and criminal offenders; strong, strategic partnerships among law enforcement at all levels; and accountability and deterrence through the prosecution of the most serious, readily provable offenses and other strategies. These efforts complement and strengthen President Trump’s Homeland Security Task Forces, ensuring a comprehensive federal response to the most pressing public safety issues facing communities.
Seventeen Charged in Homeland Security Task Force Investigation of Fentanyl Trafficking Network in San DiegoRead the Press Release
SAN DIEGO – Two complaints were unsealed in federal court this week charging 17 alleged members of a San Diego-based fentanyl trafficking organization with distributing large quantities of fentanyl throughout San Diego.
In a coordinated takedown Thursday, more than 200 federal, state and local law enforcement officials arrested 13 defendants and executed a search warrant in San Diego; two defendants were arrested earlier in the week; and two are fugitives.
Including seizures this week and throughout this 10-month Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) investigation, authorities have seized more than 27 kilograms of fentanyl; preventing more than 13 million potentially lethal doses from being distributed in San Diego. Additionally, agents seized more than 14.5 kilograms of cocaine, .6 kilograms of heroin, .8 kilograms of methamphetamine, and $49,000 in cash.
“Fentanyl is still out there—but so are we, and we’re coming for those who traffic it,” said U.S. Attorney Adam Gordon.
“Through the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF), HSI San Diego and our federal, state, and local partners are bringing the full weight of a unified law enforcement effort against the criminal organizations pushing deadly fentanyl into our neighborhoods,” said Kevin Murphy, acting Special Agent in Charge of HSI San Diego. “This investigation reflects the strength of that partnership, resulting in multiple arrests and the seizure of significant quantities of fentanyl, cocaine, heroin, methamphetamine, and illicit proceeds. Together, we will continue working to disrupt and dismantle the networks that threaten public safety across our community.”
“As the Sheriff, I stand committed to working with local, state, and federal law enforcement to keep our communities safe,” said San Diego County Sheriff Kelly Martinez. “This investigation exemplifies the resources and level of law enforcement cooperation necessary to bring those responsible for distributing deadly narcotics to justice. These cases are time- and labor-intensive. The dedication of local, state, and federal law enforcement, analysts, and prosecutors is what makes it happen. I am extremely proud of everyone involved in this investigation and particularly the members of the San Diego County Sheriff’s Office.”
According to court documents, in November 2025, HSI San Diego and the San Diego County Sheriff’s Department, as part of the Fentanyl Abatement and Suppression Team (FAST), initiated an investigation into a drug trafficking organization (DTO) supplying fentanyl to multiple street-level dealers throughout San Diego, California. On November 25, 2025, agents seized 4.8 kilograms of fentanyl, 0.8 kilograms of methamphetamine, $10,042, and arrested Fabian Iniguez Ontiveros. A subsequent search of Iniguez’s cell phone revealed dozens of different fentanyl sub-distributors working for this DTO.
Through multiple investigative methods agents identified the leader of this DTO responsible for coordinating the smuggling and distribution of the fentanyl. Investigators also seized drug ledgers showing the organization routinely sells an ounce of fentanyl for $600 to $700, including making up to $20,000 in one night of deliveries. AfterIniguez was arrested, agents identified the new principal fentanyl distributor in the United States as Maricielo Ibarra Barrera.
From April to May 2026, investigators infiltrated the organization, conducting multiple fentanyl purchases coordinated by the organization and delivered by Ibarra. Investigators utilized months of surveillance operations to observe hundreds of instances where Ibarra drove from her residence to various locations around San Diego making multiple short stops consistent with drug distribution.
Beginning in June 2026 and continuing through August 2026, investigators obtained federal wiretaps targeting cellular telephones used by DTO. During these periods of interceptions, investigators intercepted dozens of calls and text messages between members of the organization located in the United States and Mexico. These wiretaps led directly to multiple seizures of fentanyl.
Evidence gathered indicated that Ibarra received as much as $50,000 per week for trafficking fentanyl on behalf of the DTO. On August 17, 2026, agents arrested Ibarra and executed a search warrant at Ibarra’s residence, where investigators discovered approximately 1.7 kilograms of fentanyl, 0.6 kilograms of heroin and $15,568.
On September 1, 2026, agents arrested two more members of the organization, Richard Alexander Arias Cruz and Juan Manuel Godinez and seized 14.52 kgs (32.01 lbs.) of cocaine and 20.28 kgs (44.71 lbs.) of fentanyl.
Special agents and task force officers with HSI San Diego’s Fentanyl Abatement and Suppression Team (FAST) led this investigation.
HSI San Diego’s FAST is a multiagency task force comprising state, local, and federal partners and was first established in August 2022 focusing on the disruption and dismantlement of criminal organizations that smuggle and distribute fentanyl within San Diego County. HSI’s FAST targets fentanyl smuggling and distribution networks to counter the rising overdose rate and decrease the availability and accessibility of fentanyl.
DEFENDANTS Case Number 26mj5181
*Redacted
Travis Faircloth Age: 42 Lemon Grove, CA
Diego La Madrid Age: 68 San Diego, CA
Leonardo Monteleone Age: 50 San Diego, CA
Andrew Reva Age: 51 Encinitas, CA
Garret Hutter Age: 56 Spring Valley, CA
Renee Trujillo Age: 55 San Diego, CA
Robert Clark Age: 61 San Diego, CA
Joseph Egan Age: 51 San Diego, CA
Nicole Lines Age: 37 Spring Valley, CA
Jeremy Jarrell Age: 39 Lakeside, CA
Erika Price Age: 39 Lakeside, CA
Stan Szumilas Age: 43 El Cajon , CA
Christopher Curll Age: 54 San Diego, CA
*Redacted
SUMMARY OF CHARGES
Conspiracy to Distribute Fentanyl - Title 21, U.S.C., Secs. 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(A), and 846 (Felony)
Maximum Penalty: Life in prison and $10 million fine
DEFENDANTS Case Number 26mj5173
Richard Alexander Arias Cruz Age: 26 El Cajon, CA
Juan Manuel Godinez Age: 22 Tijuana, Baja California, Mexico
SUMMARY OF CHARGES
Conspiracy to Distribute Fentanyl and Cocaine - Title 21, U.S.C., Secs. 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(A), and 846 (Felony)
Maximum Penalty: Life in prison and $10 million fine
INVESTIGATING AGENCIES
Homeland Security Investigations
San Diego County Sheriff’s Office
San Diego Police Department
California Department of Justice
U.S. Border Patrol
U.S. Customs and Border Protection
Drug Enforcement Administration
Naval Criminal Investigative Service
U.S. Marshals Service
U.S. Postal Inspection Service
California National Guard - Counterdrug Task Force
*The charges and allegations contained in an indictment or complaint are merely accusations, and the defendants are considered innocent unless and until proven guilty.
This case was investigated and prosecuted by the California 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).
High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas (HIDTA) program, created by Congress with the Anti-Drug Abuse Act of 1988, provides assistance to Federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement agencies operating in areas determined to be critical drug-trafficking regions of the United States. This grant program is administered by the Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP). There are currently 33 HIDTAs, and HIDTA-designated counties are located in 50 states, as well as in Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the District of Columbia.
San Diego County Man Federally Charged with Mailing to Temecula Mosque Letter Threatening to Perpetrate Mass Murder of MuslimsRead the Press Release
RIVERSIDE, California – A San Diego County man has been federally charged with mailing to a mosque in Riverside County a letter that included threats of perpetrating a mass killing of Muslims, the Justice Department announced today.
Louis White, 60, of Warner Springs, was charged Thursday in a federal criminal complaint with mailing threatening communications. White is in state custody but is expected to be transferred to federal custody in the coming weeks.
According to an affidavit filed with the complaint, on August 26, the Islamic Center of Temecula Valley, a mosque in Temecula, reported to law enforcement that it had received a threatening letter that read, in part, “I CANNOT WAIT FOR THE DAY TO KILL EVERY ONE OF YOU, IT CANNOT COME SOON ENOUGH!”
Under the text was a hand drawing of crosshairs containing a bearded face with X’s for eyes and wearing a hat stating, “[expletive] Allah.”
Law enforcement investigated and traced the letter to White. During a search of White’s residence on August 29, law enforcement seized several firearms, including one believed to be an AR15-style short-barreled rifle with no serial number – commonly referred to as a “ghost gun.”
White was arrested and is currently in state custody in a Riverside County jail.
A criminal complaint contains merely allegations, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
If convicted, White would face a statutory maximum sentence of five years in federal prison.
The United States Postal Inspection Service and the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department are investigating this matter. The Temecula Police Department provided assistance.
Assistant United States Attorney Barr Benyamin of the General Crimes Section is prosecuting this case.
Romanian fugitive apprehended in Washington state after fleeing prosecution in GeorgiaRead the Press Release
SAVANNAH, Georgia: An illegal alien on the run has been arrested in the Western District of Washington near Seattle.
Bogdan Alexandru Gherghevici, a/k/a “Victor Zema, 27, originally indicted in August 2025 in a 16-count indictment charging him with federal Wire Fraud and Aggravated Identity Theft charges, has been apprehended and is set to be transferred back to the Southern District of Georgia. Gherghevici was illegally in the United States and fled when the investigation began. Gherghevici is considered innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Gherghevici’s co-defendant, Viorel Cristea, 33, a Romanian citizen illegally present in the United States, was convicted of one count of Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud and ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $679,100 in March 2026.
The investigation began in May 2025 when a victim contacted the Pierce County, Georgia, Sheriff’s Office regarding suspicious activity from a farm equipment dealer purported to be in Blackshear, in the Southern District of Georgia. Sheriff’s Office investigators and Homeland Security Investigations agents determined the company was fraudulent, and HSI agents identified Cristea and Gherghevici as conspirators.
According to the indictment, it was alleged that at least as early as March 2025, and up to and including May 2025, both defendants participated in an extensive scheme falsely claiming to sell used farm equipment. This fraudulent scheme victimized more than a dozen prospective purchasers across the country, many of them elderly, and resulted in a total loss of more than $600,000.
The capture, and subsequent extradition of Gherghevici has been ordered by Western District of Washington Magistrate Judge Brian A. Tsuchida, ensures the Southern District of Georgia can proceed with the prosecution of the case.
“We commend our law enforcement partners no matter where they may be, and the team effort across the country will now send this defendant back to answer for the conduct alleged in this case,” said U.S. Attorney Heap. “We look forward to bringing this case to a resolution and assisting the victims with closure.”
“Fleeing prosecution does not erase the harm caused to victims or stop HSI from pursuing justice,” said Steven N. Schrank, special agent in charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Georgia and Alabama. “This arrest reflects the strength of our partnerships with the Pierce County Sheriff’s Office, the U.S. Attorney’s Office, and law enforcement partners in Washington state. HSI will continue working across jurisdictions to identify, locate, and bring alleged fraudsters before the courts.”
The case was investigated by HSI Savannah Field Office, the Pierce County Sheriff’s Office and prosecuted for the United States by Southern District of Georgia Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ryan Bondura, Olivia Brame, and L. Alexander Hamner.
Repeat Offender Sentenced to 20 Years’ Imprisonment for His Ninth Felony ConvictionRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – United States Attorney Daniel N. Rosen announced that Esau Chucky Sago, 36, was sentenced to 240 months in prison and five years of supervised release for being an armed career criminal in possession of ammunition. He was indicted on February 26, 2025, convicted on November 18, 2025, after a two-day jury trial, and was sentenced before U.S. District Judge Nancy E. Brasel on September 3, 2026.
According to court documents, on or about October 10, 2024, the defendant knowingly possessed ammunition despite having prior felony convictions which prohibited him from possessing ammunition or a firearm. Sago’s prior felony offenses include two convictions for domestic assault and one conviction for domestic assault-strangulation, which qualified him as an armed career criminal. Armed career criminals who possess firearms or ammunition are subject to a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in prison. Sago had other felony convictions for fleeing police in a motor vehicle, threats of violence-reckless disregard of risk, and vehicle theft.
On October 10, 2024, at approximately 12:45 a.m., officers with the New Hope Police Department saw a white SUV with an obstructed or no front license plate and an obstructed rear license plate. It also appeared to have had a rushed paint job intended to make the vehicle appear white, which was consistent with the SUV being stolen. Given the suspicious nature of the vehicle’s paint job and the license plate offenses, the officers decided to stop the SUV. However, the SUV, which Sago was driving, sped away.
Sago led police from the Crystal and Robbinsdale Police Departments on a high-speed chase that lasted for miles, with speeds exceeding 70 miles per hour through residential areas. The pursuit ended when an officer with the Crystal Police Department performed a PIT maneuver, a technique used to force a fleeing vehicle to spin out and stop.
Sago’s SUV spun out and landed in a yard in Minneapolis. The SUV knocked over a fence and came to a rest on top of it. Officers quickly arrested Sago, who was the only person in the SUV. After the SUV was towed away, an officer found a loaded handgun with no serial number—commonly called a “ghost gun”—on top of the fence that the SUV knocked down. The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension forensic laboratory found Sago’s DNA on the grip of the pistol, the base of the magazine, a round in the magazine, and the round in the chamber.
“The defendant is a danger to not only the community, but his conduct also placed law enforcement officers’ lives at risk. Today’s sentence protects public safety and ensures he is held accountable for his actions,” said United States Attorney Daniel N. Rosen.
“Mr. Sago had an extensive history of violence well before the police pursuit that ultimately led to his conviction, and today’s significant sentence,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Matthew Olson, of the ATF St. Paul Field Division. “His repeated violent conduct has demonstrated that he poses a serious threat to public safety. I appreciate the dedicated work of BCA, the New Hope, Crystal, and Robbinsdale police departments for their work on this case, as well as the diligent efforts of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in securing a successful prosecution and holding this armed career criminal accountable.”
“The Crystal Police Department is committed to protecting our communities through arresting dangerous individuals like this defendant and is appreciative of the partnership with the ATF and the U.S. Attorney’s Office in aggressively pursuing charges against these individuals,” said Crystal Chief of Police Brian Hubbard. “In this case, our officer facilitated the arrest of an individual with an extensive criminal history, in possession of a firearm and drugs, and driving a stolen car with stolen license plates while endangering the public in his attempt to evade being taken into custody.”
This case was the result of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives; the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension; the New Hope Police Department; the Crystal Police Department; and the Robbinsdale Police Department.
Assistant United States Attorney Campbell Warner prosecuted the case.
Raleigh Drug Ringleader Convicted at Federal Guns and Drugs TrialRead the Press Release
RALEIGH, N.C. – A federal jury convicted a Raleigh man after three days of trial on nine counts for fentanyl and five counts for possessing a firearm stemming from his role directing a major fentanyl‑trafficking operation.
“This thug had a long history of pushing venomous poison and despite being locked up in the past, he immediately went back to his dirty work, orchestrating a violent drug‑peddling enterprise from right here in Raleigh, pumping our community full of deadly fentanyl, all while using illegal guns,” said U.S. Attorney Ellis Boyle. “Working with a collaboration of men and women from local, state, and federal law enforcement, we dismantled his operation, seized his poison and guns, and removed him off our streets. This verdict delivers a clear message: Drugs destroy lives, and prison awaits—choose the right path.”
Isiah Naaquan Weeks ran a drug‑trafficking operation that pushed hundreds of thousands of fentanyl pills from California and Arizona into Eastern North Carolina. He and his crew crisscrossed the country to grab massive loads of fentanyl, shipped those pills into Wake County, and flooded Raleigh with them. Investigators uncovered high‑volume deliveries, coordinated communications, and nonstop dealing from 2022 until Weeks’ arrest in 2024. Weeks constantly carried guns to assist his drug dealing and kept selling even as his associates were arrested with thousands of pills. When an associate was caught with one hundred thousand fentanyl pills tied to him, Weeks panicked and googled ‘Best place to live for Americans in Mexico’ and ‘no extradition countries’ just days before his arrest.
“Holding a drug dealer accountable for his dangerous and careless crimes sends a powerful message to anyone that threatens our public safety,” said ATF Special Agent in Charge Alicia Jones. “ATF and our law enforcement partners will use every resource we have available to pull the plug on violent criminal networks.”
“The Raleigh Police Department extends its sincere gratitude to the exceptional public safety partners whose dedication, professionalism, and commitment throughout this case exemplify the very best of collaboration in modern law enforcement. Alongside our officers and detectives, their teamwork, coordination, and shared expertise were instrumental in advancing this investigation and furthering our collective mission to protect and serve our community. We are especially grateful for the strong partnership between the Raleigh Police Department and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of North Carolina. The coordination and teamwork demonstrated throughout this investigation reflect the shared commitment of local, state, and federal agencies to working together to uphold justice and keep our community safe.”
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.
Ellis Boyle, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after U.S. District Judge James C. Dever III accepted the jury’s verdict. The ATF, United States Postal Inspection Service, and the IRS – Criminal Investigation and Raleigh Police Department collaborated on this multi-year investigation.
A copy of this press release is located on our website. Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:24-CR-200-D.
Raleigh County Man Sentenced to Prison for Federal Gun CrimeRead the Press Release
BECKLEY, W.Va. – Nathaniel Wilburn, 35, of Ghent, was sentenced today to two years and nine months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for being a felon in possession of a firearm.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on October 30, 2024, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Wilburn’s residence and found a Hi-Point JCP .40-caliber pistol, a Charles Daily 12-gauge shotgun, a Ruger EC9 9mm pistol, and a Taurus 12-gauge shotgun. As part of his guilty plea, Wilburn admitted to possessing the firearms.
Federal law prohibits a person with a prior felony conviction from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Wilburn knew he was prohibited from possessing a firearm because of his prior felony conviction for breaking and entering in Raleigh County Circuit Court on November 15, 2023.
United States Attorney Moore Capito made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the West Virginia State Police and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).
Chief United States District Judge Frank W. Volk imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Brian D. Parsons prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
This case is also part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the Department of Justice’s nationwide initiative that brings federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement, prosecutors, and other public safety partners together to coordinate efforts to combat violent crime and make communities safe. Coordinated by U.S. Attorneys’ offices in each of the 94 federal districts, PSN is tailored to particular communities to strategically address specific violent crime and public safety challenges. As a key component of Operation Take Back America, PSN serves a central role in the Department’s commitment to make our country safe. PSN emphasizes three core principles: rapid federal response to violent crime and criminal offenders; strong, strategic partnerships among law enforcement at all levels; and accountability and deterrence through the prosecution of the most serious, readily provable offenses and other strategies. These efforts complement and strengthen President Trump’s Homeland Security Task Forces, ensuring a comprehensive federal response to the most pressing public safety issues facing communities.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:25-cr-67.
###
Ponchatoula Woman Guilty of Theft from an Organization Receiving Federal FundsRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – RACHEL CRAWFORD, a/k/a “Rachel Davenport,” a/k/a “Rachel Monjure,” a/k/a “Rachel Haygood” (“CRAWFORD”), age 47, of Ponchatoula, pleaded guilty to Theft from an Organization Receiving Federal Funds, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 666(a)(1)(A), announced U.S. Attorney David I. Courcelle.
According to plea documents, CRAWFORD was the Chief Financial Officer of an organization that received federal funds. Beginning on or about May 14, 2021, and continuing until or about May 8, 2025, CRAWFORD withdrew approximately $162,209.61 in cash from the organization’s checking account for personal use. CRAWFORD then altered bank statements to conceal her withdrawals. In addition, CRAWFORD made $9,254.81 of unauthorized purchases for personal items, including airplane tickets and a cosmetic dermatologist, using the organization’s credit card. When interviewed by federal agents, CRAWFORD admitted to the scheme.
CRAWFORD faces up to ten (10) years of imprisonment, a term of supervised release for up to three (3) years, and a fine of up to $250,000. A mandatory $100 special assessment fee is also applicable.
U.S. District Judge Greg G. Guidry set sentencing for December 16, 2026.
U.S. Attorney Courcelle praised the work of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development – Office of Inspector General, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Maria M. Carboni of the Public Integrity Unit is in charge of the prosecution.
On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division (“Fraud Division”). The Fraud Division is laser-focused on investigating and prosecuting those who commit fraud against the American people. The Department’s work to combat fraud supports President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs.
Panga Boat Pilot Sentenced in Human Smuggling Event that Killed FiveRead the Press Release
SAN DIEGO – David Alfonso Barrera Nunes, pilot of a smuggling boat that capsized off Imperial Beach in rough surf last year, resulting in the deaths of five undocumented immigrants, was sentenced in federal court today to 57 months in prison.
On November 14, 2025, U.S. Border Patrol agents were notified of a small vessel crossing north from Mexico, heading towards Imperial Beach. Attempts to intercept the vessel were unsuccessful because dense fog significantly limited visibility. About an hour later, agents saw a small boat in the water, with several people emerging from the area. The boat soon capsized.
Shortly after people were seen emerging from the water near the boat, an agent saw an adult male run inland from the beach and climb over a jagged rock separating the beach from houses nearby. That person, later identified as Barrera, entered an enclosed backyard area. Barrera never attempted to rescue his passengers.
Law enforcement scoured the area for survivors and decedents. Ultimately, they found four bodies in the surf. A fifth decedent washed up in the surf several days later and was identified as a co-pilot of the vessel.
According to court documents, the defendant had agreed to pilot the boat in exchange for a reduced smuggling rate for himself.
“This case is a reminder that there is no harmless way to participate in human smuggling: If you choose to play a role, you will be held accountable for your actions,” said U.S. Attorney Adam Gordon.
“Transnational criminal organizations routinely place profit over human life, and this tragic case shows the devastating consequences of that callous disregard,” said HSI San Diego Special Agent in Charge Kevin Murphy. “As part of the Homeland Security Task Force, HSI’s Marine Task force and our law enforcement partners will continue to pursue those who exploit vulnerable people, endanger our coastal communities, and contribute to deadly smuggling ventures.”
“The loss of life in this incident is a tragic and entirely avoidable consequence of human smuggling,” said Acting Chief Border Patrol agent RJay Rippel. “Smugglers prioritize profit over life, often placing people in dangerous life-threatening conditions with no regard for their safety. This sentencing serves as a clear message that those who facilitate illegal border crossings and endanger lives will be held accountable for their actions. Our agents remain committed to disrupting these criminal networks and preventing such senseless tragedies.”
According to his April 2026 plea agreement, Barrera admitted that he was the pilot of the panga with nine undocumented aliens on board; that its single outboard motor repeatedly had engine trouble; and that there weren’t enough life jackets. He also admitted that as the vessel approached the United States shoreline near Imperial Beach, the motor failed again, causing the vessel to rotate and capsize in the surf about 200 yards from the coast, throwing everyone into the water.
Bartolo Baltazar Baltazar, Luis Humberto Mazariegos De Leon, Hector Gomez Lopez, and Margarita Espinosa Castellanos drowned while attempting to reach shore safely. A week later, on November 21 , 2025, a body was found on the shoreline near the Naval Base Coronado Silver Strand Training Complex in Imperial Beach, later identified as Jose Angel Vera- Romero. Vera- Romero had similarly been on the boat piloted by the defendant.
Passengers told harrowing stories about their ordeal.
One man, who had been trapped inside the cabin below deck when the boat overturned, found a pocket of air and was able to breathe while the boat was submerged with him and several others inside. He was able to exit the cabin after Border Patrol agents flipped the boat over. He said he didn’t know how to swim and believed that he was going to drown. Somehow, he said, he was able to reach the shore where he was aided by Border Patrol agents.
A complaint quoted several passengers who said the boat experienced engine problems, leading to an argument between the captain and passengers who urged him to return to Mexico. The captain refused and attempted to reach shore despite having no engine power, causing the vessel to rotate in the waves and capsize.
One passenger told agents he was reluctantly accompanying his granddaughter on the voyage. He said that before the vessel capsized, the captain ordered everyone to jump into the water. The vessel then capsized; the grandfather and granddaughter were trapped inside the vessel. As it rolled, the grandfather was able to pull his granddaughter out, but he remained trapped. He said a piece of metal penetrated his leg, causing a severe injury. He believed he was going to die, he said, but when the vessel came to a stop, he was pulled out and rescued.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Francisco Nagel and Sean Van Demark.
DEFENDANTS Case Number 25cr4550-TWR
David Alfonso Barrera Nunes Age: 38 Mexico
SUMMARY OF CHARGES
Bringing in Aliens Resulting in Death – Title 8, U.S.C., Sections 1324(a)(1)(A)(i), (v)(II), and (a)(1)(B)(iv)
Maximum penalty: Death or Life in Prison and $250,000 fine
Bringing in Aliens for Financial Gain – Title 8, U.S.C., Section 1324(a)(2)(B)(ii)
Maximum penalty: Ten years in prison with a three-year mandatory minimum and $250,000 fine
INVESTIGATING AGENCIES
Homeland Security Investigations – Marine Task Force
U.S. Border Patrol
U.S. Customs and Border Protection – Air and Marine Operations
United States Coast Guard
Imperial Beach Fire-Rescue Department
Imperial Beach Marine Safety - Lifeguards
San Diego County Sheriff’s Department
San Diego County Medical Examiner’s Office
This case is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF San Diego comprises agents and officers from FBI, Homeland Security Investigations, DEA, ATF, U.S. Marshals, Department of Defense, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Naval Criminal Investigative Service, IRS Criminal Investigation, U.S. Coast Guard, U.S. Customs and Border Protection and Interpol, with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of California.
This case is a result of the coordinated efforts of Joint Task Force Alpha (JTFA). JTFA is the Justice Department’s lead effort in combating high-impact human smuggling and trafficking committed by cartels and Transnational Criminal Organizations (TCOs). A highly successful partnership between the Department of Justice and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), JTFA investigates and prosecutes human smuggling and trafficking and related immigration crimes that impact public safety and border security. JTFA’s mission is to target the leaders and organizers of Cartels and TCOs involved in human smuggling and trafficking throughout the Americas. The Attorney General has elevated and expanded JTFA to target the most prolific and dangerous human smuggling and trafficking groups operating not only in Mexico and the Northern Triangle countries of Guatemala, El Salvador, and Honduras, but also in Canada, the Caribbean, and the maritime border, and elsewhere. Led by the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section and supported by the Money Laundering, Narcotics and Forfeiture Section, the Office of International Affairs, and the Office of Enforcement Operations, among others, JTFA has dedicated Assistant U.S. Attorney-detailees from the Southern District of California; District of Arizona; District of New Mexico; Western and Southern Districts of Texas; Southern District of Florida; Northern District of New York; and District of Vermont. JTFA also partners with other U.S. Attorney’s Offices throughout the country and supports high-priority cases in any district. All JTFA cases rely on substantial law enforcement resources from DHS, including ICE/HSI and CBP/BP and OFO, as well as FBI and other law enforcement agencies.
Panama City Beach Felon Pleads Guilty to Gun & Drug ChargesRead the Press Release
Tallahassee, Florida – Joseph Primus Gainer, 44, of Panama City Beach, Florida, pleaded guilty in federal court on charges of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and marijuana, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida announced the guilty plea.
U.S. Attorney Heekin said, “Keeping this serial felon off our streets and locked away behind bars is going to have a meaningful impact on the public safety of our communities. I applaud the excellent investigative work of our state and federal law enforcement partners to help bring this repeat offender to justice, and commit that my office will continue to aggressively prosecute these cases to deliver the safe, drug-free streets the citizens of the Northern District of Florida deserve.”
Court records reflect that pursuant to a joint law enforcement investigation of the defendant, a search warrant was served on the defendant’s Panama City residence. During the search, law enforcement located and seized fentanyl tablets, marijuana, drug paraphernalia, and a loaded Taurus 9-millimeter handgun. The defendant has multiple prior felony convictions dating back to 2005 including felon in possession of a firearm and possession of controlled substances.
Gainer faces enhanced penalties of up to 30 years’ imprisonment on the drug count due to a prior drug trafficking conviction and up to 15 years’ imprisonment on the firearm count. Sentencing is scheduled for October 16, 2026, at 1:00pm before District Court Judge Mark E. Walker in Tallahassee, Florida.
The case was jointly investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Bay County Sheriff’s Office, the Panama City Beach Police Department, and the Panama City Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Eric K. Mountin.
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 United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndfl.
Owner of Tax Prep Business Found Guilty of Conspiring to Defraud the IRSRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that Manoach Chayaud, 43, of Carmel, Indiana, was convicted today at trial of a years-long conspiracy to defraud the Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”).
The defendant was charged by indictment in December 2024, arising from a scheme that ran from approximately November 2013 through February 2022, in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania and elsewhere.
As proven at trial, Chayaud recruited two individuals to assist him in a scheme to file false tax returns on behalf of clients of his tax preparation business, setting up an office in Indiana, where he lived, and an office in Philadelphia, where the two co-conspirators lived.
Chayaud taught the two co-conspirators how to prepare tax returns to increase client refunds by, among other things, filing false Schedules C claiming large losses for businesses that the client did not have, fraudulently claiming education credits, and fraudulently claiming Schedule A deductions.
As a result, the defendant and his co-conspirators were able to increase the refunds for their clients and charge additional tax preparation fees. Chayaud and one of the co-conspirators split the proceeds of the business; the other co-conspirator was paid a percentage of the fees the business charged.
The defendant is scheduled to be sentenced on December 15 and faces a maximum possible term of five years in prison, a fine, or both.
On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division (“Fraud Division”). The Fraud Division is laser-focused on investigating and prosecuting those who commit fraud against the American people. The Department’s work to combat fraud supports President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs.
This case was investigated by IRS Criminal Investigation and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Jessica Rice and David Ignall.
Ohio Company Pleads Guilty in Worker Death CaseRead the Press Release
An Ohio corporation pleaded guilty this week in federal court in the Southern District of Ohio to a charge of negligent endangerment. The criminal charge is related to an explosion that resulted in the death of one employee and injuries to several more.
Yenkin Majestic Paint Corporation operated a coatings and resin manufacturing facility in Columbus. As part of the resin manufacturing process, Yenkin would heat ingredients in large steel vessels known as “kettles.” In 2020 Yenkin decided to fabricate and install a new door, known as a “manway” on the top of Kettle 3. Working in conjunction with a local fabrication company, Yenkin installed the new manway in December 2020. Despite several examples of Kettle 3 seeing high pressure spikes, Yenkin never pressure tested the new manway before placing it back in service. Once installed, it immediately began leaking. Nevertheless, Yenkin continued to utilize Kettle #3, opting instead to add a thicker gasket, which Yenkin erroneously believed to be made of Teflon (but was actually silicone).
On April 8, 2021, Yenkin was in the process of producing a resin in Kettle #3. Unbeknownst to the operator, the agitator inside Kettle 3 had stopped, likely due to electrical work Yenkin was conducting at the time. Around midnight, the operator turned the agitator back on, causing the contents to vaporize and increasing the pressure inside the kettle. Moments later, Kettle 3’s closed manway and gasket could no longer contain the pressure and began to release a mixture of hot resin liquid and flammable solvent vapor into the resin plant and then into adjacent operating areas of the plant.
Multiple flammable gas detectors inside the facility started detecting an increasing concentration of flammable vapors during the release. However, the flammable gas detectors were not configured to sound an audible alarm. At 12:04 a.m., the released flammable vapors found an ignition source and exploded, which led to the death of one employee and severe injuries to several others. The explosion also damaged the resin plant and nearby structures.
“When safety protocols aren’t followed, pressurized equipment can cause terrible accidents like the tragedy at Yenkin in 2021,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Adam Gustafson of the Justice Department’s Energy and Natural Resources Division (ENRD). “The company is pleading guilty to negligent endangerment, because their actions, or inactions, created a manufacturing environment that resulted in death and severe injury. Our hope in highlighting this case is that other manufacturers will vigilantly protect the safety of their workers and properly operate their equipment.”
“Companies that use hazardous chemicals have a responsibility to prevent releases that put people in danger of death and serious bodily injury,” said Assistant Administrator Jeffrey A. Hall of EPA’s Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance. “The resulting incident caused a tragic loss of life, injuries, and property damage. EPA will continue to hold companies accountable when they put workers and the public at risk by ignoring basic safety and emergency procedures.”
“Employees deserve to be protected from danger in the workplace – and we will hold companies accountable to that obligation,” said U.S. Attorney Dominick S. Gerace II for the Southern District of Ohio. “This tragic circumstance serves as a stark reminder to all manufacturers that safety requirements must be followed.”
“Companies have an obligation to protect their workers,” said Ohio Attorney General Andy Wilson. “Yenkin failed to keep its employees safe, and as a result, one person died and several others were injured. This guilty plea provides a measure of accountability for Yenkin’s failures.”
“This devastating incident underscores the serious consequences of why environmental safeguards and proper operating procedures matter,” said Ohio Environmental Protection Agency Director John Logue. “Ohio EPA remains committed to protecting Ohio’s communities and natural resources and holding regulated facilities accountable for meeting their environmental obligations.”
The case was investigated by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)’s Criminal Investigation Division, the Ohio Attorney General’s Office Bureau of Criminal Investigation, and the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency Special Investigations Unit, with support from the U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Safety and Health Administration.
Senior Trial Attorney and Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam Cullman for ENRD and the Southern District of Ohio and Assistant U.S. Attorney David Twombly for the Southern District of Ohio are prosecuting the case.
New Orleans Man Guilty of Receiving Materials Involving the Sexual Exploitation of MinorsRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – JAKE ALEXANDER GRZELKA (“GRZELKA”), age 40, of New Orleans, pled guilty on September 3, 2026, to Receipt of Materials Involving the Sexual Exploitation of Minors, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 2252(a)(2) and (b)(1), announced U.S. Attorney David I. Courcelle.
GRZELKA faces a mandatory minimum sentence of five (5) years and a maximum sentence of twenty (20) years imprisonment, and/or a fine of up to $250,000.00, a term of supervised release of no less than five (5) years and up to life, and a $100.00 mandatory special assessment fee.
According to court records, beginning at an unknown time and until on or about July 31, 2025, GRZELKA received, and attempted to receive, images and videos of pre-pubescent child pornography. GRZELKA’s home was searched by state law enforcement officials and federal agents on July 31, 2025. GRZELKA was arrested during the execution of the search warrant by agents with the Louisiana Bureau of Investigation, after finding him in possession of electronic devices and media containing the sexual abuse of prepubescent children. Through a partnership between state and federal authorities, the U.S. Attorney’s Office adopted the state charges and is now prosecuting GRZELKA in federal court. GRZELKA is currently being held without bail in federal custody.
Sentencing is scheduled for December 8, 2026 before United States District Judge Brandon S. Long.
U.S. Attorney Courcelle praised the work of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations and the Louisiana Bureau of Investigations. The prosecution of this case is being handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian M. Klebba, Project Safe Childhood Coordinator and Deputy Chief of the Criminal Division.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by United States Attorney’s 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.
* * *
Montgomery Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Firearm and Drug Trafficking OffensesRead the Press Release
MONTGOMERY, Ala. — Today, United States Attorney Thomas Govan announced that a Montgomery man has been sentenced to federal prison following his guilty plea to possessing firearms as a convicted felon and possessing firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
On September 2, 2026, a federal judge sentenced Ryan Deleon Johnson, 48, of Montgomery, Alabama, to 106 months in federal prison. Following his term of imprisonment, Johnson will serve three years of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
According to Johnson’s plea agreement and other court records, on June 13, 2025, agents with the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency (ALEA) attempted to stop a vehicle driven by Johnson, who had outstanding arrest warrants dating back to December 2024. As agents approached the vehicle, Johnson fled, leading law enforcement on a high-speed pursuit.
During the pursuit, Johnson ran numerous stop signs and repeatedly swerved into oncoming traffic, including driving directly towards pursuing patrol vehicles, in an effort to evade capture. Johnson eventually drove onto Interstate 65 North, where he continued driving erratically and struck a patrol vehicle. He subsequently lost control of his vehicle, left the interstate, and came to a stop on the shoulder, where agents took him into custody.
A search of the vehicle resulted in the discovery of two firearms, ammunition, cocaine, and marijuana. During his May 11, 2026, plea hearing, Johnson admitted that he possessed the cocaine and marijuana with the intent to distribute them and that he knowingly possessed the firearms in furtherance of his drug trafficking activities.
Because Johnson had previously been convicted of a felony, federal law prohibited him from possessing firearms or ammunition.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and Alabama Law Enforcement Agency (ALEA) State Bureau of Investigations (SBI) investigated this case, with assistance from the Drug Enforcement Administration. Assistant United States Attorney Christine Levi prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). PSN is the Department of Justice’s nationwide initiative that brings federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement, prosecutors, and other public safety partners together to coordinate efforts to combat violent crime and make communities safe. Coordinated by U.S. Attorneys’ offices in each of the 94 federal districts, PSN is tailored to particular communities to strategically address specific violent crime and public safety challenges.
As a key component of Operation Take Back America, PSN serves a central role in the Department’s commitment to make our country safe. PSN emphasizes three core principles: rapid federal response to violent crime and criminal offenders; strong, strategic partnerships among law enforcement at all levels; and accountability and deterrence through the prosecution of the most serious, readily provable offenses and other strategies. These efforts complement and strengthen President Trump’s Homeland Security Task Forces, ensuring a comprehensive federal response to the most pressing public safety issues facing communities.
Minnesota Pool Contractor Sentenced to 60 Months’ Imprisonment for Defrauding 21 CustomersRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – United States Attorney Daniel N. Rosen announced that Charles Ray Workman, 41, of Scott County, was sentenced to 60 months in prison for wire fraud. He was sentenced before U.S. District Judge Michael J. Davis on September 3, 2026.
Workman was arrested on March 27, 2023, in Nashville, Tennessee, and pleaded guilty on September 16, 2025.
According to court documents, from in or about 2021 through 2022, the defendant defrauded 21 customers who hired Minnesota Crete Pools, LLC, a swimming pool construction company that Workman owned. He marketed swimming pools and installation services and had customers provide down payments, while knowing that the swimming pools he sold were unlikely to be completed.
Through his fraudulent scheme, Workman stole at least $820,000 from his customers and he was ordered to pay $1.15 million in restitution.
“Workman defrauded hardworking Minnesotans and used those funds to enrich himself. Today’s sentence ensures that he is held accountable for his actions,” said United States Attorney Daniel N. Rosen.
“Today’s sentence shows there are real consequences for betraying the trust of Minnesotans investing in and improving their homes,” said FBI Minneapolis Criminal Branch Assistant Special Agent in Charge Benni Jonsson. “Consumers should be able to hire a contractor who will put in the work promised. This outcome is also an opportunity to remind homeowners to carefully research contractors before handing over their hard-earned money. The FBI will continue to stand up for American consumers and hold accountable anyone who would seek to deceive and take advantage of them.”
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI, the Scott County Sheriff’s Office, the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, and the Minnesota Attorney General’s Office.
Note: Previous press release on the indictment here.
Mexican national sentenced to 4 years and 9 months in prison for being a deported alien found in the United StatesRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Jorge Arellano Torres, 33, residing illegally in Modesto, pleaded guilty today to being a deported alien found in the United States and was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Dena Coggins to four years and nine months in prison to be served consecutively to his state prison term, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced.
According to court documents, on Oct. 11, 2025, Arellano Torres was found by immigration officers in the Eastern District of California after he had illegally re-entered the United States. Arellano Torres is a citizen and national of Mexico and had been deported in 2017. Prior to his deportation, Arellano Torres had been convicted in state court of possession for sale of methamphetamine and heroin in 2015.
After Arellano Torres re-entered the United States, he was convicted in state court and is serving a state prison sentence.
The Department of Homeland Security Immigration and Customs Enforcement conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney J. Douglas Harman prosecuted the case.
Mexican National Pleads Guilty to Laundering More than $4M in Drug Trafficking ProceedsRead the Press Release
A Mexican national, Carlos Erick Vazquez Gonzalez, 48, pleaded guilty today for his role in the laundering of approximately $4 million in drug trafficking proceeds in the United States and the return of those proceeds via cryptocurrency to Mexico as part of a money laundering conspiracy.
According to court documents, Vazquez Gonzalez worked with “money brokers” who arranged for the collection of drug profits in cities throughout the United States, which he then laundered and returned through cryptocurrency to Mexico. Vazquez Gonzalez accepted the deposit of approximately $4 million of these narcotic proceeds into a cryptocurrency wallet that he controlled. Vazquez Gonzalez then quickly moved the money to conceal or obfuscate its origins. He also sold the cryptocurrency for U.S. dollars in Mexico and returned the bulk cash to the “money broker” who arranged the pick-up of drug proceeds in the United States. Vazquez Gonzalez received an estimated $40,000 in commission for his participation.
Vazquez Gonzalez pleaded guilty to money laundering conspiracy. He is scheduled to be sentenced on Dec. 17 and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Jason Parman for the Eastern District of Kentucky, and Special Agent in Charge Jim Scott of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Louisville Field Division made the announcement.
The DEA Lexington Resident Office investigated the case, working closely with the Detroit Field Division and Rocky Mountain Field Division and assisted by DEA offices in Mexico, Minneapolis, St. Louis, Birmingham, Chicago, Cincinnati, Tulsa, Oklahoma City, Louisville, Baltimore, Des Moines, Milwaukee, Portland, Columbia, and Rapid City, with Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Criminal Investigation.
Deputy Chief Elizabeth R. Rabe of the Criminal Division’s Money Laundering, Narcotics and Forfeiture Section (MNF) and Deputy Chief Todd Bradbury for the Eastern District of Kentucky are prosecuting the case.
MNF’s mission is to take the profit out of crime, eliminate drug cartels, and protect the U.S. financial system. MNF pursues criminal prosecutions and criminal and civil asset recovery actions involving: financial facilitators who launder profits for criminals; financial institutions and their officers and employees whose actions threaten the U.S. financial system and financial institutions; international money launderers who support transnational organized crime; and the top command and control of international drug trafficking organizations.
MNF’s Money Laundering and Forfeiture Unit investigates and prosecutes sophisticated money laundering schemes involving financial facilitators, gatekeepers, and other individuals and entities laundering criminal proceeds, and litigates complex civil forfeiture cases to recover assets on behalf of victims.
This prosecution is also part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, HSTF directs the full might of U.S. law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. HSTF utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States.
Mexican National Pleads Guilty to Alien Smuggling Conspiracy Using an Underground TunnelRead the Press Release
A Mexican national, Luis Carlos Davalos-Lopez, 29, pleaded guilty today in El Paso, Texas, to conspiracy to bring in aliens to the United States. According to court documents, Davalos-Lopez conspired with others to smuggle migrants through an underground tunnel from Ciudad Juarez, Mexico, to El Paso, Texas.
“This defendant demonstrated a total disregard for our nation’s laws by conspiring to smuggle illegal aliens into the United States through a tunnel that ran from Mexico under the U.S. border into Texas,” said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “This shows that smugglers will stop at nothing to move illegal aliens into the United States for profit. The Department of Justice is sending a clear message that those who undermine the integrity of our borders will be investigated and prosecuted.”
“The defendants in this case were key figures in a criminal enterprise that has had a heavy, detrimental impact on both sides of the border, smuggling drugs and illegal aliens into the U.S. while also trafficking firearms into Mexico, firearms which were then used to further facilitate the movement of drugs and illegal aliens into this country,” said U.S. Attorney Justin R. Simmons for the Western District of Texas. “The convictions secured in this case are just another nail in the coffin for these transnational criminal organizations and foreign terrorist organizations. With the full force of the Homeland Security Task Force and Joint Task Force Alpha behind us, we will accomplish our mission of eradicating these groups and ending their reign of terror.”
“Davalos-Lopez and his co-conspirators thought they could exploit the United States southern border utilizing a secret tunnel which was constructed by the foreign terrorist organization, Cartel de Jalisco Nueva Generacion to facilitate their illegal activities in smuggling of humans, drugs, and firearms,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Coult W. Markovsky of the FBI El Paso Field Office. “The discovery of this tunnel and the subsequent convictions related to those who were part of this operation underscores the FBI’s and our partners’ never-ending commitment to dismantle trafficking by the foreign terrorist organization, CJNG.”
“Criminals who traffic human beings and firearms are exactly the individuals ATF works every day to stop,” said ATF Director Rob Cekada. “Our focus is squarely on violent offenders and the criminal networks that threaten public safety. If you fuel cartel violence or exploit our communities, we will find you and hold you accountable.”
“Today’s guilty plea reflects the relentless work of law enforcement to dismantle foreign terrorist organizations like CJNG,” said Special Agent in Charge Robert “Eric” Castañeda of the DEA’s El Paso Division. “No matter the concealment tactics, smuggling methods, or illicit finance networks used, DEA will track down those responsible and ensure they face justice.”
“Members of foreign terrorist organizations, such as the Cartel de Jalisco Nueva Generacion, pose a serious threat to the safety and security of our communities and our nation,” said HSI Acting Executive Associate Director John A. Condon. “Exploiting vulnerable individuals for profit while facilitating movement of weapons, drugs or resources to terrorist organizations will not be tolerated. HSI will aggressively pursue those who enable these criminal networks and hold them accountable for the grave consequences of their actions. There is no place in our communities for individuals who profit from human suffering or knowingly strengthen terrorist organizations.”
Photo of tunnel discovered between Ciudad Juarez, Mexico and El Paso, TexasIn January 2025, federal law enforcement located a sophisticated tunnel between Ciudad Juarez and El Paso. Intercepted phone calls between Davalos-Lopez and other individuals revealed conversations regarding the smuggling of aliens through the tunnel and included references to charging aliens upwards of $30,000 to utilize the tunnel for purposes of entering the United States unlawfully and without inspection. In several of these intercepted phone calls, Davalos-Lopez specifically referred to a tunnel that exists between Juarez and El Paso and discussed how many migrants cross through the tunnel and how much is charged to use the tunnel. Davalos-Lopez and his co-defendants were indicted in April 2025. The Government of Mexico, pursuant to its National Security Law, subsequently transferred Davalos-Lopez to the United States.
Davalos-Lopez pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to bring in aliens to the United States. A sentencing date has not yet been set. Davalos-Lopez faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Davalos-Lopez’s co-defendant, Maria Del Rosario Navarro-Sanchez, 40, of Mexico, previously pleaded guilty on Aug. 27 to conspiring with others to provide material support to the Cartel de Jalisco Nueva Generación (CJNG) by trafficking firearms from the United States to Mexico, for the express purpose of delivering those firearms to members of CJNG. Gustavo Castro-Medina, 29, of Mexico, also previously pleaded guilty to serving as an intermediary to facilitate the interstate and foreign transfer of $3,000 in U.S. currency via wire to an undercover agent to purchase firearms for subsequent unlawful transport.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) in El Paso, assisted by the U.S. Border Patrol, investigated the case. ATF legal attachés in Mexico City and Mexico’s Fiscalía General de la República Organized Crime Unit (FGR-FEMDO) provided substantial assistance. HSI’s Human Smuggling Unit in Washington, D.C., and CBP’s National Targeting Center International Interdiction Task Force also provided assistance with the investigation. The Justice Department’s (DOJ) Office of International Affairs provided significant assistance.
Trial Attorney Marie Zisa of the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Gregory McDonald for the Western District of Texas are prosecuting the case.
The investigation and superseding indictment were supported and prosecuted by Joint Task Force Alpha (JTFA), the DOJ’s lead effort in combating high-impact human smuggling and trafficking committed by cartels and Transnational Criminal Organizations (TCOs). A highly successful partnership between the DOJ and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), JTFA investigates and prosecutes human smuggling and trafficking and related immigration crimes that impact public safety and border security. JTFA’s mission is to target the leaders and organizers of cartels and TCOs involved in human smuggling and trafficking throughout the Americas. The Attorney General has elevated and expanded JTFA to target the most prolific and dangerous human smuggling and trafficking groups operating not only in Mexico and the Northern Triangle countries of Guatemala, El Salvador, and Honduras, but also in Canada, the Caribbean and the maritime border, and elsewhere.
Led by the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section and supported by the Money Laundering, Narcotics and Forfeiture Section, the Office of International Affairs, and the Office of Enforcement Operations, among others, JTFA has dedicated Assistant U.S. Attorneys from the Southern District of California; District of Arizona; District of New Mexico; Western and Southern Districts of Texas; Southern District of Florida; Northern District of New York; and District of Vermont. JTFA also partners with other U.S. Attorney’s Offices throughout the country and supports high-priority cases in any district. All JTFA cases rely on substantial law enforcement resources from DHS, including HSI and Customs and Border Protection U.S. Border Patrol and Office of Field Operations, as well as FBI and other law enforcement agencies. To date, JTFA’s work has resulted in more than 482 domestic and international arrests of leaders, organizers, and significant facilitators of alien smuggling and/or trafficking; more than 433 U.S. convictions; and more than 369 significant jail sentences imposed and forfeitures of substantial assets.
This case is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, HSTF directs the full might of U.S. law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. HSTF utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States.
Mexican Citizen Charged with Illegally Voting in the 2022 ElectionRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Chadwick M. Elgersma, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced Jesus Javier Jurado Garcia, 25, an illegal alien from Mexico living in Beloit, Wisconsin, was charged on September 2, with illegally voting as an alien in the November 2022 election.
According to the criminal Information, on November 8, 2022, Jurado Garcia, knowing he was not a United States citizen, illegally voted in an election held in part for the purpose of electing a candidate for the offices of Member of the Senate and Member of the House of Representatives.
“Protecting the integrity of federal elections is a fundamental responsibility of the U.S. Attorney’s Office,” said U.S. Attorney Elgersma. “The charge against this defendant reflects our commitment to enforcing the law and ensuring that every vote cast complies fully with federal requirements. No one is above these obligations, and my office will continue to pursue cases where unlawful voting occurs.”
If convicted, Jurado Garcia faces up to one year in prison. Any sentence would be imposed by a judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
A criminal Information merely contains accusations. Jurado Garcia is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Metro Pair Plead Guilty in Fatal Synthetic Opioid Distribution CaseRead the Press Release
OKLAHOMA CITY – COLLIN SHANE KIRBY, 21, of Oklahoma City, and SHANE MICHAEL BURGESS, 24, of Mustang, Oklahoma, have both pleaded guilty to distributing a controlled substance analogue, announced U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester.
According to public records, on December 12, 2025, Kirby sold pills to Burgess that contained N-Propionitrile Chlorphine, a synthetic opioid known as cychlorphine. That same day, Burgess resold the pills he bought from Kirby to another individual. Court records show the individual died as a result of using the cychlorphine distributed by Burgess and Kirby.
In July and August, Kirby and Burgess were charged by separate superseding informations with distribution of a controlled substance analogue. Both have since pleaded guilty and admitted their roles in distributing the cychlorphine that ultimately resulted in at least one individual’s death. Kirby also specifically admitted to distributing cychlorphine to another individual, a minor, on February 7, 2026.
At sentencing, Burgess and Kirby each face up to 20 years in federal prison and fines of up to $1,000,000.
These cases are the result of investigations by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth Joynes is prosecuting the cases.
Reference is made to public filings for additional information.
Med Spa Owner Sentenced to 46 Months in Prison for Performing Thousands of Counterfeit Botox and Filler InjectionsRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Massachusetts woman has been sentenced in federal court in Boston to nearly four years in prison for performing thousands of cosmetic injection procedures using counterfeit Botox and dermal fillers imported from China and Brazil. The defendant, who was not licensed to perform injections and falsely represented herself as a nurse, received more than $1 million in payments from more than 900 clients for these procedures. Defendant owned and operated Skin Beaute Med Spa, with locations in Randolph and South Easton, Mass.
Rebecca Fadanelli, 40, of Stoughton, Mass. was sentenced on Sept. 2, 2026 by U.S. District Court Judge Julia E. Kobick to 46 months in prison, to be followed by two years of supervised release. Fadanelli was also ordered to pay restitution and forfeiture each in the amount of $1,001,562. In April 2026, Fadanelli pleaded guilty to four counts of importing merchandise contrary to law, two counts of selling or dispensing a counterfeit drug and two counts of selling or dispensing a counterfeit device. She was arrested and charged in November 2024.
“This was not a mistake or a one-time lapse in judgment. Rebecca Fadanelli built a business on deception and repeatedly put profit ahead of the health and safety of the people who trusted her,” said United States Attorney Leah B. Foley. “She lied about being a nurse, injected counterfeit products into hundreds of clients even after federal authorities seized her shipments, searched her businesses and ultimately arrested her. Her victims were left with infections, facial paralysis, vision problems, scars and the lasting fear of not knowing what was injected into their bodies. As cosmetic injections and med spas continue to grow in popularity, this case underscores a serious and growing public health threat: counterfeit products and unlicensed providers can cause devastating harm. Those who knowingly put consumers at risk for profit will be held accountable.”
“FDA requirements are designed to ensure the safety, efficacy, and quality of drugs and devices distributed to American consumers. Administering counterfeit products for profit puts consumers at serious risk,” said Special Agent in Charge Fernando McMillan, FDA Office of Criminal Investigations, New York Field Office. “Today’s sentencing demonstrates that the FDA will continue to hold accountable those who endanger public health.”
Beginning in at least March 2021, Fadanelli owned and operated Skin Beaute Med Spa, with locations in Randolph and South Easton, Mass. Although Fadanelli was an aesthetician who was never licensed to perform injections or otherwise dispense or administer prescription drugs or devices, she offered botulinum toxin and dermal filler injections to clients and falsely represented to clients and employees that she was a licensed nurse. Fadanelli also misrepresented the identity and safety of the substances she was injecting, telling clients that she was using authentic Botox and FDA-approved dermal fillers such as Sculptra, Restylane and Juvéderm. In reality she was using counterfeit versions of these products, many of which she imported from China and Brazil. There is no record that Fadanelli ever purchased authentic prescription drugs or devices directly from the manufacturers of those FDA-approved products.
Business records show that between approximately March 2021 and June 2024 alone, Fadanelli performed more than 2,700 botulinum toxin and dermal filler injection procedures using counterfeit prescription drugs and devices. More than 900 clients paid a combined total of more than $1 million for the procedures.
Fadanelli continued operating her med spa illegally despite repeated warnings and law enforcement intervention. After federal authorities began seizing international shipments of counterfeit prescription drugs and devices addressed to Fadanelli’s home and business – and notified her that the products were misbranded and unapproved – Fadanelli took steps to conceal her continuing activity. Among other things, she directed suppliers to use different delivery addresses and other individuals’ names as recipients in an effort to avoid additional seizures.
On June 28, 2024, during searches at both Skin Beaute locations, products labeled as Botox, Sculptra, Restylane and Juvéderm that the product manufacturers subsequently identified as counterfeit, were recovered. Bacteriostatic water, used to dilute Botox that laboratory testing found contained methylobacterium, a bacteria that can cause infection, was also found.
Fadanelli continued offering and performing injection procedures until her arrest on Nov. 1, 2024. However, in May 2025 while on pretrial release following her arrest, Fadanelli performed an injection procedure at her home using an unknown substance that the client reportedly believed to be Sculptra. Her pretrial release was later revoked, and she has remained in custody since November 2025.
Numerous clients suffered adverse health effects as a result of injections performed by Fadanelli, including severe swelling, infections, drooping or paralysis of the face and eyes, double vision, impaired eyesight and hard lumps or nodules. Multiple clients were hospitalized, and many required follow-up treatment from licensed medical professionals.
For example, one client spent weeks hospitalized after developing severe facial swelling, headaches, weakness and fever-like symptoms following botulinum toxin injections. Another victim was hospitalized for four days after experiencing facial drooping and paralysis, double vision and headaches; another client suffered impaired vision for approximately three months; and a separate client ultimately underwent corrective surgery to remove a hard lump beneath her skin and was left with scarring.
When clients reported adverse reactions, Fadanelli often dismissed their concerns or provided misleading assurances, in some cases falsely claiming that she had used authentic FDA-approved products for the clients’ injection procedures. Fadanelli told some of these clients to return to Skin Beaute for additional treatments.
U.S. Attorney Foley, FDA-CI SAC McMillan; and Jennifer De La O, Director of Field Operations, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Boston Field Office made the announcement today. The Medicaid Fraud Division of the Massachusetts Attorney General’s Office and the Stoughton and Randolph Police Departments also provided valuable assistance in the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Leslie Wright and Sarah Hoefle of the Health Care Fraud Unit prosecuted the case.
McLennan County man sentenced to 15 years in federal prison for supplying fentanyl-laced pills responsible for an overdose in the Eastern District of TexasRead the Press Release
SHERMAN, Texas – A Hewitt man has been sentenced to 15 years in federal prison for a drug trafficking violation in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs.
Thomas James Hurtt, 33, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute fentanyl and was sentenced to 180 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Michael Truncale on September 4, 2026.
According to information presented in court, on February 21, 2024, law enforcement officers with the Cross Roads Police Department responded to a report of an overdose victim in Denton County. The victim was treated with Naloxone and transported to the hospital where they eventually recovered. Further investigation revealed Hurtt as the supplier of the counterfeit pills laced with fentanyl.
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.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and the Cross Roads Police Department and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew T. Johnson.
###
Man Sentenced to 76 Years in Prison for Violently Robbing or Attempting to Rob Four Banks in Chicago While on Parole for Prior Bank RobberiesRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — A federal judge has sentenced a man to 76 years in prison for violently robbing or attempting to rob four banks in downtown Chicago while on supervised release for prior bank robbery convictions.
JOSEPH DONELSON, JR., 68, of Chicago, committed four robberies or attempted robberies in a two-month period in 2023. Donelson struck a bank teller in the face in one of the robberies and leapt onto the counter to take money in another one.
The robberies were as follows:
Oct. 11, 2023: Attempted robbery of Citibank, 180 N. Michigan Ave. in Chicago’s Loop neighborhood.
Nov. 7, 2023: Robbery of Citibank, 180 N. Michigan Ave. in Chicago’s Loop neighborhood.
Dec. 8, 2023: Robbery of Citibank, 539 N. Michigan Ave. in Chicago’s Streeterville neighborhood.
Dec. 19, 2023: Attempted robbery of Citibank, 100 S. Michigan Ave. in Chicago’s Loop neighborhood.
Donelson committed the robberies and attempted robberies while he was on court-supervised release following a period of imprisonment for robbing two other banks in Chicago’s Loop neighborhood in 2007.
A jury in U.S. District Court in Chicago earlier this year convicted Donelson of the four robberies and attempted robberies from 2023. On Tuesday, U.S. District Judge Steven C. Seeger sentenced Donelson to 76 years in federal prison.
The sentence was announced by Andrew S. Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and Ryan Whalen, Acting Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI. Substantial assistance was provided by the Chicago Police Department.
“Defendant’s actions terrorized multiple bank employees, causing injury to one and lasting psychological trauma to another,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Minje Shin argued in the government’s sentencing memorandum. “His crimes demonstrated utter disrespect for the law, and a severe sentence is necessary as just punishment.”
Little Rock Man Returns to Federal Prison for Fourth Time to Serve a 10-Year Sentence for Being a Felon in Possession of FirearmsRead the Press Release
LITTLE ROCK—Tyjuan Townsend, a multi-convicted felon who has previously served time in federal prison three separate times, was sentenced to serve 120 months’ incarceration for being a felon in possession of multiple firearms. Jonathan D. Ross, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas, announced the sentence, which was handed down on Thursday, September 3, 2026, by United States District Judge Brian S. Miller.
On August 3, 2025, a federal grand jury indicted Townsend, 47, of Little Rock, in a five-count Indictment charging him with being a felon in possession of firearms, possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking, possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, possession with intent to distribute cocaine, and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl. On April 28, 2026, Townsend pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of firearms and received the 10-year sentence in federal prison, which included enhancements for the drug possession. In addition, Judge Miller also sentenced Townsend to three years’ supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
In late 2022, Little Rock Police Department (LRPD) detectives learned from multiple sources that Townsend was selling pound-levels of methamphetamine and carried firearms. On July 27, 2023, officers with LRPD conducted a controlled buy of methamphetamine from Townsend using a confidential informant. Officers then obtained a search warrant for Townsend’s residence.
Upon execution of the search warrant, agents from the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and LRPD officers located four firearms in Townsend’s bedroom, including a Glock .40 caliber firearm, a HI-Point 9mm firearm with a defaced serial number, a Ruger .40 caliber firearm, and a Smith & Wesson, 9mm firearm. During a search of the kitchen, agents and officers located approximately 219 grams of methamphetamine, 89 grams of fentanyl, and 228 grams of cocaine.
Townsend’s criminal history includes a 2009 federal conviction out of the Eastern District of Arkansas for cocaine possession after multiple drug felonies. His second Eastern District of Arkansas federal conviction was for conspiracy to tamper with a witness. Townsend also has three separate felony convictions for possession of cocaine with intent to deliver, a felony conviction for possession of cocaine, two misdemeanor convictions for third-degree domestic battery, and a felony conviction for criminal attempt-furnishing, possessing, or using prohibited articles during his incarceration at the Pulaski County Regional Detention Facility. Townsend’s third federal conviction originated out of the Eastern District of Texas for being an inmate in possession of a prohibited object – weapon or knife.
The investigation was conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration with assistance from the Little Rock Police Department. The case was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Arkansas.
# # #
Additional information about the office of the
United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas, is available online at
https://www.justice.gov/edar
X (formerly known as Twitter):
@USAO_EDAR
Kansas City Man Pleads Guilty to Drug and Firearms ChargesRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Kansas City, Mo., man pleaded guilty in federal court to possession with intent to distribute controlled substances, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug‑trafficking crime, and being a felon in possession of a firearm.
Darell Farmer, 30, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Roseann Ketchmark to two counts from a Western District of Missouri indictment charging him with drug trafficking and possessing firearms in furtherance of that trafficking activity, and one count from a case transferred from the Eastern District of Missouri charging him with being a felon in possession of a firearm.
According to court documents, on May 5, 2025, Kansas City, Missouri Police Department officers located a vehicle outside a local hospital and recovered multiple firearms, cocaine, methamphetamine, and fentanyl. Farmer, who had driven the vehicle to the hospital, was taken into custody after officers observed a handgun in plain view and confirmed he had prior felony convictions. After he was indicted in the Western District of Missouri, Farmer later fled from law enforcement in Dunklin County, Mo., in August 2025. Officers recovered another firearm following his arrest.
Under federal statutes, Farmer is subject to a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in federal prison without parole for possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug‑trafficking crime, and additional penalties of up to 20 years for the drug‑distribution offense and up to 15 years for being a felon in possession of a firearm. Maximum statutory penalties are prescribed by Congress and provided for informational purposes; sentencing will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney James Kirkpatrick from the Western District of Missouri and Assistant U.S. Attorney John Koester from the Eastern District of Missouri. It was investigated by the Kansas City, Missouri Police Department and the Missouri State Highway Patrol.
Justice Department Secures Agreement with Mount Sinai to End Pediatric “Gender-Affirming Care”Read the Press Release
Today, the Department of Justice announced an agreement with Mount Sinai Health System (“Mount Sinai”) that resolves an investigation into potential violations of federal law arising from its provision of sex-rejecting procedures on children—often described as “gender-affirming care.” Under the agreement, Mount Sinai, one of the largest health care providers in the state of New York, will cease providing these interventions to minors, including by administering puberty blockers and cross-sex hormones and performing surgical procedures. Mt. Sinai will also pay a monetary penalty and dedicate $2 million to providing free medical care to individuals suffering harmful consequences of “gender affirming care” they received as children.
This announcement follows similar agreements with Texas Children’s Hospital, the Cleveland Clinic Foundation, and Connecticut Children’s Hospital. In working towards this resolution, the United States acknowledged that Mount Sinai took significant steps entitling it to credit for cooperation with the Department in its investigation. At all times during the investigation, Mount Sinai remained cooperative, proactive, and solution-driven, as evidenced by its multimillion-dollar commitment to detransition care.
“The Department of Justice is committed to holding accountable medical providers that violate federal law and endanger children through so-called gender-affirming care,” said Attorney General Todd Blanche. “This agreement puts an end to these practices at Mount Sinai and provides meaningful relief for individuals who have already suffered harm.”
“A growing number of hospitals, like Mount Sinai, have recognized the medical scandal of sex-rejecting procedures,” said Assistant Attorney General Brett Shumate of the Civil Division. “While we are grateful when we secure resolutions to end this discredited practice and protect children, we must not and will not rest in our pursuit of justice for the victims it has left behind.”
“The Northern District of Texas remains committed to holding medical providers, hospitals, and pharmaceutical companies accountable for unsound medical practices and procedures that put our kids at risk,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan Raybould for the Northern District of Texas. “This settlement is a step in the right direction, and we will continue to use all of our civil and criminal tools to hold these actors and entities accountable when they violate federal law when providing this so-called care.”
The resolution obtained in this matter was the result of a coordinated effort between the Civil Division’s Enforcement and Affirmative Litigation Branch and the Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Texas, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General, and the Food and Drug Administration Office of Criminal Investigations.
In January 2025, President Trump issued an order "Protecting Children from Chemical and Surgical Mutilation," directing the Department of Justice to prioritize investigations and enforcement actions involving violations of federal law in the provision of so-called “gender-affirming care” to children. In April 2025, Attorney General Pam Bondi issued a memorandum on "Preventing the Mutilation of American Children."
Acting on these directives, the Civil Division launched a nationwide investigation into the child gender-transition industry. The investigation examines potential violations of the Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, the False Claims Act, and other federal health care laws, including fraudulent billing practices such as the use of false diagnosis codes to obtain payment from federal health care programs and private insurers. These schemes compound the harm inflicted on vulnerable children by fraudulently shifting the cost of potentially unlawful medical interventions to taxpayers and insurers.
Today’s agreement is one result of that nationwide investigation. The Civil Division’s Enforcement & Affirmative Litigation Branch and Commercial Litigation Branch will continue to pursue these cases across the country, stop unlawful conduct, recover funds obtained through fraud, and hold accountable those who profit by violating federal law at children’s expense.
The claims resolved by the United States in the agreements are allegations only, and there has been no determination of liability. Mount Sinai has denied all allegations.
Justice Department Reaches Proposed Consent Decree with Pinnacle, One of America’s Largest Landlords, to Resolve Information Sharing and Algorithmic Coordination ClaimsRead the Press Release
The Justice Department’s Antitrust Division filed a proposed consent decree today to resolve the United States’ claims against Pinnacle Property Management Services LLC, as part of its ongoing enforcement action in the Middle District of North Carolina against algorithmic coordination, the use of competitors’ competitively sensitive data, and other anticompetitive practices in rental markets across the country that artificially increase housing costs for the American people. Today’s proposed decree builds on the Justice Department’s success in obtaining settlements in the same enforcement action against RealPage Inc. and four other large landlords, Cortland Management LLC, Greystar Management Services LLC, LivCor LLC, and Willow Bridge Property Company LLC.
“This administration will not tolerate illegal actions by corporate landlords that inflate housing prices for Americans,” said Associate Attorney General Stanley E. Woodward Jr. “The Department of Justice will fight for every American who is being taken advantage of by corporate greed.”
“The Antitrust Division is diligent in our work of protecting consumers in housing markets, including by putting an end to practices by corporate landlords that illegally prevent honest competition that benefits renters,” said Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole Sarrine of the Justice Department’s Antitrust Division. “This consent decree is an important step in achieving affordable housing for Americans.”
The United States, along with state co-plaintiffs, filed a complaint on Jan. 7, 2025, alleging that Pinnacle, with five other co-defendant landlords, actively participated in a scheme to set their rents using each other’s competitively sensitive information through pricing algorithms. Pinnacle and other landlords shared competitively sensitive data to generate pricing recommendations using RealPage’s algorithms, which also included anticompetitive rules that aligned pricing. Pinnacle and other landlords also conferred on competitively sensitive topics, such as pricing strategies, rents, and selected parameters for RealPage’s software.
If approved by the court, the proposed consent decree would require Pinnacle to:
- Refrain from using any anticompetitive algorithm that generates pricing recommendations using its competitors’ competitively sensitive data or that incorporates certain anticompetitive features;
- Refrain from sharing competitively sensitive information with competitors;
- Accept a court-appointed monitor if it uses a third-party pricing algorithm that is not certified pursuant to the terms of the consent decree;
- Refrain from attending or participating in RealPage-hosted meetings of competing landlords; and
- Cooperate with the United States’ claims against other defendants.
As required by the Tunney Act, the proposed settlement, along with a competitive impact statement, will be published in the Federal Register. Any interested person should submit written comments concerning the proposed settlement within 60 days following the publication to Danielle Hauck, Acting Chief, Technology and Digital Platforms Section, Antitrust Division, U.S. Department of Justice, 450 Fifth Street NW, Suite 7050, Washington, DC 20530. At the conclusion of the public comment period, the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of North Carolina may enter the final judgment upon finding it is in the public interest.
Pinnacle is a residential property manager headquartered in Frisco, Texas.
Note: Read the Proposed Final Judgement here, the Stipulation and Order here, the Explanation of Procedures here, and the Competitive Impact Statement here.
Jefferson County man sentenced to 10 years in federal prison for drug trafficking violations in the Eastern District of TexasRead the Press Release
BEAUMONT, Texas – A Beaumont man has been sentenced to 10 years in federal prison for a drug trafficking violation in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs.
Joskin Love, 50, pleaded guilty to possession of a controlled substance with intent to distribute and was sentenced to 120 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Marcia A. Crone on September 3, 2026.
According to information presented in court, on March 19, 2025, Love was stopped for a traffic violation. Officers smelled marijuana during the stop. A search was conducted resulting in the discovery of methamphetamine and fentanyl-laced pills.
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.
This case was investigated by the FBI and the Texas Department of Public Safety – Criminal Investigations and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Reynaldo P. Morin.
###
Jefferson County man sentenced for bank fraud related to an altered U.S. Treasury checkRead the Press Release
BEAUMONT, Texas – A Beaumont man has been sentenced to federal prison for a bank fraud scheme in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs.
Byron Demetrius Franklin, 61, pleaded guilty to bank fraud and was sentenced to 27 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Marcia A. Crone on September 3, 2026.
According to information presented in court, in January of 2025, Franklin attempted to deposit a U.S. Treasury check in the amount of $1,197,149.98 at a Walmart ATM in Houston to a U.S. Automobile Association federal banking account (USAA). Franklin called USAA and spoke with a bank financial investigator to complain that the check amount was read incorrectly by the ATM and only deposited $119,714.99. USAA credited Franklin’s account a difference of $1,077,434.99 for the reported error, but gave Franklin access to the $119,714.99, while they verified the check’s authenticity. Between January 18, 2025, to January 20, 2025, Franklin withdrew a total of $5,507.90 from the account via JP Morgan Chase and 5Point Credit Union ATMs in Beaumont before USAA closed Franklin’s account because the check was found to have been altered.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Secret Service and U.S. Automobile Association and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Rachel Grove.
###
Jamaican Citizen Charged with Illegal ReentryRead the Press Release
HARRISBURG - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Kenroy Watt, 50, a native and citizen of Jamaica, was indicted by a federal grand jury for illegally re-entering the United States after previously being deported.
According to U.S. Attorney Brian D. Miller, the indictment alleges that Watt illegally reentered the United States without proper authorization and was found in Cumberland County, Pennsylvania, on December 10, 2025. Watt was previously removed from the United States through Miami, Florida, on July 28, 2016, after a conviction for an aggravated felony.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) investigated the case. Assistant United States Attorney Scott Ford is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
The maximum penalty under federal law for this offense is 20 years of imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. A sentence following the finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
Indictments and Criminal Informations are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.
# # #
Illegal Alien from Georgia Charged for Conspiracy to Launder Proceeds of $1.3B Health Care Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
A federal grand jury in the District of Massachusetts returned an indictment yesterday charging Erekle Gugava, 33, an illegal alien from Georgia, with conspiracy for laundering proceeds in connection with a $1.3 billion health care fraud scheme.
According to court documents, Gugava was a money launderer for the transnational criminal organization (the Organization) responsible for the largest health care fraud case ever prosecuted by the Department of Justice, as uncovered by Operation Gold Rush. The Organization, based in Russia and elsewhere, orchestrated a multi-billion-dollar health care fraud and money laundering scheme to target, exploit, and steal from Medicare and other health insurers
“Fraud networks cannot function without people willing to launder and transmit their proceeds — and deterring those facilitators is essential to safeguarding taxpayer resources,” said Assistant Attorney General Colin M. McDonald of the Justice Department’s National Fraud Enforcement Division. “As alleged in this indictment, Gugava allegedly helped facilitate a massive fraud on the American people by moving stolen proceeds through domestic and international financial channels. This indictment reflects our resolve to hold all participants in fraud networks accountable for their conduct.”
As alleged in charging documents, Gugava purportedly owned ND Medical Solutions LLC (ND Medical), a durable medical equipment (DME) company located in Pennsylvania, between February and July 2025. During the limited five-month span of Gugava’s purported ownership, ND Medical submitted at least $1.3 billion in fraudulent DME claims to Medicare, private health insurance companies that contracted to provide Medicare supplemental insurance policies, private employer-sponsored plans, and other insurers. These insurers paid ND Medical approximately $6.5 million.
As part of the scheme, Gugava facilitated the deposit and transfer of fraud proceeds. Among other things, he opened several bank accounts in the name of ND Medical — for which he was the sole signatory — and deposited checks from Medicare supplemental insurers and other health insurers into the ND Medical bank accounts. The funds were then ultimately transferred to various overseas bank accounts for the benefit of the Organization.
As alleged in charging documents, the fraudulent claims relied, in part, on the stolen identities of citizens from Massachusetts, across New England, and throughout the United States to justify the fraudulent billings. Many of these individuals, including elderly and disabled Americans, reported their concerns to Medicare and its contractors after receiving explanation of benefit forms that reflected them purportedly receiving DME that they did not in fact receive, that was purportedly prescribed by doctors whom they had never visited, and purportedly delivered from ND Medical — a DME company with which they were unfamiliar.
As further alleged, the Organization exploited the United States’ financial system by depositing insurance reimbursement checks from the fraud. The health care fraud proceeds were particularly susceptible to laundering because they originated from legitimate sources — Medicare and established private insurance carriers — giving the funds the initial appearance of legitimacy.
Banking Surveillance Image of Gugava on Feb. 24, 2025, Related to ND Medical Bank Account Opening Banking Surveillance Image of Gugava on June 9, 2025Gugava is charged with one count of money laundering conspiracy. If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison.
Assistant Attorney General Colin M. McDonald of the Justice Department’s National Fraud Enforcement Division; U.S. Attorney Leah B. Foley for the District of Massachusetts; U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of the Inspector General (HHS-OIG) Special Agent in Charge Roberto Coviello; FBI Special Agent in Charge Wayne A. Jacobs; U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) Boston Division Acting Inspector in Charge Justin Page; IRS Criminal Investigations Special Agent in Charge Thomas E. Demeo; Acting Special Agent in Charge Jeff Grimming of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) New England; and U.S. Department of Labor, Employee Benefits Security Administration (DOL-EBSA) Regional Director Kelly M. Lawson made the announcement.
HHS-OIG, FBI, USPIS, IRS, HSI, and DOL-EBSA are investigating the case.
Deputy Chief Kevin Lowell, Assistant Deputy Chief Jim Hayes, and Trial Attorneys Tiffany Wynn and Sarah Rocha of the National Fraud Enforcement Division’s Health Care Fraud Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Meghan Cleary for the District of Massachusetts are prosecuting the case.
On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division (Fraud Division). The Fraud Division is laser-focused on investigating and prosecuting those who commit fraud against the American people. The Department’s work to combat fraud supports President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs.
The Department of Justice’s Health Care Fraud Strike Force Program, currently comprised of nine strike forces operating in federal districts across the country, has charged more than 6,200 defendants who collectively billed federal health care programs and private insurers more than $45 billion since 2007. In addition, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, working in conjunction with the Office of the Inspector General for the Department of Health and Human Services, are taking steps to hold providers accountable for their involvement in health care fraud schemes. More information can be found at www.justice.gov/criminal-fraud/health-care-fraud-unit.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Illegal Alien from Brazil Pleads Guilty to Illegally Reentering the US After Prior RemovalRead the Press Release
BANGOR, Maine: A Brazilian national pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in Bangor to reentering the United States after a prior removal.
According to court records, on August 15, 2026, U.S. Border Patrol Agents in Franklin County observed a car registered to an alien who had been ordered to be removed from the United States. During a subsequent roadside immigration inspection, agents determined that the car’s three occupants were, in fact, illegal aliens without lawful authority to be in the country. They were transported for processing to the Rangeley Border Patrol Station, where agents determined that Jose Carlos Ferreira, 50, had been ordered removed in 2005, and subsequently removed from the U.S. twice in 2010.
Ferreira faces up to two years in prison and a $250,000 fine. He will be sentenced after the completion of a presentence investigation report by the U.S. Probation Office. A federal district judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The U.S. Border Patrol investigated the case.
Operation Take Back America: This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
###
Illegal Alien from Mexico Charged with Alien VotingRead the Press Release
HARRISBURG- The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Katya Rodriguez, 30, from Mexico living in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, was indicted by a federal grand jury on charges related to Rodriguez illegally voting as an alien in the 2024 election. Specifically, Rodriguez was charged with false statement of citizenship in order to vote, fraudulent registration, and voting as an alien.
“The integrity of our elections, which are fundamental to democracy, should be of utmost importance to every American,” said Attorney General Todd Blanche. “It is a cherished right for eligible American citizens, and only eligible American citizens, to vote for their representatives in government. Election fraud is a serious crime, and it is the duty of the Department of Justice to treat it as such.”
“The crime of illegal voting undermines the integrity of our elections and harms citizens by stealing the power of our votes. Illegal voting is not a victimless crime but a serious affront to the principles of our democratic republic,” said U.S. Attorney Brian D. Miller. “This office will prosecute to the full extent of the law those who illegally vote in federal elections as well as those who facilitate illegal voting.”
“Homeland Security Investigations is committed to safeguarding the integrity of our nation’s election systems and ensuring that allegations of unlawful voting, fraudulent registration, and other election-related crimes are thoroughly investigated,” said Acting Executive Associate Director John A. Condon of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI). “The American people deserve confidence that our elections are protected from fraud and criminal exploitation, and that those who seek to undermine the law are held accountable. As reflected in these cases, HSI special agents worked alongside our federal partners to identify alleged criminal conduct, follow the evidence, and support prosecutions that reinforce public trust and uphold the rule of law.”
Homeland Security Investigations investigated the case. Assistant United States Attorney Scott Ford is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
If convicted, the maximum penalty under federal law for this offense is 11 years of imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. A sentence following the finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
Indictments and Criminal Informations are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.
# # #
Husband and Wife Sentenced in International Property Theft SchemeRead the Press Release
SAN DIEGO –Victor Hugo Villalobos Almazan and his wife, Nayeli Noemi Montoya Rodriguez, Mexican nationals who entered the U.S. on tourist visas, were sentenced to 27 months and 10 months in custody, respectively, for participating in a conspiracy to fraudulently sell homes they did not own and launder approximately $1 million in proceeds.
According to the June plea agreement, conspirators posed as legitimate property owners and used fraudulent documents to sell real estate they did not own to unsuspecting buyers. They then routed the proceeds from the illegal sales through bank accounts controlled by the defendants.
“It is difficult to imagine a more brazen betrayal of trust than pretending to own someone else’s home and selling it for your own gain,” said U.S. Attorney Adam Gordon.
“Real estate fraud and money laundering schemes like this can devastate victims and undermine confidence in legitimate financial transactions,” said HSI San Diego Special Agent in Charge Kevin Murphy. “HSI will continue working with our law enforcement partners to identify transnational criminal networks, follow the money, and hold accountable those who exploit our financial systems for personal profit.”
“This sentencing sends a clear message: Those who engage in fraud will be held accountable,” said Darren Lian, Special Agent in Charge of IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) Los Angeles Field Office. “The defendants employed sophisticated tactics to exploit the trust of innocent real estate buyers and undermine the integrity of our financial system. IRS Criminal Investigation is committed to following the money, uncovering the truth, and collaborating with our law enforcement partners to protect victims and ensure justice is served.”
According to the plea agreement, to carry out the scheme, the defendants’ co-conspirators created email addresses that closely resembled those of the legitimate property owners and used them to market properties they did not own to unsuspecting buyers. By conducting transactions entirely through email, they avoided meeting buyers in person and concealed their identities.
Once a sale was arranged, the defendants’ co-conspirators used forged property transfer documents that falsely appeared to bear the property owner’s signature, allowing ownership of the property to be fraudulently transferred to the unwitting buyer. Villalobos and Montoya admitted they opened bank accounts using business names similar to those of the legitimate property owners and used those accounts to receive the illicit proceeds from the fraudulent sales before transferring the money abroad.
Specifically, Villalobos and Montoya admitted they lied to open bank accounts to facilitate the illegal sales of homes at 3873 36th Street and 555 Hollister Street in San Diego. The plea agreement said the defendants received:
- $400,748 of illicit proceeds from the fraudulent sale of 3873 36th Street. In April 2023, Montoya transmitted nearly the entire amount of money to bank accounts in Mexico.
- $561,463 of illicit proceeds from the fraudulent sale of 555 Hollister Street. Upon receipt, Villalobos withdrew all the money by international wire transfers to accounts in Mexico and Jordan, and in cash withdrawals.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher Beeler and David Kete.
DEFENDANTS Case Number 25-CR-4686-DMS
Victor Hugo Villalobos Almazan Age: 48 Mexico
Nayeli Noemi Montoya Rodriguez Age: 48 Mexico
SUMMARY OF CHARGES
Bank Fraud Conspiracy – Title 18, U.S.C., Section 1349
Maximum penalty: Thirty years in prison and $250,000 fine
Bank Fraud – Title 18, U.S.C., Section 1344(2)
Maximum penalty: Thirty years in prison and $250,000 fine
INVESTIGATING AGENCIES
Homeland Security Investigations
Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation
On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division ('Fraud Division'). The Fraud Division is laser-focused on investigating and prosecuting those who commit fraud against the American people. The Department’s work to combat fraud supports President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs.
Husband and Wife Charged with Alien VotingRead the Press Release
HARRISBURG- The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Thomas Holtzman, 68, and his wife Marisol Guzman, 50, both of Carlisle, Pennsylvania, were indicted by a federal grand jury on charges related to Guzman illegally voting as an alien in the 2024 election. Holtzman was charged with aiding and abetting a false statement of citizenship in order to vote and fraudulent registration. Guzman was charged with voting as an alien.
“The integrity of our elections, which are fundamental to democracy, should be of utmost importance to every American,” said Attorney General Todd Blanche. “It is a cherished right for eligible American citizens, and only eligible American citizens, to vote for their representatives in government. Election fraud is a serious crime, and it is the duty of the Department of Justice to treat it as such.”
“The crime of illegal voting undermines the integrity of our elections and harms citizens by stealing the power of our votes. Illegal voting is not a victimless crime but a serious affront to the principles of our democratic republic,” said U.S. Attorney Brian D. Miller. “This office will prosecute to the full extent of the law those who illegally vote in federal elections as well as those who facilitate illegal voting.”
“Homeland Security Investigations is committed to safeguarding the integrity of our nation’s election systems and ensuring that allegations of unlawful voting, fraudulent registration, and other election-related crimes are thoroughly investigated,” said Acting Executive Associate Director John A. Condon of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI). “The American people deserve confidence that our elections are protected from fraud and criminal exploitation, and that those who seek to undermine the law are held accountable. As reflected in these cases, HSI special agents worked alongside our federal partners to identify alleged criminal conduct, follow the evidence, and support prosecutions that reinforce public trust and uphold the rule of law.”
Homeland Security Investigations investigated the case. Assistant United States Attorney Scott Ford is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
If convicted, Holtzman faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison, a term of supervised release, and a fine. If convicted, Guzman faces a maximum sentence of 1 year in prison, a term of supervised release, and a fine. A sentence following the finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
Indictments and Criminal Informations are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.
# # #
Homeland Security Task Force Arrests Owner of Southwest Detroit Business, “La Posada,” on Charges of International Money Laundering ConspiracyRead the Press Release
DETROIT - Juan Romo-Padilla, 58, owner of La Posada – a Mexican restaurant, convenience store, and money remitter business located in Southwest, Detroit – was arrested on September 3, 2026, following a joint investigation by DEA-Detroit and IRS-CI, announced United States Attorney Jerome F. Gorgon Jr. Romo-Padilla faces federal charges for conspiracy to launder monetary instruments, international money laundering, laundering of represented drug proceeds, and violations of the Bank Secrecy Act.
Gorgon was joined in the announcement by Joseph O. Dixon, Special Agent in Charge, Drug Enforcement Administration, Detroit Field Division, and Todd Strom, Acting Special Agent in Charge, Detroit Field Office, IRS Criminal Investigation.
According to the federal criminal complaint, agents from DEA and IRS-CI have been investigating Romo-Padilla since September 2024 for illegally sending structured cash transfers of drug proceeds to Mexico through La Posada. Between 2022 and 2026, Romo-Padilla conducted over 100,000 wire transfers totaling over $140 million to Mexico. Nearly all of the funds were sent to Mexican states associated with major drug cartels, including the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG), La Familia Michoacana, and the Sinaloa Cartel.
“To fight the Mexican cartels, we have to stop the flow of drug money back to Mexico,” said Gorgon.
“Money laundering is not a victimless crime, it is the financial engine that allows drug traffickers to turn illicit profits into the resources that fuel addiction, violence, and death in cities across America,” said Special Agent in Charge Dixon. “We will follow the money, expose the networks behind these operations, and dismantle the financial infrastructure that allows them to thrive. We are moving with a renewed sense of urgency and will not stop until these criminal networks are destroyed.”
“The arrest of Juan Romo-Padilla for his role in transmitting funds from illegal drug transactions in and out of the United States is a victory for the American public and a defeat to drug traffickers everywhere. The special agents of IRS Criminal Investigation continue in their mission to disrupt the flow of ill-gotten gains that is the lifeblood for these criminals,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Todd Strom, Detroit Field Office, IRS Criminal Investigation. “We will continue to be relentless in our mission to dismantle these drug trafficking organizations and bring the criminals who run them to justice.”
If convicted of these money laundering offenses, Romo-Padilla faces up to 20 years in prison on each count.
This prosecution is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF Detroit comprises agents and officers from numerous agencies with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Michigan.
This case is being investigated by the DEA and IRS-Criminal Investigations with assistance from the Department of Homeland Security. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Caitlin Casey and Rajesh Prasad.
Georgian National Charged for Conspiracy to Launder Proceeds of $1.3 Billion Health Care Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Georgian national has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Boston for allegedly conspiring to launder the proceeds of a $1.3 billion health care fraud scheme while he was illegally in the United States.
Erekle Gugava, 33, a Georgian national, was indicted on one count of money laundering conspiracy. Gugava fled the United States in July 2025, after the alleged conduct.
According to court documents, Gugava was a money launderer for the foreign-based organization that spearheaded the largest health care fraud case ever prosecuted by the Department of Justice, dubbed Operation Gold Rush. The organization, based in Russia and elsewhere, orchestrated a multi-billion-dollar health care fraud and money laundering scheme to target, exploit and steal from Medicare and other health insurers.
As alleged in the charging documents, Gugava purportedly owned ND Medical Solutions, LLC (ND Medical), a durable medical equipment company located in Pennsylvania, between February 2025 and July 2025. During the limited five-month span of Gugava’s purported ownership, ND Medical submitted at least $1.3 billion in fraudulent DME claims to Medicare, private health insurance companies that contracted to provide Medicare supplemental insurance policies, private employer-sponsored plans and union health plans. These insurers paid ND Medical approximately $6.5 million.
As part of the scheme, Gugava allegedly facilitated the deposit and transfer of fraud proceeds. Among other things, he allegedly opened several bank accounts in the name of ND Medical – for which he was the sole signatory – and deposited checks from Medicare Supplemental Insurers and other health insurers into the ND Medical bank accounts. The funds were then ultimately transferred to various overseas bank accounts for the benefit of the organization.
As alleged in charging documents, the fraudulent claims relied, in part, on the stolen identities of citizens from Massachusetts, across New England, and throughout the United States to justify the fraudulent billings. Many of these individuals, including elderly and disabled Americans, reported their concerns to Medicare and its contractors after receiving explanation of benefit forms that reflected them purportedly receiving DME that they did not in fact receive, that was purportedly prescribed by doctors whom they had never visited and purportedly delivered from ND Medical—a DME company with which they were unfamiliar.
As further alleged, the organization exploited the United States’ financial system by depositing insurance reimbursement checks from the fraud. The health care fraud proceeds were particularly susceptible to laundering because they originated from legitimate sources. Medicare and established private insurance carriers, giving the funds the initial appearance of legitimacy.
The charge of money laundering conspiracy provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $500,000 or twice the amount of laundered funds, whichever is greater. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Assistant Attorney General Colin M. McDonald of the Justice Department’s National Fraud Enforcement Division; U.S. Department of Health and Human Services – Office of the Inspector General Special Agent in Charge Roberto Coviello; Wayne A. Jacobs, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Philadelphia Division; Justin Page, Acting Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) Boston Division; Thomas Demeo, Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigation in Boston; Jeff Grimming, Acting Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England; and Kelly M. Lawson, Acting Regional Director, U.S. Department of Labor, Employee Benefits Security Administration, Boston Regional Office made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Meghan Cleary of the Health Care Fraud Unit is prosecuting the case alongside Deputy Chief Kevin Lowell, Assistant Deputy Chief Jim Hayes, and Trial Attorneys Tiffany Wynn and Sarah Rocha of the National Fraud Enforcement Division’s Health Care Fraud Section.
On March 26, 2026, United States Attorney Leah B. Foley announced the creation of the Benefit & Voter Fraud Team, a district-wide initiative established in response to the rampant fraud being uncovered across Massachusetts. Members of the public are encouraged to report suspected benefit fraud in Massachusetts by calling 1-855-SCAM-MA-1 (855-722-6621).
On April 7, 2026, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division. The Fraud Division is investigating and prosecuting those who commit fraud against the American people. The Department’s work to combat fraud supports President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs.
The Department of Justice’s Health Care Fraud Strike Force Program, currently comprised of nine strike forces operating in federal districts across the country, has charged more than 6,200 defendants who collectively billed federal health care programs and private insurers more than $45 billion since 2007. In addition, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, working in conjunction with the Office of the Inspector General for the Department of Health and Human Services, are taking steps to hold providers accountable for their involvement in health care fraud schemes. More information can be found at www.justice.gov/criminal-fraud/health-care-fraud-unit.
The details contained in the charging document are allegations. The defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in the court of law.
Galloway car dealership owner pleads guilty to importing counterfeit air bagsRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ohio – John Bojorquez, 35, of Columbus, pleaded guilty in federal court to trafficking in counterfeit goods by importing counterfeit airbags from China – claiming they were Honda airbags – for vehicles he sold at his auto dealership JB Ohio Auto Sale, LLC.
According to court documents, in August 2024, U.S. Customs and Border Protection at Chicago O’Hare International Airport seized 20 counterfeit Honda airbags that were sent from China. The boxes were falsely described as containing “desktop night lights” and were addressed to Bojorquez at JB Ohio Auto Sale in Galloway.
The same shipper in China sent four similar additional shipments of counterfeit Honda airbags in August 2024, each labeled as “desktop night lights” or “blue desktop nightlights.”
When law enforcement executed a search warrant at JB Ohio Auto Sale in May 2025, they seized multiple counterfeit airbags, some of which were piled in a clothes hamper and covered by a towel.
Bojorquez admitted to intentionally trafficking in at least 44 counterfeit airbags from August 2024 until May 2025.
Trafficking in counterfeit goods is a federal crime punishable by up to ten years in prison. Sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the Court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors at a future hearing.
Dominick S. Gerace II, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Jared Murphey, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Detroit; and officials with the Department of Transportation Office of Inspector General (DOT-OIG) announced the guilty plea entered today before U.S. District Judge Edmund A. Sargus, Jr. Assistant United States Attorney Peter K. Glenn-Applegate is representing the United States in this case.
The U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has issued consumer safety advisories to alert vehicle owners and repair professionals to the dangers of counterfeit airbags, including consistent malfunctioning ranging from non-deployment of the airbag to the expulsion of metal shrapnel during deployment.
If you own a vehicle purchased from JB Auto Sale with a suspected counterfeit airbag, please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Office by calling 888-529-2820.
# # #
Fugitive Who Stole Dead Man’s Identity SentencedRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – A fugitive who lived for more than 40 years under the stolen identity of a deceased Arkansas man was sentenced to 81 months in prison for federal identity theft, passport fraud, and firearms offenses.
There is no parole in the federal system.
According to court documents, Stephen Craig Campbell, 76, became a fugitive after being accused in 1982 of attempting to murder his estranged wife’s boyfriend by planting a homemade explosive device at his home. The device detonated when Campbell’s estranged wife opened the package, causing severe lacerations and the loss of one of her fingers. The explosion also started a fire that spread to a second apartment unit. A 1983 warrant remains outstanding in Wyoming for Campbell’s failure to appear on the original charge of Attempted First-Degree Murder.
After becoming a fugitive, Campbell went to lengths to conceal his true identity. He stole and assumed the identity of his deceased former classmate, Walter Lee Coffman, who died in 1975 at the age of 22, just months after graduating from the University of Arkansas with an engineering degree. Campbell first applied for a U.S. passport in Coffman’s name in 1984, submitting his own photograph and current address. He later used the stolen identity to obtain a replacement Social Security card, multiple passports and a New Mexico driver’s license, and to purchase property in Weed, New Mexico. Campbell continued using Coffman’s identity for decades, including presenting a fraudulent passport to a New Mexico Motor Vehicle Division employee in 2019 to renew a driver’s license in Coffman’s name.
Using Coffman’s identity, Campbell also fraudulently obtained over $138,000 in Social Security Retirement Insurance Benefits beginning in 2015.
The decades-long scheme finally unraveled after Campbell presented fraudulent documents to renew his driver's license at a New Mexico Motor Vehicle Department in Cloudcroft in September 2019. Following the renewal, agents from the National Passport Center's Fraud Prevention Unit discovered Coffman's 1975 death and alerted federal authorities to the ongoing identity fraud, sparking the joint FBI and Social Security Administration OIG investigation that uncovered Campbell's true identity as a long-time violent fugitive.
On February 19, 2025, FBI SWAT teams from Albuquerque and El Paso, supported by aerial assets, approached Campbell’s property to execute an arrest warrant and search warrant. Air surveillance observed Campbell leave the back of his home and enter the wood line. Wearing camouflage, Campbell remained in the wooded area despite commands from agents. After flash bangs were deployed and agents issued additional commands, Campbell emerged and surrendered. A loaded rifle equipped with a scope and a 20-round magazine was recovered from the wood line. A search of the property recovered a total of 57 firearms, along with large quantities of ammunition and firearm magazines.
Campbell pleaded guilty to misuse of a passport, possession of false papers to defraud U.S., aggravated identity theft, and being a fugitive from justice in possession of a firearm and ammunition. Upon his release from prison, Campbell will be subject to three years of supervised release. Campbell was also ordered to pay a $20,000 fine.
First Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison, Special Agent in Charge Justin A. Garris of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office and Acting Special Agent in Charge of the SSA OIG Corwin Rattler made the announcement today.
This case was co-investigated by the Las Cruces Resident Agency of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office and the Social Security Administration’s Office of the Inspector General. It was originally initiated by the United States State Department Diplomatic Security Service’s El Paso Resident Office and the National Passport Center’s Fraud Prevention Unit. Enforcement assistance was provided by U.S. Customs and Border Protection Air and Marine Operations, as well as the Otero County Sheriff's Office. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Clara Nevarez Cobos.
Franklin Towne Charter High School and Its Former CEO Agree to Pay Nearly $4 Million to Resolve Claim of Racial Discrimination in Admissions ProcessRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced today that Franklin Towne Charter High School (“Franklin Towne”), a public charter high school in Philadelphia, and its former CEO Joseph Venditti have separately agreed to pay a total of $3,914,328.77 to resolve claims that they violated the False Claims Act by discriminating against black applicants during a January 2023 admissions lottery.
“Racial discrimination has no place in school admissions,” said U.S. Attorney Metcalf. “Selecting or excluding students because of their race is illegal and violates the agreements schools sign when they accept federal grant money.”
Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and United States Department of Education regulations prohibit any school that receives federal financial assistance from discriminating based on race, color, or national origin during the admissions process or otherwise.
The United States contends that, in January 2023, Franklin Towne, acting through or at the behest of Venditti, manipulated what should have been a random admissions lottery to reduce the chances of black applicants being admitted. At the time of the lottery, Franklin Towne was funded in part by grants that were provided by the United States Department of Education and administered by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania pursuant to the Elementary and Secondary Education Act and the Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund.
The settlement amounts with both defendants were based on analyses of their abilities to pay. Franklin Towne will pay $3,639,328.77 as part of its settlement agreement and Venditti will pay $275,000.00 as part of his settlement agreement.
As part of the settlement agreement with Franklin Towne, the United States acknowledges, pursuant to the Department of Justice’s Guidelines for Taking Voluntary Disclosure, Cooperation and Remediation into Account in False Claims Act Matters (Justice Manual § 4.4.112), that the school has made significant governance changes, including replacing the Chief Executive Officer and hiring an independent third party to conduct all future admissions lotteries at the school.
“I am proud of the work of OIG staff, and our law enforcement and prosecutorial partners whose efforts brought about this settlement,” said Jamila Davis, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Education Office of Inspector General Eastern Regional Office. “The OIG will continue to pursue allegations of violations of the False Claims Act in carrying out our important public service.”
This matter was handled in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania by Assistant United States Attorneys Peter Carr and Fernando I. Rivera, with assistance from litigative consultant Denis Cooke.
The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only and there has been no determination of liability.
Four Convicted Felons Sentenced to Federal Prison for Firearms Trafficking at Memphis Nuisance HotelRead the Press Release
Memphis, TN – Four convicted felons have been sentenced to federal prison for selling firearms at a local hotel and to undercover federal agents. D. Michael Dunavant, United States Attorney for the Western District of Tennessee, announced the sentences today.
The individuals involved in the firearms trafficking and sentenced to prison were:
- Fred Buford, 33, of Memphis, TN
- Courtney Hibler, 41, of Memphis, TN
- Frederick Munn, 38, of Memphis, TN
- Larry Smith, aka “Killa” 39, of Houston, TX
As part of Operation “Back to Business”, agents with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) determined that Buford, Hibler, Munn, and Smith regularly possessed firearms at the Economy Hotel located at 3869 Lamar Avenue and sold firearms in the hotel's parking lot.
In November of 2024, the hotel was shut down by the Memphis Police Department Organized Crime Unit as a public nuisance following complaints of drug sales, homicides, and gang activity.
According to information presented in court, in June of 2025, the ATF received information that “Killa”, later identified as Larry Smith, a multiple convicted felon with a prior criminal history of Aggravated Robbery and Aggravated Burglary, had fentanyl and firearms for sale. Between July and August of 2025, Smith facilitated 11 firearms deals in which Smith, Buford, Hibler, and Munn provided the firearms, including one stolen gun.
Additionally, Smith facilitated a transaction where Hibler sold fentanyl. Munn has a prior criminal history that includes felony convictions for Aggravated Assault, Auto Burglary, and Reckless Endangerment with a Deadly Weapon. Hibler has a prior criminal history that includes felony convictions for Theft of Property and False Reporting.
Photo of firearms seized.
In September of 2025, Buford, Hibler, Munn, and Smith were indicted for their roles in both the firearms trafficking and fentanyl distribution. All defendants pled guilty and were sentenced to federal prison by the Honorable Sheryl H. Lipman, Chief United States District Judge for the Western District of Tennessee.
- On July 30, 2026, Buford pled guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm. On September 2, 2026, the Court determined that Buford qualified as an Armed Career Criminal (ACC) offender based on his three prior violent felony convictions for Attempted Aggravated Robbery, Aggravated Burglary (x2) and Auto Burglary, and sentenced Buford to 180 months of incarceration followed by 3 years of supervised release.
- On February 20, 2026, Smith pled guilty to being a felon in possession of firearms. On June 16, 2026, Smith was sentenced to 76 months of incarceration followed by 3 years of supervised release.
- On February 17, 2026, Munn pled guilty to being a felon in possession of firearms. On May 29, 2026, Munn was sentenced to 94 months of incarceration followed by 3 years of supervised release.
- On February 12, 2026, Hibler pled guilty to distributing fentanyl and being a felon in possession of a firearm. On May 28, 2026, Hibler was sentenced to 18 months of incarceration followed by 3 years of supervised release.
There is no parole in the federal system.
U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant said: "Killa" and his crew posed an immediate and ongoing threat to the public by their repeated illegal gun sales which flooded the streets of Memphis with instruments of death. Thanks to the great work of ATF and our federal and local law enforcement partners, this group of felons is out of business and Memphis is safer.”
"This case involved an organized group of individuals who conspired to distribute illegal firearms and deadly narcotics on our Memphis streets," said Special Agent in Charge Jamey VanVliet, of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Nashville. "The ATF, alongside our local, state and federal partners, remains steadfast in our mission to hold firearm and narcotic traffickers accountable and protect the community."
This case was investigated by the ATF and assisted by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the Memphis Police Department (MPD) Multi-agency Gang Unit.
Assistant United States Attorneys Gregory D. Allen and Gregory A. Wagner prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
###
For more information, please contact the media relations team at [email protected]. Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office on Facebook or on X at @WDTNNews for office news and updates.
Florida Men Sentenced to Prison for $34.8M Health Care Fraud Scheme Targeting Medicare BeneficiariesRead the Press Release
Two Florida men were sentenced to multiple years in prison for their roles in a $34.8 million health care fraud conspiracy billing Medicare for thousands of orthotic braces sent to Medicare beneficiaries who did not need them.
“These fraudsters billed Medicare $34.8 million for braces that patients didn’t need and didn’t request — and now they’re paying the price,” said Assistant Attorney General Colin M. McDonald of the Justice Department’s National Fraud Enforcement Division. “They paid kickbacks for fake doctors’ orders, shuffled billing among several companies to dodge payment suspensions, and pocketed millions that belonged to American taxpayers. Their prison sentences make clear: if you steal from Medicare, you will be caught, you will be prosecuted, and you will be held accountable.”
“Medicare is not a blank check for fraudsters,” said U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida. “These defendants built a $34.8 million scheme around medically unnecessary braces, fraudulent doctors’ orders, and illegal kickbacks, all to enrich themselves at the expense of American taxpayers. Today’s sentences reinforce a simple message: if you steal from our health care programs, we will find you, prosecute you, and hold you accountable.”
According to court documents, Kenneth Charles Kessler III, 43, of Miami, Florida, and Michael Andrew Gomez, 43, of Miramar, Florida, owned and operated seven durable medical equipment (DME) supply companies based in Florida. Through these DME companies, they submitted millions of dollars in false claims to Medicare for medically unnecessary orthotic braces.
Kessler and Gomez also paid illegal kickbacks and bribes to obtain fraudulent signed doctors’ orders. They used these orders to ship orthotic braces to Medicare beneficiaries nationwide, including to beneficiaries who neither requested nor needed the braces, and then claimed payment for those braces from Medicare. Kessler and Gomez used their multiple DME companies to evade Medicare payment suspensions by shifting their fraudulent billing between their DME companies.
Kessler profited more than $1.4 million, and Gomez profited more than $2.3 million from the fraudulent scheme.
Kessler was sentenced to 33 months of in prison, and Gomez was sentenced to 24 months of in prison.
In May 2026, Kessler and Gomez each pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit health care fraud.
Assistant Attorney General Colin M. McDonald of the Justice Department’s National Fraud Enforcement Division; U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida; Special Agent in Charge Brett Skiles of the FBI Miami Field Office; and Acting Deputy Inspector General for Investigations Miranda Bennett of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG) made the announcement.
FBI and HHS-OIG investigated the case.
Trial Attorneys Aisha Schafer Hylton and Owen Dunn of the National Fraud Enforcement Division’s Health Care Fraud Section prosecuted the case.
On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division (Fraud Division). The Fraud Division is laser-focused on investigating and prosecuting those who commit fraud against the American people. The Department’s work to combat fraud supports President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs.
The Department of Justice’s Health Care Fraud Strike Force Program, currently comprised of nine strike forces operating in federal districts across the country, has charged more than 6,200 defendants who collectively billed federal health care programs and private insurers more than $45 billion since 2007. In addition, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, working in conjunction with the Office of the Inspector General for the Department of Health and Human Services, are taking steps to hold providers accountable for their involvement in health care fraud schemes. More information can be found at www.justice.gov/criminal-fraud/health-care-fraud-unit.
Five Charged in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Wisconsin with Illegally Voting, Fraudulent Registration in 2022 or 2024 ElectionRead the Press Release
Five individuals living in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Wisconsin were charged this week related to illegal voting in the 2022 or 2024 election.
“The integrity of our elections, which are fundamental to democracy, should be of utmost importance to every American,” said Attorney General Todd Blanche. “It is a cherished right for eligible American citizens, and only eligible American citizens, to vote for their representatives in government. Election fraud is a serious crime, and it is the duty of the Department of Justice to treat it as such.”
“As alleged, these five individuals in New Jersey, Wisconsin, and Pennsylvania, including two illegal aliens, stole votes from American citizens when they decided to break the law and undermine our elections,” said FBI Director Kash Patel. “Protecting election integrity for the American people is one of the top priorities for this FBI. Every American citizen has a right to free and fair elections, and we will not hesitate to use all available resources to investigate every credible allegation of election fraud and illegal voting.”
“The crime of illegal voting undermines the integrity of our elections and harms citizens by stealing the power of our votes,” said U.S. Attorney Brian Miller for the Middle District of Pennsylvania. “Illegal voting is not a victimless crime but a serious affront to the principles of our democratic republic. This office will prosecute to the full extent of the law those who illegally vote in federal elections as well as those who facilitate illegal voting.”
“Government has a responsibility to the people to safeguard elections,” said U.S. Attorney Robert Frazer for the District of New Jersey. “Even one illegal vote is one too many. Here in New Jersey, the federal government is taking this responsibility seriously and violations of federal election law will be investigated and prosecuted to preserve the integrity of our democracy and ensure that no citizens’ votes are diluted.”
“Protecting the integrity of federal elections is a fundamental responsibility of the U.S. Attorney’s Office,” said U.S. Attorney Chadwick M. Elgersma for the Western District of Wisconsin. “The charge against this defendant reflects our commitment to enforcing the law and ensuring that every vote cast complies fully with federal requirements. No one is above these obligations, and my office will continue to pursue cases where unlawful voting occurs.”
“Homeland Security Investigations is committed to safeguarding the integrity of our nation’s election systems and ensuring that allegations of unlawful voting, fraudulent registration, and other election-related crimes are thoroughly investigated,” said Acting Executive Associate Director John A. Condon of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI). “The American people deserve confidence that our elections are protected from fraud and criminal exploitation, and that those who seek to undermine the law are held accountable. As reflected in these cases, HSI special agents worked alongside our federal partners to identify alleged criminal conduct, follow the evidence, and support prosecutions that reinforce public trust and uphold the rule of law.”
Middle District of Pennsylvania
Thomas Holtzman, 68, and his wife Marisol Guzman, 50, both of Carlisle, Pennsylvania, were indicted by a federal grand jury on charges related to Guzman illegally voting as an alien in the 2024 election. Guzman was charged with voting as an alien. Holtzman, a U.S. citizen, was charged with false statement of citizenship in order to vote and aiding and abetting and fraudulent registration and aiding and abetting.
Katya Rodriguez, 30, an illegal alien from Mexico living in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, was indicted by a federal grand jury on charges related to illegally voting as an alien in the 2024 election. Specifically, Rodriguez was charged with false statement of citizenship in order to vote, fraudulent registration, and voting as an alien.
If convicted, Holtzman faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison, a term of supervised release, and a fine. Guzman faces a maximum penalty of one year in prison, a term of supervised release, and a fine. Rodriguez faces a maximum penalty of 11 years in prison, a term of supervised release, and a fine. Any sentence would be imposed by a judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
HSI investigated the cases. Assistant U.S. Attorney Scott Ford for the Middle District of Pennsylvania is prosecuting the cases.
District of New Jersey
Mercedes Alexandra Cardoso of Union County, New Jersey, was charged with voting by an alien in a federal election. According to the complaint, Cardoso was a non-citizen when she registered online via the New Jersey Division of Elections Online Voter Registration System. On her voter registration form she falsely certified and attested that she was a U.S. citizen, which is required to register to vote and vote in federal elections.
Cardoso allegedly cast a ballot in the June 2024 primary election, which included candidates who were vying for election for the office of President and Vice President of the United States. At the time she cast her ballot, Cardoso, who entered the United States from Ecuador on a B-2 visa, was not a U.S. citizen and was therefore not authorized to vote in federal elections.
If convicted of voting by an illegal alien, Cardoso faces a maximum penalty of one year in prison. She is scheduled to have an initial appearance on Sept. 8.
The FBI, HSI, and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark J. McCarren for the District of New Jersey is prosecuting the case.
Western District of Wisconsin
Jesus Javier Jurado Garcia, 25, an illegal alien from Mexico living in Beloit, Wisconsin, was charged on Sept. 2, with illegally voting as an alien in the November 2022 election.
According to a criminal information, on Nov. 8, 2022, Jurado Garcia, knowing he was not a U.S. citizen, illegally voted in an election held in part for the purpose of electing a candidate for the offices of Member of the Senate and Member of the House of Representatives.
If convicted, Jurado Garcia faces a maximum sentence of one year in prison. Any sentence would be imposed by a judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
A complaint, indictment, and information merely contain accusations. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.