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Wednesday 22 July 2026
Maryland Man Pleads Guilty to Charges in Connection with Filipino Child-Sex Trafficking RingRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – A Maryland man pled guilty in federal court, today, to charges connected to purchasing livestreams of Filipino children engaging in sexual activity.
Philip Andrew Turner, 47, of Linthicum Heights, pled guilty to coercion and enticement.
Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the guilty plea with Special Agent in Charge Akil Baldwin, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) – Maryland; Colonel Michael A. Jackson, Superintendent, Maryland State Police (MSP); and Anne Colt Leitess, State’s Attorney for Anne Arundel County.
According to his guilty plea, from November 2017, through March 2018, Turner used Skype to persuade, induce, entice, and coerce minor victims, living in the Philippines, to engage in sexual activity. Turner communicated with a known Filipino trafficker who sold the minors, and directed them, as they live-streamed their sexual activity in exchange for monetary payment.
Law enforcement later recovered Turner’s chats with the Filipino trafficker from the platform’s server. Turner facilitated approximately 110 Skype calls and exchanged approximately 40 media files with the trafficker. The files included images of Filipino children for Turner to select who he wanted to engage in live-stream sexual activity along with several child sexual abuse material (CSAM) images of Filipino children.
Turner used online electronic financial transactions to pay for the live-streamed child sexual abuse shows. Records show between 2017 and 2025, Turner completed 437 successful payments, totaling more than $29,000 to traffickers in the Philippines.
On October 28, 2025, law enforcement executed a federal warrant at Turner’s Anne Arundel County residence. During the search, law enforcement recovered a laptop, which was opened to Turner’s Skype account. A forensic analysis revealed that Turner had just downloaded a trove of CSAM using the Tor network between October 11 and October 21. The CSAM collection included more than 600 images.
Turner faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years and a maximum sentence of life in federal prison for coercion and enticement. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge determines sentencing after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
This case is part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit justice.gov/psc. For more information about Internet safety education, visit justice.gov/psc and click on the “Resources” tab on the left of the page.
Know2Protect is a national public awareness campaign from the Department of Homeland Security. Know2Protect’s aim is to educate and empower children, teens, parents, trusted adults and policymakers to prevent, combat and report online child sexual exploitation and abuse. For more information, please visit Know2Protect’s YouTube playlists at Know2Protect Campaign PSA Playlist and Know2Protect Digital Safety Series Playlist on DHS’ main channel. Additional resources are available at Know2Protect.gov, Instagram, Facebook and X, formerly known as Twitter.
U.S. Attorney Hayes commended HSI, the MSP, and Anne Arundel County State’s Attorney’s Office for their work in the investigation. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Colleen Elizabeth McGuinn, and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Joyce King, who are prosecuting 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.
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Maryland Man Admits to Role in Sophisticated Scheme to Defraud the IRSRead the Press Release
MARTINSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA — A Maryland man has admitted to his role in a financial fraud scheme involving stolen United States Treasury checks, fraudulent business registrations, and illicit withdrawals from newly created bank accounts, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew L. Harvey.
Gregory Dean, 33, of Suitland, Maryland, pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud. According to the indictment and statements made in court, Dean and others participated in a scheme beginning in October 2024 to fraudulently obtain U.S. Treasury checks issued to legitimate businesses and individuals. The conspirators allegedly created or incorporated entities with names similar to the intended payees and submitted applications through the IRS’s Modernized Internet Employer Identification Number (MOD IEIN) portal, processed at the IRS facility in Martinsburg, to obtain Employer Identification Numbers (EINs) for those fraudulent entities. They used the EINs to open business bank accounts, deposit stolen Treasury checks, and quickly withdraw funds before the fraud could be detected. Relevant to Dean’s plea, the conspirators submitted an electronic EIN application for “Williams Homes Inc.” that was transmitted to the IRS processing center in Martinsburg. The assigned EIN was used to open a bank account in the business’s name in which a treasury check, in the amount of $342,320.00 and payable to a real business, was deposited.
Two other Maryland men, Tijuan Arrington and David Walters, have also been charged with multiple counts of wire fraud. They are scheduled for trial in November 2026.
Dean is facing up to 20 years in federal prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Eleanor F. Hurney is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government.
The Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration is investigating.
On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division (“Fraud Division”). The Fraud Division is investigating and prosecuting those who commit fraud against the American people. The Department’s work to combat fraud supports President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Robert W. Trumble presided.
Maplewood Sex Offender Sentenced to 15 Years in Prison After Being Caught Again with Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge Joshua M. Divine on Wednesday sentenced a Maplewood sex offender to 15 years in prison after he was caught again with child sexual abuse material.
Judge Divine also sentenced Michael R. Throm, now 46, to an additional 18 months for violating his supervised release from a prior case. Throm was convicted of possession and receipt of child pornography in 2014 and sentenced to 65 months in prison, followed by a lifetime term of supervised release. On June 9, 2025, Throm’s probation officer visited his apartment and spotted two unauthorized smart phones. Both phones contained child sexual abuse material (CSAM), and evidence that Throm tried to text CSAM to his downstairs neighbor, another sex offender on supervised release.
Throm pleaded guilty in April in U.S. District Court in St. Louis to one count of receipt of child pornography.
The U.S. Probation Office investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Hayes 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 the Department of Justice Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Man Caught in Florida with over 100 Kilos of Marijuana Faces Federal IndictmentRead the Press Release
Pensacola, Florida – James Craig, 46, of Mokena, Illinois, has been indicted in federal court on one count of possession with intent to distribute 100 kilograms or more of marijuana. John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida, announced the charge.
Craig appeared in federal court for his arraignment before United States Magistrate Judge Zachary Bolitho in Pensacola, Florida. Jury trial is scheduled for September 8, 2026, at 8:00 a.m. before District Court Judge M. Casey Rodgers.
If convicted, Craig faces between 5 years’ to 40 years’ imprisonment.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, with assistance from the Gulf Coast High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas (HIDTA) Task Force. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Alicia H. Forbes.
An indictment is merely an allegation by a grand jury that a defendant has committed a violation of federal criminal law and is not evidence of guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial, during which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndfl.
Mahoning Valley Man Sentenced to 20 Years in Prison for Child Pornography OffensesRead the Press Release
CLEVELAND – A Columbiana County man was sentenced to federal prison for receiving, distributing, and possessing hundreds of child sexual abuse files.
Scotty L. Skiba, 39, of Salem, Ohio, was sentenced to 240 months (20 years) in prison by U.S. District Judge John R. Adams, after pleading guilty in February to Receipt and Distribution of Visual Depictions of Real Minors Engaged in Sexually Explicit Conduct and Possession of Child Pornography, or Child Sexual Abuse Materials (CSAM). He was also ordered to serve a lifetime of supervised release after imprisonment and pay $40,000 in restitution to victims. He was additionally ordered to pay $10,000 toward the Amy, Vicky, and Andy Child Pornography Assistance Act, which was established in 2018 to provide monetary assistance for victims of child sexual abuse.
According to court documents and evidence presented in court, from about July 2024 to June 2025, investigators found that Skiba was knowingly receiving and distributing digital files that contained images of the sexual abuse of children. During the execution of a search warrant execution at his residence, multiple electronic devices were seized. Forensic analysis revealed that Skiba possessed more than 1,500 images and videos of CSAM on his devices. Numerous videos depicting the rape, bondage, and torture of children were more than five minutes long, with at least one video nearly an hour in length. Investigators also learned that Skiba had previously engaged in sexual contact with two minors.
The investigation leading to the indictment was led by the FBI Youngstown Resident Agency and the Mahoning Valley Human Trafficking Task Force, with assistance from the Noble County Sheriff’s Office and the Southeastern Human Trafficking Task Force.
Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer J. King led the prosecution for the Northern District of Ohio.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. The initiative is led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices throughout the country and marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, visit justice.gov/PSC.
To report child exploitation, please visit cybertipline.org, or call 1-800-843-5678, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Mackinac County Resident Pleads Guilty to Federal Tax Crime for Failing to Report All IncomeRead the Press Release
Erin Patti-Coveyou Agreed to Pay $535,605 in Income Tax Owed to the United States
GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN – U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Michigan Timothy VerHey today announced that Erin Patti-Coveyou, age 36, of Moran, Michigan, pleaded guilty to one count of making a false statement on a federal income tax return. She faces a maximum of three years in federal prison and will pay full restitution to the Internal Revenue Service, calculated at $535,605. Patti-Coveyou will be sentenced later this year by the Honorable Hala Y. Jarbou, Chief United States District Judge.
From 2021 through 2024, Patti-Coveyou failed to report $1,666,499.78 of income to the Internal Revenue Service when she filed false U.S. Individual Income Tax Returns on Form 1040 in each of those years. For example, in 2022, she falsely reported her 2021 income was $353,055. In fact, she had obtained an additional $279,079.12 of income from embezzling cash from her employer and her gambling activity. Additionally, for calendar years 2022 and 2024, she underreported her income as $39,960; $53,188; and $56,545, when in fact her true income in those years was $424,882; $461,300; and $650,931, respectively. Her failure to report income resulted in a total federal income tax loss of $535,605. Patti-Coveyou also agreed to repay a total of $1,751,059 that she embezzled from her employer between 2021 and 2025.
U.S. Attorney VerHey stated, “Ms. Patti-Coveyou reported only a small fraction of her income because she was an embezzler, a gambler, and wanted to avoid paying her share of taxes. We cannot tolerate people who lie on their taxes because it undermines the integrity of our tax system. Today’s plea demonstrates my office’s commitment to holding individuals accountable when they choose to break our federal tax laws.”
“Taxpayers thinking about participating in fraudulent tax schemes, including failing to report all forms of income, should stop in their tracks and simply look at the consequences of taking the next step,” said Robert Kuszynski, Acting Special Agent in Charge, Detroit Field Office, IRS-CI. “Those consequences include going to prison, being branded a convicted felon for the rest of their lives, and paying back all the taxes owed plus steep penalties and interest.”
This matter was investigated by IRS Criminal Investigation, the law enforcement arm of the Internal Revenue Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Chris O’Connor is prosecuting it.
Longmeadow Man Sentenced to Four Years in Prison for Massive Commercial Loan Fraud ConspiracyRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Longmeadow man was sentenced today in federal court in Springfield for defrauding commercial lenders out of more than $18 million over a four-year period. Together with his co-conspirator, they provided false and fraudulent rent rolls and forged lease agreements for numerous properties located in Springfield, Mass.; East Longmeadow, Mass.; and Enfield, Conn.
Louis R. Masaschi, 59, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Mark G. Mastroianni to four years in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release. Masaschi was also ordered to pay $18,203,030 in restitution. In April 2025, Masaschi pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to committed wire fraud; two counts of wire fraud; and one count of aggravated identity theft. In June 2025, Norman pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud. In April 2023, Masaschi and his wife and co-conspirator Jeanette Norman were indicted by a federal grand jury.
Masaschi and Norman were partners in dozens of limited liability companies, including LL Realty Developers, LLC, through which they owned primarily commercial and some residential property in Western Massachusetts, Connecticut and elsewhere. Masaschi and Norman conspired with each other, and others, to fraudulently obtain loans for their companies from financial institutions and commercial lenders by providing materially false, fictitious and fraudulent financial information – including false rent rolls and forged lease agreements. After receiving the loans, Masaschi and Norman defaulted on the loans, causing substantial losses to the financial institutions and commercial lenders, including two community credit unions, and leaving the buildings vacant.
Between May 2016 and November 2018, Masaschi and Norman fraudulently obtained or sought to obtain approximately $60,123,000 in loans and caused a total loss of $18,203,030.
Norman pleaded guilty in September 2025 and is next scheduled to appear in court on Aug.11, 2026.
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 today. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Steven H. Breslow and Caroline Merck of the Springfield Office are prosecuting the case.
Las Vegas Business Owner Indicted for Fake Armed Robbery of His Store to Defraud Insurance CompanyRead the Press Release
LAS VEGAS – A Las Vegas business owner made his initial court appearance yesterday to face charges in connection with a fake armed robbery of his cell phone repair store to collect money from his insurance company.
According to allegations in the indictment, Erwin Lanada owned CPR Cellphone Repair, a store in Las Vegas that repaired and sold cell phones and other electronic devices. As alleged, in October 2023, he arranged for co-defendant Marco Antonio Capistran to rob his store, and he gave Capistran a revolver to use during the robbery. Later, Lanada filed fraudulent insurance claims with his insurance company for property loss and loss of income purportedly resulting from the robbery. In December 2023, the insurance company sent Lanada checks totaling approximately $88,611.23 for his claims.
Lanada is charged with two counts of mail fraud. The maximum statutory penalties for each count are ten years in prison. A jury trial has been scheduled for October 19, 2026.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel R. Schiess is prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Kent, Washington, resident pleads guilty to conspiracy to provide material support to a foreign terrorist organizationRead the Press Release
Seattle – A 21-year-old Kent, Washington, resident pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in Seattle to conspiring to provide material support to a foreign terrorist organization, announced First Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles Neil Floyd. Saed Ali Mirreh was arrested in November 2025 as he prepared to board a plane to Turkey with the goal of crossing into Syria to fight for the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (“ISIS”). Mirreh was originally charged in the District of New Jersey with coconspirator 19-year-old Tomas-Kaan Jimenez-Guzel. Mirreh’s case was transferred earlier this month to the Western District of Washington. U.S. District Judge Richard A. Jones scheduled sentencing for October 16, 2026.
According to the plea agreement, as early as July 2025, Mirreh began communicating with co-conspirators about traveling to Turkey to ultimately join ISIS as fighters. Mirreh knew ISIS had been declared a foreign terrorist organization. In late October 2025, Mirreh purchased an airline ticket to travel from Seattle to Istanbul on November 16, 2025, to meet other members of the conspiracy and travel onward to Syria.
However, on October 31, 2025, members of the conspiracy residing in Dearborn, Michigan were arrested for plotting an attack in the U.S. on behalf of ISIS. Mirreh and coconspirator Jimenez-Guzel moved up their flight to Turkey to November 5, 2025. Mirreh was arrested at his Kent residence on November 4, 2025.
Communications between the coconspirators reveal they discussed plans to participate in “jihad,” as well as detailed physical training, weapons, including firearms and improvised explosive devices, and how to avoid detection by law enforcement.
Conspiracy to provide material support to a designated foreign terrorist organization is punishable by up to 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Under the terms of the plea agreement, Mirreh will not appeal his sentence if it is 20 years or less. Similarly, the government agrees it will not appeal the sentence if it is 20 years in prison.
The case is being investigated by the FBI.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Todd Greenberg in coordination with Assistant U.S. Attorney Camila A. Garces of the National Security Unit in Newark, New Jersey and Trial Attorneys John Cella, Patrick Cashman, and James Donnelly of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Counterterrorism Section of the National Security Division.
Kanawha County Man Found Guilty of Federal Drug and Gun CrimesRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – After a one-day trial, a federal jury convicted Christian Garrett Thornton, 40, of Cross Lanes, on Monday, July 20, 2026, of possession with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of a mixture containing fentanyl and 50 grams or more of a mixture containing methamphetamine; being a felon in possession of a firearm; and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
Evidence at trial showed that on October 29, 2024, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Thornton’s Cross Lanes residence. Officers found 662 grams of fentanyl and 162 grams of methamphetamine, having a street value of approximately $50,000, a Taurus model PT709 Slim 9mm pistol, a Taurus model Judge Public Defender Poly .45/,410 revolver, and a Colt model Peacemaker .22-caliber revolver in Thornton’s bedroom.
Federal law prohibits a person with a prior felony conviction from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Thornton knew he was prohibited from possessing a firearm because of his prior felony convictions on four counts of distribution of a quantity of oxymorphone and one count of possession with intent to distribute a quantity of oxymorphone in United States District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia on March 29, 2017.
Thornton is scheduled to be sentenced on December 3, 2026, and faces a minimum of ten years and a maximum penalty of life in prison for possession with intent to distribute controlled substances; up to 15 years in prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm; and a minimum of five years and a maximum of life in prison, consecutive to any other term of imprisonment for possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
United States Attorney Moore Capito made the announcement. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Hurricane Police Department conducted the investigation.
United States District Judge Irene C. Berger presided over the jury trial. Assistant United States Attorneys D. Keith Randolph and Joshua Hanks 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.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:26-cr-38.
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Justice Department Files Complaint Against Manufacturer and Retailer of Allegedly Imminently Hazardous Immersion Water HeatersRead the Press Release
The Justice Department, together with the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), announced today the filing of a complaint against Cixi Miaojie Electrical Appliance Co. Ltd., and Changsha Jiayi Tianzhuo Trading Co. Ltd. of China, seeking mandatory recall relief for consumers under the Consumer Product Safety Act (CPSA) for Defendants’ manufacture and sale of allegedly imminently hazardous immersion water heaters.
“The Department of Justice will not allow dangerous products manufactured in China or elsewhere to flow to American consumers and expose unwitting families to the risk of serious injury or death,” said Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche. “This complaint seeks the urgent recall of these products in order to protect American consumers from imminent danger.”
“The Justice Department is committed to protecting Americans from hazardous products, including deadly products made in China and imported into the United States,” said Assistant Attorney General Brett A. Shumate of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “Working with the CPSC, we will hold accountable those who put hazardous products in the hands of American consumers.”
“When dangerous products threaten American families, the Commission will not hesitate to use every authority Congress has entrusted to us,” said CPSC Acting Chairman Peter Feldman. “Today’s action is the Commission’s first use of its Section 12 imminent hazard authority since 1987, underscoring our commitment to making full use of the tools Congress provided to protect consumers. I want to thank the Department of Justice for its outstanding partnership in this effort. Our collaboration has never been stronger, and together we are ensuring that those who place imminently hazardous products into the U.S. marketplace are held accountable.”
The complaint, filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, alleges that Defendants manufactured and sold immersion water heaters to consumers in the United States under the label “Lakkzoom” and that Defendants’ immersion water heaters are imminently hazardous consumer products because the immersion heaters can overheat and catch fire within minutes when energized and either completely or partially out of water. The complaint further alleges that the CPSC received 235 fire-related reports, investigated several of those incidents involving Defendants’ immersion water heaters and that the CPSC’s testing of the heaters showed that they could catch fire within minutes in certain circumstances.
The CPSA authorizes lawsuits to be brought against manufacturers, importers, distributors and retailers to require a recall of consumer products that present an imminent and unreasonable risk of death, serious illness, or severe personal injury.
The United States is represented in this action by Senior Trial Attorney James T. Nelson and Trial Attorney Jordan A. Ryan Rinear from the Enforcement Section of the Civil Division’s Enforcement & Affirmative Litigation Branch, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Sean M. Tepe for the District of Columbia, with the assistance of Michael Rogal, Joseph Kessler, Renee McCune and Alex Dennis of the CPSC.
For more information about the Enforcement & Affirmative Litigation Branch and its enforcement efforts visit www.justice.gov/civil/enforcement-affirmative-litigation-branch.
The claims made in the complaint are allegations that, if the case were to proceed to trial, the government would be required to prove by a preponderance of the evidence.
Jury finds Lame Deer man guilty of assault and attempted witness tamperingRead the Press Release
BILLINGS – A Lame Deer man who assaulted a woman with a metal bar as she and her companion walked in front of his house last fall was found guilty by a federal jury today, Acting U.S. Attorney Mark Steger Smith said.
Following a three-day trial, Seth Anthony Basler, 41, was found guilty of one count of assault with a dangerous weapon and one count of attempted witness tampering. Basler faces up to 20 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release.
U.S. District Judge Susan P. Watters presided and will determine a sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Sentencing is set for Nov. 24, 2026. Basler was detained pending further proceedings.
The government alleged in court documents and at trial that Basler assaulted a woman as she and her companion walked by his house on the way to pick up their children after school on Sept. 17, 2025. The women were walking with their dog, and as they passed Basler’s yard, they stopped to pet one of Basler’s dogs that had come over to where they were walking.
Basler yelled from his house at the women to get away from his dogs and, as the women responded, he charged at one of them with a metal bar in his hands. He struck the woman on the head, cutting her scalp, and then struck her on the back when she fell to the ground. At some point he dropped the bar and began to punch her. The woman said she lost consciousness for a moment and then, as she came to, crawled over to Basler to grab his legs as he attacked her companion.
The two managed to get away from Basler, who said he was defending himself and his dogs from the two women when they came onto his property. Shortly after the assault, the two women returned to retrieve their phone, which had fallen to the ground during the attack. When they tried, Basler’s wife, who was now in the yard, refused to let them pick it up. The woman who had initially been struck by Basler was hit by him again, this time on the arm, when she tried to grab the phone from the ground.
When police arrived, the woman was taken to Lame Deer Clinic with injuries to her head, back and arm; Basler was arrested. While in jail, Basler called his wife multiple times and told her to exaggerate the severity of her injuries from the confrontation and to falsely state that she was outside when the fight began. He also told his wife to falsely say she was attacked by the woman he had struck with the bar and to say that he then intervened in an effort to protect his wife.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jacob Yerger and Julia Patten prosecuted the case. The investigation was conducted by the FBI and the BIA.
Jamaican Man Sentenced to 6.5 Years in Prison for Role in International Lottery Scam Targeting ElderlyRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, Pa. - A resident of St. James parish in Jamaica was sentenced in federal court on July 21, 2026, to 78 months of incarceration on his conviction of violating federal wire fraud and money laundering laws, United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.
United States District Judge Robert J. Colville imposed the sentence on Troy Williams, 41, of Montego Bay.
According to information presented to the Court, from approximately January 2019 to October 2023, Williams conspired to commit mail fraud, wire fraud, and money laundering by defrauding elderly victims through a lottery scam. As part of the scam, members of the conspiracy called elderly victims and informed them that they had won a lottery but needed to pay taxes and fees to receive their prize. The victims would send the money as directed but never received the prize money. The conspirators used a network of other conspirators and victims, as well as bank accounts opened in victims’ names, wire transfers, purchases of physical goods, and ATM withdrawals in Jamaica to execute and obfuscate their scheme.
Assistant United States Attorney Kelly M. Locher prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
United States Attorney Rivetti commended the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Homeland Security Investigations, and the United States Postal Inspection Service, with assistance from Jamaican authorities and the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs in the arrest and extradition of the defendant, for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Williams.
Jacksonville Man Sentenced to More Than Four Years for Cyberstalking and Possession of AmmunitionRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – Mario Jerome Bentley (44, Jacksonville) has been sentenced by U.S. District Judge Steven Merryday to four years and three months in federal prison for cyberstalking and possessing ammunition as convicted felon. The court also ordered Bentley to forfeit the ammunition and have no contact, directly or indirectly, with the victims. Bentley pleaded guilty in April 2026. U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.
According to court documents, beginning in April 2023, Bentley harassed, intimidated, and caused emotional distress to two former Assistant United States Attorneys (AUSAs) by calling one AUSA’s direct line hundreds of times and by leaving threatening voicemails. In September 2023, Bentley’s home was searched by law enforcement. Agents recovered four boxes of ammunition, containing 25 cartridges per box. Bentley is a previously convicted felon, and therefore, not permitted to possess firearms or ammunition under federal law.
This case was investigated by the United States Marshals Service. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ilyssa M. Spergel.
Indianapolis Career Offender Sentenced to 30 Years in Federal Prison for Armed Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
INDIANAPOLIS- Deontai Williams, 33, of Indianapolis, has been sentenced to 30 years in federal prison, followed by 5 years of supervised release, after a federal jury found him guilty of trafficking in fentanyl, methamphetamine, and cocaine; illegally possessing eight firearms as a convicted felon; and possessing those firearms in furtherance of his drug-trafficking crimes. The jury returned its verdict in February 2026.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, on January 17, 2025, Williams was attending a pretrial hearing in Marion County for a case in which he was charged—and later convicted—of dealing methamphetamine, cocaine, a narcotic drug, and marijuana. While he was at the courthouse, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at his residence and discovered a cache of drugs, firearms, and high-capacity magazines.
Officers seized 22.4 grams of methamphetamine, 45.5 grams of cocaine, 7.3 grams of cocaine base, and 50.7 grams of fentanyl, along with digital scales. They also recovered eight firearms and multiple high-capacity magazines.
Williams’ conduct in this case caps a long history of drug dealing and violent criminal behavior. In one prior offense, Williams assaulted a woman who was taking a smoke break from her job on Massachusetts Avenue. After she declined to give him a cigarette, Williams took her cell phone and punched her in the face. In another prior case, he physically assaulted a six-year-old child by hitting him on the back with an extension cord, choking him, striking him in the face, and throwing him across a room.
Williams has multiple prior felony convictions including battery resulting in bodily injury to a person under 14, unlawful residential entry, unlawful possession of a firearm by a serious violent felon and dealing in methamphetamine.
“Despite multiple incarcerations and consequent opportunities to change course, Deontai Williams continued to traffic deadly drugs and arm himself illegally. His pattern of violence and criminal behavior put our community at serious risk,” said Tom Wheeler, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana. “Thanks to the hard work of DEA agents and our federal prosecutors, another reckless, violent offender faces the accountability he has long evaded.”
“Williams’ history of violence and repeated felony convictions demonstrate a pattern of behavior that has absolutely no regard for the law or the safety of our community,” said Gerald C. Dooley, DEA Assistant Special Agent in Charge. “This federal prison sentence ensures that a dangerous individual is removed from our neighborhoods and sends a clear message that armed drug traffickers will face full accountability in federal court.”
The Drug Enforcement Administration investigated this case, with assistance from the Metro Drug Task Force. The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Chief Judge James R. Sweeney II, with 25 years of the sentence to run consecutive to his state sentence in Marion County Cause No. 49D31-2206-F2-016856.
U.S. Attorney Wheeler thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Samantha Spiro and Patrick Gibson, who prosecuted this case.
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Indian National Arrested in Hawaii for Role in Gold Bar Elder Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
HONOLULU – United States Attorney Ken Sorenson announced today that Harsh Fojalal Shah, 25, an Indian national, was arrested in Honolulu, Hawaii on July 20, 2026, and charged by criminal complaint for his alleged role in a conspiracy to commit wire fraud targeting elderly victims.
According to the criminal complaint, Shah acted as a courier in a “gold bar purchase” fraud scheme that exploited fear and secrecy to coerce an elderly victim, identified in the complaint as “Jane Doe,” into turning over her life savings. The conspirators impersonated U.S. Marshals, claimed Doe’s identity had been compromised, and directed her to liquidate her savings and purchase gold as a supposed protective measure. Doe ultimately handed over nine gold bars valued at more than $137,000 and was further pressured to liquidate her retirement account for an additional $429,000 before law enforcement intervened.
Investigators later conducted a controlled operation using prop gold. On July 20, 2026, Shah arrived at a meeting location in Kaneohe, provided Doe with a one‑dollar bill as a confirmation “password,” and accepted a box he believed contained ten gold bars. Following the meeting, Shah was observed conducting evasive driving maneuvers throughout Honolulu before being arrested. During a post‑arrest interview, Shah admitted to conducting approximately ten similar pickups from older adults over the past several months.
“The alleged gold bar scheme here underscores a growing national trend in which sophisticated organized criminal networks prey upon vulnerable older Americans using lies, deceit, false impersonation, high‑pressure tactics, and isolation to steal their life savings,” said U.S. Attorney Ken Sorenson. “This case highlights both the courage of an elderly victim who came forward and the commitment of federal and local law enforcement to aggressively pursue the predators who seek to defraud victims of their life savings.”
“HSI is committed to taking down the criminal groups that target vulnerable people in our community. By working closely with our federal and local partners, we’re targeting these scammers and making sure that anyone who steals from our kupuna is held accountable,” said CJ Ammons, Homeland Security Investigations Acting Special Agent in Charge.
“This investigation demonstrates that those who exploit and victimize our community will be relentlessly pursued,” said Lieutenant Kawananakoa Saul, District 4 Burglary/Theft Detail I Misdemeanor Follow-Up Detail. “The Honolulu Police Department remains committed to protecting our residents through proactive investigations and coordinated law enforcement efforts.”
“The Hawaii Attorney General’s Investigation Division is committed to protecting our residents from criminals who use technology to impersonate law enforcement officers,” said Tom Alipio, Chief of the Hawaii Department of the Attorney General Investigations Division. “We will continue to work with our federal, state, and city partners to identify those responsible and hold them accountable.”
The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Hawaii urges older adults and their families to take steps to protect themselves from fraud. Never trust unexpected calls, texts, or emails claiming your accounts are compromised or demanding secrecy—legitimate government agencies will never ask you to purchase gold or other precious metals, gift cards, or cryptocurrency to safeguard your identity. Always verify suspicious communications by contacting the agency or company directly using an official phone number, and discuss unusual financial requests with trusted family members or friends. Do not click unsolicited pop-ups on your computer, links sent via texts, or links and attachments embedded in emails from unknown or spoofed senders, and do not call unknown telephone numbers shown in pop-ups, texts, or emails. Do not download software at the request of unknown individuals or let unknown individuals have access to your computer. Anyone who believes they may be the victim of a scam should immediately report it to local or federal law enforcement.
If convicted, Shah faces up to 20 years in prison and fine of up to $250,000, plus a term of supervised release.
The charge in the criminal complaint is merely an accusation, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. In the case of conviction, any sentence would be imposed by a United States District Judge based on the statutory sentencing factors and the advisory United States Sentencing Guidelines.
Homeland Security Investigations is investigating the case with assistance from the Honolulu Police Department and the Hawaii Attorney General’s Office.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Mohammad Khatib is prosecuting the case.
Illegal aliens face immediate deportation for immigration violationsRead the Press Release
SAVANNAH, Georgia: Multiple defendants illegally inside the United States were sentenced in federal court and transferred to immigration authorities for immediate deportation.
The sentences were imposed by U.S. District Court Chief Judge R. Stan Baker, and announced by Margaret E. ‘Meg’ Heap, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia.
- Homer Esau Vazquez-Mendez, 45, a citizen of Mexico, was sentenced to time served followed by immediate deportation after pleading guilty to Illegal Re-entry after Removal or Deportation. Vazquez-Mendez was identified as an illegal alien in May 2026 during a targeted enforcement operation in Chatham County and taken into custody by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
- Manuel de Jesus Perez-Melgar, 32, a citizen of Honduras, was sentenced to time served followed by immediate deportation after pleading guilty to Illegal Re-entry after Removal or Deportation. Perez-Melgar was identified as an illegal alien in May 2026 during a traffic stop in Port Wentworth and transferred to ICE custody.
- Didier Mora-Tino, 38, a citizen of Mexico, was sentenced to time served followed by immediate deportation after pleading guilty to Illegal Re-entry after Removal or Deportation. Mara-Tino was identified as an illegal alien in March 2026 in Ware County and transferred to ICE custody.
Illegal Re-entry after Removal or Deportation is a charge applied to an illegal alien present in the United States after at least one prior removal.
“Federal immigration laws exist to protect the integrity of our nation’s borders,” said U.S. Attorney Heap. “Those who repeatedly undermine those laws will be held accountable, removed and returned to their country of citizenship.”
These cases were investigated by Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Homeland Security Investigations, Port Wentworth Police Department, Ware County Sheriff’s Office and prosecuted for the United States by Southern District of Georgia Assistant U.S. Attorneys, Timothy P. Dean, L. Alexander Hamner, and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Karl I. Knoche.
Illegal alien and Smith County man sentenced to federal prison for operating a meth lab in the Eastern District of TexasRead the Press Release
TYLER, Texas – An illegal alien and a Smith County man have been sentenced to federal prison for drug trafficking violations in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs.
Daniel Garibay-Barriga, 39, an illegal alien from Mexico, and Craig Allen Wallace, 50, of Tyler, pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. On July 21, 2026, Garibay-Barriga was sentenced to 168 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Jeremy D. Kernodle. Wallace was sentenced to 165 months on the same day.
According to information presented in court, on January 28, 2025, a search warrant was executed at Wallace’s residence on FM 724 in Tyler following a drug trafficking investigation. During the search, investigators located two outbuildings containing numerous items of paraphernalia consistent with a clandestine methamphetamine conversion lab, including heating sources, chemicals such as volatile solvents, filtering items such as mesh screens, and large storage containers. In addition, investigators seized 44.71 liters of liquid containing methamphetamine in various stages of the conversion process and 9.57 kilograms of crystallized methamphetamine ready for distribution.
Officers also discovered an RV on the property that was being used as a makeshift drugstore stocked with methamphetamine, powder cocaine, crack cocaine, marijuana, and numerous THC products. Inside the residence, investigators located nine firearms.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
The case was investigated by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; Gregg County Sheriff’s Office; and Smith County Sheriff’s Office and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Lucas Machicek.
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Illegal Immigrant Caught with Guns and Drugs Sentenced to PrisonRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge Sarah E. Pitlyk on Monday sentenced a man caught in an abandoned hospital with a machete and two firearms to 46 months in prison.
Arlin Alexis Bustillo, 34, pleaded guilty in April in U.S. District Court to one count of being an illegal alien in possession of a firearm and one count of possession of a false permanent resident card. He admitted being caught on July 31, 2025, by St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department officers in St. Alexius Hospital and arrested for trespassing. He had a large machete on the left side of his waistband and a stolen pistol on the right side. In a backpack, officers found a sawed-off .22-caliber rifle. He also had a fraudulent Social Security card and permanent resident card. Bustillo is a native of Honduras and will be deported when he completes his sentence.
The case was investigated by the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Phillip Voss and Ricardo Dixon prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the Department of Justice’s nationwide initiative that brings federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement, prosecutors, and other public safety partners together to coordinate efforts to combat violent crime and make communities safe. Coordinated by U.S. Attorneys’ offices in each of the 94 federal districts, PSN is tailored to particular communities to strategically address specific violent crime and public safety challenges. As a key component of Operation Take Back America, PSN serves a central role in the Department’s commitment to make our country safe. PSN emphasizes three core principles: rapid federal response to violent crime and criminal offenders; strong, strategic partnerships among law enforcement at all levels; and accountability and deterrence through the prosecution of the most serious, readily provable offenses and other strategies. These efforts complement and strengthen President Trump’s Homeland Security Task Forces, ensuring a comprehensive federal response to the most pressing public safety issues facing communities.
Illegal Aliens from Honduras Charged after Law Enforcement Seized Approximately 7,500 Fentanyl Pills in the District of UtahRead the Press Release
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – A federal grand jury in Salt Lake City returned an indictment today charging two illegal aliens from Honduras, residing illegally in Utah, with drug crimes after law enforcement allegedly located and seized approximately 7,500 fentanyl pills for distribution in the District of Utah.
Kevin Arrazola-Canaca, 26, residing illegally in Tooele County, Utah; and Eddy Otel Arrazola-Canaca, 34, residing illegally in Kearns, Utah, were charged by complaint on July 16, 2026.
According to court documents, on July 15, 2026, law enforcement executed a search warrant on a vehicle and residence in the District of Utah. Law enforcement first encountered Eddy, the driver and sole occupant, during a traffic stop. Pursuant to a search warrant, detectives located and found approximately 295 grams of pills, which tested positive for fentanyl hidden within the dashboard of the car. That same day, detectives also executed a search warrant at a residence. During the search of the residence, Kevin was the sole occupant inside the residence. Inside the residence, detectives located and seized approximately 455 grams of pills, which tested positive for fentanyl, and $17,503 in cash. In total, Eddy possessed approximately 2,950 fentanyl pills, and Kevin possessed approximately 4,550 fentanyl pills. Both were arrested.
According to court documents, both Kevin and Eddy Arrazola-Canaca are not citizens of the United States.
Kevin Arrazola-Canaca and Eddy Arrazola-Canaca are charged with possession of fentanyl with intent to distribute. Their initial appearance on the indictment is scheduled for July 23, 2026, at 2:15 p.m. in courtroom 7.4 before a U.S. Magistrate Judge at the Orrin G. Hatch United States Courthouse in downtown Salt Lake City.
United States Attorney Melissa Holyoak of the District of Utah made the announcement.
The case is being investigated jointly by the Utah County Major Crimes Task Force (UCMC), and the Department of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI). Significant assistance was provided by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
Special Assistant United States Attorney Peter Reichman for the District of Utah is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Illegal Alien with 12 Prior Removals from the United States Indicted for Illegal Re-Entry by a Convicted FelonRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – An illegal alien who was previously removed from the United States on 12 separate occasions was arraigned earlier today on a charge of illegal re-entry after previously being convicted of a felony, U.S. Attorney Robert Frazer announced.
Aedo Cruz Gonzalez, 40, of New Jersey, was charged in a one-count Indictment with illegal re-entry by a convicted felon, in violation of Title 8, United States Code, Sections 1326(a) and (b)(1).
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
Cruz Gonzalez, a citizen of Mexico, was removed from the United States to Mexico 12 separate times for illegally entering the United States between 2011 and September 2024.
On February 6, 2012, Cruz Gonzalez pleaded guilty in the U.S. District Court for the District of Arizona to a felony offense of illegally re-entering the United States, and was sentenced to five months’ imprisonment. He was subsequently removed from the United States to Mexico for the third time on or about August 20, 2012.
Following his removal in August 2012, Cruz Gonzalez illegally entered the United States on nine additional occasions and was removed to Mexico each time. After his most recent removal on or about September 24, 2024, Cruz Gonzalez again unlawfully re-entered the United States. He was subsequently arrested by the Hillsborough Police Department on or about December 7, 2024 and charged with numerous crimes, including exhibiting a false motor vehicle insurance card and operating a motor vehicle during license suspension. Cruz Gonzalez was convicted in Somerset County Superior Court on those two charges on May 22, 2025.
The charge of unlawful re-entry by a convicted felon carries a maximum penalty of 10 years’ imprisonment and a maximum fine of $250,000 or twice the gross gain to the defendant as a result of the offense, or twice the gross loss to a person other than the defendant as a result of the offense, whichever is greatest.
U.S. Attorney Frazer credited U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations – Newark Field Office, under the direction of Acting Field Officer Director Arthur J. Wilson Jr., for their assistance with the investigation.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven Miller of the General Crimes Unit in Newark.
The charges and allegations contained in the Indictment are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
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Defense counsel: Adam Axel, Esq. and Meagan McGurl, Esq., Assistant Federal Public Defenders
cruzgonzalez.indictment.pdfIllegal Alien from Mexico Charged with Distributing Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Carlos Alonso Hernandez Urbina, 38, a Mexican national residing illegally in the United States, is facing multiple charges for distributing child sexual abuse material (CSAM) and for possessing CSAM involving prepubescent minors, announced Russ Ferguson, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina.
“Child sexual abuse material involving prepubescent minors is disgusting,” said U.S. Attorney Russ Ferguson. “Those that come to this country illegally to engage in such conduct will serve time in federal prison before being deported.”
According to allegations in the indictment, from May to June 2026, in Mecklenburg County, Urbina knowingly distributed CSAM on multiple occasions to five individuals. It is further alleged that from 2024 to 2026, Urbina did knowingly possess and accessed with intent to view CSAM that involved a prepubescent minor and a minor that had not yet attained 12 years of age.
If Urbina is convicted, he faces a mandatory minimum sentence of five years and a maximum of 20 years prison for each of the five counts of distribution of CSAM in the indictment, and up to 20 years in prison for the charge of possession and access with intent to view CSAM involving a prepubescent minor. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The FBI in Charlotte investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel Cervantes of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte is prosecuting the case.
The charges against the defendant are allegations, and he is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
Huntington Man Sentenced to Prison for Fentanyl CrimesRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Marcus Allen Johnson, also known as “Mook,” 42, of Huntington, was sentenced on July 20, 2026, to seven years and eight months in prison, to be followed by four years of supervised release, for distribution of a quantity of fentanyl and distribution of 40 grams or more of fentanyl.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Johnson sold approximately 53.76 grams of a mixture containing fentanyl on January 14, 2025, and approximately 56.68 grams of a mixture containing fentanyl on January 28, 2025, each time to a confidential informant in Huntington. As part of his guilty pleas, Johnson admitted that he conducted each transaction and arranged them beforehand. Johnson’s sentence was enhanced based on his role in having threats made to a government witness during the prosecution.
United States Attorney Moore Capito made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Cabell County Sheriff's Office.
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Joseph F. Adams prosecuted the cases.
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 Nos. 3:25-cr-96 and 3:25-cr-187.
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Homeland Security Task Force Investigation Leads to Nigerian National Charged with Money Laundering and Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud and Mail FraudRead the Press Release
SCRANTON- The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Okeoghene Patrick Udugba, age 45, of Frisco, Texas, was indicted by a federal grand jury on charges of Money Laundering and Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud and Mail Fraud.
According to United States Attorney Brian D. Miller, the indictment alleges that Udugba and others orchestrated overlapping romance and business email compromise schemes. As part of the scheme, Udugba and others utilized social media and dating websites to meet and establish purported romantic relationships with persons in multiple states. Those persons were groomed and ultimately used by Udugba and others as money mules to receive and cash fraudulently obtained checks.
To obtain the checks, members of the conspiracy sent emails from “spoofed” addresses in Nigeria, claiming to be representatives of the United States Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS). The spoofed emails directed that FWS grant funds be used to pay fabricated invoices, which falsely represented that the money mules were contractors and consultants of FWS who had performed work on grant-eligible projects. As a result of the fraudulent emails and invoices, FWS’s grant administrator issued payments in excess of $300,000.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation, United States Postal Inspection Service, Homeland Security Investigations, and Department of Interior Office of Inspector General investigated the case. Assistant United States Attorney Sarah R. Lloyd is prosecuting the case.
This prosecution is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF comprises agents and officers from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), and Department of Interior (DOI) Office of Inspector General (OIG) with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania.
On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division (“Fraud Division”). The Fraud Division is laser-focused on investigating and prosecuting those who commit fraud against the American people. The Department’s work to combat fraud supports President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs.
The maximum penalty under federal law for this offense is 30 years of imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. A sentence following the finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
Indictments and Criminal Informations are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.
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HSTF Investigation Leads to Avondale Man Being Sentenced to Five Years in Prison for Fentanyl DistributionRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – Jose De Jesus Martinez, 25, of Avondale, was sentenced on July 13, by United States District Judge Sharad H. Desai to five years in prison, followed by three years of supervised release. Martinez previously pleaded guilty to Possession with Intent to Distribute Fentanyl.
On May 5, 2025, near Phoenix, Martinez was caught delivering approximately 150,000 counterfeit oxycodone pills containing fentanyl. Martinez was arrested and agents seized the 13.3 kilograms of drugs.
Fentanyl is a man-made opioid 50 times more potent than heroin. Just two milligrams of fentanyl is considered a potentially deadly dose. Counterfeit pills containing fentanyl, appearing nearly identical to other prescription pills, are often sold through social media or other illegitimate sources.
Legitimate pharmaceutical pills cannot be bought through social media. The only safe medications are ones prescribed directly to you by a trusted medical professional and dispensed by a licensed pharmacist. For additional information and resources, including a Caregivers Fact Sheet, visit DEA.gov/onepill.
This prosecution is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF Phoenix comprises agents and officers from the Drug Enforcement Administration, Homeland Security Investigations, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, United States Marshals Service, Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation, ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations, United States Customs and Border Protection, United States Border Patrol, United States Postal Inspection Service, United States Secret Service, and the Bureau of Land Management, with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona.
The Glendale Police Department also provided significant assistance in this case.
CASE NUMBER: 25-CR-00829-PHX-SHD
RELEASE NUMBER: 2026-125_Martinez# # #
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.Gulf Breeze Man Sentenced to 48 Months in Federal Prison for Attempted Enticement of a MinorRead the Press Release
Tallahassee, Florida – Brock A. Westrom, 36, of Gulf Breeze, Florida, was sentenced by United States District Judge Mark E. Walker to 48 months in federal prison for attempted enticement of a minor. The sentence was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “Sexual predators, like this defendant, are relentless in their pursuit of children online, who they intend to sexually exploit and victimize, but our state and federal law enforcement partners are unified in their commitment to identify and stop those sick individuals before they can harm our kids. My office will continue to back up the outstanding investigative work of our law enforcement partners with aggressive prosecutions to keep these sexual deviants behind bars and away from our communities.”
Evidence at trial demonstrated that in July 2024, the Bay County Sheriff’s Office, along with other law enforcement partners, conducted an undercover operation, directed at finding people who were soliciting minors online for sex. On July 19, 2024, the defendant began talking with someone he believed was a fifteen-year-old child. He told the purported child the sexual acts he wanted the child to perform, the price he was willing to pay for those sexual acts, and then arranged a meeting location. The defendant traveled to meet the purported child at the agreed upon location, and he was arrested by law enforcement when he arrived. Electronic evidence seized pursuant to a search warrant confirmed the defendant had, in fact, talked to the person he believed was a child and traveled to meet them.
After serving his term of imprisonment, Westrom will have to register as a sexual offender and be subject to five years of supervised release.
“If you think you can use the internet to target a child and walk away without consequences, you're making the biggest mistake of your life,” said Bay County Sheriff Tommy Ford. “We will find you, we will arrest you, and we will work with our state and federal partners to ensure you face every consequence the law allows. Let this sentence serve as a warning: if you come to Bay County looking to exploit a child, you won't find a victim, you'll find deputies waiting to put you in handcuffs.”
“This predator’s vile efforts to exploit and target a child for sexual purposes are reprehensible and will not be tolerated in our community,” said Homeland Security Investigations Tampa acting Special Agent in Charge Nicholas Ingegno. “HSI is unwavering in our commitment to protecting children and holding predators fully accountable for their actions. We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to ensure those who seek to harm minors face the full force of justice.”
“Individuals who travel to exploit children will find no safe haven here,” said FBI Jacksonville Special Agent in Charge Jason Carley. “The FBI and our partners will continue to aggressively investigate these crimes and stop children from being exploited. If you travel to our community to target minors know that we will find you.”
This conviction was the result of an investigation by the Bay County Sheriff’s Office, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Meredith L. Steer and Eric W. Welch.
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.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndfl.
Guatemalan National Sentenced for Felony Reentry of Removed Alien for Immigration OffenseRead the Press Release
HAMMOND – Fredy Jiguan-Temaj, 23 years old, of Guatemala, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Philip P. Simon after pleading guilty to felony reentry of removed alien, announced United States Attorney Adam L. Mildred.
Judge Philip P. Simon sentenced the Defendant to time served, followed by 1 year of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 Special Assessment. The supervised release term would go into effect should the Defendant remain in, or return to, the United States within that period following expected removal proceedings.
“An illegal alien from the Republic of Guatemala who had been previously removed from the United States in 2022 was arrested on March 17, 2026, after causing a disturbance while operating a pickup truck in the parking lot of a Merrillville hotel. The defendant, who appeared to be heavily intoxicated at the time, then fled from the Merrillville Police officers responding to the scene, causing property damage to another vehicle. The Defendant was previously removed from the United States in 2022 and had reentered the country without inspection or approval. The Defendant again violated our nation’s borders, sovereignty and laws and was caught because he was endangering our community and then fled from officers. Thanks to the efforts of Homeland Security Investigations, the Merrillville Police Department and Assistant United States Attorney Zachary D. Heater, the Defendant has been prosecuted and sentenced. The Defendant needs to respect our nation’s laws and not return illegally,” said U.S. Attorney Adam L. Mildred.
Gregg County man sentenced to 20 years in federal prison for armed robbery of a Longview gun storeRead the Press Release
TYLER, Texas – A Longview man has been sentenced to 20 years in federal prison for committing a robbery and using a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs.
Kip Semauah Hurt, 26, pleaded guilty to a Hobbs Act robbery and use of a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence and was sentenced to 240 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge J. Campbell Barker on July 21, 2026.
According to information presented in court, on August 1, 2024, a Longview gun store was robbed resulting in the theft of 31 firearms. Many of the firearms were recovered by local law enforcement agencies such as the Gregg County Sheriff’s Office, the Marshall Police Department, and the Longview Police Department. It was determined that one of the recovered firearms had been used in the shooting of a Longview Police officer.
“Our priority was securing justice for the Longview community and the victims of this robbery, whose business empowered law-abiding citizens to exercise their Second Amendment rights,” said U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs. “We have a duty to relentlessly prosecute anyone who threatens innocent lives in East Texas, and today’s success is a direct result of the exceptional collaboration of our law enforcement partners.”
“ATF is proud to stand alongside our local, state, and federal partners in bringing this offender to justice. This case highlights the cascade effects when criminals obtain firearms. Through strong collaboration and determined investigative work, we were able to hold a violent offender accountable and make our communities safer. We will continue to prioritize cases like this to disrupt criminal activity and protect the public.” said Special Agent in Charge Brian Garner.
“This type of organized criminal behavior will not be tolerated in Longview and the surrounding area,” said Longview Police Chief Anthony Boone. “Local law enforcement in Gregg County will continue working together and will utilize every available state and federal resource to combat crime. We are thankful for the partnership and support of the Eastern District of Texas U.S. Attorney’s Office.”
Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is the Department of Justice’s nationwide initiative that brings federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement, prosecutors, and other public safety partners together to coordinate efforts to combat violent crime and make communities safe. Coordinated by U.S. Attorneys’ offices in each of the 94 federal districts, PSN is tailored to particular communities to strategically address specific violent crime and public safety challenges. As a key component of Operation Take Back America, PSN serves a central role in the Department’s commitment to make our country safe. PSN emphasizes three core principles: rapid federal response to violent crime and criminal offenders; strong, strategic partnerships among law enforcement at all levels; and accountability and deterrence through the prosecution of the most serious, readily provable offenses and other strategies. These efforts complement and strengthen President Trump’s Homeland Security Task Forces, ensuring a comprehensive federal response to the most pressing public safety issues facing communities.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Longview Police Department. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Dustin Farahnak.
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Goose Creek Felon Sentenced to More than 9 Years in Federal Prison for Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, S.C. — Thomas Lamont Ancrum, 37, of Goose Creek, has been sentenced to more than nine years in federal prison for possessing two firearms as a convicted felon.
Evidence obtained in the investigation revealed that Ancrum led officers with the North Charleston Police Department on a dangerous highspeed chase on the night of Aug. 12, 2024. During the chase, Ancrum reached speeds of over 100 miles per hour, weaving in and out of interstate traffic. Eventually, officers used stop sticks to puncture the vehicle’s tires which quickly ended the pursuit. Ancrum then exited the vehicle, dropped a book bag, and ran across the interstate. He was quickly apprehended by a police K9 and arrested. Inside the backpack, officers found two firearms and small quantities of cocaine and marijuana.
As a previously convicted felon, Ancrum is prohibited from legally possessing firearms or ammunition. He was indicted in federal court on one count of felon in possession of a firearm in 2025.
United States District Judge David C. Norton sentenced Ancrum to 115 months' imprisonment—the maximum term called for by the United States Sentencing Guidelines. Ancrum will be under court supervision for three years upon his release from federal prison. There is no parole in the federal system.
Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is the Department of Justice’s nationwide initiative that brings federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement, prosecutors, and other public safety partners together to coordinate efforts to combat violent crime and make communities safe. Coordinated by U.S. Attorneys’ offices in each of the 94 federal districts, PSN is tailored to particular communities to strategically address specific violent crime and public safety challenges. As a key component of Operation Take Back America, PSN serves a central role in the Department’s commitment to make our country safe. PSN emphasizes three core principles: rapid federal response to violent crime and criminal offenders; strong, strategic partnerships among law enforcement at all levels; and accountability and deterrence through the prosecution of the most serious, readily provable offenses and other strategies. These efforts complement and strengthen President Trump’s Homeland Security Task Forces, ensuring a comprehensive federal response to the most pressing public safety issues facing communities.
This case was investigated by the United States Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the North Charleston Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Cole Shannon prosecuted the case.###
Georgia Men Guilty in New York State Film Tax Credit Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
ALBANY, Ga. – Two Southwest Georgia men who used online tax preparation software to file state of New York tax returns falsely claiming film industry credits for people who never worked in New York or in film and television are facing several decades in prison for their crimes.
“We are committed to protecting taxpayers by ensuring that tax credits designed to create and maintain jobs are used lawfully,” said U.S. Attorney William R. “Will” Keyes. “The Department of Justice’s National Fraud Enforcement Division remains focused on combating fraud. We will continue working closely with our law enforcement partners to prevent financial crimes and uphold the public’s trust.”
"Financial fraud is far from a victimless crime. Schemes like this divert public resources, exploit stolen identities, and erode confidence in programs designed to benefit legitimate businesses and workers," said Thomas Clark, Supervisory Senior Resident Agent of FBI Atlanta’s Valdosta office. "The FBI and our partners will continue to aggressively investigate those who believe they can profit through deception and hold them accountable for their actions."
“Let this serve as a warning to any taxpayers considering lining their pockets for personal gain. The defendants repeatedly submitted fraudulent tax records attempting to steal funds that drive New York State’s creative economy,” said Amanda Hiller, New York State Department of Taxation and Finance Acting Commissioner. “I commend the dedicated work of our NYS Tax Investigators and thank United States Attorney Keyes and his office for their partnership and diligent efforts in bringing tax criminals to justice.”
Ryan Rugg, 28, of Tifton, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud on July 22. Rugg faces a maximum of 30 years in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release and a $250,000 fine. Rugg’s sentencing is scheduled for Oct. 29 at 3:00 p.m. in Albany.
Co-defendant, Joshua Jordan, 37, of Tifton, previously pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and one count of aggravated identity theft on March 26. Jordan faces a maximum of 30 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for wire fraud and a maximum of two years in prison to be served consecutively and a $250,000 fine for aggravated identity theft. In addition, Jordan faces up to five years of supervised release. Jordan’s sentencing is scheduled for Sept. 3 at 3:00 p.m. in Albany.
U.S. District Judge W. Louis Sands is presiding over the case. There is no parole in the federal system.
According to court documents and statements referenced in court, a New York State Department of Taxation and Finance investigator began looking into a potential fraud scheme on June 24, 2023, involving the submission of 22 New York State tax documents by 18 Georgia residents. The returns were flagged for several factors, including out-of-state residency, first-time filer status, and other indicators of fraud.
A deep review of these records revealed that Jordan and Rugg committed a tax scheme to obtain
fraudulent New York state tax refunds by falsely claiming film production and post-production tax credits. Investigators discovered that Jordan created an account in February 2023 with a tax preparation software company called Online Taxes, based in Missouri, which provides federal and state online tax preparation and electronic filing for individual taxpayers.
Jordan and Rugg admitted to filing, or helping others file, New York film tax credits for individuals who had never worked in New York and had not produced or incurred any cost producing film or television shows in New York. For example, Jordan admitted to filing a fraudulent tax return for S.B. on April 18, 2023, using the Online Taxes software. The preparation and submission of this document required Jordan to give S.B.’s Social Security number and other identifying information on the required forms without lawful authority to do so. On May 4, 2023, Jordan called the New York tax department line, pretending to be S.B. and requesting information on his fraudulent tax return. The fraudulent return filed on S.B.’s behalf yielded a return of $49,772 paid out by the state of New York.
In total, Jordan and Rugg fraudulently obtained or attempted to obtain more than $550,000 as part of this conspiracy.
On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division. The Fraud Division is laser-focused on investigating and prosecuting those who commit fraud against the American people. The Department’s work to combat fraud supports President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs.
The FBI Atlanta’s Valdosta Resident Agency and the New York State Department of Taxation and Finance investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Monica Daniels is prosecuting the case for the Government.
Gary Man Sentenced to 192 Months in Prison for Controlled Substance OffensesRead the Press Release
HAMMOND- Derek Cast, 48 years old, of Gary, Indiana, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Gretchen S. Lund after pleading guilty to distributing 50 grams of more of methamphetamine, announced United States Attorney Adam L. Mildred.
Cast was sentenced to 192 months in prison followed by 5 years of supervised release.
“A drug and gun dealer will spend the next 16 years in prison, followed by five years of supervised release, for plying his trade of mayhem and poison. On October 2, 2025, the defendant sold just under a pound of methamphetamine to law enforcement. A few weeks later, on October 28, and November 5, 2025, he sold law enforcement 4 semi-automatic pistols and 2 rifles and demonstrated how to use one of the rifles as a fully automatic firearm. He was immediately arrested and law enforcement recovered a firearm from his person. The defendant has multiple felony convictions, including attempted battery involving law enforcement, carrying a handgun without a license, possession of cocaine, and dealing in cocaine, all of which were felonies that disqualified him from possessing any firearm or ammunition, much less selling them along with the methamphetamine. Citizens of our community and nation are safer for the efforts of agents of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and Assistant United States Attorney Caitlin M. Padula as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods and Operation Take Back America,” said U.S. Attorney Adam Mildred.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Caitlin M. Padula.
Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is the Department of Justice’s nationwide initiative that brings federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement, prosecutors, and other public safety partners together to coordinate efforts to combat violent crime and make communities safe. Coordinated by U.S. Attorneys’ offices in each of the 94 federal districts, PSN is tailored to particular communities to strategically address specific violent crime and public safety challenges. As a key component of Operation Take Back America, PSN serves a central role in the Department’s commitment to make our country safe. PSN emphasizes three core principles: rapid federal response to violent crime and criminal offenders; strong, strategic partnerships among law enforcement at all levels; and accountability and deterrence through the prosecution of the most serious, readily provable offenses and other strategies. These efforts complement and strengthen President Trump’s Homeland Security Task Forces, ensuring a comprehensive federal response to the most pressing public safety issues facing communities.
Fort Totten, ND, Man Sentenced to Serve 15 Years for Assaults and Voluntary ManslaughterRead the Press Release
FARGO – United States Attorney Nicholas W. Chase announced today that Kolby Jae McKay, also known as Kolby Woods, age 34, from Fort Totten, North Dakota, was sentenced in United States District Court for the District of North Dakota, before Chief Judge Peter D. Welte, to serve 15 years in federal prison. McKay previously pleaded guilty to charges of Assault with a Dangerous Weapon, Assault of a Spouse, Intimate Partner, or Dating Partner by Strangulation, and Voluntary Manslaughter.
McKay’s guilty pleas were entered on April 2, 2026, in two separate cases. McKay pleaded guilty to Assault with a Dangerous Weapon and Assault of a Spouse, Intimate Partner, or Dating Partner by Strangulation related to an incident on March 13, 2024. McKay became upset with a woman, identified in the case as “Jane Doe,” with whom he was in a dating relationship. McKay grabbed a knife and held it to Jane Doe’s neck. Jane Doe pushed the knife away and McKay strangled Jane Doe by placing his hands tightly around Jane Doe’s neck until she almost lost consciousness.
McKay also pleaded guilty to Voluntary Manslaughter as a result of an incident a few weeks after the domestic assault. McKay killed Monte Ray Herman Sr. on April 3, 2024, following a physical fight during which McKay placed his forearm around the neck of Herman.
Both incidents occurred on the Spirit Lake Reservation. According to court documents, McKay fled after killing Herman and was at large for several days, prompting the Spirit Lake Tribal Council to issue a community curfew and offer a reward for information leading to McKay’s whereabouts.
“The Department of Justice is always committed to ensuring violent crimes in Indian country are investigated thoroughly and prosecuted aggressively,” said United States Attorney Nicholas W. Chase. “The career prosecutors in this office have worked with our law enforcement partners to increase prosecution of domestic violence involving nonfatal strangulation. This is because strangulation is an undeniable predictor of future lethal violence. Statistical evidence shows attackers who strangle are 75 percent more likely to kill. The more times an attacker strangles, the more likely the attacker is to kill the victim. Our office remains committed to working with our Tribal, federal, and local law enforcement partners to hold offenders accountable, protect victims, and make Tribal communities safer.”
“The scope of this defendant's violent conduct is appalling,” said FBI Minneapolis Field Office Special Agent in Charge Christopher D. Dotson. “After engaging in an extremely serious episode of domestic violence, Kolby McKay killed a man in response to an argument. Today's significant sentence is a reflection of the FBI's continuing commitment to enhancing public safety on tribal lands. The people of Spirit Lake are safer today because of the work done by this investigative team. It is this team's hope that today's sentence offers a sense of justice and closure to the surviving victim and the families of both victims.”
This case was investigated the Bureau of Indian Affairs and Federal Bureau of Investigation with assistance from the Benson, Eddy, Ramsey and Nelson County Sheriff’s Departments, North Dakota Highway Patrol, North Dakota Bureau of Criminal Investigation, and the Lake Region Narcotics Task Force, and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Samantha Schmidt Dahl and Lori Conroy.
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Fort Thompson Man Sentenced to 7 Years in Federal Prison for Firing a Gun at Other PersonsRead the Press Release
PIERRE - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced today that U.S. District Judge Eric C. Schulte has sentenced a Fort Thompson man convicted of Using and Carrying a Firearm During and Relation to a Crime of Violence. The sentencing took place on July 20, 2026.
Tigh Bagola, age 42, was sentenced to seven years in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Bagola was indicted by a federal grand jury in April 2025. He pleaded guilty on April 20, 2026.
The conviction stems from an incident that occurred in July 2023 in the Crow Creek Sioux Indian Reservation. On the afternoon of July 5, 2023, Bagola was walking in Ft. Thompson, South Dakota, when he encountered the victims. Bagola argued with the victims and then brandished a handgun at them. Bagola fired the gun in the victims’ direction, and then fled the scene.
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 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). Through PSN, the District of South Dakota seeks to bring together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce gun violence and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone.
This case was investigated by the FBI and Bureau of Indian Affairs, Office of Justice Services – Crow Creek Agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Meghan Dilges prosecuted the case.
Bagola was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Former SCDC Guard, Co-Defendants Plead Guilty in Bribery SchemeRead the Press Release
COLUMBIA, S.C. —Five individuals charged in a $550K prison bribery scheme entered guilty pleas in federal court this week.
- Lowanda Atkinson, 52, of Kershaw County, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit honest services wire fraud. Atkinson served as a corrections officer in SCDC and was assigned to Lee Correctional Institution.
- Jason Brown, 43, an SCDC inmate, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit honest services wire fraud.
- Adriana Conyers, 37, of Sumter County, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit honest services wire fraud.
- Christopher Hickman, 46, of Richland County, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit honest services wire fraud.
- Mary Ann Hickman-Brown, 64, of Clarendon County, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit honest services wire fraud.
Evidence obtained in the investigation revealed that Lowanda Atkinson, a 16-year corrections officer with SCDC, accepted more than $550,000 in bribes from inmates Larry Williamson and Jason Brown, along with Jason Brown’s mother Mary Ann Hickman Brown, Jason Brown’s brother Christopher Hickman, Jason Brown’s nephew’s mother Adrianna Conyers, and Jason Brown’s friend Courtney Briggs.
In exchange for the bribes, Atkinson smuggled contraband, including cell phones, cell phone accessories, tobacco, and controlled substances, into Lee Correctional Institution. The contraband was later sold to other inmates by Brown and Williamson and the proceeds of the contraband sales were split between Brown, Williamson, and Atkinson. Atkinson later spent the proceeds on designer purchases, plastic surgery, and a luxury SUV.
Larry Williamson and Courtney Briggs were charged in a separate Indictment. Briggs was arraigned on July 7, 2026 on count of conspiracy to commit honest services wire fraud and one count of honest services wire fraud. Williamson is pending arraignment on one count of conspiracy to commit honest services wire fraud, five counts of honest services wire fraud, one count of use of an interstate facility to facilitate bribery, and one count of drug conspiracy.
“The U.S. Attorney’s Office is committed to working with SCDC to root out corruption within our correctional system, whether it originates inside the walls or through networks that support it from the outside,” said U.S. Attorney Bryan Stirling for the District of South Carolina. “Atkinson’s scheme is an example of law enforcement corruption, and we will not tolerate that in South Carolina.”
“This person took advantage of the trust given to her and conspired with inmates and their families to flood our prison with deadly contraband,” SCDC Director Joel Anderson said. “I'm glad they are all being held accountable for their crimes. Her conduct is not characteristic of our values or of the people who work in our department.”
Each of the defendants faces up to 20 years imprisonment, $250,000 fine, and three years of supervised release. United States District Judge Sherri A. Lydon accepted the guilty plea and will sentence the defendants after receiving and reviewing a sentencing report prepared by the U.S. Probation Office.
The case was investigated by the FBI Columbia Field Office and the South Carolina Department of Corrections Office of Inspector General. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Elliott B. Daniels and Samantha Usher are prosecuting the case.###
Former Gymnastics Coach and Social Media Content Creator Pleads Guilty to Sexual Exploitation of ChildrenRead the Press Release
Theresa Mitchell, 44, formerly of Navarre, Florida, pleaded guilty Monday in federal court to one count of conspiracy to produce and distribute child pornography, two counts of production of child pornography, one count of receipt of child pornography, one count of possession of child pornography, and one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering.
According to court documents, between 2023 and 2025, Theresa Mitchell conspired with Christopher Buckeridge to produce and sell images of minor children engaged in sexually explicit conduct. Mitchell sold and distributed those images and videos to customers on social media platforms, messaging applications, and subscription-based websites. Buckeridge also sent Mitchell hundreds of images and videos depicting the sexual abuse of minors, including material that depicted the sadistic sexual abuse of prepubescent children. Ultimately, Mitchell received hundreds of thousands of dollars from selling images and videos of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct.
On March 17, a federal magistrate judge issued a warrant for the arrest of Mitchell and Buckeridge. Mitchell was arrested by federal agents in central Pennsylvania on March 19 and remains in custody.
Mitchell faces a minimum penalty of 15 years in prison and a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison on the child pornography production and conspiracy counts. Mitchell also faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison on the child pornography receipt and possession counts, as well as the money laundering conspiracy count. If convicted, Mitchell will be required to pay restitution to her victims and to register as a sex offender under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA). A U.S. district judge will determine Mitchell’s sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing is scheduled for Oct. 14.
Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney John “Jack” P. Heekin for the Northern District of Florida, Special Agent in Charge Jason Carley of the FBI Jacksonville Field Office, and Acting Special Agent in Charge Nicholas Ingengo of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) made the announcement.
The case is being jointly investigated by HSI, IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), and the FBI. Trial Attorney Eduardo Palomo of the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS) and Assistant U.S. Attorney David L. Goldberg for the Northern District of Florida are prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Florida Pharmacist Convicted of Massive Oxycodone Distribution ConspiracyRead the Press Release
A federal jury in the Southern District of Florida convicted a Florida licensed pharmacist and pharmacy owner yesterday for her role in dispensing over 300,000 oxycodone 30mg pills to pharmacy patrons who had no medical need for the drug.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Olushola Yusuf, 60, of Tampa, dispensed oxycodone to nearly all her pharmacy customers. Yusuf charged customers approximately 10 times the typical cost of the drug and required payment from them in cash. In total, Yusuf dispensed at least 335,351 pills of oxycodone 30mg during the conspiracy. Oxycodone 30mg is the maximum strength available of the drug and is both sought after and potentially dangerous due to its potency. It is typically prescribed to seriously ill patients, such as those suffering from chronic cancer pain or traumatic injuries.
“The defendant abused the public trust by using her pharmacies to unlawfully distribute deadly opioids,” said Assistant Attorney General Colin M. McDonald of the Justice Department’s National Fraud Enforcement Division. “This conviction sends an unmistakable message: whether you deal drugs on a street corner or from behind a pharmacy counter, the Fraud Division will hold you fully accountable under the law.”
“Olushola Yusuf did not simply ignore red flags. She built her business around them,” said U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida. “She knowingly flooded South Florida communities with more than 335,000 high-dose oxycodone pills, even after her employees and the DEA warned her about the dangers of her conduct. Yusuf charged extraordinary cash prices, served drug dealers and customers who traveled long distances, and put profit ahead of patients, public safety, and her responsibilities as a pharmacist. Yesterday, a federal jury held her accountable.”
“Pharmacists occupy a position of public trust and serve as a critical safeguard against the diversion of controlled substances,” said DEA Chief of Operations Matthew W. Allen. “By dispensing hundreds of thousands of oxycodone pills to virtually anyone willing to pay inflated cash prices, the defendant abandoned that responsibility, exploited addiction, and endangered lives for personal profit. This conviction reinforces DEA’s commitment to the American people: no one is above the law when they violate the public’s trust and contribute to the unlawful distribution of dangerous drugs.”
“By distributing dangerous and highly addictive narcotics, the defendant demonstrated a clear disregard for their community and endangered countless residents who should have been able to trust their pharmacist,” said FBI Co-Deputy Director Christopher Raia. “The opioid epidemic continues to plague our nation, which is why the FBI, along with our partners, will continue to hold the criminals poisoning our communities with these drugs accountable.”
Yusuf owned and operated two pharmacies, Boots LLC d/b/a Striderite (Boots) in Margate, Florida, and Chans Pharmacy Plus, Inc. (Chans) in Pembroke Pines, Florida. Yusuf distributed oxycodone 30mg pills through these pharmacies. Customers drove long distances across the state of Florida to have Yusuf fill prescriptions that they could not get filled at any other pharmacy. Some customers paid as much as $1,000 a month in cash to Yusuf for the drugs. And some customers were drug dealers, who picked up oxycodone pills purportedly on behalf of dozens of patients at a time who were not present. According to witnesses at trial, Yusuf kept the doors to her pharmacies locked during business hours, directing employees only to open the door for certain identified customers. Yusuf continued to dispense the oxycodone in this way even after repeated warnings from her employees and the DEA about the dangers of her pharmacy operations.
Boots Pharmacy in Margate, FL. Chans Pharmacy in Pembroke Pines, FL. Cash paid to Yusuf for oxycodone 30mgThe jury convicted Yusuf of conspiracy to illegally distribute drugs and five counts of illegal drug distribution. Yusuf’s co-defendant, Saman Gimenez, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to illegally distribute drugs and is scheduled to be sentenced in October of this year. Yusuf faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison for each count. A sentencing hearing will occur on October 14, 2026. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
HHS-OIG, FBI, and DEA are investigating the case.
Trial Attorney Angela Benoit of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Jacqueline DerOvanesian for the Southern District of Florida are prosecuting the case.
On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the Fraud Division. The Fraud Division is laser-focused on investigating and prosecuting those who commit fraud against the American people. The Department’s work to combat fraud supports President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste and abuse within Federal benefit programs.
The Department of Justice’s Health Care Fraud Strike Force Program, currently comprised of nine strike forces operating in federal districts across the country, has charged more than 6,200 defendants who collectively billed federal health care programs and private insurers more than $45 billion since 2007. In addition, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, working in conjunction with the Office of the Inspector General for the Department of Health and Human Services, are taking steps to hold providers accountable for their involvement in health care fraud schemes. More information can be found at www.justice.gov/criminal-fraud/health-care-fraud-unit.
Five-Week Trial Results in Federal Jury Convicting Three Members of Violent Robbery Crew Responsible for Robbing or Attempting to Rob 14 Stores and Bars in ChicagoRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — A federal jury has convicted three members of a robbery crew responsible for violently robbing or attempting to rob 14 liquor stores, convenience stores, and bars in Chicago.
XAVIER HARRIS and his brother, ARDARIES HARRIS, conspired with JORDAN FOX to rob more than a dozen Chicago businesses in 2023 and 2024. The robbers used stolen cars as getaway vehicles, wore masks and gloves, and brandished firearms in the heists. In some of the robberies, members of the crew fired shots from machine guns.
After a five-week trial in U.S. District Court in Chicago, the jury on July 21, 20226 convicted Xavier Harris, 27, of Chicago, Ardaries Harris, 28, of Chicago, and Fox, 26, of Chicago, of conspiracy, robbery, and firearm offenses. The jury found that Jordan Fox brandished firearms in 9 of the robberies; Ardaries Harris brandished firearms in 8 of the robberies; and Xavier Harris brandished firearms in 3 of the robberies. The jury also found that Jordan Fox discharged a machinegun during the robbery of the Irish Nobleman Pub on May 4, 2024, and that Ardaries Harris aided Fox’s discharge of a machinegun. The convictions carry a maximum sentence of life in prison.
According to evidence presented at trial, the three defendants conspired to commit the following robberies or attempted robberies in Chicago:
- Aug. 24, 2023: Ace’s Liquor and Tap, 4400 block of West Armitage Avenue.
- Jan. 10, 2024: A&R Food Mart, 5900 block of West Grand Avenue.
- Jan. 11, 2024: Central Extra Value Food and Liquor, 2900 block of North Central Avenue.
- Jan. 13, 2024: Buchanas Food & Liquor, 1800 block of West 47th Street.
- Jan. 15, 2024: Mr. P Beverage Depot, 2000 block of West Division Street.
- Jan. 15, 2024: Before You Go Liquor, 1900 block of West Fullerton Avenue.
- Jan. 15, 2024: Clybourn Market, 2800 block of North Clybourn Avenue.
- May 3, 2024: Humboldt Haus Liquor, 2900 block of West North Avenue.
- May 3, 2024: Gladstone Food Mart, 5700 block of North Milwaukee Avenue.
- May 4, 2024: Irish Nobleman Pub, 1300 block of West Erie Street.
- May 7, 2024: Buchanas Food & Liquor, 1800 block of West 47th Street.
- May 7, 2024: El Trebol Liquors and Bar, 1100 block of West 18th Street.
- May 7, 2024: Community Food and Liquor, 5500 block of North Milwaukee Avenue.
- May 9, 2024: Basil Food & Liquor, 7700 block of North Western Avenue in Chicago.
The government expects it will introduce evidence of additional robberies in the Chicagoland area at sentencing, which the government will ask the Court to consider in determining the appropriate sentence.
The convictions were announced by Andrew S. Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois; Christopher Amon, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Division of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives; and Fred Waller, Interim Superintendent of the Chicago Police Department. Valuable assistance was provided by the Chicago Field Office of the FBI, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations in Chicago, the Illinois State Police, and the U.S. Marshals Service’s Great Lakes Regional Task Force. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Emily C.R. Vermylen, Stephanie Stern, and Jalan Jaskot.
The verdict was particularly important because this case involved charges that carried a 30-year mandatory minimum for use of a machinegun during a crime of violence, given the defendants’ use of machinegun conversion devices.
“Machinegun conversion devices turn semiautomatic firearms into fully automatic weapons, capable of firing multiple bullets at the single pull of a trigger,” U.S. Attorney Boutros said. “They have proliferated on the streets of Chicago. The office will continue to prosecute the use of these lethal weapons vigorously.”
A fourth defendant charged in the case—ROOSEVELT VEAL, 28, of Rockford—will be tried separately. Veal’s trial date has not yet been scheduled.
Felon who Arranged Murder of St. Louis County Man Sentenced to Life in PrisonRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge Audrey G. Fleissig on Wednesday sentenced a felon to life in prison for arranging the 2011 murder of a St. Louis County man to get a share of an insurance payout.
Judge Fleissig ordered the sentence to run consecutive to the 226-month federal prison sentence Michael Grady is already serving for aiding a large-scale, violent drug conspiracy by trying to determine who was cooperating with investigators and prosecutors.
Grady, now 71, was convicted by a jury in U.S. District Court in St. Louis in March of one count each of conspiracy to commit murder-for-hire, aiding and abetting murder-for-hire and conspiracy to commit money laundering. Evidence and testimony at the trial showed that Grady hatched the plot against Charles Harris III to aid Harris’ financially struggling fiancée, Victoria Rena Williams.
In 2010, Grady prompted Williams to get a $250,000 accidental death policy on Harris, evidence and testimony showed. She did so without Harris’ knowledge, after confirming that it would pay out if he was killed during a robbery. Williams then arranged a meeting between Harris, who worked for an alarm company but sold suits out of his home on the side, and the shooter or shooters, who posed as suit customers. On Oct. 5, 2011, Harris was fatally shot in his home on Langford Drive in St. Louis County. After a dispute with the insurance company, Williams received $224,444 and then obtained a cashier’s check for $110,000 payable to Grady’s wife. Williams also received $175,762 from another insurance policy.
The shooter or shooters have not been identified, according to trial testimony.
“Charles Harris was a hardworking man. He was a good man,” said Assistant U.S. Attorney Nino Przulj, one of the prosecutors who worked on the case, in court Wednesday. “Mr. Grady is the polar opposite.”
Williams, 68, pleaded guilty to the same charges that Grady was convicted of and was sentenced in March to 225 months in prison.
"This is not the first time the FBI has investigated Michael Grady. He is currently serving a 19-year federal prison sentence for providing long-term support to some of the St. Louis area's most prolific and violent drug traffickers," said Special Agent in Charge Chris Crocker of the FBI St. Louis Division. "But a prison sentence was never going to shield him from accountability. When evidence of his involvement in this murder surfaced, the FBI and St. Louis County Police remained steadfast in our commitment to securing justice for the victim and ensuring Grady answered for this crime."
The St. Louis County Police Department and the FBI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ryan Finlen, Nino Przulj and Donald Boyce prosecuted the case.
Felon Who Possessed Ammunition Sent to Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
A New Mexico man who possessed over 640 rounds of ammunition was sentenced today to two years in federal prison.
Chase Smith Walker, age 41, from Carlsbad, New Mexico, received the prison term after a March 9, 2026, guilty plea to one count of possession of ammunition by a felon.
In a plea agreement, Walker admitted that, on October 6, 2023, at approximately 1:40 a.m., he was driving while intoxicated in Tama County, Iowa. During a traffic stop and his booking at the local jail, Walker was extremely defiant and disrespectful towards officers. After his arrest, officers searched his truck, and they located over 640 rounds of ammunition. Walker was prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition because he had previously been convicted of a drug‑trafficking felony.
Walker was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand. Walker was sentenced to 24 months’ imprisonment and fined $1,500. He must also serve a two‑year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system. Walker is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Dillan Edwards and investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Meskwaki Nation Police Department.
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.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 25‑CR‑00015‑LTS.
Federal Jury Convicts Honduran Man for Possession of a Fraudulent Green CardRead the Press Release
Federal Jury Convicts Honduran Man for Possession of a Fraudulent Green Card
CONCORD – After a trial, a Honduran national was convicted by a federal jury for the unlawful possession of a fraudulent green card yesterday, U.S. Attorney Erin Creegan announces.
Hector Ariel Ortiz-Guillen was convicted of knowingly possessing a fraudulent or forged Permanent Resident card, more commonly called a green card. U.S. District Judge Steven J. McAuliffe scheduled sentencing for July 28, 2026. Ortiz-Guillen has been detained since December 5, 2025.
“It is a privilege to live and work in the United States,” said U.S. Attorney Creegan. “We expect all persons who come to the United States to follow the rules and laws for entry. This verdict shows we will continue to protect the integrity of our immigration system.”
The evidence introduced at trial showed that on December 5, 2025, Border Patrol investigated a tip that there was a work crew of three illegal aliens in Colebrook, New Hampshire. Border Patrol saw them enter a truck and tried stopping the vehicle. The truck sped off, and after a chase, the truck crashed into a snowbank. Ortiz-Guillen then fled on foot. After a pursuit, Border Patrol and other law enforcement personnel detained Ortiz-Guillen and searched him. Border Patrol found a wallet on him which contained a fraudulent green card which showed Ortiz-Guillen’s name and face, but an alien number belonging to a Canadian citizen.
The charging statute provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, and up to 3 years of supervised release. After serving his sentence, Ortiz-Guillen is subject to removal from the United States. 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.
U.S. Border Patrol led the investigation and was assisted on December 5 by personnel from the New Hampshire State Police, New Hampshire Fish and Game, the Colebrook Police Department, and the Coos County Sheriff’s Office. U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services also provided valuable assistance. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Charles L. Rombeau and Alexander S. Chen are prosecuting the case.
Enforcer for Brooklyn-Based “Bully Gang” Sentenced to 52 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
Earlier today, in federal court in Brooklyn, Franklin Gillespie was sentenced by United States District Judge Brian M. Cogan to 52 years’ imprisonment for multiple crimes related to his high-ranking membership of the Bully Gang, a violent street gang based in the Bedford-Stuyvesant neighborhood of Brooklyn. Among other serious crimes, Gillespie committed two murders, including the murder of a potential witness, as well as two armed robberies, while on supervised release for multiple federal firearms convictions.
Gillespie was one of four Bully Gang leaders and managers who were convicted after a 13-week trial in 2024, in a case that resulted in the arrest and conviction of 53 defendants. Gillespie’s co-defendants at trial—Moeleek Harrell, Derrick Ayers, and Anthony Kennedy—were sentenced to 60 years’ imprisonment in April 2026, 59 years’ imprisonment in June 2026, and 41 years’ imprisonment in May 2026, respectively. The trial defendants were convicted variously of racketeering, murder conspiracies, assaults, firearms offenses, drug trafficking offenses, and money laundering conspiracies. In connection with the racketeering conviction, a jury found several racketeering acts proven, including murder, murder conspiracy, robbery, bribery, drug trafficking conspiracy, and money laundering.
Joseph Nocella, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York; Bryan DiGirolamo, Special Agent in Charge, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, New York Division (ATF); Jessica S. Tisch, Commissioner, New York City Police Department (NYPD); and Nadia I. Shihata, Commissioner, New York City Department of Investigation (DOI), announced the sentence.
“Franklin Gillespie was one of the most violent members of an extraordinarily violent street gang and our Brooklyn community is rid of him thanks to today’s sentence,” stated United States Attorney Nocella. “This important prosecution demonstrates our Office’s commitment to seeking justice for Gillespie’s many victims and their families, and ensures that our communities will be protected in the future from the leaders of this violent criminal organization.”
Mr. Nocella thanked the United States Attorney’s Office in the District of Maine and the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency for their assistance during this investigation and prosecution.
“This sentence holds accountable a senior gang member whose actions brought violence, fear, and tragedy to our communities. From orchestrating violent criminal activity to committing multiple murders, armed robberies, the defendant demonstrated a complete disregard for human life and the rule of law. ATF/ NYPD Joint Firearms Task Force remains committed to working alongside the NYPD, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York, and our law enforcement partners to identify, investigate, and dismantle violent criminal organizations, ensuring those who terrorize our neighborhoods are brought to justice,” stated ATF Special Agent in Charge DiGirolamo.
“For years, the Bully Gang waged a campaign of violence and terror in Brooklyn, committing murders, shootings, armed robberies, and drug trafficking,” stated NYPD Commissioner Tisch. “Thanks to the tireless work of NYPD investigators and our law enforcement partners, Franklin Gillespie and the other top members of this ruthless gang will never walk free on our streets again. This case is yet another example of the NYPD’s precision policing strategy at work – going after the gangs and the guns to make our communities safer.”
“This sprawling investigation and today’s outcome have made the people of Brooklyn and beyond safer. With this sentence, Franklin Gillespie, one of four high-ranking gang leaders responsible for terrorizing neighborhoods by instilling fear, trafficking drugs, and committing murder, has been held accountable for his devastating conduct,” stated DOI Commissioner Shihata. “While this sentence cannot bring his victims back to their loved ones or undo the devastation his crimes have caused—it sends a clear message that those who endanger our communities will be brought to justice. I thank the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, the ATF’s New York Division and the NYPD for their partnership on this significant investigation.”
As proven during trial and set forth in court documents, the Bully Gang was a violent criminal organization whose members committed murders, including the murder of a potential law enforcement witness; regularly shot at gang rivals in public streets; burned down a home with people inside; committed armed robberies with an arsenal of weapons trafficked from out of state; and engaged in multiple sprawling narcotics trafficking schemes. Gillespie was the gang’s violent enforcer who targeted the gang’s enemies and committed multiple murders. Gillespie’s three co-defendants at trial also played critical roles in the gang: Harrell was a founder and leader who directed the gang’s crimes; Ayers ran the gang’s extensive Maine drug trafficking organization and committed numerous violent crimes for the gang, including murder; and Kennedy was a trusted member of the gang who participated in the murders carried out by Gillespie and the gang’s drug trafficking.
Crimes of Violence
Gillespie committed numerous acts of violence on behalf of the Bully Gang. Over four days in April 2020, Gillespie, with the assistance of Kennedy, murdered two people. First, Gillespie murdered Paul Hoilett in Crown Heights, Brooklyn. Before the murder, Gillespie surveilled and followed Hoilett as Hoilett walked down the sidewalk. Gillespie then shot Hoilett in the back of the head at point-blank range. On the day of the murder, Kennedy drove Gillespie from New Jersey to Brooklyn, where Gillespie met Mike Hawley. Hawley then drove Gillespie directly to the murder.
Four days later, Gillespie and Kennedy murdered Hawley in Far Rockaway, Queens. After Gillespie and Kennedy came to believe that law enforcement was looking for Hawley, they targeted Hawley to prevent him from speaking to law enforcement authorities about Hoilett’s murder. Kennedy drove Gillespie to and from Queens to commit this murder, while Gillespie arranged a meeting with Hawley in Queens under false pretenses. As with the murder of Hoilett, Gillespie shot Hawley multiple times, also at point-blank range. Gillespie and Kennedy took many steps to hide their involvement in this murder from law enforcement authorities, including removing the license plate and inspection sticker from the getaway car used in the murder.
In addition to these two murders, Gillespie committed many other violent crimes. In August 2020, Gillespie and other Bully Gang members and associates committed two gunpoint robberies on consecutive days in Manhattan. After the robberies, Gillespie and his co-conspirators made social media posts flaunting the proceeds of the robberies and bragging about their crimes. One week later, Gillespie was found with three guns, including the two guns used in these robberies.
Gillespie’s violence was part of a larger pattern of violence among members of the Bully Gang. For example, in a shooting on October 1, 2017, Harrell, Ayers, and other gang members targeted a victim who the gang believed was responsible for the death of one of the Bully Gang’s founders. During this shooting, their intended target and an innocent bystander were shot. Separately, Harrell, Ayers, and other gang members targeted their rival “Stukes Crew” in numerous acts of violence over several years. These acts of violence included Ayers’s murder of Jonathan Jackson, a Stukes Crew associate, in March 2018. Harrell, Ayers, and other Bully Gang members also planned and participated in three additional shootings in Crown Heights targeting the Stukes Crew. One of these shootings resulted in a car crash that injured multiple people.
Notably, Gillespie is not alleged to have committed these 2017 and 2018 shootings because, from March 2016 through August 2019, he was in federal prison in connection with his second federal gun conviction. At the time of the murders and other conduct of which he was convicted in this case, Gillespie was on federal supervised release in connection with the federal firearms convictions.
Drug Trafficking
While still on federal supervised release, Gillespie also played an important role in the Bully Gang’s drug trafficking operation in Maine. As part of this scheme, the Bully Gang and its associates transported large quantities of drugs, including cocaine base, heroin, and fentanyl, from New York and New Jersey to Maine, where they sold the drugs out of stash houses throughout the state. For months, Gillespie recruited and directed subordinates who sold and transported drugs, managed the gang’s stash houses, traveled to Maine in connection with the scheme, and collected hundreds of thousands of dollars in profit from the drug sales. All of Gillespie’s co-defendants at trial were also involved in the Maine drug trafficking scheme, including Ayers, who ran the day-to-day operations of the scheme for many years.
Other members and associates of the gang, including Harrell and Kennedy, ran a separate drug smuggling scheme at jail facilities on Rikers Island. In connection with this scheme, Harrell, Kennedy, and their co-conspirators arranged for comic books and other papers soaked in synthetic cannabinoids, also known as “K2,” to be delivered to Rikers where the drugs were sold to inmates at a substantial profit.
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The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s Organized Crime and Gangs Section. Assistant United States Attorneys Nicholas J. Moscow, Lindsey R. Oken, Joy Lurinsky, Victor Zapana, and Stephen H. Petraeus, and former Assistant United States Attorneys Drew Rolle and Michael J. Castiglione, were in charge of the prosecution, with significant assistance from Legal Administrative Specialist Samantha Ward, Intelligence Analyst Eungee Hwang, and Law Enforcement Coordinator Specialist Herbert Martin, among others.
The Defendants:
DERRICK AYERS (also known as “Dee” and “Mel”)
Age: 39
Rahway, New Jersey
(Sentenced to 59 years’ imprisonment on June 18, 2026)FRANKLIN GILLESPIE (also known as “Spazz” and “Frankie Gino”)
Age: 35
Newark, New Jersey
(Sentenced to 52 years’ imprisonment on July 22, 2026)MOELEEK HARRELL (also known as “Moe Money”)
Age: 36
Brooklyn, New York
(Sentenced to 60 years’ imprisonment on April 30, 2026)ANTHONY KENNEDY (also known as “Biggie”)
Age: 40
Queens, New York
(Sentenced to 41 years’ imprisonment on May 12, 2026)E.D.N.Y. Docket Nos. 11-CR-371 (BMC), 16-CR-252 (BMC), 20-CR-239 (S-8) (BMC), 20-CR-240 (BMC), 25-CR-229 (BMC)
E.D.N.Y. Docket Nos. 20-CR-239 (S-8) (BMC) and 20-CR-240 (BMC)
- Employee Who Fraudulently Embezzled Approximately $4 Million from Big Ten Network Sentenced 28 Months in Prison and Ordered to Repay Funds
Eddington Man Convicted of Making Online ThreatsRead the Press Release
BANGOR, Maine: An Eddington man was found guilty on July 21, 2026, of three counts of transmitting interstate threatening communications and one count of threatening Vice President Kamala Harris, following a two-day jury trial in U.S. District Court in Bangor. He was found not guilty of one additional count of transmitting an interstate threat.
According to court records and evidence presented at trial, Thadius Wind, 52, made posts on X, formerly known as Twitter, threatening to kill Jewish people, Vice President Kamala Harris, Maine law enforcement officers, and Elon Musk. The FBI identified Wind as the author of the posts and executed a search warrant at his Eddington residence in March of 2025, where they found numerous swords. The investigation and evidence at trial showed that Wind held strong animosity towards the individuals and groups he threatened.
On each count, Wind faces up to 5 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, and up to three years of supervised release. He will be sentenced after the completion of a presentence investigative report by the U.S. Probation Office. A federal district court judge will determine his sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The FBI and the U.S. Secret Service investigated the case with assistance from the Penobscot County Sheriff’s Office.
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Cumberland County Man Indicted for Distribution, Receipt, and Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
HARRISBURG - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced today that Jesse White, age 48, of Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania, was charged by criminal complaint with receipt and possession of child pornography.
According to United States Attorney Brian D. Miller, the complaint alleges that the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children received reports via their CyberTipline on June 19, 2026, which were flagged as child pornography and White was identified as the producer of such files. On July 21, 2026, the FBI executed a federal search warrant at White’s residence and seized multiple computers and hard drives and conducted a preliminary on-site review of the devices. It is alleged that one hard drive contained numerous files containing images of child pornography depicting minors between the estimated ages of seven to 15 years old engaged in sexually explicit activity. It is further alleged that in a separate drive, agents found approximately 100 files depicting child pornography.
The FBI investigated the case. Assistant United States Attorney Christian Haugsby is prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by 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.
The maximum penalty under federal law for the crimes charged in the Complaint is 30 years’ imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. A sentence following the finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
Indictments are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.
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Cozad Man Sentenced to 30 Years for Drug ChargesRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Lesley Woods announced that Levi McAlevy, 37, of Cozad, Nebraska, was sentenced on July 17, 2026, in federal court in Lincoln, Nebraska, for one count of distribution of at least 5 grams of actual methamphetamine and one count of distribution of a mixture or substance containing methamphetamine. McAlevy was convicted of both counts following an April 2026 four-day jury trial in Lincoln. United States District Judge Susan M. Bazis sentenced McAlevy to a total of 360 months of imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After McAlevy’s release from prison, he will begin a 7-year term of supervised release.
McAlevy sold methamphetamine to a Confidential Informant (CI) working with the CODE drug task force on two occasions in 2024. The first buy occurred on September 19, 2024. McAlevy and the CI traveled to various locations before McAlevy sold the methamphetamine. The Nebraska State Patrol Crime Laboratory confirmed the substance was at least 5.3 grams of actual methamphetamine. The second buy—which involved at least 2.8 grams of a mixture or substance containing methamphetamine—occurred on October 2, 2024. Again, McAlevy and the CI traveled to various locations before McAlevy sold the methamphetamine.
Although McAlevy sold smaller amounts of methamphetamine to the CI, the evidence at trial demonstrated that McAlevy was responsible for selling more than 25 kilograms of methamphetamine in central and western Nebraska. The evidence showed that McAlevy used firearms and threats to discourage others from notifying law enforcement about his drug dealing.
This case was investigated by the CODE Task Force which is made up of law enforcement agencies throughout a 22-county area in west-central/southwest Nebraska and includes the North Platte Police Department, Lexington Police Department, Dawson County Sheriff’s Office, Ogallala Police Department, Nebraska State Patrol, Federal Bureau of Investigation, and Homeland Security Investigations.
Convictions through Guilty Pleas and Sentencings in Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) Prosecutions (July 13 through July 17, 2026)Read the Press Release
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Puerto Rico, Héctor Ramírez-Carbó, Acting United States Attorney, in conjunction with our partner agencies in the Homeland Security Task Force (“HSTF”) announce the following prosecutorial results for the week of July 13 through July 17, 2026. The HSTF is a permanent, interagency law enforcement task force created by executive order to combat transnational criminal organizations—including cartels, trafficking networks, and foreign terrorist organizations.
Convictions through Guilty Pleas:
- On July 14, 2026, Melvis Marcano-González pleaded guilty to Count One of the Superseding Indictment in Criminal Case 21-317 (PAD). According to the Indictment, the defendant was charged with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute 225 kilograms of cocaine, aboard a vessel subject to the jurisdiction of the United States. Defendant was extradited from Colombia on June 13, 2024. The court set defendant’s sentencing date for October 9, 2026. AUSA Camille García Jiménez is in charge of the prosecution of the case.
- On July 17, 2026, Kenneth Córdova-Real pleaded guilty to drug and firearm charges in case 23-353 (GMM). According to the indictment, the defendant was charged with participating in a violent drug trafficking organization that operated out of various public housing projects in and near Manatí, PR including the Enrique Zorilla Public Housing Project. Defendant was arrested on September 22, 2023. The court set defendant’s sentencing date for October 19, 2026. AUSAs Andrés Orr and Joseph Russell are in charge of the prosecution of the case.
- On July 17, 2026, Jadriel Yandel Bruno-Rodríguez pleaded guilty to drug and firearm charges in case 23-353 (GMM). According to the indictment, the defendant was charged with participating in a violent drug trafficking organization that operated out of various public housing projects in and near Manatí, PR including the Enrique Zorilla Public Housing Project. Defendant was arrested on September 22, 2023. The court set defendant’s sentencing date for October 19, 2026. AUSAs Andrés Orr and Joseph Russell are in charge of the prosecution of the case.
- On July 17, 2026, Kelvin Joel Rivas-Quiñonez pleaded guilty to drug and firearm charges in case 23-353 (GMM). According to the indictment, the defendant was charged with participating in a violent drug trafficking organization that operated out of various public housing projects in and near Manatí, PR including the Enrique Zorilla Public Housing Project. Defendant was arrested on September 22, 2023. The court set defendant’s sentencing date for October 13, 2026. AUSAs Andres Orr and Joseph Russell are in charge of the prosecution of the case.
- On July 15, 2026, Jeffrey Figueroa-Rosado pleaded guilty to Counts One and Seven in Criminal Case number 25-272 (SCC). According to the indictment, the defendant was charged with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking crimes. Defendant was arrested on July 10, 2025. AUSAs Laura Díaz-González and Andrés Orr are in charge of the prosecution of the case.
- On July 16, 2026, Luis Abdiel Reyes Nieves pleaded guilty to Counts One and Seven in Criminal Case number 25-272 (SCC). According to the indictment, the defendant was charged with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking crimes. Defendant was arrested on July 10, 2025. AUSAs Laura Díaz-González and Andrés Orr are in charge of the prosecution of the case.
- On July 17, 2026, Ezequiel Olivo Bido pleaded guilty to Count One in Criminal Case number 25-272 (SCC). According to the indictment, the defendant was charged with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances and possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking crimes. Defendant was arrested on July 10, 2025. The court set defendant’s sentencing date for October 14, 2026. AUSAs Laura Díaz-González and Andrés Orr are in charge of the prosecution of the case.
- On July 17, 2026, Moisés Serrano De Jesús pleaded guilty to Count One in Criminal Case number 25-272 (SCC). According to the indictment, the defendant was charged with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances and possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking crimes. Defendant was arrested on July 10, 2025. AUSAs Laura Díaz-González and Andrés Orr are in charge of the prosecution of the case.
- On July 17, 2026, Alexie Delgado Torres pleaded guilty to Count One in Criminal Case number 25-272 (SCC). According to the indictment, the defendant was charged with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances. Defendant was arrested on July 10, 2025. AUSAs Laura Díaz-González and Andrés Orr are in charge of the prosecution of the case.
Sentencings:
- On July 13, 2026, Joseph Ríos-Vélez was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Aida Delgado Colón to 108 months (9 years) of imprisonment to be followed 6 years of supervised release for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances and possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking. According to court documents, defendant was indicted on April 9, 2025, in Criminal Case 25-184 (ADC) and pleaded guilty on January 21, 2026. AUSAs Laura Díaz-González and Andrés Orr are in charge of the prosecution of the case.
- On July 13, 2026, Jonathan Martínez-González was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Aida Delgado Colón to 84 months of imprisonment (7 years), to be served consecutively to the 72-month (6 years) sentence imposed in case number 23-133 (MAJ), to be followed 8 years of supervised release for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances and possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking. According to court documents, defendant was indicted on April 9, 2025, in Criminal Case 25-184 (ADC) and pleaded guilty on January 14, 2026. AUSAs Laura Díaz-González and Andrés Orr are in charge of the prosecution of the case.
- On July 15, 2026, Yander Luis José-Peña pleaded guilty and was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Silvia L. Carreño-Coll to time served for improper entry by an alien. According to court documents, defendant was indicted on April 22, 2026, in Criminal Case 26-159. SAUSA Cody A. McKinney oversaw the prosecution of the case.
These prosecutions are part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States.
HSTF San Juan comprises agents and officers from the following federal partners: FBI, ICE-HSI, CBP (OFO, AMO and Border Patrol), the U.S. Marshals Service for Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, DEA, ATF, IRS, U.S. Coast Guard, U.S. Coast Guard Investigative Service, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Department of State, and the U.S. Secret Service, the Puerto Rico/U.S. Virgin Islands HIDTA, TSA, FAA, and the U.S. Attorney’s Offices for the Districts of Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
The HSTF also has the following state and local law enforcement partners as participating agencies: the Puerto Rico Police Department; the San Juan, Carolina, Guaynabo, Barceloneta, and Ponce Municipal Police Departments, the Puerto Rico National Guard – Counter Drug Program; the Puerto Rico Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation; the Puerto Rico Internal Revenue Service (Hacienda); the Puerto Rico Port Authority; and the Virgin Islands Police Department.
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Convicted Drug-Trafficker Guilty of Distributing Fentanyl and Methamphetamine and Committing Federal Firearms OffensesRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – SHERWIN WHITE, JR. (“WHITE”), age 30, of New Orleans, pleaded guilty on July 21, 2026, before Chief U.S. District Judge Wendy B. Vitter to nine federal drug and gun offenses, announced U.S. Attorney David I. Courcelle. Pursuant to his plea agreement with the government, WHITE has agreed to a sentence of 25 years in prison.
WHITE pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute, and possess with intent to distribute, 400 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing fentanyl and 500 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing methamphetamine, in violation of 21 U.S.C. §§ 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(A), and 846; distribution of a quantity of fentanyl, in violation of 21 U.S.C. §§ 841(a)(1) and 841(b)(1)(C); distribution of 40 grams or more of fentanyl, in violation of 21 U.S.C. §§ 841(a)(1) and 841(b)(1)(B); distribution of 50 grams or more of methamphetamine, in violation of 21 U.S.C. §§ 841(a)(1) and 841(b)(1)(B); carrying a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 924(c)(1)(A)(i); possession with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing fentanyl and a quantity of burenorphine, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(A), and 841(b)(1)(E); and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 924(c)(1)(A)(i). WHITE also admitted that he was subject to a sentencing enhancement because he has a prior conviction for distribution of heroin.
According to court documents, over the course of five transactions between November 2024 and January 2025, WHITE, and his co-conspirators, sold fentanyl, methamphetamine, and firearms to individuals he believed to be legitimate purchasers. In total, WHITE and his co-conspirators sold over 110 grams of fentanyl, over 2.5 pounds of methamphetamine, and 13 firearms to individuals he believed to be legitimate purchasers. During one of the transactions, WHITE asked the individual he believed to be legitimate purchaser if they could press WHITE’s fentanyl into pills. During another, WHITE told an individual he believed to be legitimate purchaser that he was trafficking large quantities of liquid methamphetamine into New Orleans.
WHITE was arrested at his apartment on January 30, 2025. Law enforcement officers searched WHITE’s apartment and recovered an additional 536 grams of fentanyl and 65 grams of methamphetamine that WHITE intended to sell, five digital scales, and three loaded firearms, including a Romarm/Cugir Model Micro Draco 7.62 caliber pistol loaded with 54 rounds of ammunition.
As to each of his convictions for possession with intent to distribute 400 grams of fentanyl and conspiracy to distribute, and possess with intent to distribute, 400 grams of fentanyl and 500 grams of methamphetamine, WHITE faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in prison and up to life in prison, up to a $20,000,000 fine, and at least 10 years of supervised release up to life. As to his convictions for distributing 40 grams or more of fentanyl and 50 grams or more of methamphetamine, WHITE faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison up to life, up to a $10,000,000 fine, and at least eight years of supervised release up to life. As to his convictions for distributing a quantity of fentanyl and possession with intent to distribute cocaine and marijuana, WHITE faces up to 30 years in prison, up to a $2,000,000 fine, and mandatory minimum of six years of supervised release up to life. As to his each of convictions for possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime and carrying a firearm during and in relation to a drug-trafficking crime, WHITE faces a mandatory minimum sentence of five years up to life imprisonment, which must run consecutively to each other and any other sentence, up to a $250,000 fine, and up to five years of supervised release. Each of the nine convictions also carries a $100 mandatory special assessment fee.
Pursuant to his plea agreement with the government, WHITE will serve 25 years in prison. The Court took WHITE’s plea but deferred its decision on whether to accept or reject the negotiated plea until sentencing.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant United States Attorney David Berman of the Violent Crime Unit is in charge of the prosecution.
Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is the Department of Justice’s nationwide initiative that brings federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement, prosecutors, and other public safety partners together to coordinate efforts to combat violent crime and make communities safe. Coordinated by U.S. Attorneys’ offices in each of the 94 federal districts, PSN is tailored to particular communities to strategically address specific violent crime and public safety challenges. As a key component of Operation Take Back America, PSN serves a central role in the Department’s commitment to make our country safe. PSN emphasizes three core principles: rapid federal response to violent crime and criminal offenders; strong, strategic partnerships among law enforcement at all levels; and accountability and deterrence through the prosecution of the most serious, readily provable offenses and other strategies. These efforts complement and strengthen President Trump’s Homeland Security Task Forces, ensuring a comprehensive federal response to the most pressing public safety issues facing communities.
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Conesus couple arrested, charged with production of child pornographyRead the Press Release
ROCHESTER, N.Y. – U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Donald Coty, 40, and his wife, Megan Coty, 38, both of Conesus, NY, were arrested and charged by criminal complaint with production of child pornography, conspiracy to produce child pornography, and possession of child pornography. The charges carry a mandatory minimum penalty of 15 years in prison and a maximum of 30 years.
According to the criminal complaint, in February 2026, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) received a CyberTip that a file containing suspected child pornography was uploaded to Google Photos and a Google Drive Account, by an individual with the username “Don Coty.” The CyberTip was forwarded to the New York State Police (NYSP) and subsequently traced to Donald and Megan Coty.
On June 23, 2026, NYSP investigators executed a search warrant at the couple’s Marrowback Road residence, seizing 13 electronic items, including two hard drives, two laptops, six cellphones, LG Cellphone, and three USB drives. An initial review of one of the hard drives recovered 1.3 million image and video files. Of the image and video files reviewed so far, over 174,000 files contained suspected child pornography, including images and videos with two minor victims and the defendants.
Anyone with information related to this investigation is asked to contact the New York State Police at (585) 398-4100 or [email protected]
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Melissa M. Marangola. The complaint is the culmination of an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Anthony Patrone and the New York State Police, under the direction of Major Kevin Sucher.
The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
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Coeur d’Alene Physician Sentenced to 40 Months Imprisonment and $1.25 Million in Restitution for Involvement in Fraudulent Telemedicine Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
Yakima, Washington – On July 8, 2026, Chief District Court Judge Stanely A. Bastian sentenced defendant Dr. David Antonio Becerril of Coeur d’ Alene, ID, age 70, to a 40-month term of imprisonment, to be followed by a 3-year term of court supervision after he is released from federal prison for his role in a nationwide telemarketing conspiracy to defraud Medicare. Dr. Becerril was convicted after a jury trial in September 2025 of 16 felony counts including Conspiracy to commit Health Care Fraud, Conspiracy to commit Wire Fraud, and multiple counts of Health Care Fraud, Wire Fraud, and False Statements Relating to Health Care Matters. Judge Bastian also ordered Dr. Becerril to pay restitution in the full amount he defrauded from Medicare, $1,250, 667.19, and ordered forfeiture in the form of a money judgment of $37,340, the amount which Dr. Becerril directly profited from the fraudulent scheme.
At trial, in September 2025, the United States presented evidence that between February 2018 and September 2019, Dr. Becerril, a licensed Washington physician, participated in a scheme and conspiracy to obtain millions of dollars by falsely billing Medicare for medically unnecessary genetic tests and durable medical equipment, including back, knee, shoulder, and ankle braces. The evidence at trial showed that while contracting with the fraudulent telemedicine and telemarketing company Real Time Physicians, LLC, (“Real Time”) Dr. Becerril signed false and fraudulent orders for genetic tests and braces for elderly Medicare beneficiaries that Dr. Becerril had never seen, spoken to, heard of, or had any contact with whatsoever, and which included deceased patients as well as elderly patients who had no limbs for the braces they were prescribed by Dr. Becerril. Dr. Becerril reviewed the Real Time prescriptions for, on average, 26 seconds before signing them and falsely attesting to their medical necessity. Real Time paid Dr. Becerril $20 for each phony prescription he falsely certified to be used to fraudulently bill Medicare.
At the sentencing hearing, Judge Bastian remarked that while working for Real Time, Dr. Becerril performed no legitimate medical work and did not exercise any independent medical judgment. Doctors, like lawyers and judges, Judge Bastian pointed out, are trained to protect and maintain their licenses, protect their clients, and protect the system in which they operate, and Dr. Becerril failed to do that by essentially selling his medical license through his signature. Judge Bastian further agreed with the United States that through and even after trial, Dr. Becerril has been “steadfastly unapologetic” for his actions.
“Today’s sentencing reflects the seriousness of Dr. Becerril’s long‑running scheme to defraud the taxpayer-funded Medicare program, which is designed to provide medically necessary care to patients, not enrich fraudster physicians,” said Special Agent in Charge Robb R. Breeden of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG) Pacific Regional Office. “As Judge Bastian noted, Dr. Becerril’s conduct amounted to selling his medical license ‘for $20 a signature,’ demonstrating his limitless greed and a callous disregard for his patients and taxpayers. HHS‑OIG is proud of the relentless, collaborative work that brought this case to a successful conclusion. Working closely with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Washington, HHS-OIG will continue to aggressively investigate health care fraud allegations to protect federal health care programs and the millions of Americans who rely on them.”
“This sentence shows our office’s commitment to vigorously prosecute Medicare fraudsters and to hold them to account especially those who, like Dr. Becerril, violated their oaths and medical ethics for a buck at the expense of the taxpayer and the endangerment of the elderly and disabled,” said First Assistant United States Attorney, Pete Serrano. “We are very proud of our continued partnership with HHS-OIG in ensuring that those who defraud our public health programs have to deal with the very real consequences of their fraudulent actions.”
The case was investigated by Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General. This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Courtney R. Pratten and Tyler Tornabene and Health Care Fraud Contractor Echo D. Fatsis.
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Verdict Press Release can be found here.
Clairton Woman Sentenced to More Than Six Years in Prison and Ordered to Pay $1.17 Million in Restitution for Repeated Fraud and Supervised Release ViolationsRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, Pa. - A resident of Clairton, Pennsylvania, has been sentenced in federal court to 76 months of incarceration and ordered to pay $1,172,209.80 in restitution to two former employers on her convictions for bank fraud, as well as violations of federal supervised release and a bond order, United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.
Chief United States District Judge Cathy Bissoon imposed the sentence on Tracey Smith, 58, on July 21, 2026.
According to information presented to the Court, while on federal supervised release for a prior wire fraud conviction for which she was sentenced in February 2023, Smith was hired as a comptroller by a Pittsburgh engineering firm and embezzled company funds for her personal use. As sentencing on those charges was pending, Smith was hired by another company as comptroller and embezzled hundreds of thousands of dollars by creating unauthorized checks and misusing a company credit card.
Prior to imposing sentence, Judge Bissoon observed that the defendant had a serious criminal history for embezzlement.
Assistant United States Attorney Gregory C. Melucci prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
United States Attorney Rivetti commended the Federal Bureau of Investigation for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Smith.