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13 August 2025
Savannah Man Convicted at Trial for Possession of Ammunition Following ShootingRead the Press Release
SAVANNAH, GA: A Savannah man has been found guilty at trial for possession of ammunition by a prohibited person following an October 2021 shooting.
Charlie Sapp, 58, of Savannah, was convicted after a two-day trial in U.S. District Court on the charge of Possession of Ammunition by a Prohibited Person, said Tara M. Lyons, Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. The conviction subjects the Defendant to 10 years imprisonment, followed by a period of supervised release upon completion of any prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
As described at trial, on October 8, 2021, Sapp pointed a firearm at another individual and pulled the trigger three times. An eyewitness to the shooting immediately called 911. Savannah Police Department officers responded within five minutes and located two 9mm Luger shell casings at the scene. An expert with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives analyzed the shell casings and determined they qualified as ammunition under federal law and that they were not manufactured in the State of Georgia, making this a federal crime. The United States was able to prove that the shell casings found at the crime scene were fired from the firearm Sapp used during the shooting. Sapp was prohibited from possessing ammunition because of previous felony convictions in the Superior Court of Chatham County.
Sapp was previously tried for this conduct in November 2022 by the Chatham County District Attorney’s Office. That trial did not result in a conviction.
ATF SAC Benjamin Gibbons stated, “Our commitment to public safety is unwavering. The prosecution of individuals who unlawfully possess firearms and ammunition is critical in our efforts to reduce gun violence in our communities."
“This is a win for all law enforcement involved,” said Lenny B. Gunther, Savannah Chief of Police. “I would like to especially thank the men and women of the ATF for their hard work and diligence in this case.”
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN).
This investigation took place under the umbrella of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program that has been successful in bringing together all levels of law enforcement to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer.The case was being investigated by the ATF, Savannah Police Department and prosecuted for the United States by Special Assistant United States Attorney Makeia R. Jonese and Assistant United States Attorney Ryan Bondura.
Saratoga County Man Charged with Cyberstalking Family Member of Slain UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian ThompsonRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Shane Daley, age 40, of Galway, New York, was charged with cyberstalking and arrested today for sending harassing and threatening voicemail messages to a family member of murdered UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson.
A criminal complaint alleges that between December 4 and 7, 2024, beginning just hours after Thompson’s murder in midtown Manhattan, Daley placed multiple calls to a work phone line used by a member of Thompson’s family. In a series of voicemail messages, Daley used threatening and harassing language that focused on, among other things, Thompson’s killing, expressed satisfaction over the fact and manner of his death, and stated that the victim and Thompson’s children deserved to meet the same violent end.
The charges in the complaint are merely accusations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Acting United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III said: “Brian Thompson was gunned down in midtown Manhattan. Daley, as alleged, gleefully welcomed this tragedy and did all that he could to increase the Thompson family’s pain and suffering. My office and its partners will now do all that we can to hold him accountable for this vicious and outrageous conduct.”
Jay Clayton, United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, said: “As alleged, Daley threatened and harassed a grieving family in the immediate aftermath of a loved one’s murder. These selfish, harmful, and callous actions undermine public safety and will not be tolerated. This Office, together with our law enforcement partners, will pursue and prosecute those who seek to intimidate victims and their families. We are grateful to be working on this case alongside the Northern District of New York.”
Christopher G. Raia, Assistant Director in Charge of the New York Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), said: “Shane Daley allegedly repeatedly harassed the grieving family of Brian Thompson, the CEO of UnitedHealthcare gunned down in New York City. The recurrent calls and messages in the days following Brian Thompson’s murder were more than callous and cold-hearted harassment – they were threatening and terrified a family already suffering following the violent death of their loved one. The FBI will continue to bring to justice any individual attempting to stalk and harass innocent Americans.”
The charge filed against Daley carries a maximum term of 5 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, and a term of supervised release of up to 3 years. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statute the defendant is convicted of violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other factors.
Daley will be arraigned today at 2 p.m. in Albany, before United States Magistrate Judge Daniel J. Stewart.
The FBI is investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joshua R. Rosenthal of the Northern District of New York, and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Dominic A. Gentile and Jun Xiang of the Southern District of New York, are prosecuting the case.
Salvadoran nationals plead guilty in conspiracy to steal and sell catalytic convertersRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – Two Salvadoran nationals pled guilty to conspiracy to engage in interstate transportation and sale of stolen goods.
According to court documents, beginning in September 2024, Erick Alfaro Guevara, 46, and Jose Wilmer Ortiz Granados, 23, stole catalytic converters from cars in Virginia and sold them in Maryland. Alfaro Guevara and Ortiz Granados used their cellphones to communicate about stealing catalytic converters, which they typically did at night or in the early morning, and used saws to remove the catalytic converters from parked vehicles.
On Dec. 18, 2024, Alfaro Guevara and Ortiz Granados traveled from Maryland to Arlington County where they burglarized multiple vehicles and stole catalytic converters. Later, law enforcement in Anne Arundel County, Maryland, responded to the scene of a single-car accident involving the vehicle Alfaro Guevara and Ortiz Granados had used. Alfaro Guevara and Ortiz Granados were gone by the time officers arrived at the scene. Investigators recovered 17 stolen catalytic converters as well as Alfaro Guevara’s cellphone.
Ortiz Granados pled guilty on July 1 and is scheduled to be sentenced on Sept. 30. Alfaro Guevara pled guilty yesterday and is scheduled to be sentenced on Oct. 28. They face up to five years in prison. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Erik S. Siebert, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Reid Davis, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Washington Field Office's Criminal Division, made the announcement after U.S. District Judge Leonie M. Brinkema accepted the plea.
The Fairfax County Police Department, Arlington County Police Department, Richmond Police Department, Montgomery County Police Department, and Anne Arundel County Police Department provided significant assistance in the investigation of this case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Katherine E. Rumbaugh and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Rebecca C. Fisher are prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case Nos. 1:25-cr-160 (Otiz Granados) and 1:25-cr-224 (Alfaro Guevara).
Rigby Man Sentenced to 9 Years in Federal Prison for Receiving Child PornographyRead the Press Release
POCATELLO – Caleb Sickinger, 45, of Rigby, was sentenced to 108 months in federal prison for receiving child pornography Acting U.S. Attorney Justin Whatcott announced today.
According to court records, in November 2023, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) agents in Alabama arrested an individual on charges of coercion and enticement and possession of child pornography. In a post-arrest interview, the individual told FBI agents that he had received images of child pornography from a “woman” in Idaho. His communications with the “woman” revealed her name and included images of her. FBI agents in Idaho received this information and began an investigation. Agents identified the “woman” and also identified the child depicted in the child pornography. Agents obtained and executed a search warrant at the woman’s residence in Rigby, Idaho. However, none of the electronic devices recovered or email addresses used by the woman matched the evidence from the investigation.
Agents eventually learned that the woman had not been involved in the crime. Caleb Sickinger, who was a police officer at the time, ultimately admitted to falsely assuming the woman’s identity—without her knowledge—by utilizing images from her social media account. Sickinger also admitted to obtaining images of the child from social media and having the images digitally altered to appear as child pornography. Sickinger then distributed those altered images to the individual in Alabama.
Chief U.S. District David C. Nye also ordered Sickinger be placed on supervised release for the remainder of his life following his prison sentence. Sickinger will be required to register as a sex offender. Sickinger pleaded guilty to the charge on April 8, 2025.
“This defendant victimized a child and her mother in committing this horrible crime,” Acting U.S. Attorney Whatcott said. “I commend the cooperative efforts of the federal, state, and local law enforcement agents who identified him as the perpetrator and held him appropriately accountable.”
“Every image and video created and shared perpetuates the abuse of a child who will carry that trauma for the rest of their lives,” said Special Agent in Charge Mehtab Syed of the Salt Lake City FBI. “The FBI is unwavering and united with our partners in the fight to protect our children from predators who seek to exploit and harm them.”
“I want to thank my ICAC investigators, the U.S. Attorney’s Office, and our local and federal law enforcement partners for their efforts in securing today’s outcome,” said Attorney General Labrador. “Idahoans are safer today because of their hard work and dedication to protecting our state.”
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation in Pocatello, the Bonneville County Sheriff’s Office, the Idaho Falls Police Department, and the Idaho ICAC Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin Paskett prosecuted this 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. As part of Project Safe Childhood, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Idaho and the Idaho Attorney General’s Office partner to marshal 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.
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Rhode Island Man Indicted for Threats Against President Trump, Attorney General Bondi, and White House Chief of Staff MillerRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE – A Rhode Island man has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Rhode Island for allegedly threatening to take the life of President Trump and to kill or injure Attorney General Pamela Bondi and White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller, announced Acting Rhode Island United States Attorney Sara Miron Bloom.
The indictment returned today charges Carl D. Montague, 37, with threats against the President and interstate communications of threats.
Court documents filed previously allege that on June 27, 2025, Montague issued a profanity-laced posting on Truth Social threatening to shoot and kill President Trump, Attorney General Bondi, and White House Deputy Chief of Staff Miller.
A federal criminal indictment is merely an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. Montague, released with GPS monitoring following his initial appearance on a criminal complaint filed previously in this matter, will be arraigned on a later date.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Dulce Donovan.
The matter was investigated by the FBI, United States Secret Service, and the Providence Police Department.
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Registered Sex Offender from Waushara County Indicted for Possession of Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
Richard G. Frohling, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, announced that on August 12, 2025, a federal grand jury returned an indictment against Adam A. Juslen (age: 41), a registered sex offender from Waushara County, Wisconsin. Juslen was charged with possession of child pornography, in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 2252A(a)(5)(B) and 2252A(b)(2).
According to the indictment, Juslen possessed several sexually explicit images depicting children under the age of 8 years old. Juslen was previously convicted of possession of child pornography in three state cases in Calumet County (2010), Waushara County (2014), and Outagamie County (2015). If convicted of the federal charge, he would face a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years’ imprisonment and a maximum of 20 years’ imprisonment.
This case was investigated by the Waushara County Sheriff’s Office with assistance from the Wisconsin Department of Justice – Division of Criminal Investigation. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Alexander E. Duros.
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 U.S. Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ 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.projectsafechildhood.gov.
An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. The defendant is presumed innocent and is entitled to a fair trial at which the government must prove him guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
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For further information contact:Public Affairs Officer Steve Caballero
(414) 297-1700
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Previously Convicted Felon Sentenced for Possession of Glock While on Supervised Release for AssaultRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Lamaas Lowery-Bey, 28, of the District of Columbia, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court to 70 months in prison for being a previously convicted felon in possession of a .40 caliber Glock semi-automatic handgun while he was still on supervision following his incarceration for assault, announced U.S Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
Lowery-Bey pleaded guilty on Apr. 18, 2025, before Judge Dabney L. Friedrich to unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon. In addition to the 70-month prison term, Judge Friedrich ordered Lowery-Bey to serve three years of supervised release.
Joining in the announcement were FBI Special Agent in Charge Reid Davis of the Washington Field Office Criminal Division and Chief Pamela A. Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department.
According to court documents, law enforcement was focused on the Fairlawn neighborhood in the area of 19th Street SE and Minnesota Ave SE, following a series of five homicides in 2023.On Sept. 14, 2023, Lowery-Bey was observed pulling a black semi-automatic handgun out of the front of his pants in the 1900 block 18th Street SE. From the way he held the gun, it appeared to have an extended magazine.
On Oct. 4, 2023, MPD officers executed a search warrant at Lowery-Bey’s residence. Behind a canvas painting which hung above a bathroom toilet, officers recovered a .40 caliber Glock semi-automatic handgun with an extended magazine. As they removed the canvas, the loaded firearm fell onto the toilet tank.
The firearm, loaded with 29 rounds of ammunition, was also equipped with a “switch,” which would have enabled it to fire like a machine gun if it was operable. A check revealed that the gun had been reported stolen.
Lowery-Bey has been held since his arrest in November 2024.
Prior to the arrest in this case, Lowery-Bey was detained in June 2023 for unlawful possession of a 9mm Taurus Millenium handgun loaded with 19 rounds of ammunition and a 50-round drum magazine. He was charged in D.C. Superior Court. The counts were dismissed.
Lowery-Bey was previously convicted for attempted assault with a dangerous weapon (gun), possession of a firearm (prior conviction), and felony contempt that stemmed from an incident of domestic violence on Aug. 6, 2019. He threatened to shoot his then-girlfriend, her daughter, and the daughter’s friend. He then barricaded himself in the bathroom and did not surrender to police until three hours later. Investigators believe he attempted to flush a black Velocity 9mm semiautomatic firearm down the toilet.
This case was investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department and the FBI Washington Field Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Iris McCranie.
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Plymouth Man Indicted for Embezzling More than One Million DollarsRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – Christopher Erik Septon, age 52, of Plymouth, Minnesota, was indicted on charges relating to his embezzlement of more than $1 million from his former employer, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Joseph H. Thompson.
“Fraudsters never stop inventing new ways to steal, and Septon’s crime—posing as government agencies in his scheme to embezzle more than a million dollars—was no exception,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Joseph H. Thompson. “The fraudsters of Minnesota should understand this: no matter how clever the con, we are coming for you, and you will face federal justice.”
According to the indictment, Septon worked for Ellis Properties, a family-run commercial real estate business located in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Septon worked for the company from 2010 until 2024, when his embezzlement was discovered.
Septon and was trusted with authority to use company funds to pay vendors, contractors, and other third parties. Septon abused his position of trust to embezzle from the company. He improperly charged more than $800,000 on the company credit card, directing the payments to his own payment-processing accounts. He hid the fact that these payments were to his own accounts by writing false statements in the transaction memo lines, misrepresenting that the transactions were business-related and with third parties, when, in fact, they were transfers to Septon.
Septon also fraudulently obtained “reimbursement” checks from the company for business expenses he claimed he had paid personally, when, in fact, he had not. He used fake invoices, fake emails, and other lies to induce company personnel to issue the unwarranted reimbursement checks.
As part of the scheme, Septon also impersonated government agencies. Without their knowledge, Septon used the names of the City of Minneapolis, the Metropolitan Council, the Minnesota Department of Agriculture, and the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency to fraudulently obtain money from Ellis Properties, falsely claiming Ellis Properties owed certain payments to those agencies and instead directing the funds to himself.
Hundreds of thousands of dollars in profits from the fraud were transferred from account to account, then retained by Septon. In total, Septon embezzled more than $1 million from Ellis Properties.
Septon made his initial appearance yesterday. He is charged with four counts of wire fraud and one count of money laundering.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by IRS-Criminal Investigation, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and the Minneapolis Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew D. Forbes is prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation, and the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Pike County Man Convicted of Illegally Possessing FirearmsRead the Press Release
MONTGOMERY, AL – Today, Acting United States Attorney Kevin Davidson announced that a federal jury in Montgomery has convicted 52-year-old Jeffery Wayne Parker, of Troy, Alabama, for being a felon in possession of a firearm. The jury returned its verdict on August 12, 2025.
According to court records and evidence presented at trial, on October 10, 2023, deputies with the Pike County Sheriff’s Office went to Parker’s residence to execute a search warrant. When law enforcement arrived, Parker quickly exited through the back door and began running but stopped when ordered to do so by deputies.
As law enforcement approached, they observed a handgun in a holster on Parker’s waist. A subsequent search of Parker’s vehicle, which was parked on the property, uncovered an additional 21 firearms stored in the trunk, including 14 shotguns and rifles, and seven handguns. Parker has prior felony convictions and is prohibited by federal law from possessing a firearm or ammunition.
Following this conviction, Parker faces a statutory maximum sentence of 15 years in federal prison. There is no parole in the federal system.
The Pike County Sheriff’s Office and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) investigated this case, which Assistant United States Attorneys Paul Markovits and J. Patrick Lamb prosecuted.
Pennsylvania Woman Convicted in Million-Dollar Government Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
MONTGOMERY, AL – Today, Acting United States Attorney Kevin Davidson and Special Agent in Charge Demetrius Hardeman, with the IRS Criminal Investigation Atlanta Field Office, announced that a federal jury has convicted a York, Pennsylvania woman for her role in a conspiracy that defrauded the United States government of more than $1 million. On August 13, 2025, the jury found 44-year-old Queen Naja, also known as Renata Winifred Ince and Naja Talibah Zahir, guilty of conspiracy to commit mail fraud.
According to court records and evidence presented at trial, in April 2021, Naja contacted 42-year-old Quentin Diego Sturgeon of Montgomery, Alabama, through social media with a proposed scheme to illicitly obtain funds from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). The plan involved creating a legal trust, filing false documents with the IRS, and submitting a fraudulent check in order to trigger a payment to Sturgeon to which he was not entitled.
Testimony at trial detailed the coordinated efforts of the two co-conspirators. First, Sturgeon, as directed by Naja, created a trust naming himself as trustee. The two then submitted multiple fraudulent documents to the IRS falsely reporting tax payments from the trust. Naja also submitted a payment voucher accompanied by a bogus check. Once that was done, Sturgeon filed paperwork claiming the trust had made an overpayment and requested a refund. As a result of these combined false submissions, the IRS issued a U.S. Treasury check for $1,010,561.26.
Sturgeon pleaded guilty on November 25, 2024, to conspiracy to commit mail fraud and money laundering. During his plea hearing, Sturgeon admitted to his role in the scheme and acknowledged using proceeds to purchase high-value personal items, including a Mercedes-Benz automobile.
Sentencing hearings for both defendants will be scheduled in the coming months. Naja and Sturgeon each face a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison, substantial fines, and an order of restitution. There is no parole in the federal system.
“This conviction is the result of outstanding cooperation between federal prosecutors, IRS Criminal Investigation, and local law enforcement,” stated Acting United States Attorney Davidson. “This verdict should send a clear warning that if you defraud the United States government, you will be held accountable. Our office will continue to protect taxpayer dollars and pursue those who seek to steal from the public treasury.”
“The federal jury held Queen Naja accountable for their fraudulent methods to steal money from American taxpayers,” said Special Agent in Charge Hardeman. “Criminal prosecution and lengthy prison terms await those who defraud the tax system. IRS Criminal Investigation special agents are highly skilled at following the money to find those who defraud our tax system for personal gain.”
Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) investigated this case with assistance from the Montgomery Police Department. Assistant United States Attorneys Megan A. Kirkpatrick and Melanie E. Corbett are prosecuting the case.
Okmulgee Resident Pleads Guilty to Robbery in Indian CountryRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Darin Treyvon Miles, a/k/a Elmo, age 21, of Okmulgee, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to one count of Robbery in Indian Country, punishable by up to 15 years in prison and a $250,000.00 fine.
The Indictment alleged that on May 8, 2025, Miles, by force, violence, and intimidation, took items of value from the victim.
The crime occurred in Okmulgee County, within the boundaries of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation Reservation, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma.
The charge arose from an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Muscogee (Creek) Nation Lighthorse Tribal Police Department.
The Honorable Gerald L. Jackson, U.S. Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, accepted the plea and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report.
A U.S. District Court Judge will determine the sentence to be imposed after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Miles will remain in the custody of the United States Marshals Service pending sentencing.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jonathan E. Soverly and Richard J. Lorenz represented the United States.
Okemah Resident Sentenced for Felony AssaultRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Gregory Dwayne Guinn, a/k/a Gregory Dewayne Guinn, age 24, of Okemah, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 21 months in prison for one count of Assault with a Dangerous Weapon with Intent to Do Bodily Harm in Indian Country, and to 120 months in prison for one count of Use, Carry, Brandish, and Discharge of a Firearm During and In Relation to a Crime of Violence. The Court ordered those terms to be served consecutively.
The charges arose from an investigation by the Okfuskee County Sheriff's Office and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
On February 5, 2025, Guinn pleaded guilty to the charges. According to investigators, on January 15, 2024, Guinn drove by the Okemah residence of an acquaintance, fired multiple rounds at the house from his vehicle, then fled. One resident was struck in the drive-by-shooting. The crimes occurred in Okfuskee County, within the boundaries of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation Reservation, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
The Honorable John Heil, III, U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over the hearing. Guinn will remain in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jacob R. Parker, Patrick M. Flanigan, and Jonathan E. Soverly represented the United States.
Muldrow Resident Sentenced for Child AbuseRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that James Dean Bledsoe, age 32, of Muldrow, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 36 months in prison for three counts of Child Abuse in Indian Country.
The charges arose from an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Muldrow Police Department.
On March 12, 2025, Bledsoe pleaded guilty to the charges. According to investigators, between January 1, 2024, and September 24, 2024, Bledsoe restrained and covered the faces of three children entrusted to his care, causing them to be unable to breathe. Bledsoe also punished the children by spraying them with cold water and withholding food. The crimes occurred in Sequoyah County, within the boundaries of the Cherokee Nation Reservation, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma.
The Honorable Ronald A. White, Chief U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over the hearing. Bledsoe will remain in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Emily Wittlinger represented the United States.
Mounds Resident Pleads Guilty to Sexual Abuse of A MinorRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Ned Elmer Johnson, age 36, of Mounds, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to one count of Sexual Abuse of a Minor in Indian Country, punishable by up to 15 years in prison and a $250,000.00 fine.
The Indictment alleged that from April 2021 until April 2023, Johnson knowingly engaged in a sexual act with a person who had attained the age of 12 years but not yet attained the age of 16 years and was at least four years younger than Johnson.
The crime occurred in Okmulgee County, within the boundaries of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation Reservation, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma.
The charge arose from an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Muscogee (Creek) Nation Lighthorse Tribal Police Department.
The Honorable Jason A. Robertson, U.S. Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, accepted the plea and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report.
A U.S. District Court Judge will determine the sentence to be imposed after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Johnson will remain in the custody of the United States Marshals Service pending sentencing.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicole Paladino represented the United States.
Middle School Librarian Arrested for Distribution of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A middle school librarian for the Longmeadow Public Schools in Massachusetts was arrested today for allegedly distributing child sexual abuse material (CSAM). Children’s underwear, bedding, a Santa costume, diapers, diaper cream and other items allegedly recovered in a locked case during a residential search.
Scott McGinley, 55, of Holyoke, Mass. is charged by criminal complaint with one count of distribution of child pornography. He will make his initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Katherine A. Robertson at 3:00 p.m. today.
The defendant is employed as the school librarian for Williams Middle School and Glenbrook Middle School in Longmeadow. It is alleged that, in July 2025, McGinley distributed CSAM to a group called, “Little boyz only,” on an encrypted messenger application. When contacted by undercover law enforcement posing as a fellow user on the app, McGinley allegedly disclosed his sexual preference for “boys age 2-12” and “especially 4-7.” It is further alleged that, in the conversations with undercover law enforcement, McGinley stated he had “students” who were “11-14 years old” but, “ha[d]n’t touched them sexually,” and that he sat “hot boys strategically so [he could] see under their desks, and close to [him],” and made graphic sexual statements about the boys.
On Aug. 8, 2025, searches of McGinley’s person and residence allegedly resulted in the recovery of various electronic devices – including two iPhones, an Apple Watch, a tablet and two laptops. A locked Pelican case was recovered in the basement which is alleged to have contained a medley of items for children approximately five to seven years old – including but not limited to, assorted children’s clothes, a Santa costume, diapers, diaper cream and apple sauce packets. The Pelican case also allegedly contained a toolbox with boys’ underwear and bedding stuffed inside.
According to the charging documents, a forensic examination of McGinley’s phone revealed over 100 files depicting CSAM. Further review of McGinley’s devices remains on-going.
Members of the public who have questions, concerns or information regarding this case should call 617-748-3274 or contact [email protected].
The charge of distribution of child pornography provides for a sentence of at least five years and up to 20 years in prison, at least five years and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Ted E. Docks, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Nashville Division and the Longmeadow and Holyoke Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorney Caroline Merck of the Springfield Branch Office is prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Mexican national, illegally living in Angelina County, guilty of unlawfully returning to the United StatesRead the Press Release
BEAUMONT, Texas –A Mexican national, illegally living in Diboll, has pleaded guilty to unlawfully returning to the United States, announced Eastern District of Texas Acting U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs.
Eduardo Barajas-Macias, 32, pleaded guilty to illegal reentry by a previously deported alien before U.S. Magistrate Judge Christine L. Stetson on August 13, 2025.
According to information presented in court, Barajas-Macias was located in Diboll on March 26, 2024, after an investigation revealed he had been previously deported from the United States to Mexico in 2023.
Barajas-Macias faces up to 2 years in federal prison and deportation at sentencing. The maximum statutory sentence prescribed by Congress is provided here for information purposes, as the sentencing will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the U.S. Probation Office.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives; FBI; and Angelina County Sheriff’s Office. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Donald Carter.
Mexican national sentenced to 96 months despite claim minor victim was his wifeRead the Press Release
McALLEN, Texas – A 22-year-old Mexican man has been ordered to prison for transportation of child sexual abuse material (CSAM) into the United States, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
Edi Quinones pleaded guilty Nov. 8, 2024.
U.S. District Judge Drew B. Tipton has now ordered Quinones to serve a total of 96 months in prison. The court enhanced the sentence after finding Quinones produced child pornography found on his phone. The court also issued a finding that a sexual act occurred while the minor victim was in his custody and control. The defense attempted to argue that his sentence should be mitigated because he was married to the minor victim in Mexico. The court heard evidence to rebut this claim and found no legal marriage could exist because the minor victim was under the age of 18.
Quinones will also be ordered to register as a sex offender and is expected to face removal proceedings following completion of his sentence.
On Sept. 11, 2024, Quinones attempted to enter the United States through the Hidalgo Port of Entry with his family. When questioned, authorities were notified his “wife” was 16 years of age.
During a review of his electronic device, authorities recovered numerous CSAM files depicting Quinones and the minor victim. Quinones admitted the minor victim was 15 years old at the time of the video production. Authorities discovered approximately 20 videos on the phone Quinones had filmed. The videos depicted two minor victims engaged in various illegal sexual acts.
Quinones has been and will remain in custody pending transfer to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement - Homeland Security Investigations and Customs and Border Protection conducted the investigation.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Devin V. Walker prosecuted the case, which was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood (PSC), a nationwide initiative the Department of Justice (DOJ) launched in May 2006 to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section leads PSC, which marshals federal, state and local resources to locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children and identifies and rescues victims. For more information about PSC, please visit DOJ’s PSC page. For more information about internet safety education, please visit the resources tab on that page.
Mexican man pleads guilty to illegal reentryRead the Press Release
MISSOULA – A man from Mexico accused of being in the United States illegally admitted to charges today, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.
The defendant, Daniel Yepez-Gaytan, 41, pleaded guilty to illegal reentry of a removed alien. Yepez-Gaytan faces 10 years of imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and 3 years of supervised release.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Kathleen DeSoto presided. U.S. District Judge Dana L. Christensen will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Sentencing is set for December 10, 2025. Yepez-Gaytan was detained pending further proceedings.
The government alleged in court documents that on April 23, 2025, Daniel Yepez-Gaytan, aka Daniel Guzman-Calderon, an alien and citizen of Mexico, who was last removed from the United States in November 2013, was found in Bozeman, Montana without having received express consent of the Attorney General of the United States or the Secretary of Homeland Security to reapply for admission to the United States.
On April 23, 2025, law enforcement stopped a pickup truck driven by Daniel Yepez-Gaytan. He provided law enforcement with a Washington State driver’s license. After querying government databases, law enforcement was able to determine that Yepez-Gaytan was a foreign national present in the United States illegally, with no claim to citizenship or documentation pending to support any claim to legal status.
Yepez-Gaytan confirmed his identity, nationality, illegal entry, previous removals, and his lack of application to the Attorney General of the United States or the Secretary of Homeland Security for permission to re-enter after his removals.
Yepez-Gaytan’s alien registration file shows he was originally deported on July 30, 2004, through El Paso, Texas. He has three subsequent removals with the last removal date of November 14, 2013, through Laredo, Texas. Additionally, Yepez-Gaytan has two prior criminal convictions from 2011 for illegal entry and illegal reentry.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Missouri River Drug Task Force conducted the investigation.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
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Mexican man pleads guilty to illegal re-entryRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Jose Antonio Barcena-Ruiz, 41, a citizen and national of Mexico, pleaded guilty to illegal re-entry by U.S. District Judge Richard J. Arcara. He was then sentenced to time served and turned over to Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael J. Smith, who is handling the case, stated that on May 31, 2025, Barcena-Ruiz was found in Erie County, NY, by Homeland Security agents but did not have documentation that allowed him to be present in the United States legally. A records check determined that Barcena-Ruiz was physically removed from the United States in 2008, two times in 2009, and in 2010.
This investigation 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 plea and sentencing are the result of an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Erin Keegan and Immigration.
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Mexican National Sentenced to 37 Months in Prison for Illegal Reentry and Possession of FirearmRead the Press Release
TUCSON, Ariz. – Jessica Guillen-Morales, 38, of Sonora, Mexico, was sentenced on August 12, by United States District Senior Judge Raner C. Collins to 37 months in prison, followed by 36 months of supervised release. Guillen-Morales previously pleaded guilty to Reentry of a Removed Alien and Alien in Possession of a Firearm.
On November 19, 2023, Tucson Police Department officers executed a search warrant at Guillen-Morales’ residence and found approximately six firearms, including rifles, along with ammunition. Law enforcement officials determined that Guillen-Morales was previously convicted of the federal offense of Conspiracy to Transport Illegal Aliens in November 2012.
Law enforcement officials also learned that Guillen-Morales, a citizen and national of Mexico, had been previously removed from the United States on November 1, 2023, and did not have legal authority to be in the country.
This case is part of the National Public Safety Partnership (PSP), which was established by the U.S. Department of Justice to provide an innovative framework to enhance federal support of state, local, and tribal law enforcement and prosecution authorities in enhancing public safety. PSP began as a pilot program, the Violence Reduction Network, in 2014 and is designed to promote interagency coordination by leveraging specialized law enforcement expertise with dedicated prosecutorial resources to promote public and community safety. PSP serves as a DOJ-wide program that enables participating sites to consult with and receive expedited, coordinated training and technical assistance, and an array of resources from DOJ to enhance local public safety strategies. This model enables DOJ to provide jurisdictions of different sizes and diverse needs with data-driven, evidence-based strategies tailored to the unique local needs of participating cities to build their capacities to address violent crime challenges. PSP has engaged with more than 60 sites since the program’s inception.
The Tucson Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Julie A. Sottosanti and Adam Rossi, District of Arizona, Tucson, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-24-00677-TUC-RCC
RELEASE NUMBER: 2025-134_Guillen-Morales# # #
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.Mexican National Charged with Assault on a Federal Officer and Destruction of Government PropertyRead the Press Release
SAN DIEGO – Rolando Nava PACHECO, a Mexican National, was charged in federal court today for assaulting a federal officer and damaging government property.
According to a complaint, on August 11, 2025, agents assigned to the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) conducted a joint operation to arrest an individual, suspected of immigration violations. During their operation, federal agents conducted a traffic stop on a white truck. Agents wearing visible law enforcement identifiers verbally announced themselves as federal agents and requested identification from vehicle’s driver. The driver of the white truck attempted to flee by accelerating the truck and striking a federal agent and federal government vehicle. As the white truck recklessly tried to flee the area, a federal agent driving a government vehicle attempted to block the path of the white truck. The driver of the white truck proceeded to strike the federal agent’s vehicle head on. Shortly after, the driver of the vehicle was arrested and identified as Rolando Nava Pacheco.
“Our office is committed to protecting our federal law enforcement partners,” said U.S. Attorney Adam Gordon, “Put plainly, those who attempt to injure or evade law enforcement will face federal charges.”
“This operation demonstrates the commitment of ERO officers to enforcing federal immigration laws and protecting public safety,” said ERO San Diego Field Office Director Patrick Divver. “Despite the challenges encountered, our officers remain dedicated to carrying out their duties with professionalism.”
DEFENDANTS Case Number 25cr-MJ-04358
Rolando NAVA PACHECO Age: 19 Mexico
SUMMARY OF CHARGES
Assault on a Federal Officer – Title 18, U.S. C., Section 111 (a)(1)
Maximum penalty: 8 years in prison; a maximum $250,000 fine
Assault on a Federal Officer resulting in bodily injury – Title 18, U.S. C., Section 111 (b)
Maximum penalty: 20 years in prison; a maximum $250,000 fine
Destruction of Government Property – Title 18, U.S.C., Section 1361 (Felony)
Maximum penalty: 10 years in prison; a maximum $250,000 fine
INVESTIGATING AGENCIES
Homeland Security Investigations
*The charges and allegations contained in an indictment or complaint are merely accusations, and the defendants are considered innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Mexican Cartel Leader Servando Gomez-Martinez in U.S. Custody on Drug Importation ChargeRead the Press Release
United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Jay Clayton, and Special Agent in Charge of the New York Division of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (“DEA”), Frank A. Tarentino, announced today the unsealing of an Indictment charging SERVANDO GOMEZ-MARTINEZ, a/k/a “La Tuta,” with conspiring to import cocaine and methamphetamine into the U.S. GOMEZ-MARTINEZ was taken into U.S. custody from Mexico yesterday and will be presented on the charge contained in the Indictment today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Henry J. Ricardo. The case is assigned to U.S. District Judge John G. Koeltl.
“As alleged, Servando Gomez-Martinez was a leader, enforcer, drug trafficker, weapons supplier, and public spokesman for the violent drug trafficking organization, La Familia Michoacana, based in Mexico,” said U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton. “La Familia Michoacana imported vast quantities of cocaine and methamphetamine into the United States from Mexico and engaged in extensive violence in furtherance of its drug trafficking activities, including against those Mexican law enforcement officials who stood in its way. This Office and our partners in the DEA are committed to bankrupting the cartels and bringing their leaders to justice.”
“The expulsion of Servando Gomez-Martinez marks a significant step in our fight against the world’s most violent and prolific drug trafficking organizations,” said DEA Special Agent in Charge Frank A. Tarentino. “For years, Gomez-Martinez allegedly fueled the cocaine and methamphetamine trade that devastated communities across the United States, and the DEA remains committed to bringing such ruthless cartel leaders to justice.”
According to the allegations contained in the Indictment:[1]
GOMEZ-MARTINEZ was the operational chief of La Familia Michoacana (“LFM”), a powerful, violent drug trafficking organization based in the state of Michoacan, in southwestern Mexico. LFM controlled drug manufacturing and distribution within and around the state of Michoacan, as well as a port that served as a key transshipment point for drug shipments. LFM imported vast quantities of cocaine and methamphetamine into the United States from Mexico. In addition, LFM forbade the sale or use of methamphetamine in the areas under its control in Mexico, and instructed its members that its methamphetamine was solely for export to the United States. GOMEZ-MARTINEZ made public statements on behalf of LFM and was responsible for, among other things, ensuring that LFM’s drug trafficking activities were not impeded by law enforcement, and for acquiring weapons for use by LFM.
Under the leadership of GOMEZ-MARTINEZ and others, LFM engaged in extensive violence, including assault, murder, and kidnapping to support its narcotics trafficking activities. On or about July 17, 2009, days after the bodies of 12 Mexican federal police officers believed to have been murdered by LFM were discovered in Michoacan, GOMEZ-MARTINEZ gave a recorded statement to a local television station in Michoacan. In the statement, GOMEZ-MARTINEZ publicly acknowledged that he was a member of LFM and, among other things, claimed that he was in charge of the port city of Lazaro Cardenas in Michoacan; that LFM was in a battle against the Mexican federal police and prosecutors; and that LFM kidnaps people who owe LFM money and those whose family members work in state and federal governments.
GOMEZ-MARTINEZ was transferred on August 12, 2025, from Mexico to the United States pursuant to Mexico’s National Security law. He was among more than two dozen wanted fugitives facing a range of federal and state criminal charges from around the country, including charges relating to drug-trafficking, hostage-taking, kidnapping, illegal use of firearms, human smuggling, money laundering, the murder of a sheriff’s deputy, and other crimes.
* * *
GOMEZ-MARTINEZ, 59, a Mexican national, is charged with conspiring to import cocaine and methamphetamine into the United States, which carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison and a maximum sentence of life in prison.
The mandatory minimum and maximum potential sentences in this case are prescribed by Congress and provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the judge.
Mr. Clayton praised the outstanding investigative work of the DEA’s New York Field Division, Houston Field Division, and Mexico City Country Office, as well as the assistance of the Office of International Affairs of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, the U.S. Marshals Service, and the Government of Mexico.
This prosecution is being handled by the Office’s National Security and International Narcotics Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Daniel G. Nessim, Henry L. Ross, and Kyle A. Wirshba are in charge of the prosecution.
The charge contained in the Indictment is merely an accusation, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
u.s._v._gomez_martinez_et_al_indictment.pdf
[1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Indictment and the description of the Indictment set forth herein constitute only allegations, and every fact described should be treated as an allegation.
McAlester Resident Pleads Guilty to Failure to Register as Sex OffenderRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Martin Ray Melton, age 60, of McAlester, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to one count of Failure to Register as Sex Offender, punishable by up to ten years in prison and a $250,000.00 fine.
The Indictment alleged that Melton was convicted of 31 counts of Sexual Abuse of a Child by the State of Oklahoma in Oklahoma County on January 31, 2006, and was required to register as a sex offender, and that from September 11, 2023, until April 15, 2025, Melton failed to register and update his registration despite entering, leaving, or residing in Indian country, within the Eastern District of Oklahoma.
The charge arose from an investigation by the U.S. Marshals Service Violent Crime Fugitive Task Force.
The Honorable Jason A. Robertson, U.S. Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, accepted the plea and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report.
A U.S. District Court Judge will determine the sentence to be imposed after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Melton will remain in the custody of the United States Marshals Service pending sentencing.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Nicole Paladino and Emily Wittlinger represented the United States.
Maryland Man Sentenced to Eight Years in Federal Prison for Distribution of FentanylRead the Press Release
Greenbelt, Maryland – U.S. District Court Judge Deborah L. Boardman sentenced Mikiyas Kefyalew, 27, of Silver Spring, Maryland, to eight years in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for distributing fentanyl that resulted in the death of a Bethesda, Maryland, minor in January 2022.
Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the sentence with Acting Special Agent in Charge Shane Todd, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) – Washington Division; Chief Marc R. Yamada, Montgomery County Police Department (MCPD); and Chief Jason West, Rockville City Police Department (RCPD).
“This case is a heartbreaking example of the horrific impact fentanyl is having on our communities, especially our youth,” Hayes said. “Unfortunately, no sentence can undo the devastating loss suffered by this young victim’s family who will live with the consequences of this defendant’s ruthless actions for the rest of their lives. Our office and law enforcement partners remain firmly committed to seeking justice for victims of the fentanyl crisis and doing everything in our power to hold fentanyl dealers accountable.”
“Illegal drugs kill people. Fentanyl kills people,” Todd said. “Criminals like Mr. Kefyalew destroy lots of families by selling deadly illicit drugs, many of which are laced with fentanyl. What’s even more concerning is that they prey on vulnerable individuals by misleading them into believing they are consuming something different. This sentence reflects our dedication to investigating and holding accountable those criminals responsible for perpetuating opioid addiction and fatal poisonings in our community. Our job is to ultimately protect the lives of our residents.”
According to court documents, Kefyalew knowingly and intentionally distributed a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of fentanyl and 4-Anilino-N-phenethlpiperdine (“despropionyl fentanyl”) to Victim 1, resulting in Victim 1’s death. Kefyalew distributed the fentanyl in the form of circular, blue pills with “M 30” imprinted on them. This mimics the markings on legitimate pills that one receives from a manufacturer containing oxycodone hydrochloride.
Kefyalew was subject to a higher sentence for knowingly misrepresenting fentanyl as another substance, and for distributing to a vulnerable victim. In addition to his prison sentence, Judge Boardman also ordered Kefyalew to forfeit funds he received from drug dealing, and to pay restitution.
U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the DEA, MCPD, and RCPD for their work in the investigation, and the Metropolitan Police Department, Prince George’s County Police Department, and Montgomery County State’s Attorney’s Office for their valuable assistance. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Elizabeth Wright and Joel Crespo who prosecuted this case.
For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, visit justice.gov/usao-md and justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.
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Marion Man Sentenced to over a Decade in Federal Prison for Distributing Ice MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
A Marion, Iowa, man who was responsible for the distribution of over 1.5 kilograms of ice methamphetamine was sentenced on August 13, 2025, to over ten years in federal prison.
Robert Owen Bell, age 48, from Marion, Iowa, received the prison term after a February 11, 2025, guilty plea to a conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance.
Throughout 2023, Bell and another individual conspired to distribute ice methamphetamine in Cedar Rapids and Marion. During an investigation, law enforcement officers utilized a confidential source to conduct two controlled purchases of ice methamphetamine from Bell for a total of over 100 grams of ice methamphetamine. On November 14, 2023, officers observed Bell drive to and from his co-conspirator’s residence and officers subsequently initiated a traffic stop on the vehicle driven by Bell. Officers searched the vehicle and seized approximately 65.64 grams of ice methamphetamine.
Bell was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams. Bell was sentenced to 130 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a 5-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
The case was prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Jared Manternach and investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Cedar Rapids Police Department.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 24-CR-60.
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Marietta Man Sentenced for Using a BB Airsoft Gun During Two Robberies and One Attempted RobberyRead the Press Release
TULSA, Okla. – A Marietta man was sentenced today for Attempted Robbery in Indian Country and two counts of Robbery in Indian Country, announced U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.
U.S. District Judge Gregory K. Frizzell sentenced Scott Thomas Balch, 50, to 63 months imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release.
In October 2020, Balch entered a convenience store, wearing a mask, brandished a BB airsoft pistol, and told the store clerk he would shoot them if they didn’t comply. The employee complied, opened the register, and gave Balch money. A few weeks later, Balch entered the same convenience store and attempted to rob it again with the same BB airsoft pistol. After the employee ran in fear, Blach is seen on surveillance camera, going behind the counter and stealing several scratch-off lottery tickets.
In November 2020, Balch entered a different convenience store, brandished the same BB airsoft pistol, and demanded money.
The clerk complied and gave Balch the contents of the register.Court records show that Balch was previously convicted in tribal and state courts for more than 11 felonies and three misdemeanors.
Balch is a citizen of the Cherokee Nation and will remain in custody pending transfer to the U.S. Bureau of Prisons.
The FBI, the Tulsa Police Department, and the Sand Springs Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Scott Dunn prosecuted the case.
Long Island Resident Sentenced to 48 Months in Prison for Covid-19 Loan FraudRead the Press Release
Earlier today, in federal court in Central Islip, Niall Alli was sentenced by United States District Judge Gary R. Brown to 48 months in prison, in connection with a $1.7 million disaster relief fraud and wire fraud perpetrated during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. As part of the sentence, Alli was also ordered to pay $1.7 million in restitution to the Small Business Administration (SBA) and approximately $135,000 in forfeiture consisting of assets seized from corporate bank accounts and Ethereum from a corporate Coinbase wallet. Alli pleaded guilty in December 2023.
Joseph Nocella, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, and Daniel Brubaker, Inspector in Charge, United States Postal Inspection Service, New York Division (USPIS) announced the sentence.
“Alli saw the COVID-19 programs and the deadly pandemic as an avenue for stealing money from the government and taxpayers, to spend nearly $500,000 to purchase cryptocurrency, $140,000 on two wristwatches, a $36,000 stay at a luxury Manhattan hotel, and an $800 bottle of champagne and $600 bottle of Scotch at fine restaurants,” stated United States Attorney Nocella. “The defendant now knows the price of such conduct is the loss of his freedom and full restitution to the Small Business Administration. Today’s sentence should also put scammers like the defendant on notice that there is no free pass for those who take advantage of important relief programs.”
Mr. Nocella expressed his appreciation to the SBA for their partnership on the case.
“Alli's compulsion for fraud resulted in government money intended to assist struggling businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic, exploited for a short-lived lavish lifestyle. Today's sentencing is proof that Postal Inspectors will relentlessly pursue any individuals who take advantage of the U.S. Mail to defraud the government and steal taxpayer funds. I would like to thank the United States Attorney's Office, Eastern District of New York, and the Small Business Administration for their work on this investigation,” stated USPIS Inspector in Charge Brubaker.
As set forth in court filings, Alli was associated with two corporate entities, Allicorp, Inc. and Oxypaper, Inc. Between approximately April 2020 and November 2021, during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, Alli engaged in a scheme to defraud the SBA and several financial institutions administering the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) of federal COVID-19 emergency-relief funds meant for distressed small businesses. Alli fraudulently applied for, and received, four PPP loans, totaling over $1.7 million, on behalf of the two corporate entities he controlled. The applications contained false information, including bogus financial data and fabricated payrolls, which was designed to fraudulently induce the SBA and lenders administering the PPP programs to approve the loans. Once the loans were approved and disbursed, Alli filed fraudulent forgiveness applications supported by fictitious financial statements and false statements. Alli utilized the loan proceeds to enrich himself, including by discharging personal debts and making extravagant purchases. For example, he purchased two Patek Philippe wristwatches for $138,568; paid for private school tuition for his child; purchased nearly half a million dollars’ worth of cryptocurrency; and spent tens of thousands of dollars on luxury hotel stays.
The government’s case is being handled by the Criminal Section of the Office’s Long Island Division. Assistant United States Attorney Charles P. Kelly is in charge of the prosecution, with assistance from Paralegal Specialists Samantha Schroder and Ana Maria Tejada.
The Defendant:
NIALL ALLI
Age: 52
Inwood, New YorkE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 22-CR-395 (S-1) (GRB)
Leaders of Sinaloa Cartel Presented in Manhattan Federal CourtRead the Press Release
United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Jay Clayton, and Administrator of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (“DEA”), Terrance C. Cole, announced that KEVIN GIL ACOSTA, a/k/a “El 200,” MARTIN ZAZUETA PEREZ, a/k/a “Piyi,” and LEOBARDO GARCIA CORRALES, a/k/a “Leo,” arrived from Mexico in the Southern District of New York last night. GIL ACOSTA, ZAZUETA PEREZ, and GARCIA CORRALES are charged with fentanyl trafficking and weapons offenses in connection with their roles working for the Sinaloa Cartel. The defendants were presented today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Henry J. Ricardo and detained.
“The illicit fentanyl trade continues to plague Americans and New Yorkers of all walks of life, and the Sinaloa Cartel, a vast, deadly, and corrupt enterprise, is at the center of the scourge,” said U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton. “The defendants allegedly held leading roles, using abhorrent violence to protect the Cartel. Their arrival yesterday in the United States to face justice in a U.S. courtroom is another major step in the partnership between our Office and the DEA to end the operations of the Sinaloa Cartel.”
According to the allegations contained in the Indictments against GIL ACOSTA, ZAZUETA PEREZ, and GARCIA CORRALES, and other court filings: [1]
The Sinaloa Cartel (the “Cartel”), based in the Mexican state of Sinaloa, operates in countries around the world and is one of the dominant drug trafficking organizations in the Western Hemisphere responsible for the massive influx of fentanyl into the United States, as well as the accompanying violence and deaths that have afflicted communities on both sides of the U.S.-Mexico border.
To protect and further the Cartel’s fentanyl trafficking operations, the Cartel, and specifically, the sons of the Cartel’s notorious former leader, Joaquin Archivaldo Guzman Loera, a/k/a “El Chapo,” known collectively as the “Chapitos,” have relied upon armed enforcers, known as sicarios. These sicarios comprise a security apparatus built to commit acts of violence to protect the Chapitos’ operation and its leaders, territory, labs, trafficking routes, and money. They regularly use military-grade weapons which are often smuggled from the United States, including machine guns, to perpetrate violence, including murder, torture, and kidnapping.
GIL ACOSTA and ZAZUETA PEREZ were leaders of the Chapitos’ security apparatus. GIL ACOSTA served as the leader of a group of sicarios tasked with protecting the Chapitos’ fentanyl laboratories and fentanyl distribution routes, and personally trafficked fentanyl manufactured in labs controlled by the Chapitos. ZAZUETA PEREZ was responsible for providing security in the Mexican state of Sinaloa, including by protecting the Chapitos’ fentanyl operations through kidnapping, torture, and murder using machine guns and other weapons. On behalf of the Chapitos, GIL ACOSTA and ZAZUETA PEREZ participated in attacks against Mexican government and military officials, including during the Mexican authorities’ failed efforts in or about October 2019 to arrest one of the Chapitos. Specifically, during that operation, GIL ACOSTA led sicarios armed with AK-47s, M-16s, and AR-15s in attacks on Mexican government and military officials, and ZAZUETA PEREZ, armed with an AR-15 and grenade launcher, conducted attacks on Mexican government and military officials.
GARCIA CORRALES is a fentanyl supplier who has worked closely with the Sinaloa Cartel and has produced fentanyl in ton quantities. He oversaw the importation of kilogram quantities of fentanyl into the United States and conspired with others to arrange the sale of fentanyl in exchange for military-grade weapons, including hundreds of automatic weapons and .50-caliber rifles and grenades, for the purpose of promoting and protecting his drug trafficking activities. In connection with those efforts, GARCIA CORRALES and his co-conspirators delivered approximately 33 kilograms of fentanyl to buyers in the United States as partial payment for the planned weapons deal.
GIL ACOSTA, ZAZUETA PEREZ, and GARCIA CORRALES were transferred on August 12, 2025, from Mexico to the United States pursuant to Mexico’s National Security law. They were among more than two dozen wanted fugitives facing a range of federal and state criminal charges from around the country, including charges relating to drug trafficking, hostage-taking, kidnapping, illegal use of firearms, human smuggling, money laundering, the murder of a sheriff’s deputy, and other crimes.
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GIL ACOSTA, 35; ZAZUETA PEREZ, 29; and GARCIA CORRALES, 55, all from Mexico, are each charged with one count of fentanyl importation conspiracy, which carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison and a maximum sentence of life in prison; one count of possession of machine guns and destructive devices, which carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 30 years in prison and a maximum sentence of life in prison; and one count of conspiracy to possess machine guns and destructive devices, which carries a maximum sentence of life in prison. GIL ACOSTA and ZAZUETA PEREZ are also each charged with one count of fentanyl trafficking conspiracy, which carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison and a maximum sentence of life in prison.
The mandatory minimum and maximum potential sentences in these cases are prescribed by Congress and provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendants will be determined by the judge.
Mr. Clayton praised the outstanding investigative work of the DEA’s Special Operations Division, Bilateral Investigations Unit and the DEA offices in Mexico, as well as the assistance of the Office of International Affairs of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, the United States Marshals Service, and the Government of Mexico.
This prosecution is being handled by the Office’s National Security and International Narcotics Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Nicholas S. Bradley, Jane Y. Chong, Sarah L. Kushner, and David J. Robles are in charge of the prosecution.
The charges contained in the Indictments are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
u.s._v._garcia_corrales_et_al_indictment.pdf u.s._v._zazueta_perez_indictment.pdf u.s._v._gil_acosta_indictment.pdf
[1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Indictments and the description of the Indictments set forth herein constitute only allegations, and every fact described should be treated as an allegation.
Lead Defendant in Whittier-Based Quiet Village Racketeering Case Pleads Guilty to Federal Charges, Admits to 2022 Gun MurderRead the Press Release
SANTA ANA, California – A shot caller in the Whittier-based Quiet Village (QV) street gang pleaded guilty today to federal charges, including shooting a woman to death while attempting to murder a law enforcement source in Commerce in March 2022 and the attempted murder of a rival gang member in El Monte earlier that year.
Chase Carrillo, 36, a.k.a. “Sicko,” of Santa Fe Springs, the lead defendant in a 16-count superseding indictment targeting the gang, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to violate the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act and one count of using a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence, resulting in death. He has been in federal custody since July 2023.
According to his plea agreement, Carrillo participated in Quiet Village gang activities from at least 2014 until June 2023, including his assault of two California corrections officers while he was serving a sentence in state prison in September 2014. The plea agreement further outlines the history of QV and its close alliance with another street gang, Whittier Varrio Locos (WVL).
On January 13, 2022, Carrillo got involved in an argument with a rival gang member in El Monte. That altercation ended with Carrillo and a co-conspirator shooting the rival gangster, who was struck eight to 10 times by bullets and was severely wounded.
In early March 2022, a co-conspirator obtained a police report about the incident that named a victim identified in court documents as “J.P.” as a person who provided authorities information about the El Monte shooting, and asked an accomplice to distribute the report, stating it should go “to all the homies,” which was interpreted as a message to fellow gang members that J.P. should be murdered for cooperating with law enforcement.
On March 5, 2022, two days after the police report began circulating among gang members, Carrillo and a co-conspirator – who were driving a car rented with a stolen credit card – encountered J.P. in Commerce. Carrillo got out of the rental car and fired at least two rounds into the vehicle J.P. was riding in with the intent to kill him. J.P. was not hit, but the driver of the vehicle – a woman identified in court documents as M.F. – was fatally wounded.
Carrillo admitted in his plea agreement that his purpose in committing the murder was to maintain and increase his position in the QV enterprise by killing J.P., a person that he believed was cooperating with law enforcement.
Carrillo further admitted that he caused at least $150,000 in losses and damages to the El Monte shooting victim and at least $150,000 in losses and damages to M.F.’s next of kin and heirs.
United States District Judge Fred W. Slaughter scheduled a February 26, 2026, sentencing hearing, at which time Carrillo will face a statutory maximum sentence of life in federal prison.
The investigation was conducted by the FBI’s San Gabriel Valley Safe Streets Task Force and involved agents and officers assigned to the Task Force from the FBI, the El Monte Police Department, the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, the Pomona Police Department and the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation’s Special Service Unit. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives also participated in the investigation.
Assistant United States Attorneys Wilson Park and Kellye Ng of the Violent and Organized Crime Section and Assistant United States Attorney Danbee Kim of the Environmental Crimes and Consumer Protection Section are prosecuting this case.
Knoxville Man Sentenced to 70 Months for Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – On August 12, 2025, Nathan Hart, 24, of Knoxville, Tennessee, was sentenced to 70 months in prison by the Honorable Thomas A. Varlan, United States District Judge, in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee at Knoxville. He was also ordered to pay $45,000 in restitution to his victims. Following his imprisonment, he will be on supervised release for 20 years and will be required to register with the state sex offender registry and comply with special sex offender conditions.
As part of the plea agreement filed with the court, Hart agreed to plead guilty to an indictment charging him with, one count of possession of and access with intent to view child pornography in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 2252A(a)(5)(B).
According to filed court documents, in May of 2023, after receiving tips of child pornography being distributed on the internet by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, investigators determined that the computer and internet service used belonged to Nathan Hart at his residential address. Investigators conducted a search of Hart’s residence and electronics, finding multiples files of child pornography, including at least twenty-four videos containing sexually explicit material. One video was over an hour long. A search of Hart’s electronics revealed numerous saved images of child pornography depicting known and unknown victims throughout the world that Hart obtained from online sources.
U.S. Attorney Francis M. Hamilton III of the Eastern District of Tennessee and Special Agent in Charge, Rana Saoud, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), made the announcement.
Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer Kolman represented the United States.
The criminal indictment was the result of an investigation by the Knoxville Police Department Internet Crimes Against Children Unit, HSI, and Knox County Sheriff's office. The investigation was led by HSI Task Force Officer Thomas Evans.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood (PSC), 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, PSC 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 PSC, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
For more information about internet safety education, please visit www.justice.gov/psc/resources.html and click on the tab "resources.”
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Jury finds Abby’s Bakery owners guilty of harboring illegal aliensRead the Press Release
BROWNSVILLE, Texas – Two owners of Abby’s Bakery, located in Los Fresnos, have been convicted following the discovery of illegal aliens at their business, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
The jury deliberated for approximately three hours following a three-day trial before finding Leonardo Baez-Lara, 56, and Alicia Avila-Guel, 46, guilty on two counts of harboring aliens and conspiracy to do so.
The married couple are both legal permanent residents who resided in Los Fresnos and owned and operated Abby’s Bakery and Dulce’s Café in Los Fresnos since 2012. The investigation began after authorities discovered the pair were potentially employing and housing illegal aliens within their restaurant.
At trial, the jury heard about an enforcement action that occurred Feb. 12 at that location. Authorities had identified several employees and others who were in the United States illegally or in the country under B1/B2 visas without having the right to work.
Testimony revealed Baez-Lara and Avila-Guel illegally hired these individuals to work in their restaurant while harboring them.
The jury heard about a room the pair had provided for employees in the same shopping plaza as the restaurant. It was a rectangular room with mattresses on the floor and housed two employees at the time of inspection who were unauthorized to work in the United States. Testimony revealed the room was originally an insurance office which became repurposed as a storage area for kitchen equipment. Authorities also found electrical wires which, coupled with the absence of a fire extinguisher and only one entrance, resulted in a safety risk for the inhabitants.
As more workers became employed, the couple provided this area for several individuals who did not have the right to work legally in the United States. Testimony showed that between five to six adults were residing in the room with the head baker living there for more than two years.
The jury also heard that for the prior four months before the arrests, the workers had hot water on only two occasions.
Evidence showed that the worksite enforcement action also resulted in the discovery of two illegal aliens unlawfully present in the country and six B1/B2 Visa holders who did not have the right to work in the United States.
Testimony also revealed that the business failed to file proper paperwork declaring its workers, paid its workers in cash and failed to follow their accountant’s advice to stop paying employees in cash.
One worker had arrived at the bakery upon a referral from a friend in Mexico. After entering the United States illegally, he had a brief interview regarding his abilities as a baker and was immediately offered a job and a place to stay.
Further testimony revealed another worker had been working at the bakery despite not having the right to do so before being removed during Covid. Upon reentering the country illegally, he was able to have Baez-Lara contacted and was then given a ride back to Los Fresnos where he was able to continue his work and continue to live there.
The defense attempted to convince the jury the owners only offered shelter to the aliens and that testimony did not reveal harboring took place. The jury did not believe those claims and found them guilty as charged.
“The jury’s verdict vindicates the American people’s mandate that our immigration laws be fully enforced,” said Ganjei. “Business owners who put profits over their fellow citizens by harboring illegal aliens should be advised that the Southern District of Texas will not look the other way.”
“The jury’s verdict affirms that the defendants knowingly conspired to harbor individuals in the country illegally, committed two separate acts of harboring, and did so for personal financial gain,” said Special Agent in Charge Craig Larrabee of Immigration and Customs Enforcement - Homeland Security Investigations (ICE-HSI) San Antonio. “These actions not only violate federal immigration laws but also exploit vulnerable individuals for profit. This conviction sends a clear message: those who engage in human smuggling and harboring for financial benefit will be investigated, prosecuted and held accountable to the fullest extent of the law.”
U.S. District Judge Fernando Rodriguez Jr. presided over the trial and set sentencing for Nov. 18. At that time, Baez-Lara and Avila-Guel face up to 10 years in federal prison as well as a possible $250,000 maximum fine. The two are also facing the potential loss of their residency status.
ICE-HSI conducted the investigation.
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 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 and Project Safe Neighborhood.
Jury Convicts Utah County Man with Child Sex CrimesRead the Press Release
Salt Lake City, Utah – A federal jury in Salt Lake City returned a guilty verdict today against a Utah County man after he sexually abused a 10-year-old girl and recorded the sexual abuse.
Brent Richard Johnson, 51, of Cedar Hills, Utah, was charged by indictment on November 20, 2024, with production of child pornography, and possession of child pornography.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, between approximately August and November 2013, defendant Johnson used his iPhone to record himself sexually abusing a 10-year-old minor victim while she was sleeping. Following the execution of a search warrant in 2024 on Mr. Johnson’s residence, the videos were discovered by law enforcement on a backup of an iPhone on Mr. Johnson’s computer. During the search, law enforcement also found a USB charging box that was disguised as a camera in a bathroom.
Johnson’s sentencing hearing is scheduled for February 9, 2026, before U.S. District Court Judge Howard C. Nielson, Jr. at the Orrin G. Hatch United States District Courthouse in downtown Salt Lake City.
Acting United States Attorney Felice John Viti of the District of Utah made the announcement.The case is being investigated jointly by the American Fork Police Department, the Utah County Sheriff’s Office and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security Investigations.
Assistant United States Attorneys Carol A. Dain and Joey L. Blanch of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah are prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by 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.
Jason A. Reding Quiñones Sworn in as United States Attorney for the Southern District of FloridaRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Following his nomination by President Donald J. Trump and confirmation by the United States Senate, Jason A. Reding Quiñones was sworn in today as the United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida. The oath of office was administered by Attorney General Pam Bondi. The Honorable Reding Quiñones is the first confirmed U.S. Attorney of President Trump’s second administration.
As United States Attorney, Reding Quiñones will lead the third-largest U.S. Attorney’s Office in the nation, overseeing the prosecution of a broad array of federal criminal offenses and the litigation of civil matters in which the United States has a legal interest. The Southern District of Florida spans more than 15,000 square miles, encompassing the counties of Miami-Dade, Broward, Monroe, Palm Beach, Martin, St. Lucie, Indian River, Okeechobee, and Highlands, and stretching from Key West to Sebastian and west to Sebring.
“As the son of a Cuban political refugee and a proud Miami native, I am deeply honored by the trust and confidence that President Trump, Attorney General Bondi, and the United States Senate have placed in me. As the United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, I will work tirelessly to protect the American people, restore impartial justice, and defend the rule of law without fear or favor.”
Prior to his appointment, Hon. Reding Quiñones served as a state court trial judge in Miami-Dade County presiding over civil and criminal domestic violence cases. He previously served as a national security official in the Department of Justice’s National Security Division, focusing on counterterrorism, and served as a federal prosecutor in both the Eastern District of Virginia and the Southern District of Florida.
A decorated 22-year veteran of the United States military, Hon. Reding Quiñones has served in the U.S. Army and the U.S. Air Force as a cavalry scout, infantry officer, logistics officer, and judge advocate (military lawyer). He continues to serve as a reserve lieutenant colonel, providing legal counsel on national security and counterterrorism matters to the Commander, U.S. Central Command.
The Honorable Reding Quiñones earned a Bachelor of Arts in Anthropology, with a minor in Military Sciences, from the University of Florida, and a Juris Doctor from Florida International University College of Law.
He succeeds Hayden P. O’Byrne, a career prosecutor who has led the office since January 2025. “Mr. O’Byrne is a patriot who has faithfully served this community for many years. I thank him for his leadership and look forward to building on his successes,” said U.S. Attorney Reding Quiñones.
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Illegal Alien Sentenced for Unlawful ReentryRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Pedro Eligio-Salinas, age 44, a Mexican national unlawfully present in Oklahoma, was sentenced to 6 months in prison for one count of Unlawful Reentry of Removed Alien.
The charge arose from an investigation by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Immigration and Customs Enforcement Division.
On April 14, 2025, Eligio-Salinas pleaded guilty to the charge. According to investigators, on March 27, 2025, Eligio-Salinas, an alien, was found in the United States after having been previously removed in 2011, and without obtaining the express consent of the Secretary of Homeland Security to reapply for admission to the United States.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
The Honorable John F. Heil, III, U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over the hearing. Eligio-Salinas will remain in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Dak T. Cohen and Jonathan E. Soverly represented the United States.
Idabel Resident Sentenced for Stealing Firearm from Federally Licensed Firearms DealerRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that J’Quarius J’Vontay Austin, age 18, of Idabel, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 41 months in prison for one count of Stealing Firearm from a Federal Firearms Licensed Dealer.
The charge arose from an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Broken Bow Police Department, and the Idabel Police Department.
On March 24, 2025, Austin pleaded guilty to the charge. According to investigators, on December 23, 2024, Austin and others burglarized a Broken Bow gun and pawn shop and stole 18 firearms and ammunition. Law enforcement recovered four of the stolen firearms while investigating a shootout in Idabel that occurred three days after the Broken Bow theft.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
The Honorable John F. Heil, III, U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over the hearing. Austin will remain in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Kevin Gross represented the United States.
Illegal Alien Sentenced for Smuggling Aliens into the United States and Possession of FirearmsRead the Press Release
TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA – Pedro Cesar Ramos-Cruz, 33, of the country of Cuba, was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison for Conspiracy to Bring Aliens into the United States, Illegal Reentry by a Removed Alien, and Possession of a Firearm by an Alien. The sentence was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
U.S. Attorney Heekin said, “This case is another shining example of the great success of the Department of Justice’s Operation Take Back America and fulfills the promise of President Donald J. Trump and Attorney General Pam Bondi to stop the flow of illegal immigration into our country. This criminal alien not only repeatedly illegally entered our country, but he also endangered our communities by smuggling other illegal aliens into and throughout the United States, while in possession of stolen firearms. My office will aggressively prosecute these offenders to keep our communities safe.”
Court records reflect that Ramos-Cruz was encountered by Florida Highway Patrol Troopers and found in possession of an alien smuggling ledger, 20 foreign passports, $13,709 in currency, narcotics, and stolen firearms. Homeland Security Investigations quickly determined that Ramos-Cruz, an alien in the United States and a citizen of Cuba, had been previously deported from the United States in 2019 and in 2020. Further investigation demonstrated that Ramos-Cruz was working with the Gulf Cartel and was actively smuggling aliens from Cuba, Honduras, Nicaragua, and Columbia into the United States.
“This criminal illegal alien repeatedly violated our nations laws, possessed stolen firearms, narcotics, and smuggled people in and throughout the United States like a commodity, with no regard for their safety or wellbeing,” said Homeland Security Investigations Assistant Special Agent in Charge Nicholas Ingegno. “HSI Tallahassee, and our federal, state and local partners, will use every tool at our disposal to stop this kind of criminal conduct and keep our communities safe.”
“What started as a simple traffic stop ended with the takedown of a Gulf Cartel-linked human smuggler who had been moving people across the southern border during the Biden administration and into Florida,” said FDLE Commissioner Mark Glass. “We don’t just make arrests—FDLE picks up the rock and looks at what’s crawling underneath. We run the long, protracted, multi-jurisdictional cases that follow the trail across state lines, across borders, and straight to the people fueling these criminal networks. I’m proud of our agents’ relentless work on this case and their commitment to keeping Florida safe.”
An ICE detainer has been lodged against Ramos-Cruz, and he will begin deportation proceedings after he serves his federal prison term.
The case was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement Removal Operations, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Florida Highway Patrol. Former Assistant United States Attorney Corey J. Smith and Assistant United States Attorney Jason R. Coody prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America (https://www.justice.gov/dag/media/1393746/dl?inline ) a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.
Honduras Citizen Pleads Guilty to Illegal Re-Entry into the U.S. and Social Security FraudRead the Press Release
JOHNSTOWN, Pa. - A citizen of Honduras pleaded guilty in federal court to charges of violating federal immigration and fraud laws, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.
Jose Mejia-Sarmiento, 66, pleaded guilty to Counts One through Nine of the Indictment before United States District Judge Stephanie L. Haines.
In connection with the guilty plea, the Court was advised that on three separate occasions between 1996 and 2016, Mejia-Sarmiento was found in the United States after having been deported and removed from the United States, including after having been convicted of a felony on the latter occasion. Further, Mejia-Sarmiento made false statements to the Social Security Administration on four different occasions between May 2024 and February 2025 in the Western District of Pennsylvania, by possessing and using the identification of another person.
Judge Haines scheduled sentencing for December 9, 2025. The law provides for a sentence of not more than five years in prison, a fine of $250,000, or both. Under the federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorney Maureen Sheehan-Balchon is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations, Department of Homeland Security Investigations, and the Social Security Administration – Office of Inspector General conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Mejia-Sarmiento.
Harrisburg Man Sentenced to 71 Months in Prison for Possessing a Firearm as a FelonRead the Press Release
HARRISBURG – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Noah Lee Craddock, age 33, of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, was sentenced on August 12, 2025, to 71 months’ imprisonment by United States District Judge Jennifer P. Wilson for unlawfully possessing a firearm as a felon.
According to Acting United States Attorney John C. Gurganus, in November 2020, the Pennsylvania State Police stopped a vehicle Craddock was driving on Interstate 83 in Harrisburg. During the stop, police recovered a 9mm Glock pistol and a loaded magazine from the vehicle.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America (https://www.justice.gov/dag/media/1393746/dl?inline) a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
The investigation was conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Pennsylvania State Police. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Carlo D. Marchioli.
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Guy A. Van Baalen Appointed as Acting U.S. Trustee for Florida, Georgia, Puerto Rico, and U.S. Virgin IslandsRead the Press Release
Guy A. Van Baalen has been appointed by Attorney General Pamela Bondi as the Acting U.S. Trustee for Florida, Georgia, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands (Region 21). Van Baalen replaces Mary Ida Townson, who is resigning August 16 after four years of distinguished service to the U.S. Trustee Program (USTP).
Van Baalen joined the USTP in 1989 as an attorney in the field office in Buffalo, New York, and has held several leadership roles. Since 2019, he has served as the Assistant U.S. Trustee in charge of the office in Tampa, Florida, and he will remain in that position while overseeing Region 21. For the previous 23 years, he was the Assistant U.S. Trustee in charge of the office in Utica, New York, and he has held the same position in an acting capacity in other USTP offices in Florida and New York. In addition to his other duties, Van Baalen serves on a working group supporting the USTP’s oversight and supervision of small business reorganizations filed under subchapter V of chapter 11.
Van Baalen received a bachelor’s degree from the State University of New York at Albany and a law degree from the State University of New York at Buffalo.
The Executive Office for U.S. Trustees made the announcement.
The USTP’s mission is to promote the integrity and efficiency of the bankruptcy system for the benefit of all stakeholders — debtors, creditors and the public. The USTP consists of 21 regions with 88 field offices nationwide and an Executive Office in Washington, D.C. Learn more about the USTP at www.justice.gov/ust.
Grand jury indicts man who allegedly made death threats against ICE agentsRead the Press Release
CINCINNATI – A Cincinnati man who was arrested in July after he allegedly made multiple threats online to shoot and kill ICE officers has now been indicted by a federal grand jury.
Anthony Marcus Kelly, 38, is charged in a two-count indictment with making threats to assault or murder a United States official and with making threatening interstate communications.
According to charging documents, from June 26 through July 17, Kelly allegedly used the social media username “Slab” and made multiple social media posts calling for the killing of ICE officers and detailing his acquisition of firearms to carry out that threat.
In one of his alleged posts, Kelly wrote “Why even bother with these damn courts anymore. #Gestapedos don’t deserve anything but the smoke coming for them anyway. #RevolutionIsTheSolution #DestroyICE they’re rabid dogs that need to be put down. Including #KristiNoem #DogmeatWalking.”
In another, he wrote, “You come here for me, you’re getting shot. And I’m not looking to disable […] I’m shooting for the kill. I won’t give a **** about your names, who you are, or anything else”.
Kelly was arrested on July 22 and remains in federal custody.
Threatening to assault or murder a United States official is a federal crime punishable by up to 10 years in prison. Making threatening interstate communications carries a potential penalty of up to five years in prison.
Dominick S. Gerace II, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, HSI Detroit acting Special Agent in Charge Jared Murphey and FBI Cincinnati Special Agent in Charge Elena Iatarola. Criminal Chief Christy L. Muncy is representing the United States in this case.
An indictment merely contains allegations, and defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.
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Grand jury indicts illegal alien for sexually exploiting 12-year-old victimRead the Press Release
CINCINNATI – A Mexican national was indicted by a federal grand jury today and charged with sexually exploiting a 12-year-old girl in the Southern District of Ohio.
Victor Juarez, 26, allegedly created videos of his sexual abuse of the minor victim on at least 13 instances in October and November 2024.
He is charged with 13 counts of sexual exploitation of children.
In February 2025, Juarez was charged with rape in Hamilton County. The federal charges will now supersede his local ones.
Sexually exploiting children is a federal crime punishable by at least 15 years and up to 30 years in prison.
The FBI’s Cincinnati Division and police departments in Cincinnati, Sharonville and Springdale are investigating the case. Assistant United States Attorney Kyle J. Healey is representing the United States in this case.
An indictment merely contains allegations, and defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.
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Gainesville Man Sentenced to over 35 Years in Prison for Drug-Trafficking, Firearm, and MacHinegun OffensesRead the Press Release
GAINESVILLE, FLORIDA – Lagarius Joseph Johnson, 21, was sentenced to 35 years and 3 months’ imprisonment in federal court for possession of marijuana with the intent to distribute, possession of a firearm by an unlawful user of controlled substances, and possession of a machinegun, and possession of a machine gun in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. The sentence was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “Operation Take Back America is a promise by President Donald J. Trump and Attorney General Pam Bondi that we will do everything in our power to stop those who pose a danger to our communities. Keeping a dangerous offender like this one off our streets is yet another step in fulfilling that promise. I am proud of the work of our brave state and federal law enforcement partners who investigated this case, and my office will continue to aggressively prosecute these offenders to keep our communities safe.”
Evidence at trial demonstrated that law enforcement conducted surveillance of the Majestic Oaks apartments due to reports that Johnson and others were in possession of firearms, including a machinegun. Johnson was prohibited under state law from possessing a firearm due to his prior criminal history. Officers identified Johnson and tried to approach him, but Johnson spun around and pointed with his hand inside his jacket pocket, making officers believe he was armed with a pistol. As officers identified themselves as police, Johnson ran. Officers were able to apprehend Johnson with a police canine. As Johnson fled, he threw a cellphone, backpack, and pistol. Officers discovered a distribution-quantity of marijuana, empty baggies, and a digital scale, in Johnson’s backpack. Examination of the discarded pistol revealed a machinegun conversion device, rendering the pistol fully automatic. Officers obtained search warrants and reviewed material from Johnson’s cellphone, as well as his social media accounts, and found dozens of pictures of Johnson posing with guns, large amounts of cash, and advertising marijuana for sale, including on the day of his arrest.
“The combination of illegal narcotics and illegally possessed firearms, especially a machine gun, presents an extreme threat to public safety,” said Police Chief Nelson Moya, Gainesville Police Department. “I commend our officers and federal partners for their dedicated work in bringing this case to justice. We will continue to stand firm against those who choose to endanger lives through criminal activity.”
“Drug trafficking is a dangerous endeavor and leads to increased violence in our communities,” said Drug Enforcement Administration Special Agent in Charge Deanne L. Reuter, Miami Field Division. “Law enforcement agencies in Florida continue to work together to get these armed and dangerous criminals off our streets and behind bars.”
“This sentence sends a clear message: if you bring violence, drugs and illegal guns into Florida, you will be met with the full force of local, state and federal law enforcement,” said Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) Commissioner Mark Glass. “Working side-by-side with our partners, FDLE will continue to track down dangerous offenders and dismantle the criminal networks that put our communities at risk.”
“This is an incredible public safety win for residents of North Central Florida,” said ATF Tampa Field Division’s Special Agent in Charge Kirk Howard. “We’re proud to have leveraged our expertise to help our local, state and federal partners bring this dangerous suspect to justice.”
Johnson received a sentence of 35 years and 3 months in prison, which will be followed by 10 years of supervised release. Johnson was also ordered for forfeit the firearm and conversion device seized.
Johnson also faces unrelated charges of attempted first degree murder involving a machinegun in the Eighth Judicial Circuit Court in and for Alachua County where he has entered a plea of not guilty and is presumed innocent.
This conviction and sentence were the result of a joint investigation by the Alachua County Sheriff’s Office, the Gainesville Police Department, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. Assistant United States Attorneys James A. McCain and Eric Welch prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America (https://www.justice.gov/dag/media/1393746/dl?inline ) a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
As part of its PSN strategy, the United States Attorney’s Office is encouraging everyone to lock their car doors, particularly at night. Burglaries from unlocked automobiles are a significant source of guns for criminals in the Northern District of Florida. Please do your part and protect yourself by locking your car doors.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.
Fort Wayne Man Sentenced to 63 Months in PrisonRead the Press Release
FORT WAYNE –Alan Heaton, 35 years old, of Fort Wayne, Indiana, was sentenced by United States District Court Chief Judge Holly Brady after pleading guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm, announced Acting United States Attorney M. Scott Proctor.
Heaton was sentenced to 63 months in prison followed by 3 years of supervised release.According to documents in the case, Heaton unlawfully possessed a firearm after having been convicted of multiple felony offenses in Allen County, Wells County, and DeKalb County.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Stacey R. Speith.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Fort Campbell Soldier Arrested on Child Exploitation ChargesRead the Press Release
NASHVILLE –A criminal complaint was unsealed today in the Middle District of Tennessee charging U.S. Army Soldier Robert Cecilio, 39, of Clarksville, Tennessee, with child sexual exploitation offenses, announced Robert E. McGuire, Acting United States Attorney for the Middle District of Tennessee. Cecilio was arrested today by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
According to court documents, from May 1, 2024, to the present, Cecilio has been communicating with at least three minor female victims, using the Snapchat app to get the victims to send him nude photos and videos of themselves. Snapchat records obtained through a search warrant show more than 8,400 contacts, including messages, images and videos, that were exchanged between Cecilio and one of his victims.
Cecilio was detained by Army CID Special Agents and Military Police Officers as he entered Fort Campbell on August 8, 2025. After waiving his Miranda rights, Cecilio stated that he used the Snapchat account that law enforcement had previously searched as well as other Snapchat accounts that include some variation of the name “Gabe” in the account name when communicating with minors. He confessed to having engaged in inappropriate sexual communications with many minor girls for an extended period of time, and that he had received many images and videos of minor females that he understood to be child pornography.
If convicted, Cecilio faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in federal prison and a maximum fine of $250,000.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation, Nashville Field Office, Clarksville Resident Agency and the Department of the Army Criminal Investigation Division are investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Monica R. Morrison is prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
A complaint is merely an allegation. The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Former city council member guilty of facilitating bribe paymentsRead the Press Release
McALLEN, Texas –A 47-year-old Edinburg resident has pleaded guilty to his role in a “pay-to-play” bribery scheme involving the Edinburg City Council, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
Jorge “Coach” Salinas admitted that between June 2019 and March 2020, he participated in a scheme involving businesses seeking contracts with the city of Edinburg. Salinas, then a councilman, attended meetings where a business owner sought to reinstate a long-term contract that had expired and converted to month-to-month terms.
The business operated in Edinburg and the surrounding area. The owner had sought both to secure new work agreements and maintain existing ones with the city.
The owner spoke with Miguel Garza who outlined what would be needed to persuade the council to approve the deal. Garza claimed to know several council members, to include Salinas. He said that for a payment, he could deliver Salinas’ vote in favor of the contract and ensure a majority of council members supported it. Part of the money would go to certain members of the council who made up the majority.
On July 23, 2019, Salinas met with Garza and the business owner to discuss the pending contract. The business owner gave Garza $3,000 at that time, because Garza had represented they had an agreement to secure the Edinburg City Council vote on behalf of the business owner’s company.
By attending this meeting, Salinas aided and abetted Garza’s criminal scheme to have council members take official acts in exchange for monetary payment.
“The public has a right to expect honesty and integrity from government officials,” said Ganjei. “If you participate in a pay-to-play scheme in the Southern District of Texas, you will definitely pay—the cost will be a federal indictment and prison term.”
U.S. District Judge Drew B. Tipton will impose sentencing Nov. 5. At that time, Salinas faces a maximum sentence of up to 10 years in prison and a possible $250,000 maximum fine.
Garza, 54, Edinburg, pleaded guilty May 2, 2023, and is also set for sentencing in November.
The FBI conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Arthur R. Jones and Robert L. Guerra are prosecuting the case.
Federal jury convicts Jamestown man of multiple drug and gun chargesRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that a federal jury convicted Trenton Grant, 31, of Jamestown, NY, of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, fentanyl, and cocaine, possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking crimes, and felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition, the charges carry a mandatory minimum penalty of 20 years in prison and a maximum of life in prison.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Johsua A. Violanti and Stacey Jacovetti, who handled the prosecution of the case, stated that in May 2023, the Olean Police Department began an investigation into Grant’s drug trafficking activities. On July 25, 2023, Olean police officers executed search warrants on his vehicle and person and recovered approximately 71 grams of methamphetamine, five grams of cocaine, and approximately four grams of fentanyl. Officers also recovered a loaded firearm and ammunition from the trunk of Grant’s vehicle. The firearm was later identified as having been stolen. At the time of his arrest, Grant was on parole for a prior felony conviction in February 2016 of Assault, Intent to Cause Serious Injury with Weapon. As a result, he is legally prohibited from possessing a firearm.
The verdict is the result of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Frank Tarentino, New York Field Division, and the Olean Police Department, under the direction of Chief Ron Richardson.
Sentencing is scheduled for February 4, 2026, before U.S. District Judge John L. Sinatra, Jr., who presided over the trial.
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Federal Jury in Lafayette Convicts Former Abbeville Resident on Child Pornography ChargesRead the Press Release
LAFAYETTE, La. – A federal jury in Lafayette has found a former Abbeville resident, David Lee Fail, 43, guilty of transportation and possession of child pornography, announced Acting United States Attorney Alexander C. Van Hook.
According to information presented in court, while living in Abbeville in 2021, Fail uploaded pornographic images of prepubescent children into a popular cloud-based storage platform account. The investigation into Fail’s illicit activities began in December 2021 when the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (“NCMEC”) received a cybertip reporting that images depicting child sexual abuse material had been uploaded onto a cloud-based platform using a unique IP address.
Agents with the Louisiana Bureau of Investigation and Homeland Security Investigations, a division of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (“HSI”), investigated the case and learned that Fail had two previous convictions for similar child exploitation offenses.
Further investigation revealed that the online storage account was registered in Fail’s name in Abbeville and had recently been disabled. Agents learned that after the account was disabled, Fail left Abbeville and relocated to the Denver, Colorado area. Agents obtained search warrants for Fail’s accounts and found more than 150 images containing child sexual abuse material. Many of the images found depicted prepubescent females with adult males.
Fail faces a sentence of 40 years in prison as to the transportation of child pornography conviction, and 20 years in prison for the possession of child pornography conviction, in addition to a fine of up to $250,000. Sentencing has been scheduled for December 9, 2025.
The case was investigated by Louisiana Bureau of Investigation and HSI and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Craig R. Bordelon and J. Luke Walker.
To report an incident involving the possession, distribution, receipt or production of child pornography: Child sexual abuse material – referred to in legal terms as "child pornography" – captures the sexual abuse and exploitation of children. These images document victims’ exploitation and abuse, and they suffer revictimization every time the images are viewed. In 2023, the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children received 36 million reports of the possession, manufacture, or distribution of child sexual abuse materials. To file a report with NCMEC, go to https://report.cybertip.org or call 1-800-843-5678.
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Federal Jury Convicts Man for Producing, Distributing, and Possessing Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces that a federal jury has found Joshua Keith Davis (53, Jacksonville) guilty of five counts of production of child sexual abuse material (CSAM), five counts of distribution of CSAM, and one count of possession of CSAM. Davis faces a minimum penalty of 15 years, up to 30 years, in federal prison for each production offense, a minimum of 5 years, up to 20 years’, imprisonment for each distribution offense, and up to 20 years in prison for the possession offense. His sentencing hearing is set for October 29, 2025.
According to evidence presented at trial, between 2011 and 2013, Davis produced CSAM depicting infants. He distributed the material to several individuals online. Davis was also found in possession of CSAM in 2022.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Noah P. Dorman and Special Assistant United States Attorney Rachel S. Lyons.
This is another case brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Federal Inmate Charged with Possession of a Weapon in PrisonRead the Press Release
SCRANTON - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Devin Lopez-Dominguez, age 25, an inmate at the Schuylkill Federal Correctional Facility, Minersville, PA, was indicted on August 12, 2025 by a federal grand jury for possession of a weapon in a federal correctional facility.
According to Acting United States Attorney John C. Gurganus, the indictment alleges that on December 22, 2024, Lopez-Dominguez possessed a prohibited object, a sharpened aluminum weapon.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah R. Lloyd is prosecuting the case.
The maximum penalty under federal law for this offense is five years of imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. A sentence following a 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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Federal Inmate Charged with Possession of a Weapon in PrisonRead the Press Release
SCRANTON - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Marco Deputy, age 30, of Frederick, Maryland, was indicted on August 12, 2025 by a federal grand jury for possession of a weapon in a federal correctional facility.
According to Acting United States Attorney John C. Gurganus, the indictment alleges that on December 2, 2024, Deputy, an inmate at the Schuylkill Federal Correctional Facility, possessed a prohibited object, a sharpened aluminum weapon.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Federal Bureau of Prisons. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah R. Lloyd is prosecuting the case.
The maximum penalty under federal law for this offense is five years of imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. A sentence following a 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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