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20 August 2025
Convicted Felon Admits to Illegally Possessing a FirearmRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE – A Providence man previously convicted and sentenced on state firearm, robbery, and drug trafficking charges, and a 2013 federal firearm charge, pleaded guilty today to a federal charge of felon in possession of a firearm, announced Acting United States Attorney Sara Miron Bloom.
According to information presented to the court, on March 30, 2024, a Providence Police patrol officer effected a traffic stop of a vehicle driven by Troy L. Antley, 56, for turning at an intersection without signaling. During the subsequent stop, the officer noticed a knife in plain view on the driver’s seat.
As the officer went to seize the knife, he noticed a round of ammunition in the driver’s side cupholder in the center console and a gun handle protruding from the space between the driver’s seat and center console. It was later determined that the firearm, a loaded 9mm Smith and Wesson semi-automatic pistol, was previously reported stolen out of Alabama. The magazine in the firearm had a 16 round capacity and 14 rounds in it. One round was chambered in the pistol.
Antley is scheduled to be sentenced on November 20, 2025. The sentence imposed in this matter will be determined by a federal district judge after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Stacey A. Erickson and Milind M. Shah.
The matter was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearm, and Explosives and the Providence Police Department
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Clarksville Woman Sentenced to More than 11 Years in Federal Prison for Aggravated Child NeglectRead the Press Release
NASHVILLE – Lyndsey T. Bustamante, 29, of Clarksville, Tennessee, has been sentenced to 11 years and 4 months in federal prison for aggravated child neglect, announced Robert E. McGuire, Acting United States Attorney for the Middle District of Tennessee.
“The victim in this case was a two-month-old child who was horribly neglected by the Defendant and barely survived,” said Acting United States Attorney Robert E. McGuire. “The child is now in a loving home but will face lifelong struggles because of the Defendant’s choices. This case shows that we will not hesitate to prosecute those who hurt children and, if they are convicted, we will seek long sentences in federal prison for them.”
“This sentencing reaffirms our steadfast commitment to protecting our children, the most vulnerable among us,” said Special Agent in Charge Joe Carrico of the FBI Nashville Field Office. “Andrew Garasich and his wife, Lyndsey Bustamante, thought that they could act without consequences, but they were wrong. Let this serve as a warning: if you harm children in any way, the FBI and our law enforcement partners will find you and ensure you face the full consequences of your actions.”
“This sentencing marks another significant step towards justice for the victim in this horrific case,” said Special Agent in Charge John McCabe of the Department of the Army Criminal Investigation Division’s Midcentral Field Office. “Army CID remains dedicated to the safety and well-being of our communities.”
On December 30, 2022, Bustamante’s husband Andrew Garasich burned their two-month-old baby by giving him a bath in water that was too hot. Although Bustamante was away from home with her five-year-old son when Garasich burned the baby, Garasich notified her on December 30 about having burned their baby. Neither parent sought medical attention for the baby until January 4, 2023.
When interviewed by the FBI on May 3, 2023, Garasich told Agents he noticed the baby’s butt was “beet red” when he was drying him off after the bath. He reported he noticed some of the baby’s skin was peeling before he left the home with the baby to go to Edible Arrangements to pick up chocolate-covered strawberries for Bustamante. After he returned home with the baby, he began to remove skin from the baby’s body. Garasich told the Agents that when Bustamante came home on December 31, 2022, parts of the baby’s body were already peeling, and Garasich had already pulled some of the baby’s peeling skin off. After Garasich burned the baby in the bath, Bustamante bathed the baby again between December 31 and January 4 and attempted to treat the baby’s burns with soap, diaper rash cream, aloe, and baby ibuprofen. Although Bustamante did not take the baby to the hospital until January 4, 2023, Bustamante sent a Facebook message to a friend on January 1, 2023, about the possibility of taking the baby to the hospital because the baby’s skin was “peeling really bad.” In a Facebook voice memo to this friend, she described using a wet cloth to pick off all the loose skin because the baby “had skin everywhere.” She also texted another friend that the baby’s skin was peeling “really bad” and that she was taking him to the hospital because his skin looked terrible. When that friend later asked about the baby, Bustamante lied and told her that she was at the hospital with the baby.
Finally, on January 4, 2023, the day before the baby was scheduled for a doctor’s visit at the Young Eagle Clinic on Fort Campbell, Bustamante, accompanied by her five-year-old son and a friend, took the baby to Houston County Community Hospital. Garasich did not go with them to the hospital. Medical personnel at Houston County immediately determined that the baby needed to be life flighted to Vanderbilt University Medical Center due to the severity of his injuries and contacted the Erin Police Department, who dispatched officers to the hospital. When the baby was assessed at Vanderbilt, in addition to partial to full thickness burns on the baby’s buttocks, perineum, lower extremities, and left elbow, medical personnel also noted a left parietal skull fracture. The baby remained hospitalized at Vanderbilt University Medical Center for almost two months before being discharged. Both children are now in the custody of DCS.
Following her term of imprisonment, Bustamante will be on supervised release for 4 years.
Bustamante’s co-defendant, the child’s father Andrew J. Garasich, was sentenced on July 14, 2025, to 14 years in federal prison to be followed by 4 years of supervised release.
This case was investigated by the Department of the Army Criminal Investigation Division and the FBI Nashville Field Office, Clarksville Resident Agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Monica Morrison and Acting United States Attorney Robert E. McGuire prosecuted the case.
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Claremore Man Sentenced for Sexual Abuse of a Minor and Abusive Sexual ContactRead the Press Release
TULSA, Okla. – Today, Ryan Duke Haight, 45, was sentenced after being convicted by a federal jury in May for the Sexual Abuse of a Minor in Indian Country and two counts of Abusive Sexual Contact with a Minor in Indian Country. In a post-trial order, the court acquitted Haight of one count of Abusive Sexual Contact with a Minor in Indian Country.
U.S. District Judge Frizzell sentenced Haight to 120 months imprisonment, followed by 15 years of supervised release. Upon his release, Haight will also be required to register as a sex offender. Judge Frizzell further ordered Haight to pay $3,353.70 in restitution.
According to evidence presented at trial, Haight made sexual comments to the 14-year-old minor victim, began touching her on the buttocks, claiming it was an accident, and played with the seam of her panties. Haight even told the victim that he preferred “butts” over “boobs,” which was why he liked the victim. In the spring of 2024, Haight’s physical contact escalated. On multiple occasions, while driving the victim home, Haight rested his hand on the victim's leg and touched her underneath her clothing. Then, in July 2024, Haight told the victim he wanted to give her a massage as his “prize” for winning a bet. While massaging the victim, Haight sexually abused her.
Haight will remain in custody pending transfer to the U.S. Bureau of Prisons.
The FBI and the Rogers County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Stephen Scaife and Kate Brandon prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit Justice.gov/PSC.
Chinese National Arrested for Attempted Sex Trafficking of a ChildRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Chinese national lawfully residing in Boston has been arrested and charged for allegedly attempting to traffic a child for sex.
Qichen Yuan, 31, was charged with one count of attempted sex trafficking of a child. The defendant was arrested last night and appeared in federal court in Boston today.
According to the charging documents, on Aug. 16, 2025, Yuan responded to an advertisement posted by undercover law enforcement on a website commonly used to advertise commercial sex acts. The advertisement contained images of a young females and language purported to be written by a female describing herself as a “flower ready to blossom.”During a text conversation and phone call between Yuan and an undercover agent posing as the purported minor, the undercover agent stated that she was a 15-year-old girl available to perform sex acts in exchange for money. It is alleged that when the undercover agent told Yuan she was young, Yuan stated, “I love you being young lol.” He then allegedly agreed to pay $250 to have sex with the purported minor after learning that she was just 15 years old.
According to court documents, at approximately 8:00 p.m. on Aug. 19, 2025, Yuan arrived at an agreed-upon meeting location and stood outside. It is alleged that when an unmarked law enforcement vehicle pulled up, Yuan attempted to flee. He was immediately apprehended. It is alleged that during a search of his person, two condoms were found in Yuan’s pocket.
The charge of attempted sex trafficking of a child provides for a minimum mandatory sentence of 10 years and up to life in prison, five years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Ted E. Docks Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division made the announcement. Valuable assistance in the investigation was provided by the Massachusetts State Police and the Boston Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Torey B. Cummings, of the Human Trafficking & Civil Rights Unit is prosecuting the case.If you or someone you know may be impacted or experiencing commercial sex trafficking, please contact [email protected].
This case was brought in collaboration with Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
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.Chicago Man Sentenced to 45 Years in Federal Prison for Sexually Exploiting ChildrenRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — A federal judge has sentenced a Chicago man to 45 years in prison for sexually exploiting and receiving child sexual abuse material from at least 14 children with whom he communicated on social media.
In 2019 and 2020, ARMANDO TORRES used social media to contact and persuade young girls, most of whom were younger than ten years old, to create and send him sexually explicit images and videos of themselves. Torres sought out children on popular applications, including Snapchat and Instagram, and his social media screennames were designed to appeal to them. Torres often pretended he was a child in order to gain his victims’ trust. He provided graphic step-by-step instructions to his victims, including how to pose their bodies, the sexual language to use, and how to film and send the images and videos.
Torres, 35, of Chicago, pleaded guilty earlier this year to exploitation and child pornography charges. On Aug. 11, 2025, U.S. District Judge Steven C. Seeger imposed the 45-year prison sentence.
The sentence was announced by Andrew S. Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and Douglas S. DePodesta, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI.
“Children are the most vulnerable members of our community,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Caitlin Walgamuth argued in the government’s sentencing memorandum. “Their innocence and trust in others make them defenseless to predators like Torres, who easily manipulated them online. Torres’s sexualization of the victims deprived them of their childhood and inflicted significant trauma on them, as well as their families, that will continue to impact them long after the experience is over.”
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood (PSC), a nationwide initiative to combat child sexual exploitation and abuse. PSC marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, while also providing critical services to victims.
If you believe you are a victim of sexual exploitation, you are encouraged to contact the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children by logging on to https://www.missingkids.org/ or calling 1-800-843-5678. The service is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Cherokee County Resident Sentenced for Illegally Possessing Firearm and AmmunitionRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Kenny Ray Jackson, age 65, of Park Hill, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 12 months and one day in prison for one count of Felon in Possession of Firearm and Ammunition.
The charge arose from an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office.
On February 11, 2025, Jackson pleaded guilty to the charge. According to investigators, on July 29, 2024, Jackson knowingly possessed a semi-automatic rifle, a lever action rifle, and a break open shotgun, together with 54 rounds of assorted caliber ammunition, after having been previously convicted of a crime punishable by more than one year imprisonment.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
The Honorable Ronald A. White, Chief U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over the hearing. Jackson was ordered to self-report on September 19, 2025, to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan E. Soverly represented the United States.
Cedar Rapids Man Pleads Guilty to Child Exploitation CrimesRead the Press Release
A man who sexually exploited a child pled guilty today in federal court in Cedar Rapids. Kevin Patrick Sullivan, age 43, from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, was convicted of sexual exploitation of a child, receipt of child pornography, and possession of child pornography.
At the plea hearing, Sullivan admitted that between June 2013 and February 2015, he produced visual depictions of a child engaging in sexually explicit conduct. Between June 2013 and January 2025, on multiple electronic devices, he possessed child pornography that showed a prepubescent child. Between November 2013 and January 2025, he used the Internet to receive child pornography.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab “resources.”
Sentencing before United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Sullivan remains in custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing. Sullivan faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years’ imprisonment and a possible maximum sentence of 70 years’ imprisonment, a $750,000 fine, $117,300 in special assessments, and a lifetime term of supervised release following any imprisonment.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Devra T. Hake and was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 25-CR-30.
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Chinese National Indicted for Attempted Enticement of a MinorRead the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney Ellison C. Travis announced that a federal grand jury recently returned an indictment charging Shengjie Cheng, age 32, a Chinese national residing in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, through a student visa, with attempted enticement of a minor. Cheng appeared for his arraignment and pled not guilty to the pending charges.
According to the indictment, on or about March 31, 2025, Cheng used social media applications and the name “Marvellous Pirate” to attempt to convince someone he believed was a 15-year-old girl in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, to engage in an illegal sexual relationship.
If convicted, Cheng faces a minimum of ten years and up to life imprisonment. Cheng also faces a $250,000 fine, up to a lifetime of supervised release, and sex offender registration requirements. He is also subject to removal or deportation from the United States upon completing his sentence.
This matter is being investigated by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the United States Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations, the ICAC (Internet Crimes Against Children) Task Force, and Livingston Parish Sheriff’s Office. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Edward H. Warner, who also serves as Deputy Criminal Chief, and Special Assistant United States Attorney Allen Ross.
An indictment is an accusation by a grand jury. The defendant is presumed innocent until and unless adjudicated guilty at trial or through a guilty plea.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit http://www.justice.gov/psc.
This case is also part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
Bullhead Man Sentenced to 3 ½ Years in Federal Prison for Slashing Another Man with a KnifeRead the Press Release
ABERDEEN - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Charles B. Kornmann has sentenced a man from Bullhead, South Dakota, who was convicted of Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury. The sentencing took place on August 18, 2025.
Martin Joseph Taken Alive, age 32, was sentenced to three years and six months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Taken Alive was indicted by a federal grand jury in March 2025. He pleaded guilty on June 2, 2025.
On January 4, 2024, Taken Alive and the adult male victim were lounging in a home in Bullhead, South Dakota, within the Standing Rock Sioux Indian Reservation. Both were heavily intoxicated and began to quarrel. Taken Alive drew a knife and slashed the victim across the chest, then fled the home. The wound was approximately six inches long and required hospitalization. Taken Alive turned himself in to law enforcement later that evening.
This matter was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office because the Major Crimes Act, a federal statute, mandates that certain violent crimes alleged to have occurred in Indian country be prosecuted in federal court as opposed to State court.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Indian Affairs – Office of Justice Services. Assistant U.S. Attorney Carl Thunem prosecuted the case.
Taken Alive was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Big Timber man sentenced to 3 years in prison on drug chargesRead the Press Release
BILLINGS – A Big Timber man who possessed methamphetamine was sentenced today to 36 months in prison to be followed by 5 years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.
James Karl Ellis, 38, pleaded guilty in February 2025 to one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
U.S. District Judge Susan P. Watters presided.
The government alleged in court documents that on or about November 26, 2023, law enforcement received a video that showed the garage of Ellis’s residence located in Big Timber, Montana. The video depicted Ellis obtaining something from a large safe in the garage and then providing a bag containing what appeared to be a white powdery substance to a female. Deputies recognized the female as a known narcotics user. A search warrant for Ellis’s residence was obtained.
Ellis’s residence was searched on November 27, 2023. In the safe in the garage as well as in a locked closet in Ellis’s bedroom, law enforcement found approximately 300 grams of methamphetamine.
The U.S. Attorney's Office prosecuted the case. The investigation was conducted by the Sweetgrass County Sheriff’s Office and ATF.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psn.
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Augusta Man Sentenced to 6 Years in Prison for Illegally Possessing FirearmRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Maine: An Augusta man was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Portland for possessing a firearm after previously being convicted of at least one felony offense.
U.S. District Judge Nancy Torresen sentenced Raymond Lilly, 41, to 6 years in prison to be followed by 3 years of supervised release. Lilly pleaded guilty on May 2, 2025.
According to court records, Lilly was encountered by Augusta police officers at an encampment in Mill Park in September 2023. During the interaction, officers observed a bottle of pills within Lilly’s tent, which Lilly admitted he did not have a prescription for. After officers arrested Lilly, they discovered a Smith & Wesson model M&P 15, .22 caliber rifle in his tent. Lilly had previous felony firearms convictions in the U.S. District Court for the District of Maine, which barred him from possessing firearms.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case in conjunction with the Augusta Police Department.
Project Safe Neighborhoods: This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-me/psn.
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Arizona Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for Attempted Distribution of FentanylRead the Press Release
PEORIA, Ill. – A Tempe, Arizona, man, Terence Michael Carroll, 38, was sentenced on August 14, 2025, to 120 months’ imprisonment, to be followed by five years of supervised release, for attempted distribution of more than 1,000 grams of a mixture and substance containing fentanyl.
At the sentencing hearing before U.S. District Judge Jonathan E. Hawley, the court considered uncontested evidence that in December 2023 Carroll mailed a parcel with approximately 11,757 tablets, or a total of 1,295.4 grams of a mixture and substance containing fentanyl, from Tempe to an address in Peoria, Illinois.
A federal grand jury returned an indictment in July 2024, and Carroll was arrested in Arizona at the end of that month. He was released on a recognizance bond. Carroll entered a plea of guilty in May 2025, at which time he was detained by the United States Marshals Service pending sentencing.
The statutory penalties for attempted distribution of 400 grams or more of fentanyl are ten years to life imprisonment, to be followed by at least a five-year term of supervised release. The court also may impose up to a $10 million dollar fine.
“Defendants who peddle deadly drugs like fentanyl introduce poison into our communities,” said Assistant U.S. Attorney Melissa P. Ortiz. “Our office is committed to pursuing these prosecutions in partnership with the United States Postal Inspection Services, Illinois State Police, and other law enforcement agencies, given the life-threatening consequences of this type of drug distribution.”
“This successful investigation demonstrates the role the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and our law enforcement partners play in protecting Postal Service employees and customers,” said Ruth M. Mendonça, Inspector in Charge of the Chicago Division of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. “U.S. Postal Inspectors are federal agents committed to protecting the integrity of the U.S. Postal Service and fulfilling our obligations to safety in the communities we serve by dismantling drug trafficking organizations. U.S. Postal Inspectors will continue to aggressively investigate and bring to justice anyone utilizing the U.S. Mail for distribution of narcotics, as demonstrated by Mr. Carroll’s sentencing.”
The United States Postal Inspection Service, assisted by the United States Postal Inspection Service Forensics Lab and the Illinois State Police, investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ortiz represented the government in the prosecution.
The case against Carroll is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Arizona Man Charged with Trafficking Carfentanil into AlabamaRead the Press Release
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – An indictment charging an Arizona man in a drug trafficking conspiracy has been unsealed, announced U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona.
A two-count indictment filed in U.S. District Court charges Ignacio Miguel Tirado-Castillo, 19, with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute a fentanyl analogue and attempt to distribute a fentanyl analogue in December 2024. Castillo was arrested August 11, 2025, in Phoenix, Arizona, and was ordered detained in this case late last week. Evidence at the detention hearing revealed that Tirado-Castillo is alleged to have mailed approximately 25 pounds of carfentanil to Alabama.
The maximum penalty for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute a fentanyl analogue and attempt to distribute a fentanyl analogue is life in prison.
This case was investigated and prosecuted by the Alabama 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).
The U.S. Postal Service investigated the case along with the Birmingham Police Department and Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Allison J. Garnett is prosecuting the case.
An indictment contains only charges. Defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Angelina County felon guilty of federal firearms violationRead the Press Release
BEAUMONT, Texas – A Lufkin felon has pleaded guilty to a federal firearms violation in the Eastern District of Texas, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs.
Preston Allen, 58, pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm before U.S. Magistrate Judge Christine L. Stetson on August 19, 2025.
According to information presented in court, on February 3, 2025, Allen was arrested at his Lufkin home after law enforcement officers arrived to execute a warrant. Upon arrival, deputies found Allen standing outside the home with an AR-15 style rifle. Allen was ordered to put the rifle on the ground and was taken into custody. Further investigation revealed Allen is a convicted felon and prohibited from owning or possessing firearms.
Allen was indicted by a federal grand jury on April 2, 2025, and faces up to 15 years in federal prison at sentencing. The maximum sentence prescribed by Congress is provided here for information purposes, as the sentencing will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the U.S. Probation Office.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
This case is being investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Angelina County Sheriff’s Office and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Donald S. Carter.
Activity in the U.S. Attorney's OfficeRead the Press Release
Drug Trafficking
Charnele Dawn Jenkins, 31, of Riverton, Wyoming, was sentenced to 12 months and one day in federal prison followed by two years of supervised release for distribution of fentanyl. According to court documents, on Aug. 27, 2024, the defendant sold fentanyl pills to an undercover Rocky Mountain Safe Trails Task Force Agent in Riverton. Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy W. Gist prosecuted the crime. Jenkins was indicted on Jan. 15 and pleaded guilty on May 27. U.S. District Court Judge Alan B. Johnson imposed the sentence on Aug. 15 in Cheyenne. Case No. 25-CR-00019
Jeramie Russel Makinen, 40, of Evanston, Wyoming, was sentenced to 51 months and 29 days in federal prison with five years of supervised release to follow for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl, aiding and abetting in the distribution of fentanyl, and distribution of fentanyl. According to court documents, Special Agents with the Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation (DCI) in Rock Springs were investigating drug trafficking in Sweetwater County. Through the progression of the investigation, the defendant was identified as a person of interest. Agents observed Makinen selling methamphetamine and fentanyl. Deputies with the Sweetwater Sheriff’s Office (SSO) later conducted a traffic stop where the defendant was arrested. DCI, SSO, and DEA investigated the crime. Assistant U.S. Attorney Z. Seth Griswold prosecuted the crime. The defendant was indicted on Jan. 15 and pleaded guilty on April 22. U.S. District Court Judge Scott W. Skavdahl imposed the sentence on Aug. 14 in Casper. Case No. 25-CR-00007
About the United States Attorney’s Office
The United States Attorney’s Office is responsible for representing the federal government in virtually all litigation involving the United States in the District of Wyoming, including all criminal prosecutions for violations of federal law, civil lawsuits brought by or against the government, and actions to collect judgments and restitution on behalf of victims and taxpayers. The Office is involved in several programs designed to make our communities safer. They include:
Rocky Mountain Safe Trails Task Force
The Rocky Mountain Safe Trails Task Force is a collaborative law enforcement effort focused on combating violent crime and drug trafficking, especially within Native American communities in the Rocky Mountain region. It unites the FBI with various law enforcement agencies, including tribal police departments, state and local law enforcement, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Bureau of Indian Affairs, Homeland Security Investigations, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement - Enforcement and Removal Operations, and the Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation.
Project Safe Childhood
Project Safe Childhood (PSC) is a DOJ initiative that combats the proliferation of technology-facilitated sexual exploitation crimes against children. The threat of sexual predators soliciting children for sexual contact is well-known and serious.
Operation Take Back America
Operation Take Back America is a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. It also streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).Victim Witness Program
The Victim Witness Coordinator for the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Wyoming is dedicated to ensuring victims of federal crimes and their family members are treated with compassion, fairness, and respect.To report a federal crime, go to: https://www.justice.gov/actioncenter/report-crime
11 Individuals in Drug Trafficking Ring Sentenced to Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
INDIANAPOLIS- 11 individuals have been sentenced for their roles in an armed drug trafficking ring responsible for trafficking hundreds of thousands of fentanyl pills and over 15 kilograms of methamphetamine into Central Indiana. The individuals were sentenced as follows:
DefendantCharge(s)SentenceChristopher Miller, 29,
Indianapolis
Conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute controlled substances; Conspiracy to launder monetary instruments; Engaging in monetary transactions in criminally derived property26 years’ imprisonment
5 years’ supervised release
Jamie Sullivan, 22, IndianapolisConspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute controlled substances; Conspiracy to launder monetary instruments; Distribution of controlled substances; Possession with intent to distribute controlled substances24 years’ imprisonment
5 years’ supervised release
Tameico Johnson, 22, of Fishers, INConspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute controlled substances; Distribution of controlled substance.20 years, 10 months’ imprisonment
5 years’ supervised release
Jayden Bertram, 22, Carmel, INConspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute controlled substances20 years, 10 months’ imprisonment
5 years’ supervised release
Courtlin Moncrief, 29, Avon, INConspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute controlled substances20 years’ imprisonment
5 years’ supervised release
Camonte Miller, 21, IndianapolisConspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute controlled substances; Possession with intent to distribute controlled substance.20 years’ imprisonment
5 years’ supervised release
Jordan Sumner, 22Conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute controlled substances; Possession with intent to distribute controlled substances
Possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime
16 years, 8 months’ imprisonment
5 years’ supervised release
Afrika Railynne Williams, 29,
Indianapolis
Conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute controlled substances; Conspiracy to launder monetary instruments13 years, 4 months’ imprisonment
5 years’ supervised release
Monica Sumner, 20, IndianapolisConspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute controlled substances12.5 years’ imprisonment
5 years’ supervised release
Dewell Simpson, 18, IndianapolisConspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute controlled substances; Possession of a machine gun11 years, 8 months’ imprisonment
5 years’ supervised release
Regina Weatherford, 60,
Indianapolis
Possession with intent to distribute controlled substances.5 years’, 5 months’ imprisonment
4 years’ supervised release
According to court documents, Jaraughn Bertram led a drug trafficking organization in Central Indiana that trafficked significant quantities of fentanyl and methamphetamine from Arizona to the Indianapolis, Anderson, and Muncie areas. Bertram and Christopher Miller utilized multiple couriers to obtain the drugs from Joaquin Carranza in Arizona and fly them to Indianapolis, concealed in their checked baggage. Drugs were also shipped to Indiana using U.S. mail. The drugs were then distributed to the other defendants for storage, packaging, and selling to individuals. Multiple members of the organization possessed and used firearms, including weapons than had been converted into fully automatic firearms (a/k/a machineguns), to further their drug trafficking activities, despite previous felony convictions.
Machinegun conversion devices, sometimes called “Glock switches” or “auto-sears,” are devices that convert ordinary semiautomatic firearms into fully automatic machineguns. Machinegun conversion devices are themselves considered machineguns under federal law, even when not installed, and are illegal to possess or sell without a special license.
In addition to dealing controlled substances, Christopher Miller, Afrika Williams, and Jamie Sullivan also laundered the proceeds of the criminal organization using CashApp transactions, structured bank deposits and currency exchanges, and the purchase of vehicles.
While the case was being investigated, Jaraughn Bertram fled Indianapolis to Mexico. After federal charges were announced in June of 2023, Joaquin Carranza also fled to Mexico and remains a fugitive. Jaraughn Bertram was killed in September of 2024 in Mexico.
This case was part of a long-term investigation which resulted in multiple federal indictments. In total, the investigation recovered the following contraband and proceeds of the criminal activity:
- 128 firearms
- 61 machine gun conversion devices (MCDs)
- $722,626 currency
- 22 vehicles
- 118 pounds of methamphetamine
- 78 kilograms of fentanyl
- 501 pounds of marijuana
- 315 grams of cocaine
- 216 grams of heroin
“This was not just a drug bust- it was a takedown of a massive, highly organized criminal enterprise flooding Central Indiana with poison on an industrial scale,” said Tom Wheeler, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana. “Dozens of law enforcement agencies at the local, state, and federal levels worked tirelessly together, coordinating for years across jurisdictions to take down this operation. Thanks to their extraordinary partnership, these dangerous traffickers are behind bars, and our communities are safer.”
"This extraordinary investigation, made possible through the collaboration of numerous law enforcement partners, underscores our commitment to justice. We believe the sentences imposed on these violent offenders will have a lasting positive impact on the communities they targeted," said ATF Acting Special Agent in Charge, John Smerglia.
“The defendants profited by flooding our neighborhoods with deadly drugs, leaving devastation in their wake—shattered families, lost lives, and communities in crisis,” said FBI Indianapolis Special Agent in Charge Timothy J. O’Malley. “Today’s sentences send a clear message: if you exploit our communities and profit from their pain, we will come for you. The FBI and our law enforcement partners will be unrelenting in hunting down these traffickers and driving them off our streets.”
“Drug traffickers don’t just flood communities with narcotics—they disguise their profits through complex laundering schemes,” said Jason Bushey, Acting Special Agent in Charge, IRS Criminal Investigation, Chicago Field Office. “IRS-CI special agents used forensic accounting to expose how this network tried to wash its money clean. By seizing their drugs, firearms, and illegal assets, we’ve cut off both the poison and the profits. IRS-CI will continue working with our federal, state, and local partners to keep our neighborhoods safe.”
“US Postal Inspectors are dedicated to maintaining the sanctity of trust placed in the US Mail. We will aggressively pursue anyone who uses the US Mail to transport and distribute deadly drugs which impacts the safety of postal employees and postal customers,” said USPIS Detroit Division Acting Inspector in Charge Felicia George. “The Postal Inspection Service is proud to stand with our law enforcement partners in identifying, disrupting, and dismantling these drug tracking organizations which endanger our communities.”
“The Indiana State Police actively collaborates with various law enforcement partners at all levels (local, state, and federal) to combat criminal enterprises involved in illicit narcotics and firearms. This collaborative approach aims to enhance public safety by disrupting the flow of illegal drugs and firearms and bringing those involved in their trafficking to justice,” said Indiana State Police Captain, Ron Galaviz.
The following agencies investigated this case:
- Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives
- Internal Revenue Service- Criminal Investigation
- Federal Bureau of Investigation- Indianapolis
- Drug Enforcement Administration
- United States Marshals Service
- U.S. Postal Inspection Service
- Homeland Security Investigations
- The Indiana Crime Guns Task Force
- Indiana State Police
- Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department
- Fishers Police Department
- Carmel Police Department
- Boone County Sheriff’s Department
- Zionsville Police Department
- Anderson Police Department
- Lawrence Police Department
- Muncie Police Department
- Fort Wayne Police Department
- Avon Police Department
The sentences were imposed by U.S. District Judge Tanya Walton Pratt.
U.S. Attorney Wheeler thanked Assistant United States Attorneys Michelle P. Brady and Kelsey L. Massa, who prosecuted this case.
This case was brought in conjunction with the Indiana Crime Guns Task Force (ICGTF). ICGTF is a partnership of law enforcement officers and analysts from several central Indiana law enforcement agencies in Boone, Hamilton, Hancock, Hendricks, Marion, Morgan, Johnson, and Shelby counties. In cooperation with state, local, and federal partners, ICGTF collaborates to address violent crime through a comprehensive strategy including innovative approaches to locating suspects and evidence related to violent crimes and illegal possession of firearms.
This case was also part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
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19 August 2025
Yolo County Man Pleads Guilty and Is Sentenced for Sexually Assaulting a Young Woman During a Flight from Seattle to SacramentoRead the Press Release
Jeff Lorenzo, 40, of Winters, pleaded guilty and was sentenced today by U.S. Magistrate Judge Sean C. Riordan to 30 days in prison for sexual assault in the special aircraft jurisdiction of the United States, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced.
According to court documents, on Aug. 9, 2024, Lorenzo was flying from Seattle to Sacramento. A 20-year-old woman was one of the last passengers to board the flight. She took the last remaining seat between Lorenzo and his co-worker in the back of the aircraft. During the flight, Lorenzo willfully and repeatedly touched the woman without her consent. He grazed her leg with his hand, put his head near her crotch under the guise of picking up his dropped phone, and pressed his arm into her breast multiple times throughout the flight.
Lorenzo’s co-workers reported that Lorenzo has a history of behaving inappropriately, including harassing women.
This case was the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicole Moody prosecuted the case.
White Plains Man Sentenced to 9 Years in Prison for Conspiracy to Traffic PCPRead the Press Release
Greenbelt, Maryland – Today, Bengi Bernard Knox, 47, of White Plains, Maryland was sentenced by the Honorable Lydia K. Griggsby to nine years, followed by four years of supervised release.
Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the sentence with Special Agent in Charge Christopher C. Goumenis of the Drug Enforcement Administration, Special Agent in Charge Charles Doerrer of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and Chief George Nader of the Prince George’s County Police Department.
According to the guilty plea entered on February 20, 2025, between at least December 2022 and March 29, 2023, in the District of Maryland and elsewhere, Knox conspired with co-defendants Kevin Lee Simon, Jr. and Malik Marvin Lloyd, and others, to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute phencyclidine, commonly known as PCP, a Schedule II controlled substance.
On January 5, 2023, Knox and Lloyd arranged to meet at a location in Washington, D.C. Lloyd entered Knox’s vehicle and stayed for a few minutes. Lloyd then exited Knox’s vehicle and was observed by law enforcement to be carrying in his right hand a vial of PCP. The following day, on January 6, 2023, Knox and Lloyd met on Clay Street in Northeast Washington, D.C. to exchange money for the January 5 distribution of PCP.
On February 7, 2023, Simon told Knox about a new source of supply of PCP. In a call, Simon relayed to Knox that the new source of supply said the product was “super crunch.” Simon proceeded to tell Knox that the source would sell Simon the drug unaltered for $13,500, instead of $12,500 for the drug with some cutting agent. The quoted prices, $12,500 or $13,500 were for a gallon, or 128 ounces, of PCP.
On March 29, 2023, law enforcement with the DEA, ATF and PGPD executed search warrants for Knox’s residence and Knox’s vehicle in White Plains, Maryland. Law enforcement recovered 60.992 grams of PCP; 23.68 grams of cocaine; and 0.95 grams of a mixture of heroin and fentanyl. Knox possessed the PCP, cocaine, and heroin/fentanyl with the intent to distribute them.
Law enforcement also recovered a Glock Model 43 9mm pistol containing approximately 6 rounds of 9mm ammunition; approximately 19 rounds of 9mm ammunition; and approximately $2,257 in U.S. currency. The firearm was located in Knox’s closet, near a bottle of PCP.
On May 29, 2025, Judge Griggsby sentenced Simon to 12 years in prison on related charges of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 100 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of PCP, possession with intent to distribute PCP and cocaine base, and felon in possession of firearms and ammunition.
On June 5, 2025, Judge Griggsby sentenced Lloyd to 8 years in prison on related charges of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 100 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of PCP, and possession with intent to distribute PCP and cocaine base.
This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the DEA, ATF, and PGPD for their work in the investigation. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Coreen Mao and Timothy Hagan, who are prosecuting the case.
For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to report fraud, visit www.justice.gov/usao-md and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.
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Waterbury Drug Trafficker Sentenced to 63 Months in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that ANGEL QUIROS, also known as “Papa John,” 36, of Waterbury, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Michael P. Shea in Hartford to 63 months of imprisonment, followed by four years of supervised release, for heading a Waterbury drug trafficking organization.
According to court documents and statements made in court, the FBI’s Waterbury Safe Streets Gang Task Force and other law enforcement agencies investigated two drug trafficking organizations based in the city of Waterbury. One organization was headed by Quiros and operated in the area of William Street, and the other was headed by Daniel Diaz-Rivera and operated in the area of Maple Avenue. The investigation, which included court-authorized wiretaps on multiple phones, video surveillance, GPS tracking of vehicles, and numerous controlled purchases of narcotics, revealed that the two organizations distributed cocaine, crack, and fentanyl through a network of sellers. The organizations shared sources of supply, worked together to further their operations, and sold narcotics all hours of the day and night.
Quiros, Diaz-Rivera, and 15 associates were charged with federal offenses as a result of the investigation. Quiros, Diaz-Rivera, and several codefendants were arrested on November 29, 2023. In association with the arrests, investigators executed multiple search warrants and seized approximately 700 grams of crack cocaine, more than 900 vials (“caps”) of crack, approximately 200 grams of loose fentanyl, more than 1,600 dose bags of fentanyl/heroin, two stolen firearms, numerous rounds of ammunition, and more than $39,000 in cash. Investigators seized from Quiros quantities of cocaine and crack, more than $6,000 in cash, and jewelry valued at more than $24,000.
On February 11, 2025, Quiros pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine. Released on $100,000 bond, he is required to report to prison on October 20, 2025.
Diaz-Rivera pleaded guilty to the same charge and, on June 23, 2025, was sentenced to 210 months of imprisonment.
The FBI’s Waterbury Safe Streets Gang Task includes members from the FBI, the Waterbury Police Department, the Naugatuck Police Department, and the Connecticut Department of Correction. The DEA, U.S. Marshals Service, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Connecticut State Police, Wolcott Police Department, and Meriden Police Department have assisted the investigation.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Natasha Freismuth and Shan Patel through the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Program. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
U.S. Attorney Sullivan thanked the Waterbury State Attorney’s Office for its cooperation in the investigation and prosecution of this case.
Wagoner Resident Sentenced to Fourteen Years for Child NeglectRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Salasha Fae Bosley, age 26, of Wagoner, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 168 months in prison for each of two counts of Child Neglect in Indian Country. The counts were ordered to run concurrently.
The charges arose from an investigation by the Wagoner County Sheriff’s Office and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
On December 12, 2024, Bosley pleaded guilty to the charges. According to investigators, between September 2023 and June 16, 2024, Bosley failed to provide two children with adequate nurturance, affection, food, shelter, sanitation, hygiene, medical care, supervision, and sanitary living conditions while responsible for the health, safety, and welfare of the children. One of the children sustained life threatening injuries because of the neglect which will require lifetime medical intervention.
The crimes occurred in Wagoner County, within the boundaries of the Cherokee Nation Reservation, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma.
“The defendant willfully and shamefully put two innocent children at grave risk by neglecting to provide for their most basic needs,” said FBI Oklahoma City Special Agent in Charge Doug Goodwater. “Cases like this are among the most difficult to investigate, and collaboration from our partner agencies is vital to achieving justice. I’m thankful for the efforts of everyone involved to ensure the defendant will not be able to inflict further harm on these children.”
“The appalling neglect these children endured is inexcusable,” said United States Attorney Christopher J. Wilson. “I wish to thank the Wagoner County Sheriff’s Office and the FBI for their tireless work to rescue these children from deplorable treatment and living conditions. We are proud to stand with our law enforcement partners to protect the most vulnerable in our communities and hold offenders accountable.”
The Honorable John F. Heil, III, U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over the hearing.
Bosley was remanded into the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicole Paladino represented the United States.
Uintah County Man Facing Federal Charges After He Allegedly Murdered His MotherRead the Press Release
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – A federal grand jury returned an indictment charging a Uintah County, Utah man with second degree murder after he allegedly beat his elderly mother to death after she would not let him use her car.
According to court documents, on or about July 13, 2025, Philip Bernard Weston, aka Philip Bernard Mahpiya-Wicasta, 52, of Ft. Duchesne, Utah, allegedly beat his mother so severely with his bare hands inside her house that she later died from his assault of her.
Prior to her death, law enforcement responded to the victim’s house after dispatch received an emergency alert. The victim, who is hearing impaired, often used social media to communicate with others, and had made multiple contacts to an out-of-state relative on her tablet via social media asking for help. When an officer arrived at the victim’s home, Weston answered the door and allegedly stated the victim was there and fine.
However, the officer could see the victim on the ground with a large amount of blood around her. Weston was immediately taken into custody. Upon entering the residence, law enforcement allegedly observed blood in several areas of the home and a tablet in front of the victim. The victim was taken to the hospital in Roosevelt, Utah, and was able to give statements, using ASL, to an interpreter about the incident. The victim was transported to a trauma center in Salt Lake City for further medical treatment, but succumbed to her injuries, which included: multiple broken ribs; a severe chest injury; broken clavicles; multiple head injuries, including a four inch laceration on her forehead, eye damage, and a scalp hematoma; hemothorax; collapsed lung; fracture of the sternum; vertebrae; and other injuries.
Weston is charged with murder in the second degree while within Indian Country. His initial appearance on the indictment is scheduled for August 20, 2025, at 2:00 p.m. in courtroom 8.4 before a U.S. Magistrate Judge at the Orrin G. Hatch United States District Courthouse in downtown Salt Lake City.
Acting United States Attorney Felice John Viti for the District of Utah made the announcement.
The case is being investigated by the FBI Salt Lake City Field Office, Vernal Resident Agency.
Assistant United States Attorneys Sam Pead and Tanner Zumwalt of the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah are prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) and Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN).
This case is also part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN.
An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Third and Final Defendant Sentenced to Prison After Stealing 75 Firearms from a C-A-L Ranch Store in Cedar CityRead the Press Release
ST. GEORGE, Utah – Darrell Glenn DeVoge, 50, of Cedar City, Utah, was sentenced to 72 months’ imprisonment and three years’ supervised release after he pleaded guilty to theft of firearms from a licensed dealer. DeVoge is the last of three defendants to be sentenced for burglarizing a C-A-L Ranch store in Cedar City in November 2023.
Cedar City Police Dept.DeVoge’s codefendants include, the ringleader of the burglary, Russell Wesley Gruber, 31, and DeVoge’s son Parker Darrell DeVoge, 21, both of Cedar City. On July 9, 2025, Gruber was sentenced to 72 months’ imprisonment, and three years’ supervised release. On April 22, 2025, Parker DeVoge was sentenced to 16 months’ imprisonment and three years’ supervised release. All three defendants were ordered to pay a joint restitution in the amount of $2,406.11 to C-A-L Ranch.
According to court documents and admissions made at the defendants’ change of plea and sentencing hearings, on November 21, 2023, just before midnight Gruber, Parker DeVoge and Darrell DeVoge burglarized C-A-L Ranch in Cedar City. All three were armed with guns Gruber provided, which were stolen from prior burglaries by Gruber and Parker. After smashing display cases, they stole dozens of firearms and fled the C-A-L Ranch store. A few hours later, on November 22, 2023, Gruber and Parker DeVoge returned to C-A-L Ranch to commit a second burglary before the store opened. In total, the defendants stole 75 firearms, which included rifles, shotguns, revolvers and pistols. They also stole ammunition, red dot sights, and firearm accessories. Gruber and Darrell DeVoge then stored the stolen firearms, which had been shipped and transported in interstate commerce.
Cedar City Police Dept.Acting U.S. Attorney Felice John Viti of the District of Utah made the announcement.
The case was investigated jointly by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Cedar City Police Department.
Assistant United States Attorneys Christopher Burton and Brady Wilson of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN.
Tahlequah Resident Sentenced for Federal Firearm CrimeRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Laura Gema Carroll, age 36, of Tahlequah, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 15 months in prison for one count of Felon in Possession of Firearm and Ammunition.
The charge arose from an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Tahlequah Police Department.
On March 19, 2025, Carroll pleaded guilty to the charge. According to investigators, on June 12, 2024, Carroll possessed one semi-automatic pistol and five rounds of ammunition after having been previously convicted of a crime punishable by more than one year imprisonment.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
The Honorable Ronald A. White, Chief U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over the hearing.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kevin Gross and T. Cameron McEwen represented the United States.
Tallahassee Violent Felon Pleads Guilty to Possessing a Firearm and Possessing Marijuana with Intent to DistributeRead the Press Release
TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA – Malik Ray, 28, of Tallahassee, Florida pleaded guilty in federal court to possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and possession with intent to distribute marijuana. The plea was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “This case is another outstanding example of state and federal law enforcement partnering to protect the citizens of North Florida. My office is committed safeguarding our communities against the predations of violent felons by keeping those offenders off our streets.”
Court documents reflect that on October 22, 2024, officers with Florida Probation and Parole and the Tallahassee Police Department conducted a search of Ray’s residence pursuant to the terms of his Florida probation. During the search, officers found an AR-style pistol, over five pounds of marijuana, and other evidence of drug dealing. A subsequent investigation revealed that Ray had been distributing marijuana since at least March 2024.
Ray faces up to twenty years’ imprisonment and a lifetime of supervised release when he is sentenced.
The case involved a joint investigation by the Tallahassee Police Department, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives with assistance from the Florida Department of Corrections, Office of Community Corrections, Circuit Two. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Eric W. Welch.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America (https://www.justice.gov/dag/media/1393746/dl?inline) a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.
St. Petersburg Man Indicted for Access with Intent to View Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces the return of an indictment charging Thomas Ford (61, St. Petersburg) with access with intent to view child sexual abuse material (CSAM). If convicted, Ford faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison. The indictment also notifies Ford that the United States intends to forfeit two cellphones which are alleged to have been used in furtherance of the offense.
According to the indictment, between July 25, 2024, and March 19, 2025, Ford accessed a matter that contained a visual depiction of a child under the age of 12 engaging in sexually explicit conduct with the intent to view the CSAM.
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Muriel Moore.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Spree of Carjackings and Armed Robberies Results in a 108-Month Prison SentenceRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Andre Rushing, 23, of the District of Columbia, was sentenced today to 108 months in federal prison for his role in a March 2023 spree of armed carjackings and robberies in the metropolitan area that victimized at least six people, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
Rushing, aka “Dre,” pleaded guilty March 17, 2025, to carjacking and brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence. As part of his guilty plea, Rushing admitted to perpetrating four separate carjackings and robberies. The spree only stopped when Rushing and his co-defendants were arrested in Fairfax County on March 30, 2023, as they attempted to flee police in a carjacked vehicle.
U.S. District Court Judge Rudolph Contreras ordered Rushing to serve 5 years of supervised release following completion of his 108-month prison sentence.
Joining in the announcement were FBI Special Agent in Charge Reid Davis of the Washington Field Office Criminal Division, and Chief Pamela A. Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department.
Still shots taken from surveillance video of the Rushing (left) and Roach (right) in the March 6, 2023, carjacking.
According to court documents, on March 6, 2023, at 9:20 p.m., Rushing and co-defendant Javon Roach carjacked a male victim on the 1500 block of Maryland Avenue. Rushing pointed a handgun and demanded the victim’s keys and phone as Roach stood to the side with a loaded long-style gun.
Image of Rushing taken from the Instagram Live Post on March 7, 2023.
On March 7, 2023, Rushing was arrested for gun possession on the 300 block of Anacostia Road SE a few feet away from a “ghost gun” with a 31-round capacity magazine loaded with 17 rounds of 9mm ammunition. About 15 minutes before the arrest, Rushing broadcast a video from Roach’s Instagram account in which he appeared to be holding a handgun with an extended magazine.
On March 16, 2023, about 3:05 p.m. Rushing and Roach a robbed a food deliveryman at gunpoint on the 3900 block of Benning Road NE. taking the man’s phones, cash, and the food he was delivering. The defendants then fled in a black Toyota RAV-4 that had been carjacked the day before.
On March 17, 2023, about 9:34 a.m. Rushing and Roach robbed three construction workers on the 300 block of Anacostia Road, SE.
On March 26, 2023, about 7:48 p.m., Rushing and Roach carjacked a Chevrolet Impala at gunpoint at a gas station on the 3800 block of Minnesota Avenue, NE.
On March 30, 2023, at about 2:15 p.m., Fairfax County police located a carjacked Audi Q5, that had been stolen the day prior in Capitol Heights, Maryland, at Tyson’s Mall and set up surveillance of the vehicle. Rushing and Roach fled in the carjacked Audi onto the 8000 block of Leesburg Pike and became stuck in traffic. Roach, who was driving, crashed into several cars in an attempt to escape. He ultimately struck a Fairfax County police vehicle. Officers surrounded the Audi. Roach fled on foot, while Rushing was arrested inside of the vehicle. A loaded handgun was recovered from the glovebox in front of Rushing. FBI and the U.S. Marshals Service took Rushing into custody before handing him over to the Fairfax County Police Department Police.
Roach, 20, was sentenced June 27 to 228 months in federal prison for his role in the carjackings and robberies.
This case was investigated by the FBI Violent Crimes Task Force, the Metropolitan Police Department, and the Fairfax County Police Department. It was prosecuted by Trial Attorney Gaelin Bernstein and Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrea Duvall.
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Sioux City Man Pleads Guilty to Possession with Intent to Distribute MethRead the Press Release
Omar Barrientos, 35, from Sioux City, Iowa pled guilty August 19, 2025, in federal court in Sioux City, to one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
Evidence at the plea hearing showed that on June 20, 2024, law enforcement was dispatched to remove a subject sleeping in a vehicle in the Thompson Electric parking lot in Sioux City, Iowa. Law enforcement arrived and knocked on the driver’s window eventually waking up Barrientos. Barrientos was the sole occupant of the vehicle and exhibited strange behavior and signs of impairment. Law enforcement observed a set of pills in the center console and in plain view on the driver’s side floorboard was a white, crystalline substance believed to be methamphetamine. Upon further search of the vehicle, law enforcement found a bag under the driver’s seat containing just under a pound of methamphetamine. Barrientos admitted that he planned to distribute some or all of the methamphetamine to another person or persons.
Barrientos had previously been convicted of willful injury and criminal gang participation, in 2009 and in 2016 he was again convicted of willful injury along with assault while displaying a dangerous weapon and going armed with intent.
Sentencing before United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Barrientos remains in custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing. Barrientos faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years’ imprisonment and a possible maximum sentence of life imprisonment, a $20,000,000 fine, and at least ten years of supervised release following any imprisonment.
The case was investigated by Tri-State Drug Task Force based in Sioux City, Iowa, that consists of law enforcement personnel from the Drug Enforcement Administration; Sioux City, Iowa, Police Department; Homeland Security Investigations; Woodbury County Sheriff’s Office; South Sioux City, Nebraska, Police Department; Nebraska State Patrol; Iowa National Guard; Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement; United States Marshals Service; South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation; and Woodbury County Attorney’s Office and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kraig R. Hamit.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 24-4065. Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.
Shalimar Felon Pleads Guilty to Possessing Numerous FirearmsRead the Press Release
PENSACOLA, FLORIDA – Zackery Chase Brunson, 33, of Shalimar, Florida, pleaded guilty to possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. The plea was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “I applaud the substantial efforts of our state and federal law enforcement partners to make our community safer by getting this dangerous repeat offender off the streets. This is yet another important case by my office fulfilling the promise of President Donald J. Trump and Attorney General Pam Bondi to Take Back America by aggressively pursuing criminal offenders to keep our communities safe.”
In January 2025, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Brunson’s residence in Shalimar, Florida. During the search, law enforcement found two rifles, a shotgun, and three pistols, and multiple types of ammunition. Brunson is prohibited from possessing a firearm because he was previously convicted of multiple felonies, including possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and possession of a controlled substance.
Brunson faces up to fifteen years’ imprisonment, three years of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine.
The case involved a joint investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, and the Okaloosa County Sherriff’s Office. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jeffrey Tharp.
Sentencing is scheduled for November 13, 2025, at the United States Courthouse in Pensacola before United States District Judge T. Kent Wetherell, II.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America (https://www.justice.gov/dag/media/1393746/dl?inline ) a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.
Repeat Offender Busted with Cocaine, Marijuana, and Cash Gets Federal TimeRead the Press Release
RALEIGH, N.C. – Alston Lamonte Parker, age 39, was sentenced to 15 years in prison after law enforcement executed two search warrants and located drugs, a firearm, and cash.
“We appreciate the partnership with the Halifax County Sheriff and the ATF to get this Big Shark Bad Boy off the streets,” said U.S. Attorney Ellis Boyle. “We will continue to focus on making Eastern North Carolina safer for the good citizens who proudly live there.”
According to court records and evidence presented at sentencing, on March 5, 2024, Halifax County Sheriff’s Office (HCSO) officers executed two search warrants at two residences in Roanoke Rapids, one on Zoo Road and another on New Hope Street. The warrants were based on three years of prior surveillance of Parker. Investigators determined the Zoo Road residence served as a stash house for narcotics, while the New Hope Street residence was used to store Parker’s drug proceeds.
During the searches of both properties and Parker’s vehicle, HCSO seized 586.68 grams of cocaine, 1,605 grams of prepackaged marijuana, eight grams of crack cocaine, and $13,079 in U.S. currency. They also recovered a Springfield Armory, Model XDS 9mm pistol that was registered to an individual in Virginia. An additional $11,851 in U.S. currency at the New Hope Street residence.
Parker is a convicted felon and was on federal supervised release for conspiracy to distribute and possession with intent to distribute cocaine at the time of his March 2024 conduct. Parker was convicted of this offense in 2010 and served 156 months in federal prison. Parker also has an additional felony conviction for possession of cocaine from 2005.
Ellis Boyle, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after sentencing by Chief U.S. District Judge Richard E. Myers II. Agencies involved in the investigation include the Halifax County Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kimberly Dixon prosecuted the case.
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. 4:24-CR-00057-M-RJ.
Raytown Man Sentenced to 35 Years for Producing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Raytown, Mo., man was sentenced in federal court today for producing child pornography and possession of child pornography.
Cecil Pulluaim, 54, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Howard F. Sachs to 35 years in federal prison without parole. The court also ordered Pulluaim to serve supervised release for Life following his incarceration.
Pulluaim pleaded guilty to video recording and possessing images of his sexual abuse of a minor victim. According to the plea agreement, Pulluaim admitted to recording himself sexually abusing the minor victim on at least 10 separate dates between April 27, 2023, and June 15, 2023. In connection with their investigation of a report that the defendant had produced child pornography of the minor victim, officers with the Raytown Missouri Police Department located and seized the defendant’s cell phone. Pursuant to a search warrant, a forensic analysis of the phone by the United States Secret Service located the videos the defendant had produced of the minor victim, along with several photos the defendant made by taking screen shots of those videos.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney David Luna. It was investigated by the Raytown, Missouri Police Department and the United States Secret Service.
Project Safe Childhood
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc . For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab "resources."
Quitman Woman Sentenced to Probation for Excavation and Removal of Native American Human Skeletal Remains Located in a National ForestRead the Press Release
LITTLE ROCK—Kristy Loree Gordon was sentenced to four years’ probation for the excavation and removal of archaeological resources that included human skeletal remains and were located on public land at a known Native American archeological site. Jonathan D. Ross, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas, announced the sentence, which was handed down today, by United States District Judge D. P. Marshall, Jr.
Gordon, 43, of Quitman, was indicted by a federal grand jury on June 6, 2023, in a one count indictment charging her with excavating, removing, damaging, and otherwise altering and defacing, an archaeological resource located on public lands. On March 13, 2025, Gordon pleaded guilty to the charge for which she was indicted.
An investigation revealed that on November 19, 2020, the Stone County Sheriff’s Office received a report of possible human skeletal remains discovered by hikers around the Pogue Springs area in the Ozark-St. Francis National Forest. Upon arrival of law enforcement officers from the Stone County Sheriff’s Office and the U.S. Forest Service, Gordon stated that she and another hiker located possible human skeletal remains off a hiking trail while digging into wet soil with a stick. She stated that she covered them back up with dirt and notified law enforcement.
Law enforcement officers observed evidence of extensive excavation in the area, with many dug holes. A U.S. Forest Service archeologist who accompanied law enforcement officers to the area stated that it was a known Native American archeological site and that no permits had been issued for excavation in the area. The scene was processed and the human skeletal remains, including a partial human skull, tools, and tool fragments were collected.
In an interview with U.S. Forest Service agents a few days later, Gordon admitted she did not tell the truth in her first written statement. In her second written statement, Gordon stated she went to dig for artifacts in the area because she had been told it was a good location to find Native American artifacts. She admitted she dug as much as 1.5 feet down, where she found the bones and brought them home. Gordon stated while she was cleaning the bones, she noticed she brought back a human skull. She stated she took them back to the dig site and “threw dirt over them and prayed over them.” Gordon stated she did not feel right and went back to call law enforcement to report the human skeletal remains.
During a search of Gordon’s residence, law enforcement officers located a large collection of Native American artifacts, including an archaic knife. U.S. Forest Service agents identified this knife as a funerary object, meaning an object believed to have been placed with individual human skeletal remains as a part of the death rite or ceremony of the deceased. Gordon admitted that she had located the knife with the human skeletal remains and removed it along with the remains. The knife and many other objects were collected as evidence. A skull fragment was located outside the residence where Gordon stated that she had washed the bones.
A Facebook search warrant was obtained for Gordon’s Facebook account, which revealed that, on the date that Gordon contacted the Stone County Sheriff’s Office, she had shared photographs of human skeletal remains, including a partial human skull, with other individuals.
Native American remains and funerary objects are protected by federal law pursuant to the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act of 1990.
Pursuant to the plea agreement, Gordon agreed to pay restitution totaling $16,135.32 for the cost of restoration and repair to the site.
The investigation was conducted by the U.S. Forest Service with assistance from the Stone County Sheriff’s Office. This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Erin O’Leary.
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Additional information about the office of the
United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas, is available online at
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Previously Convicted Child Sex Abuser Sentenced for Illegally Reentering the United StatesRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – Today, U.S. District Judge James K. Bredar sentenced Alfredo Carreon-Lopez, 39, of Rosedale, Maryland, to 20 months and 20 days in federal prison, for illegally reentering the United States after he was deported.
Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the sentence with Acting Director Nikita Baker, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE-ERO) – Baltimore Field Office.
According to Carreon-Lopez’s plea agreement, he is a national of Mexico who first entered the United States on an unknown date at an unknown location. On August 25, 2021, Carreon-Lopez pled guilty to sexually abusing a minor in the Circuit Court for Baltimore City. Evidence presented during sentencing in the federal case showed that Carreon-Lopez was convicted of sexually abusing a 6-year-old child.On October 5, 2021, Carreon-Lopez was removed from the U.S. and deported to Mexico. Law enforcement later found Carreon-Lopez in Baltimore City on September 15, 2023. Carreon-Lopez did not have permission to reenter the U.S.
U.S. Attorney Hayes praised ICE-ERO for their work in the investigation. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Reema Sood who prosecuted the federal case.
For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit justice.gov/usao-md and justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.
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Portsmouth felon sentenced to over four years in prison after latest firearm convictionRead the Press Release
NORFOLK, Va. – A Portsmouth man was sentenced today to four years and five months in prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm.
According to court documents, in Norfolk on Feb. 16, 2024, Norfolk Police and Portsmouth Police performed a traffic stop and arrested Joshaua Sheimel Anderson, 25, on outstanding warrants. Detectives conducted a search of Anderson’s backpack and located a handgun equipped with a machine gun conversion device and a 31-round extended magazine. They also recovered over a pound and a half of suspected marijuana, multiple jars of suspected THC wax, and over $2,200.
Prior to this offense, Anderson had been convicted of grand larceny, felony eluding, hit and run, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. As a previously convicted felon, Anderson cannot legally possess firearms or ammunition.
Erik S. Siebert, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Anthony A. Spotswood, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Washington Field Division; Jason S. Miyares, Attorney General of Virginia; and Stephen Jenkins, Chief of Portsmouth Police, made the announcement after sentencing by Chief U.S. District Judge Mark S. Davis.
Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Marc W. West, an Assistant Attorney General with the Virginia Attorney General’s Office, 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. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:25-cr-40.
Oregon man charged with administering “Rapper Bot” DDoS-for-hire BotnetRead the Press Release
ANCHORAGE, Alaska – An Oregon man was charged by a federal criminal complaint today in the District of Alaska on charges related to his alleged development and administration of the “Rapper Bot” DDoS-for-hire Botnet that has conducted large-scale cyber-attacks since at least 2021.
According to court documents, investigators identified Ethan Foltz, 22, of Eugene, Oregon, as the alleged administrator of Rapper Bot.
Rapper Bot, aka “Eleven Eleven Botnet” and “CowBot,” is a Botnet that primarily compromises devices like Digital Video Recorders (DVRS) or WiFi routers at scale by infecting those devices with specialized malware. Clients of Rapper Bot then issue commands to those infected victim devices, forcing them to send large volumes of “Distributed Denial of Service” (DDoS) traffic to different victim computers and servers located throughout the world.
According to court documents, Foltz and his co-conspirators allegedly monetized Rapper Bot by providing select paying customers with access to one of the most sophisticated and powerful DDoS-for-hire Botnets currently in existence. It is alleged that Rapper Bot targeted victims in over 80 countries, including a U.S. government network, a popular social media platform and many U.S. tech companies. The criminal complaint details that partner data shows from April 2025 to present, Rapper Bot allegedly conducted over 370,000 attacks, targeting 18,000 unique victims.
The criminal complaint explains that Rapper Bot was allegedly utilizing roughly 65,000 to 95,000 infected victim devices to regularly conduct DDoS attacks that commonly measured between two to three Terabits per second. It is alleged that Rapper Bot’s largest attack may have exceeded six Terabits per second. Investigators believe that at least five infected victim devices are in Alaska and were forced to participate in attacks.
Court documents explain that DDoS attacks have grown more powerful and impact victims financially through lost revenue, disgruntled customers, resources used to respond to attacks and bandwidth usage costs. The criminal complaint details that a DDoS attack averaging over two Terabits per second lasting 30 seconds might cost a victim anywhere from $500 to $10,000. It is also alleged that some Rapper Bot customers used extortion demands, leveraging the DDoS attack volumes of the Botnet to extort victims.
On Aug.6, 2025, law enforcement officials executed a search warrant on Foltz’ residence in Oregon. Law enforcement personnel effected the termination of Rapper Bot’s attack capabilities and obtained administrative control of Rapper Bot. Private sector partners have not reported any Rapper Bot attacks since the transfer of Botnet control to the Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS).
“Rapper Bot was one of the most powerful DDoS botnets to ever exist, but the outstanding investigatory work by DCIS cyber agents and support of my office and industry partners has put an end to Foltz’s time as administrator and effectively disrupted the activities of this transnational criminal group,” said U.S. Attorney Michael J. Heyman for the District of Alaska. “Our office remains committed to disrupting and dismantling cyber criminals that threaten internet security and infrastructure in the District of Alaska and across the United States.”
“Today’s announcement highlights the ongoing efforts by law enforcement to disrupt and dismantle emerging cyber threats targeting the Department of Defense and the defense industrial base,” said Special Agent in Charge Kenneth DeChellis of the Department of Defense Office of Inspector General, DCIS, Cyber Field Office. “The Rapper Bot malware was a clear threat, and the focused efforts of DCIS, our industry partners, and the federal prosecutors at the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Alaska, sends a clear signal to those who would harm the DoD’s personnel, infrastructure, and intellectual property, that their actions will come at a cost.”
Foltz is charged with one count of aiding and abetting computer intrusions. If convicted, Foltz 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.
The DCIS is investigating the case.
Assistance was provided by the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Oregon, Akamai, Amazon Web Services, Cloudflare, Digital Ocean, Flashpoint, Google, PayPal, and Unit 221B. This law enforcement action was taken in conjunction with Operation PowerOFF, an ongoing, coordinated effort among international law enforcement agencies aimed at dismantling criminal DDoS-for-hire infrastructures worldwide.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam Alexander is prosecuting the case.
A criminal complaint is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Omaha 19-year-old Sentenced in Fentanyl Analogue ConspiracyRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Lesley A. Woods announced that Dale Jackson, 19, of Omaha, Nebraska, was sentenced on August 15, 2025, in federal court in Omaha for distribution and conspiracy to distribute fentanyl analogue. Chief United States District Judge Robert F. Rossiter, Jr., sentenced Jackson to 120 months’ imprisonment on the conspiracy charge and 70 months on the distribution charge, both sentences will run concurrently. There is no parole in the federal system. After Jackson’s release from prison, he will begin a 5-year term of supervised release.
In 2024, the Federal Bureau of Investigation determined that associates and co-conspirators Latrell Knight and Dale Jackson were receiving “M-30” pills from a common drug supplier and selling them. “M-30” pills are frequently counterfeit pills containing fentanyl and analogues of fentanyl.
Between April 17, 2024, through September 10, 2024, Knight and Jackson sold a confidential source (CS) M-30 pills. These transactions would occur outside of Knights residence and at a Casey’s gas station near 72nd and Grover streets in Omaha. Knight and Jackson would sell together and separately. In addition to the pills, Knight sold a DB9 9mm handgun to the CS on May 6 and a Glock 17 9mm handgun to the CS on July 11. Jackson communicated via text message with the CS on July 11 telling the CS that Jackson had arranged for a $1,000 transaction with a drug supplier for the CS, but the transaction did not occur on that day. Twice Jackson shorted the CS 50 M-30 pills. In total about 1,616 M-30 pills were sold to the CS as part of the conspiracy.
Jackson’s cellphones were seized and searched on December 30, 2024, pursuant to a search warrant and their contents revealed a pattern of fentanyl sales that included at least 84 M-30 pills separate from the controlled buys. The contents also revealed conversations with the common supplier pertaining to obtaining more M-30 pills.
Both were arrested on January 23, 2025.
Knight pled guilty to drug conspiracy, drug distribution, and possession of a firearm in the furtherance of drug trafficking. He will be sentenced on September 25, 2025.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Omaha Police Department.
North Carolina Man Pleads Guilty to Civil Rights ViolationRead the Press Release
Maurice Hopkins, 32, of Mt. Holly, North Carolina, appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Susan C. Rodriguez for the Western District of North Carolina today and pleaded guilty to a federal civil rights violation for threatening eight individuals with force because of their race, color, religion, and national origin.
According to filed plea documents and today’s court hearing, on June 8, 2024, Hopkins threatened eight individuals with a firearm inside a pizza restaurant in Charlotte. When Hopkins encountered the victims, who were a group of friends getting pizza at the time, he asked if they were American. Hopkins then proceeded to harass the victims calling them terrorists, demanding they speak English, telling them to go back to their country, and making other statements because of the victims’ race, color, religion, and national origin. Court records show that Hopkins made multiple threats, including threatening to punch the victims in the face and go retrieve a firearm and return to kill them. Hopkins then left the restaurant and returned minutes later, walking through the doorway with a loaded AR-15 style rifle. The victims immediately fled through the door in the rear of the restaurant.
As Hopkins admitted in court today, he threatened the eight individuals with force because of their race, color, religion, and national origin and because they were enjoying the goods, services, and facilities of the restaurant.
Hopkins pleaded guilty to one count of interference with federally protected activities, which carries 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. Hopkins remains in federal custody. A sentencing date has not been set.
Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, U.S. Attorney Russ Ferguson for the Western District of North Carolina, and Special Agent in Charge James C. Barnacle Jr. of the FBI Charlotte Field Office made the announcement.
The FBI Charlotte Field Office investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Nick J. Miller for the Western District of North Carolina and Trial Attorney Chloe Neely of the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section are prosecuting the case.
N. Charleston Drug Trafficking Ring SentencedRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, S.C. — A North Charleston organized crime ring has been successfully prosecuted and sentenced. Eighteen defendants received a total of 144 years in federal prison.
The case arose from a long-term wiretap investigation conducted by the Low Country Violent Crime Task Force. The investigation targeted a violent street gang and their associates operating in a North Charleston neighborhood. Fredrick McCray, leader of the street gang, directed drug distribution operations and armed his gang members with fully automatic machine guns to protect their territory from rival gangs and drug traffickers. Cornelius Walker was one of the gang’s primary enforcers and acted as McCray’s right-hand man. Tyrone Cox served as the organization’s primary drug supplier. The gang used an abandoned community center as a central hub for narcotics distribution.
In total, the investigation resulted in the seizure of 3 kilograms of methamphetamine, 1.5 kilograms of cocaine, 700 grams of marijuana, 500 grams of crack cocaine, 26 firearms – including four fully automatic machineguns – and $70,000 in cash.
- Fredrick Wendell McCray, 44, of North Charleston was sentenced to 30 years for conspiring to distribute five or more kilograms of cocaine, 500 or more grams of methamphetamine, and heroin, possession with intent to distribute 28 or more grams of crack cocaine, unlawful use of a telephone to commit a felony drug violation, possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking, and possession of a firearm by a felon.
- Tyrone Cox, 44, of North Charleston, was sentenced to 25 years for conspiring to distribute 5 or more kilograms of cocaine, possession with intent to distribute 28 or more grams of crack cocaine, unlawful use of a telephone to commit a felony drug violation, possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking, and possession of ammunition by a felon.
- Cornelius Walker, 21, of North Charleston, was sentenced to 15 years for conspiring to distribute cocaine, methamphetamine, and marijuana, possession with intent to distribute marijuana, possession of a machinegun in furtherance of drug trafficking, and unlawful use of a telephone to commit a felony drug violation.
- Quinton Antonio McClain, 35, of Mount Pleasant, was sentenced to 12.5 years for conspiring to distribute 500 or more grams of cocaine, possession with intent to distribute cocaine and crack cocaine, and unlawful use of a telephone to commit a felony drug violation.
- Warren Lamar Forrest, 33, of Charleston, was sentenced to 12 years in a separate indictment for felon in possession of a firearm, possession with intent to distribute marijuana, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking.
- Angel Joaquin Flores, 34, of California, was sentenced to 10 years for conspiring to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine and marijuana and unlawful use of a telephone to commit a felony drug violation.
- Kevin William Dukes, 39, of North Charleston, was sentenced to 10 years for conspiring to distribute 500 or more grams of cocaine, methamphetamine, and heroin, and unlawful use of a telephone to commit a felony drug violation.
- Kendrick Smalls, 35, of North Charleston, was sentenced to seven years for conspiring to distribute cocaine, felon in possession of a firearm, possession of a machinegun, and unlawful use of a telephone to commit a felony drug violation.
- Kenneth Roger Brown, 35, of North Charleston, was sentenced to six years for conspiring to distribute cocaine and unlawful use of a telephone to commit a felony drug violation.
- Earl Allen, 24, of Charleston, was sentenced to five years for conspiring to distribute cocaine, possession with intent to distribute crack cocaine, possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking, and unlawful use of a telephone to commit a felony drug violation.
- Santerio Bernard Maurice Smith, 30, of Charleston, was sentenced to four and a half years in a separate indictment for possession of a firearm by a felon and possession of a machinegun.
- Da’Shawn Marquis Richards, 26, of North Charleston, was sentenced to four years in a separate indictment for possession of a firearm by a felon.
- Terrell Kurt Myers, 43, of North Charleston, was sentenced to two years for conspiring to distribute 500 or more grams of cocaine, methamphetamine, and marijuana, and unlawful use of a telephone to commit a felony drug violation.
- Demetric Gantt, 46, of North Charleston, was sentenced to one and half years for conspiring to distribute 28 or more grams of crack cocaine, possession with intent to distribute 28 or more grams of crack cocaine, and unlawful use of a telephone to commit a felony drug violation.
- Clayton Thomas, 22, of North Charleston, was sentenced to three months in a separate indictment for knowingly make a false statement when purchasing a firearm.
- Tyrone Wilson, 63, of North Charleston, was sentenced to time served for conspiring to distribute five or more kilograms of cocaine, possession with intent to distribute 28 grams or more of crack cocaine, unlawful use of a telephone to commit a felony drug violation, possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking, and possession of ammunition by a felon.
- LaJustin Williams, 43, of North Charleston, was sentenced to time served for conspiring to distribute 500 or more grams of methamphetamine, cocaine, and marijuana, possession with intent to distribute 500 or more grams of methamphetamine, possession with intent to distribute crack cocaine, and cocaine, possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking, and unlawful use of a telephone to commit a felony drug violation.
- Tyrone Peterson, 63 of North Charleston, was sentenced to time served for conspiring to distribute 500 or more grams of methamphetamine and marijuana, possession with intent to distribute 50o or more grams of methamphetamine, and unlawful use of a telephone to commit a felony drug violation.
This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
The case was investigated by the FBI’s Lowcountry Violent Crime Task Force, ATF, Homeland Security Investigations, Charleston County Sheriff’s Office, North Charleston Police Department, Charleston Police Department, Berkeley County Sheriff’s Office, Dorchester County Sheriff’s Office, Mount Pleasant Police Department, Summerville Police Department, South Carolina Law Enforcement Division, and the Charleston County Aviation Authority. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Chris Lietzow and Nick Bianchi are prosecuting the case.
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Mt. Holly Man Pleads Guilty to Civil Rights ViolationRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Maurice Hopkins, 32, of Mt. Holly, N.C., appeared before United States Magistrate Judge Susan C. Rodriguez today and pleaded guilty to a federal civil rights violation for threatening eight individuals with force because of their race, color, religion and national origin, announced Russ Ferguson, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina.
Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division and Special Agent in Charge James C. Barnacle, Jr. of the FBI Charlotte Field Office join U.S. Attorney Ferguson in making the announcement.
According to filed plea documents and today’s court hearing, on June 8, 2024, Hopkins threatened eight individuals with a firearm inside a pizza restaurant in Charlotte. When Hopkins encountered the victims, who were group of friends getting pizza at the time, he asked if they were American. Hopkins then proceeded to harass the victims calling them terrorists, demanding they speak English, telling them to go back to their country, and making other statements because of the victims’ race, color, religion, and national origin. Court records show that Hopkins made multiple threats, including threatening to punch the victims in the face and go retrieve a firearm and return to kill them. Hopkins then left the restaurant and returned minutes later, walking through the doorway with a loaded AR-15 style rifle. The victims immediately fled through the door in the rear of the restaurant.
As Hopkins admitted in court today, he threatened the eight individuals with force because of their race, color, religion and national origin and because they were enjoying the goods, services and facilities of the restaurant.
Hopkins pleaded guilty to one count of interference with federally protected activities, which carries 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. Hopkins remains in federal custody. A sentencing date has not been set.
The FBI Charlotte Field Office investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Nick J. Miller for the Western District of North Carolina and Trial Attorney Chloe Neely of the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section are prosecuting the case.
Michigan Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Drug CrimeRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Adrian Demetrius Ludaway, also known as “A1,” 35, of Wayne, Michigan, pleaded guilty today to distribution of fentanyl and a mixture and substance containing methamphetamine.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on February 27, 2025, Ludaway sold approximately 28.5 grams of methamphetamine and 6.79 gram of fentanyl to a confidential informant in Huntington. As part of his guilty plea, Ludaway admitted to conducting the transaction and to arranging it beforehand.
Ludaway is scheduled to be sentenced on December 1, 2025, and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, at least three years of supervised release, and a $1 million fine.
Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Huntington Violent Crime and Drug Task Force.
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Stephanie Taylor is prosecuting the case.
This case was prosecuted as part of Operation Synthetic Opioid Surge (SOS), an enforcement surge that has sought to reduce the supply of deadly synthetic opioids in high impact areas.
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. 3:25-cr-103.
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Mexican National in the U.S. Illegally Charged with Using a Vehicle to Assault, Resist, Oppose, Impede, Intimidate, and Interfere with a Federal AgentRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that Cristian Geovanni Rojas Benitez, 37, a Mexican national who overstayed his visa and remained illegally in the United States, was charged by indictment with forcibly assaulting, resisting, opposing, impeding, intimidating, and interfering with an officer of the United States, while using a deadly or dangerous weapon, that is, a motor vehicle, while the officer was engaged in the performance of official duties.
Specifically, the indictment alleges that, on the morning of June 23, 2025, the defendant used his full-size pickup truck to assault, resist, oppose, impede, intimidate, and interfere with a special agent with Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), while the agent was carrying out his official duties.
As detailed in court filings, on that date, the HSI agent and other federal officers were attempting to locate Rojas Benitez and take him into administrative custody because he violated the terms of his release pending removal proceedings.
Based on information they had received, the federal officers surveilled a Downingtown, Pennsylvania, residence. At approximately 8:30 a.m., a man matching the description and photograph of Rojas Benitez exited the residence and got into a pickup truck. When the defendant started to drive away, the federal officers quickly conducted a vehicle stop.
As alleged in court filings, Rojas Benitez did not comply with the federal officers’ commands to get out of the vehicle or roll down his window. During this encounter, the HSI agent moved to the front of the vehicle to maintain visibility of the driver. The law enforcement officers told Rojas Benitez that if he did not comply, his window would be broken, and when Rojas Benitez continued not to comply after multiple warnings, one of the federal officers broke the rear driver’s side window of the truck.
As alleged, the defendant then put the vehicle in drive and drove over the sidewalk in the direction of the HSI agent, who had to push off the truck with his hand and jump out of way to avoid being struck. As alleged, the defendant also narrowly avoided hitting a passing school bus. The defendant then fled the state and was ultimately located by the U.S. Marshals Service in Washington, D.C., on July 24.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN).
The case was investigated by HSI, Immigration and Customs Enforcement - Enforcement and Removal Operations, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
The charges and allegations contained in the indictment are merely accusations. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty in court.
Mexican National Sentenced to 24 Months in Prison for Assaulting a Border Patrol AgentRead the Press Release
TUCSON, Ariz. – Sandra Meza-Casillas, 51, of Mexico, was sentenced on August 11, by United States District Judge Angela M. Martinez to 24 months prison, followed by three years of supervised release. Meza-Casillas previously pleaded guilty to Assault on a Federal Officer.
On or about April 16, 2025, in Nogales, Arizona, a United States Border Patrol Agent was attempting to apprehend an individual who had jumped over the international border wall. The agent found Sandra Meza-Casillas lying flat on her stomach on the border road. When the agent approached, Meza-Casillas started running eastbound along the International Border road while two male subjects appeared to be guiding her from the south side of the border wall. After a brief foot pursuit, the Border Patrol Agent reached Meza-Casillas and grabbed her shoulder to make an arrest. Meza-Casillas turned around and sprayed the agent with pepper spray on his left cheek.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
United States Border Patrol conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Rui Wang, District of Arizona, Tucson, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-25-02225-TUC-AMM
RELEASE NUMBER: 2025-137_Meza-Casilla# # #
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.Mexican National Found Guilty in Waco for Registration ViolationsRead the Press Release
WACO, Texas – A Mexican national was found guilty in a federal bench trial in Waco on Monday. Hugo Moreno-Mendez, 41, was sentenced to time served for one count of willful failure to register and one count of failure to provide DNA.
According to court documents, Moreno-Mendez was convicted of a state crime for unlawful installation of a tracking device on Sept. 26, 2024, and was sentenced to 180 days of confinement. He was taken into custody by Immigration and Customs Enforcement on March 13, and charged with willful failure to register. Moreno-Mendez refused to comply with immigration officers and the standard procedures of submitting fingerprints and a DNA sample, adding the second count for failure to provide DNA. He has remained in federal custody since his arrest in March and will now be processed for removal.
U.S. Attorney Justin R. Simmons for the Western District of Texas made the announcement.
ICE investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephanie Smith-Burris 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. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
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Man Sentenced to over 24 years for role in Fentanyl Overdose Death of 17-Year-OldRead the Press Release
A Dallas man who distributed fentanyl that caused the death of a seventeen-year-old boy was sentenced to 292 months in federal prison, announced Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Nancy E. Larson.
Jesse Medina, 42, pled guilty in March 2025 to aiding and abetting the distribution of fentanyl that ultimately resulted in the teenager’s death. On Monday, August 18, 2025, Medina was sentenced to 292 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge David Godbey.
According to plea documents and evidence presented in Court at sentencing, on January 30, 2024, co-defendant Connor Miller contacted Jesse Medina, also known as “Plug,” to purchase fentanyl. Medina agreed to sell Miller the pills. Miller and a seventeen-year-old boy then travelled to meet Medina at a location on Harry Hines Boulevard in Dallas, Texas. Once there, Medina sold Miller and the teenager four fentanyl pills in exchange for $40. Miller and the teen travelled back to Miller’s residence, where they crushed up the fentanyl pills and used the fentanyl Medina had provided. The seventeen-year-old died after using the fentanyl. A review of the teen’s medical records revealed that he would not have died but for ingesting the fentanyl.
Evidence presented in court revealed that Jesse Medina was arrested on January 31, 2024, with 25 pills of fentanyl on his person. A few days after his arrest, Medina contacted a female known to Medina and told her that he sold a twenty-one-year-old four pills and that a seventeen-year-old who used those pills died. Evidence also showed Medina told the unknown female that he told his lawyer, “I don’t have no sympathy for the seventeen-year-old at all . . . ‘Cause that’s his choice . . . [H]e’s old enough to know how dangerous these pills are . . . I don’t got no sympathy for that . . . [I]f I would have sold it to him . . . I would feel bad, but I don’t even feel bad at all, I’m cool, ‘cause I didn’t do nothing wrong.”
Information presented in court also showed Medina had multiple prior convictions for possession of a controlled substance and that he had been sent to a Substance Abuse Felony Punishment Facility and an Intermediate Sanctions Facility in 2010 and 2019 (respectively) while he was on probation. In 2016, Medina was ordered to serve 42 months in the Texas Department of Corrections for an offense that occurred in Rockwall County, Texas. After being released from prison, Medina was arrested in 2018 for possessing methamphetamine and ordered to serve a term of four years deferred probation in Dallas County. A motion to revoke that probation was filed in 2021 and remains pending.
“Tough sentences are necessary for those defendants responsible for the tragic deaths resulting from fentanyl trafficking,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Nancy E. Larson. “This Office will continue to advocate for the most severe sentences for those who, like the defendant, have a cavalier attitude toward the deadly consequences of their actions. While a lengthy prison sentence for this offender and others like him will never restore the loss suffered by the victim’s family, we will continue to prosecute those who flood our community with this poison to the fullest extent of the law.”
“Unfortunately, this guilty verdict will not bring our victim back or take away the suffering his family and friends have endured. What it does do; however, is affirm that justice prevails and drug dealers and enablers, like Mr. Medina, will be held accountable for their reckless actions,” said DEA Dallas Acting Special Agent in Charge Joseph B. Tucker. “DEA will always aggressively investigate the illicit distribution of deadly drugs in our communities. The memories of those lives lost to drugs will not be in vain.”
Co-defendants Connor Miller and Tecose Dchaz Martin have also pled guilty to aiding and abetting the distribution of fentanyl, the use of which resulted in death. Miller and Martin are pending sentencing.
The Drug Enforcement Administration’s Dallas Field Division and the Richardson Police Department conducted the investigation of this case with the Hickory Creek Police Department, the Dallas Police Department, the Dallas County District Attorney’s Office, the Mesquite Police Department, and the Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigations Section. Special assistance was provided by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Cellular Analysis Survey Team. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney George Leal.
Man Involved in Drug Conspiracy While on Supervised Release Sentenced to Five Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
A man involved in a drug conspiracy in Waterloo, Iowa, was sentenced August 18, 2025, to 60 months in federal prison.
Adis Vretenarevic, age 30, who lived in Waterloo, Iowa, at the time of the instant crime, received the prison term after a March 21, 2025 guilty plea to one count of conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance.
From August 2022 through January 2024, Vretenarevic was involved in a conspiracy to distribute large quantities of marijuana intended for further distribution in Waterloo. During this time, Vretenarevic deposited thousands of dollars in drug proceeds into a bank account used by the drug trafficking organization. At the time of the conspiracy, Vretenarevic was on federal supervision for the prior crime of possession of a firearm by a drug user.
Vretenarevic was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams. Vretenarevic was sentenced to 60 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a five-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system. Vretenarevic is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until she can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Nicole L. Nagin, and it was investigated by the Tri-County Drug Enforcement Task Force
Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, the Federal Bureau of Investigations, Homeland Security Investigations, Butler County Sheriff’s Office, Denver Iowa Police Department, Fullerton California Police Department, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl. The case file number is 24-CR- 02050-004.
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Lackawanna man sentenced for defrauding MedicaidRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, N.Y. –U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Munef Fadhel, 38, of Lackawanna, NY, who was convicted of health care fraud, was sentenced to serve one year probation by U.S. District Judge John L. Sinatra, Jr.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Franz M. Wright, who handled the case, stated that between June 2017, and December 2020, Fadhel defrauded the Medicaid program. Fadhel was an owner of Great Lake Transportation, Inc., a transportation company that provided rides to Medicaid beneficiaries. While working at Great Lake Transportation, he knowingly submitted multiple false and fraudulent records seeking transportation reimbursement for trips. Fadhel submitted claims for shared rides which he certified as individual rides in order to claim a higher reimbursement amount. This resulted in a loss to Medicaid in excess of $95,000.
The sentencing is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Acting Special Agent-in-Charge Mark Grimm, and the New York State Department of Financial Services, under the direction of Superintendent Adrienne A. Harris.
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Kansas City Man Charged with Attempting to Access Child PornographyRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Kansas City, Mo., man has been indicted by a federal grand jury on charges related to child pornography.
According to an indictment returned last week, Cody Tyler Titus, 24, of Kansas City, Mo., was charged with one count of attempting to access with intent to view child pornography over the internet from Nov. 2, 2022, and Nov. 19, 2023. Titus was arrested and made his initial appearance in court today.
The charges contained in this indictment are simply accusations, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charges must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence.
Under federal statutes, if convicted of attempted access with intent to view child pornography, a prison sentence of up to 20 years and a fine of up to $250,000 is authorized. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Teresa A. Moore. This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Project Safe Childhood
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab "resources."
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Jefferson County man sentenced to federal prison for trafficking fentanylRead the Press Release
BEAUMONT, Texas – A Beaumont man has been sentenced to federal prison for trafficking fentanyl in the Eastern District of Texas, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs.
Marsel Brejon Davis, 33, pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and was sentenced to 27 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Michael Truncale on August 19, 2025.
According to information presented in court, on August 31, 2023, a search of Davis’s residence was conducted after he was observed selling narcotics to another person. During the search, officers located 31.16 grams of fentanyl. Davis admitted to possessing the fentanyl for the purpose of distributing it to others. Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid commonly used as an analgesic or anesthetic that is 100 times more potent than morphine and 50 times more potent than heroin, according to the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
This case was investigated by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and the Beaumont Police Department and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Rachel Grove.
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Indian Citizen Pleads Guilty to Alien SmugglingRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Aryan Deshwal, age 21, and a citizen of India, pled guilty yesterday to conspiracy to commit alien smuggling and five counts of alien smuggling. Acting United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III and Chief Patrol Agent Robert Garcia of the U.S. Border Patrol’s Swanton Sector made the announcement.
Deshwal admitted that on November 21, 2024, he picked up five people at the border who had just illegally entered the United States from Canada. When Border Patrol attempted to pull over Deshwal, he sped away. Border Patrol Agents continued to follow his vehicle but slowed down. Shortly thereafter, Deshwal lost control of his vehicle, causing it to roll several times, ultimately flipping onto its side and catching fire. Deshwal and the people he picked up were transported to a nearby hospital in Plattsburgh, New York. One of the passengers sustained injuries that required emergency surgery.
Acting United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III stated, “This case illustrates the dangers of alien smuggling, and how smuggling networks put people and federal agents in harm’s way for profit. Aryan Deshwal endangered the lives of the illegal aliens he picked up, the Border Patrol agents who were trying to stop him, and other people on the road. Thankfully, he was arrested, prosecuted and will be held accountable for his crimes.”
Patrol Agent in Charge Raymond Bresnahan, of the Champlain Border Patrol Station, stated, “This reckless act underscores the very real dangers of human smuggling and epitomizes the fact that smugglers do not care about the countless lives they put at risk in order to make a quick profit. Thankfully our agents were nearby to render emergency aid to the victims of this harrowing event.”
At his sentencing on December 16, 2025, Deshwal faces at least 5 years and up to 15 years in prison. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statutes the defendant is convicted of violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other factors.
Border Patrol investigated this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Douglas Collyer is prosecuting this case.
Illegal Alien Pleads Guilty to Unlawful ReentryRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Augustin Borja-Gaona, a/k/a Augustine Borja, a/k/a Augustine Bara, a/k/a Agustin Borja, a/k/a Augustin Gaona Borja, a/k/a Austin Borja, a/k/a Austin Gaona Borja, a/k/a Agustin Borja-Gaona, a/k/a Genaro Borja-Reynoso, age 56, a Mexican national unlawfully present in Oklahoma, pleaded guilty to one count of Unlawful Reentry of Removed Alien, punishable by a term of imprisonment of not more than ten years, and a fine of not more than $250,000.00.
The charge arose from an investigation by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Immigration and Customs Enforcement Division and the Pittsburg County Sheriff’s Office.
The Indictment alleged that Borja-Gaona, an alien previously removed in 1999, 2002, 2007, and 2012, was found in the United States on March 19, 2025, without obtaining the express consent of the Secretary of Homeland Security to reapply for admission to the United States.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
The Honorable Gerald L. Jackson, U.S. Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, accepted the plea and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report.
A U.S. District Court Judge will determine the sentence to be imposed after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Borja-Gaona will remain in the custody of the United States Marshals Service pending sentencing.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Dak T. Cohen represented the United States.
Hartshorne Resident Pleads Guilty to Federal Firearm and Explosives ChargesRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Kelly Von Morck, age 35, of Hartshorne, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to two counts of Unlawful User of Controlled Substance in Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition and one count of User of a Controlled Substance in Possession of Explosive.
The Superseding Indictment alleged that on October 20, 2024, Von Morck, knowing that he was an unlawful user and addicted to a controlled substance, knowingly possessed a 9mm semi-automatic pistol, a .22 revolver, a 16-gauge shotgun, a .38 caliber revolver, a .30-06 caliber rifle, and 559 rounds of assorted ammunition, which had been shipped and transported in interstate commerce.
The Superseding Indictment further alleged that on June 26, 2025, Von Morck, knowing that he was an unlawful user and addicted to a controlled substance, knowingly possessed a 9mm semi-automatic pistol and 82 rounds of assorted ammunition, which had been shipped and transported in interstate commerce.
Lastly, the Superseding Indictment alleged that on October 20, 2024, Von Morck, knowing he was an unlawful user of and addicted to a controlled substance, knowingly possessed an explosive which had been shipped and transported in interstate commerce.
The charges arose from an investigation by the Hartshorne Police Department, the Pittsburg County Sheriff’s Office, the Oklahoma Highway Patrol Bomb Squad, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
The Honorable Gerald L. Jackson, U.S. Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, accepted the plea and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report.
A U.S. District Court Judge will determine the sentence to be imposed after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Von Morck will remain in the custody of the United States Marshals Service pending sentencing.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan E. Soverly represented the United States.