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21 July 2025
Philadelphia Man Sentenced to More Than Five Years in Prison for Targeting U.S. Army Servicemembers in Conspiracy to Commit Identity Theft and CyberstalkingRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that Alpha Omega Mayhue, 40, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, was sentenced today by United States District Judge Karen S. Marston to 65 months in prison, three years of supervised release, and a $3,100 special assessment for stealing the personal information of multiple U.S. servicemembers and using it to inflict emotional distress, and related offenses.
The defendant was charged by indictment in January 2024, pleading guilty in July of last year to one count of conspiracy to commit identity theft, seven counts of misuse of a Social Security number, one count of aggravated identity theft, 21 counts of false statements, and one count of cyberstalking.
As detailed in court filings and admitted to by the defendant, from February 2018 to March 2021, Mayhue, who served in the United States Army with his victims, stole and used their personally identifiable information to harass and stalk them over past grievances he had with them in the military.
Mayhue and unknown co-conspirators impersonated the victims and conducted numerous unauthorized transactions with banks, credit unions, the Federal Trade Commission, and other entities, including terminating their military and disability benefits, rerouting direct deposit payments, changing account information such as email addresses, physical addresses and phone numbers, and reporting their debit cards as stolen. In addition, Mayhue cyberstalked one victim, claiming he was surveilling her and subjecting her to sexual threats.
“Investigating individuals who hold positions of trust and misuse Department of Defense (DoD) information is a priority for the DoD Office of Inspector General’s Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS),” stated Acting Special Agent in Charge Christopher Silvestro, DCIS Northeast Field Office. “Today’s sentencing demonstrates our commitment to work with our law enforcement partners and the Department of Justice to protect our nation’s service members.”
“Today’s sentencing holds Mr. Mayhue accountable for his role in an account takeover scheme that targeted members of the U.S. Army by using their personally identifiable information to impersonate them and conduct unauthorized transactions with various entities,” said Special Agent in Charge Jason Scalzo of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation Office of Inspector General (FDIC OIG), Electronic Crimes Unit. “The FDIC OIG will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to investigate such schemes that harm consumers and threaten to undermine the safety and soundness of our nation’s banking system.”
The case was investigated by the DCIS, FDIC OIG, Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General, and Federal Trade Commission Office of Inspector General and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Josh A. Davison.
Oklahoma City Duo Plead Guilty to Illegal Possession of Firearms Following Shooting at Apartment ComplexRead the Press Release
OKLAHOMA CITY – LARRY WELCH, 29, and JACOB MADISON, 24, both of Oklahoma City, have each pleaded guilty to illegal possession of a firearm after a previous felony conviction, announced U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester.
On May 6, 2025, a federal Grand Jury returned a two-count Indictment, charging both Welch and Madison with being a felon in possession of a firearm. According to public record, on April 7, 2025, officers with the Oklahoma City Police Department responded to a reported shooting at an apartment complex. Witnesses told police that prior to the shooting, they had been involved in a dispute with the shooting suspects, later identified as Welch and Madison. Nobody was injured as a result of the shooting. Officers reviewed nearby surveillance video which showed Welch and Madison opening fire on the unarmed witnesses and then fleeing the complex. Officers canvassed the area, and shortly thereafter arrested Welch and Madison, who were found hiding in a residential backyard shed on a nearby property. Law enforcement also recovered two firearms, which Welch and Madison used during the shooting.
Public records show that both Welch and Madison have lengthy criminal histories. Welch has previous felony convictions that include:
- possession of a firearm after felony conviction in Cherokee County District Court case number CF-2015-629;
- injuring or burning a public building in Mayes County District Court case number CF-2015-0228; and
- feloniously pointing a firearm in Cleveland County District Court case number CF-2019-1389.
Madison has previous felony convictions that include:
- second-degree burglary in Oklahoma County District Court case number CF-2020-1275;
- knowingly receiving or concealing stolen property in Canadian County District Court case number CF-2022-437; and
- possession of a firearm after a previous felony conviction, unlawful possession of a controlled dangerous substance with intent to distribute, committing a felony with a firearm with a defaced ID number, possession of a controlled dangerous substance, and unlawful possession of drug paraphernalia in McClain County District Court case number CF-2023-0072.
On July 16, 2025, both Welch and Madison pleaded guilty, and both admitted they possessed a firearm despite their previous felony convictions.
At sentencing, the defendants face up to 15 years in federal prison each, and fines of up to $250,000.
This case is the result of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Oklahoma City Police Department. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Laney Ellis (SAUSA) is prosecuting the case. SAUSA Ellis is an attorney with City of Oklahoma City whose position is funded by a federal Project Safe Neighborhoods grant awarded to the City of Oklahoma City to enhance efforts to address and reduce violent crime.
Reference is made to public filings for additional information.
New Haven Man Admits Operating Illegal Money Transmitting BusinessRead the Press Release
David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, that WILLIAM McNEILLY, 56, of New Haven, pleaded guilty today in New Haven federal court to charges related to his operation of an unlicensed money transmitting business.
According to court documents and statements made in court, McNeilly owned and operated Global Income Marketplace LLC (“GIM”) from a storefront in West Haven. According to its Connecticut state registration, GIM was engaged in “website builders programming tech computer repairs and upgrades.” McNeilly and another individual also operated Global NuMedia LLC (“GNM”), a limited liability company registered in Delaware. McNeilly, who never obtained a license from the Connecticut Department of Banking to engage in the business of money transmission, opened up several bank accounts in the names of GIM and GNM, and a cryptocurrency exchange account in the name of GNM, and used the accounts to operate a business through which he exchanged customers’ cash, checks, and money orders for cryptocurrency, charging a fee for the service.
Between approximately July 2019 and June 2022, McNeilly exchanged more than $1 million in U.S. currency for cryptocurrency on behalf of customers throughout the U.S. McNeilly knew that some of the funds involved in his illegal business were derived from fraud schemes, and the investigation revealed that cashiers checks from victims of romance fraud schemes were mailed to GIM and deposited into GIM accounts.
In February 2021, McNeilly was contacted by TD Bank and told that a $10,000 wire transfer to GNM was reported as fraudulent, and that he needed a license to operate a money transmission business. Despite the warning, and that TD Bank closed the GIM and GNM accounts, McNeilly continued to operate his money transmission business through other GIM and GNM bank accounts.
McNeilly pleaded guilty to one count of operating an unlicensed money transmitting business, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of five years, and three counts of making illegal money transactions, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 10 years on each count.
McNeilly was arrested on June 6, 2024. He is released on a $50,000 bond pending sentencing, which is scheduled for October 20.
This matter is being investigated by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Heather L. Cherry.
Mobile Man Sentenced to 92 Months in Prison for Felon in Possession of A FirearmRead the Press Release
MOBILE, AL – Edwards Cordell Burks, Jr., was sentenced to 92 months in federal prison for possessing a firearm as a previously convicted felon. The sentence was imposed by United States District Judge Jeffrey Beaverstock.
According to court documents, in November 2024, members of the Mobile Police Department (MPD) responded to a local hospital where two individuals were receiving treatment for gunshot wounds. During the course of MPD’s investigation, and after speaking with victims and witnesses, MPD developed Burks as a suspect in those shootings. MPD officers also located and secured the crime scene off Spring Hill Avenue. Surveillance from a nearby business captured the shooting. The shooter in the surveillance footage appears to be Burks. Three bullet casings were collected from the scene and a “be on the lookout” (BOLO) notice for Burks went out to law enforcement. Two days after the shooting, an MPD officer on regular patrol observed Burks walking on the sidewalk within a mile of the crime scene. The officer detained Burks and located a loaded firearm in his waistband. The firearm and casings from the scene were compared via the National Integrated Ballistic Information Network (NIBIN), a match was generated indicating that the firearm from Burks was the same firearm used in the shooting two days before. Burks is a convicted felon and is prohibited from possession a firearm.
At sentencing, Judge Beaverstock imposed a 92-month sentence of incarceration and a 3-year term of supervised release upon Burks’ discharge from prison. Burks has also been charged with state assault offenses based on the shootings which remain pending.
The Mobile Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives investigated the case. Assistant United States Attorney Beth Stepan prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.
This case exemplifies the mission of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) and Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN).
Missouri Man Sentenced to 30 Years in Prison for Producing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
CAPE GIRARDEAU – U.S. District Judge Sarah E. Pitlyk on Monday sentenced a Carter County, Missouri man to 30 years in prison for producing child pornography.
Jurors in U.S. District Court in Cape Girardeau in December convicted Clinton Rongey, now 53, of one count of sexual exploitation of a minor. Evidence and testimony at trial showed that between February and November of 2023, Rongey produced more than 100 images containing child sexual abuse material featuring the victim, who was three and four years old at the time. Rongey engaged in a “pattern of activity,” doing so on multiple occasions while he’d been entrusted with the care of the victim, according to a government sentencing memorandum.
The case was investigated by the Carter County Sheriff’s Office and the FBI. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Julie Hunter and Nathan Chapman prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Department of Justice Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Missouri City resident admits to profiting $1.65 million from fraudulent pandemic loan applicationsRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – A 42-year-old man has pleaded guilty to a wire fraud conspiracy involving the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
Shawn Nicholas Young applied for PPP and EIDL loans on behalf of his own businesses as well as businesses belonging to others. The Small Business Administration (SBA) administered the loan programs he targeted, which were intended to help existing small businesses survive the COVID-19 pandemic.
To qualify for funding, Young misrepresented key information about the businesses. He supported the false statements with fake tax returns and backdated documents.
Over the conspiracy, Young submitted more than 100 fraudulent applications, requesting more than $9.5 million in funds earmarked for pandemic relief. He received kickbacks from co-conspirators who were approved for loans.
Young profited $1.65 million from the conspiracy. He used the proceeds for personal expenses, such as paying off his mortgage and buying a car. As part of his plea, Young will pay full restitution to the victims of his crimes and forfeit his house and car.
U.S. District Judge Kenneth M. Hoyt will sentence Young Oct. 27. At that time, Young faces up to 20 years in federal prison and a possible $250,000 maximum fine.
He was permitted to remain on bond pending that hearing.
The Federal Housing Finance Agency-Office of Inspector General (OIG), Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration, Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation-OIG, SBA-OIG and Immigration and Customs Enforcement - Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation with the assistance of Fort Bend Sheriff’s Office and Harris County Constable’s Office, Precinct 1. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Stephanie Bauman and Shirin Hakimzadeh prosecuted the case.
The COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force was established to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The task force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the department's response to the pandemic, please visit Justice.gov/Coronavirus and Justice.gov/Coronavirus/CombatingFraud.
Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice's National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline via the NCDF Web Complaint Form.
Mexican nationals sentenced for roles in Black Market Peso Exchange money laundering schemeRead the Press Release
LAREDO, Texas - Two people have been ordered to federal prison for their roles in a two-year, multimillion-dollar trade-based money laundering conspiracy to move drug trafficking proceeds through Texas to Mexico.
Mauricio Anzures-Zarate, 53, Mexico City, Mexico, and Beatriz Salcedo-Carreon, 63, Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico, pleaded guilty April 15, 2024, and Jan. 7, 2025, respectively.
U.S. District Judge Keith P. Ellison has now imposed a 55-month-term of imprisonment for both. Not U.S. citizens, they are expected to face removal proceedings following their prison terms. Anzures-Zarate and Salcedo-Carreon were further ordered to pay money judgments in the amounts of $1,176,165 and $887,269, respectively.
“The lifeblood of any drug trafficking organization is the uninterrupted flow of cash,” said Ganjei. “Here, defendants laundered drug proceeds through a sophisticated trade-based scheme. This criminal operation, and others like it, put money in the pockets of the cartels and endangered lives on both sides of the border. Taking this conspiracy out of commission is a great win, but it’s just the beginning.”
“The defendants used an elaborate, trade-based money laundering scheme to exploit our financial system and transfer the proceeds of illegal drug trafficking from the United States to Mexico,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew R. Galeotti of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “These financial facilitators actively promoted cartel operations in cities across the United States, which enabled the flow of deadly narcotics into our communities. The Criminal Division will continue to pursue the total elimination of cartels and the money launderers who enable their pernicious activities.”
“Despite the sophisticated tactics used to conceal profits made from smuggling poison into our country by the Mexican cartels, our expertise enabled us to dismantle their thriving operations,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge William Kimbell of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Houston Division. “DEA, along with its federal counterparts, has dealt a significant blow to the finances of the Mexican cartels through the incredible investigative work of our agents. If we trace your money activities back to the cartels, you will have your day in court and will face justice.”
“Anzures-Zarate and Salcedo-Carreon thought they could escape justice, but found our reach extends past the money trail they left,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Lucy Tan of IRS Criminal Investigation’s (CI) Houston Field Office. “They conspired to use black market peso exchanges, which are one of the classic methods to launder drug dollars, and a method that leaves a traceable trail to the cartels. For businesses that get approached for a quick cash sale to transport goods into Central and South America, remember that we will find you because your greed leaves evidence.”
Anzures-Zarate and Salcedo-Carreon directed money couriers to collect drug proceeds in numerous U.S. cities and then transfer them by wire or courier to Laredo to be laundered through local businesses.
As part of the scheme, store owners in downtown Laredo accepted the drug proceeds as payment for merchandise to be exported to businesses in Mexico. Salcedo-Carreon, Anzures-Zarate and others instructed the Mexican businesses to transfer pesos to accounts or people in Mexico who were affiliated with cartels. Through this trade-based money laundering scheme, Mexican cartels disguised illicit drug proceeds as legitimate international commercial transactions and received laundered drug proceeds in Mexico without physically transporting cash across the U.S.-Mexico border.
Eight others were previously convicted and sentenced for their roles in the money laundering conspiracy.
DEA and IRS-CI conducted the investigation. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs and the Criminal Division’s Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section’s Office of Judicial Attaché in Bogotá, Colombia provided significant assistance in this matter. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs worked with law enforcement partners in Mexico to secure the arrest and April 2024 extradition of Salcedo-Carreon.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys (AUSA) Lance Watt, Amanda Gould and former AUSA José Angel Moreno prosecuted the case along with Trial Attorneys Keith H. Liddle and Stephanie Williamson of the Criminal Division’s Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section.
Mexican National Charged with Illegal Re-EntryRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Mexican National has been charged in federal court for unlawful reentry after deportation.
Juan Sebastian Celedon-Cardenas, 38, was charged in a one-count complaint with illegal reentry by a previously deported alien. The complaint charges that Celedon-Cardenas had previously been removed from the United States four times - on March 29, 2010, March 15, 2016, August 19, 2016, and July 26, 2017.
The charges contained in this complaint are simply accusations, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charges must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Brad K. Kavanaugh It was investigated by Immigration and Customs Enforcement - Enforcement and Removal Operations.
Operation Take Back America
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
Mexican Man Pleads Guilty to Unlawful Return to the United States by an Alien After Deportation or RemovalRead the Press Release
GULFPORT, MS – Pedro Aranda-Zaragoza, age 49, of Mexico pleaded guilty on July 17, 2025, to Unlawful Reentry into the United States by a Deported or Removed Alien.
Aranda-Zaragoza is scheduled to be sentenced on August 26, 2025, and faces a maximum penalty of two years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Federal law also provides for Aranda-Zaragoza to face Homeland Security removal proceedings after serving any prison sentence.
On April 24, 2025, Aranda-Zaragoza was arrested as part of a Homeland Security Investigations review of employee documentation at the El Patron Mexican Grill in Vancleave, MS. Aranda-Zaragoza admitted to knowingly being an alien illegally present in the U.S., and to illegally returning after being lawfully removed from the United States. A review of his prior immigration records revealed that a Final Order of Removal had been issued against Aranda-Zaragoza in 2012. Aranda-Zaragoza was arrested by immigration officials in August 2018, and physically was removed from the United States to his home nation of Mexico that same month. A review of immigration records also revealed that Aranda-Zaragoza had not received permission or consent to apply for readmission or to lawfully reenter the United States from either the US Attorney General or from the Secretary of Homeland Security.
Acting U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Mississippi, Patrick A. Lemon, praised the work of Homeland Security Investigations. Lemon and Eric P. DeLaune, Special Agent-in-Charge for Homeland Security Investigations in New Orleans, Louisiana, made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Stan Harris prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America 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).
Mexican Mafia and Tango Laredo gang members sentenced to decades for prison assaultRead the Press Release
LAREDO, Texas – Four gang members have been sentenced for their roles in an assault at the Rio Grande Detention Center, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
Mexican national Jose Regalado-Solis, 47; and Ruben Salazar, 52, Javier Contreras, 48, and Jesus Guadalupe Ortega, 31, all of Laredo, pleaded guilty Aug. 24, 2024, to conspiracy to commit assault resulting in serious bodily injury. Regalado-Solis also pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit assault with a deadly weapon.
Senior U.S. District Judge Keith P. Ellison has now ordered Regalado-Solis to serve a total of 144 months in federal prison. Salazar and Contreras each received a 60-month sentence, while Ortega was sentenced to 72 months. At the hearing, the court considered written victim statements as well as in-court testimony from one of the victims. All detailed the extensive injuries and ongoing medical issues resulting from the assault. In handing down the sentence, Judge Ellison noted that he had been on the bench for 26 years called it the “most serious case of prison gang violence I have seen.” He also added that the case justified a maximum sentence, noting the serious nature of the injuries, the unprovoked assault and the gang motivation on the part of the defendants that fueled it.
“Ensuring that criminals refrain from violent conduct while in custody is just as important as ensuring they refrain from violence outside prison walls,” said Ganjei. “Hopefully the defendants in this case are enjoying their time behind bars, because they just earned themselves many more years in the federal pen.”
On Aug. 18, 2023, authorities were processing nine new inmates at the facility.
Ortega approached the newly arrived inmates and asked their gang affiliation. Upon hearing their responses, he ordered them to line up along the back wall of the housing unit. Other inmates then ran back to their bunks and began putting on their shoes. Regalado-Solis obtained a “shank” from his bunk and walked back towards the new inmates. Salazar lined up behind Regalado-Solis, while Javier Contreras stood in a nearby row of bunk beds.
As the lights went off in the unit, Regalado-Solis and others to assault eight of the new inmates who indicated alternative gang affiliations. He kicked, stomped and made stabbing gestures. While Salazar did not join the initial assault, he was later seen striking and kicking the new inmates on the ground. Contreras immediately rushed into the assault and was observed striking and kicking several as well.
Authorities were able to quickly disperse the assault, but not before the eight victims sustained significant injuries, including puncture wounds. Two required emergency transportation to Laredo Medical Center.
One new inmate who did not claim gang membership was unharmed.
All have been and will remain in custody.
The FBI and U.S. Marshals Service conducted the investigation with the cooperation of The Geo Group. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Homero Ramirez and Andrew P. Hakala-Finch prosecuted the case.
Man who Possessed Multiple Machinegun Conversion Devices Sentenced to Nine Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
A man who possessed multiple machinegun conversion devices on more than one occasion was sentenced on July 18, 2025, to 108 months in federal prison.
Gentile Kahungu, age 19, who was living in Marion, Iowa, received the prison term after a January 31, 2025 guilty plea to possession of a machinegun. The evidence at the sentencing hearing showed that Kahungu possessed a total of 18 machinegun conversion devices, two of which were connected to firearms. On June 25, 2024, Kahungu possessed some of the devices in his bedroom in his home in Marion along with a tan Glock magazine and ammunition. When he was later arrested in Cedar Rapids, he possessed additional machinegun conversion devices, along with a tan Glock firearm that had a machinegun conversion device connected to it. The evidence at the hearing also established that Kahungu’s Glock firearm was used during two other shootings, one in Marshalltown, Iowa, and one in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.
Kahungu was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams. Kahungu was sentenced to 108 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
Kahungu is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Nicole L. Nagin, and it was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Marshalltown Police Department, and the Cedar Rapids Police Department.
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.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 24-CR-00088.
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Maine Man Pleads Guilty in Connection with Consumers Ingesting THC Tainted Ice Cream in NewmarketRead the Press Release
CONCORD – A Maine man pleaded guilty today in federal court in Concord in connection with his manufacturing of THC-laced ice cream that was unknowingly consumed by four people in Newmarket, sickening them, in March 2023, Acting U.S. Attorney Jay McCormack announces.
Marc Flore, age 45, of Portland, Maine, pleaded guilty in federal court in Concord to one count of tampering with consumer products. Chief U.S. District Court Judge Landya McCafferty scheduled Flore’s sentencing for November 4, 2025.
According to the charging documents and statements made in court, in March 2023, four people in Newmarket fell ill after eating coffee Oreo ice cream from Angelo’s Amore. All four experienced dizziness, elevated heart rate, vomiting, and three of the four were briefly hospitalized. A subsequent investigation revealed that the batch of coffee Oreo ice cream contained THC. The defendant added the THC to the ice cream when he made the batch in September 2022. While the ice cream was intended for the defendant’s personal use, he stored it in the ice cream café’s freezer with other commercial ice cream, without properly labeling that it contained THC. Staff then unknowingly provided the THC-laced ice cream batch to the four customers who got sick in March 2023.
The charging statute provides for a sentence of up to 10 years of imprisonment and a maximum fine of $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.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Office of Criminal Investigations and the Newmarket Police Department led the investigation. Assistant U.S Attorney Charles L. Rombeau is prosecuting the case.
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Mexican Man Sentenced to Eighteen Months in Federal Prison for Illegal Reentry OffenseRead the Press Release
PENSACOLA, FLORIDA – Esau Matul-Hernandez, 37, of the country of Mexico, was sentenced to 18 months in federal prison for Illegal Reentry by a Removed 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, he endangered our communities by continuing to violate our laws while unlawfully present here. My office will aggressively prosecute these offenders to keep our communities safe.”
Court records reflect that on December 28, 2023, Matul-Hernandez was arrested by Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office (OCSO). Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) encountered Matul-Hernandez at the Okaloosa County Jail the following day. Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) quickly determined that Matul-Hernandez was an alien in the United States and a citizen of Mexico. Matul-Hernandez had been previously deported from the United States in 2007 and twice in 2020. Matul-Hernandez illegally reentered the United States thereafter. As a result of his 2023 OCSO arrest, Matul-Hernandez was prosecuted by the State of Florida and convicted of Attempted Sexual Battery prior to being turned over to federal custody on this case.
“Illegal aliens who repeatedly and knowingly violate U.S. immigration laws blatantly undermine the integrity of our legal system and place an added burden on law enforcement and public safety resources,” said Homeland Security Investigations Tallahassee Assistant Special Agent in Charge Nicholas Ingegno. “The United States has clear and lawful pathways for entering and residing in this country, and those who choose to ignore those laws — especially after three deportations — will face serious consequences. HSI, working alongside our federal, state, and local partners, is committed to enforcing federal immigration laws and protecting our communities from those show blatant disrespect for the rule of law.”
An ICE detainer has been lodged against Matul-Hernandez, and he will begin deportation proceedings after he serves his federal prison term. Matul-Hernandez’s imprisonment will be followed by a one year term of supervised release, meaning if he returns to the United States during such timeframe, he will potentially face an additional period of incarceration related to violating his supervision.
The case was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement Removal Operations. Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer H. Callahan prosecuted this case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America (https://www.justice.gov/dag/media/1393746/dl?inline ) a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.
Livingston man sentenced to federal prison for trafficking methamphetamineRead the Press Release
BEAUMONT, Texas – A Livingston man has been sentenced to federal prison for drug trafficking violations in the Eastern District of Texas, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs.
Jerry Wayne Akins, II, 37, pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine and was sentenced to 235 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Marcia A. Crone on July 21, 2025.
According to information presented in court, on November 17, 2021, Akins was stopped in Nacogdoches County for a traffic violation. During the stop, there was a strong odor of marijuana and Akins did not have a driver’s license. A search of the vehicle revealed marijuana, a firearm, 496 grams of methamphetamine, and various paraphernalia associated with drug trafficking.
This case was investigated by the Nacogdoches County Sheriff’s Office and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Matt Quinn.
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Leader of major cocaine trafficking organization sentenced to life in prisonRead the Press Release
EAST ST. LOUIS, Ill. – A district judge sentenced a Texas man to spend the rest of his life in prison after a jury convicted him of leading an operation to transport more than 325 kilograms of cocaine to southern Illinois.
Following an eight-day trial, a jury convicted Daniel Robert, 48, of Houston, Texas, also known as Dewayne Robert, on one count of conspiracy to distribute the controlled substance: cocaine, one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering, one count of conspiracy to obstruct justice, one count of witness tampering and one count of attempted witness tampering.
“Large-scale drug traffickers who profit from poisoning our communities with dangerous narcotics and then try to obstruct justice through threats or intimidation will be held fully accountable under federal law,” said U.S. Attorney Steven D. Weinhoeft. “This life sentence reflects the seriousness of the crimes committed and underscores the Justice Department’s commitment to dismantling drug trafficking operations.”
According to court documents and evidence presented at the trial, Robert recruited and employed multiple couriers to deliver drugs and collect proceeds. After he was arrested and charged with the cocaine distribution charges, Robert attempted to obstruct justice by trying to improperly influence a witness.
The Government estimates the drug operation was responsible for trafficking at least 327 kilograms of cocaine and was active between January 2014 and August 2018.
“Several communities in Southern Illinois will rest easier tonight knowing that Daniel Robert has been sentenced to a lifetime in federal prison,” Drug Enforcement Administration St. Louis Division Special Agent in Charge Michael Davis said. “Robert was responsible for moving an estimated $1 million worth of cocaine in and around Illinois. Let this serve as a reminder that the DEA will work relentlessly to remove these poison-pushing criminals from our communities and put them behind bars.”
The indictment also charged co-defendants:
- Jeffrey Taylor, 42, of Alton, Illinois, also known as “King”, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute meth, one count of conspiracy to distribute cocaine, five counts of distribution of meth, two counts of possession with intent to distribute meth, one count of attempted possession with intent to distribute meth and one count of money laundering conspiracy.
- Daniel Matthew, 50, of Richmond, Texas, also known as “B Dog”, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute cocaine.
- Stephanie Reynolds, 47, of Godfrey, Illinois, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute meth, two counts of distribution of meth, two counts of possession with intent to distribute meth and one count of attempted possession with intent to distribute meth.
- Simbiat Soetan, 36, of East St. Louis, Illinois, also known as “Simba”, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute meth.
- Lloyd Parker, 36, of Hutchinson, Kansas, also known as “PJ”, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute meth, one count of conspiracy to distribute cocaine, two counts of distribution of meth, two counts of possession with intent to distribute meth and one count of attempted possession with intent to distribute meth.
- Michael Martin, 51, of Meridian, Mississippi, also known as “Cuz”, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute cocaine.
- Shataya Moore, 27, of Richmond, Texas, also known as “Taya”, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute cocaine and one count of money laundering conspiracy.
- Shermiya Reynolds-Ray, 30, of Alton, Illinois, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute meth, one count of conspiracy to distribute cocaine, one count of distribution of meth, two counts of possession with intent to distribute meth, one count of attempted possession with intent to distribute meth and one count of money laundering conspiracy.
- Talishia Shannon, 38, of Rossville, Tennessee, also known as “T”, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute cocaine and one count of money laundering conspiracy.
- Lendarious Hayes, 28, of Meridian, Mississippi, also known as “Lil Daddy”, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute cocaine and one count of money laundering conspiracy.
"The outcome of this case highlights the tireless efforts of every law enforcement agency involved in this investigation," said IRS Criminal Investigation St. Louis Special Agent in Charge William Steenson. "The fact that Daniel Robert has been sentenced to life in prison for his actions should serve as a warning to others involved in drug trafficking and money laundering. They will be aggressively pursued and brought to justice."
As part of the prosecution, the Government seized one black Mercedes car and one silver Chevrolet truck used in the conspiracy.
DEA St. Louis and IRS Criminal Investigation contributed to the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys David Dean and Amanda Fischer are prosecuting the case.
Leader of National Catalytic Converter Theft Ring Pleads Guilty and Admits to Selling Stolen Goods for More Than $600MRead the Press Release
A New Jersey man pleaded guilty today in federal court in the Northern District of Oklahoma to leading a multi-state operation that stole thousands of catalytic converters from private vehicles and sold them on a secondary market for millions of dollars, based on the value of the precious metals that the converters contain.
Navin Khanna, 41, of Holmdel, New Jersey, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to receive, possess, and dispose of stolen goods in interstate commerce and five counts of money laundering regarding his participation in the stolen goods scheme.
“The defendant made $600 million and financed his ostentatious lifestyle by buying and selling stolen goods,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew R. Galeotti of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Today’s guilty plea demonstrates our commitment to taking the profit out of crime. Sophisticated criminal schemes may afford you luxury cars and homes in the short term but will cost you a federal felony conviction in the long term.”
“Khanna’s theft ring took advantage of hard-working citizens in the Northern District of Oklahoma by stealing catalytic converters, rendering the vehicle unusable,” said U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson for the Northern District of Oklahoma. “I would like to thank the Tulsa Police Department and our law enforcement partners for their tireless efforts in bringing this senseless crime to justice.”
According to court documents and statements made in court, Khanna admitted to being the owner and operator of New Jersey-based D.G. Auto Parts, a criminal enterprise that bought and sold auto parts across the country. From May 2020 through October 2022, Khanna conspired with others to purchase and transport large quantities of stolen catalytic converters from Oklahoma, Texas, and other states to New Jersey. Khanna admitted to receiving more than $600 million by reselling the stolen catalytic converters to a metal refinery that extracted the precious metals.
In response to a drastic increase in catalytic converter thefts throughout Tulsa in 2020, the Tulsa Police Department initiated an investigation that soon uncovered a national criminal enterprise. During the investigation, search warrants were executed in Oklahoma, Texas, California, New Jersey and New York. Khanna was indicted by federal grand juries in the Northern District of Oklahoma and the Eastern District of California. Over twenty individuals throughout the country have been charged for their role in the conspiracy. Khanna’s 13 co-defendants in the Northern District of Oklahoma have pleaded guilty for their participation in the criminal scheme and are awaiting sentencing.
As part of his plea agreement, Khanna agreed to forfeit almost $4 million in cash, 11 luxury vehicles — including a Lamborghini, two Mercedes AMGs, two Ferraris, a McLaren, a Porsche, a Ford F650 Truck, and a BMW M3 — real estate properties, high-end jewelry, gold bars, and over 200 pallets of catalytic converters, all seized by law enforcement during the execution of search warrants at Khanna’s properties. Khanna’s co-defendants have agreed to forfeit more than $3.2 million, including more than $250,000 from multiple bank accounts; two lots of land located in Oklahoma, cars, and stolen catalytic converters seized during the investigation.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Oklahoma has agreed that Khanna’s sentencing will be transferred to the Eastern District of California, where he awaits further prosecution for related crimes.
Khanna faces a maximum penalty of 168 to 210 months in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) led the investigation. IRS-Criminal Investigations, the Tulsa Police Department, the Oklahoma Attorney General’s Office, the Tulsa County Sheriff’s Office, the Oklahoma Highway Patrol, the Wagoner County Sheriff’s Office, and the Wyandotte Nation Police Department contributed to the investigation.
Trial Attorney César S. Rivera-Giraud of the Criminal Division’s Violent Crime and Racketeering Section (VCRS) and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Reagan Reininger and David Nasar for the Northern District of Oklahoma are prosecuting the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Veronica M.A. Alegría for the Eastern District of California assisted in the prosecution of the case and is prosecuting Khanna and others there.
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 (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN).
Leader of National Catalytic Converter Theft Ring Pleads GuiltyRead the Press Release
TULSA, Okla. – The leader of a national catalytic converter theft ring pleaded guilty today in federal court and admitted to selling the stolen converters for more than $600 million, announced U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.
Navin Khanna, 31, Holmdel, New Jersey, pleaded guilty to one count of Conspiracy and five counts of Engaging in Monetary Transactions in Property Derived from Specified Unlawful Activity.
“Khanna’s theft ring took advantage of hard-working citizens in the Northern District of Oklahoma by stealing catalytic converters, rendering the vehicle unusable,” said U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. “I would like to thank the Tulsa Police Department, and our law enforcement partners for their tireless efforts in bringing this senseless crime to justice.”
“Across the United States thousands of people have had the catalytic converters cut off their parked cars because they contain valuable precious metals,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew R. Galeotti of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Unable to extract the metals themselves, thieves sell the stolen parts to middlemen like the defendant and his co-conspirators, who use special equipment to crack the catalytic converters open. In the aggregate the value of the stolen goods is worth enormous amounts ─ here more than $600 million.”
Khanna admitted to being the owner and operator of D.G. Auto Parts, a criminal enterprise that bought and sold auto parts across the country. From May 2020 through October 2022, Khanna conspired with others to purchase and transport large quantities of stolen catalytic converters from Oklahoma, Texas, and other states to New Jersey. Khanna admitted to receiving more than $600 million in reselling the stolen catalytic converters to a metal refinery that extracted the precious metals.
Khanna further agreed to forfeit more than $3 million in cash, over $800,000 from various checking accounts, several luxury vehicles, his interest in several real estate properties, high-end jewelry, gold bars, and over 200 pallets of catalytic converters seized during the execution of a warrant.
In response to a drastic increase in catalytic converter thefts throughout Tulsa in 2020, the Tulsa Police Department initiated an investigation that soon uncovered a national criminal enterprise. During the investigation, search warrants were executed in Oklahoma, Texas, California, New Jersey, and New York. Federal grand juries in the Northern District of Oklahoma and the Eastern District of California indicted Khanna. Over twenty individuals throughout the country have been charged for their role in the conspiracy.
Khanna’s co-defendants in the Northern District of Oklahoma have pleaded guilty and are awaiting sentencing to the following:
- Tyler James Curtis, 26, of Wagoner, Oklahoma, pleaded guilty to Conspiracy to Commit Money Laundering. He agreed to forfeit over $3 million and multiple vehicles;
- Adam Sharkey, 26, of West Islip, New York, pleaded guilty to Conspiracy and agreed to forfeit nearly $1.2 million;
- Robert Gary Sharkey, 57, of Babylon, New York, pleaded guilty to Misprision of a Felony and agreed to forfeit his interest in more than $1.2 million in currency seized by law enforcement;
- Benjamin Robert Mansour, 24, of Bixby, Oklahoma, pleaded guilty to Conspiracy to Commit Money Laundering;
- Reiss Nicole Biby, 24, of Wagoner, Oklahoma, pleaded guilty to Misprision of a Felony and agreed to forfeit her interest in more than $1.1 million and seized catalytic converters;
- Martynas Macerauskas, 28, of Leila Lake, Texas, pleaded guilty to Conspiracy and agreed to forfeit nearly $2.2 million;
- Kristina McKay Macerauskas, 21, of Leila Lake, Texas, pleaded guilty to Conspiracy and agreed to forfeit nearly $1.1 million;
- Parker Star Weavel, 25, of Tahlequah, Oklahoma, pleaded guilty to Receiving Stolen Property in Indian Country;
- Shane Allen Minnick, 26, of Haskell, Oklahoma, pleaded guilty to Conspiracy and agreed to forfeit $500,000;
- Ryan David LaRue 29, of Broken Bow, Oklahoma, pleaded guilty to Conspiracy;
- Brian Pate Thomas, 25, of Choteau, Oklahoma, pleaded guilty to Conspiracy; and
- Michael Anthony Rhoden, 26, of Keifer, Oklahoma, pleaded guilty to Conspiracy.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Oklahoma has agreed that Khanna’s sentencing will be transferred to the Eastern District of California, where he awaits further prosecution for related crimes.
Homeland Security Investigations, the IRS-Criminal Investigation, the Tulsa Police Department, the Oklahoma Attorney General’s Office, the Tulsa County Sheriff’s Office, the Oklahoma Highway Patrol, the Wagoner County Sheriff’s Office, and the Wyandotte Nation Police Department led or contributed to the lengthy investigation.
Assistant U.S. Attorney David Nasar and Reagan Reininger lead the Northern District of Oklahoma’s prosecution with assistance from the Violent Crime and Racketeering Section’s Trial Attorney Cesar Rivera-Giraud and Assistant U.S. Attorney Veronica M.A. Alegría of the Eastern District of California.
The case was investigated under the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF). OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. For more information about Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces, please visit Justice.gov/OCDETF.
Lawrence County Woman Pleads Guilty to Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud Targeting Missouri LotteryRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Mt. Vernon, Mo., woman pleaded guilty in federal court today for her role in a wire fraud conspiracy that targeted the Missouri Lottery Commission and an area gas station.
Amy Young, 42, pleaded guilty before U.S. Magistrate Judge David P. Rush to one count each of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and wire fraud.
According to the plea agreement, Young conspired with others to employ a scheme to purchase Missouri lottery tickets using stolen and fraudulent credit cards and credit card numbers at a Joplin, Mo., Phillips 66 Fuel Station.
Young and her co-conspirators made $62,082.50 in fraudulent transactions at the gas station in July and August of 2022. These transactions included the purchase of Missouri Lottery tickets. The perpetrators would send other individuals to collect any cash prizes associated with the tickets. The group fraudulently claimed $54,248 in cash prizes from the Missouri Lottery Commission. The fraudulent cash prizes and credit card transactions totaled $116,330.50.
Young’s co-defendant, Larry Duane Green, 56, of Mt. Vernon, pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud on April 15, 2024, and is pending sentencing.
Under federal statutes, Young and Green are subject to sentences of up to 20 years in federal prison without parole and a maximum fine of $250,000 for each count. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Patrick Carney. It was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Joplin, Mo., Police Department, and the Springfield, Mo., Police Department.
Justice Department Launches Second Investigation into George Mason UniversityRead the Press Release
The Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division announced today that it has launched an investigation into George Mason University to determine whether the University has denied equal treatment of individuals based on race or national origin, in violation of Title VI.
The compliance review investigation will examine whether George Mason University, a recipient of federal financial assistance, has engaged in discriminatory practices based on race, color, or national origin against its students. It will be conducted pursuant to Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibits a recipient of federal funds from discrimination based on such protected characteristics. Institutions of higher education that are governed by Title VI are to protect students’ unfettered access to the school’s educational environment and opportunities, free from discrimination. The investigation will focus on discrimination against students based on race or national origin in George Mason’s admissions practices and the awarding of student benefits and scholarships. It will also investigate the University’s response to antisemitism on campus.
“Public educational institutions are contractually obligated to follow our nation’s federal civil rights laws when receiving federal funds,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “No one should be denied access to opportunity or resources because of their race, color, or national origin, and the United States is committed to keeping our universities free of such invidious bias.”
Note: Review the notice letter here.
José Adolfo “Fito” Macías Villamar, Leader of Los Choneros Transnational Criminal Organization Extradited to Brooklyn Federal Court to Face International Drug and Gun ChargesRead the Press Release
BROOKLYN, NY – José Adolfo Macías Villamar, also known as “Fito,” a citizen of Ecuador, will be arraigned today at the federal courthouse in Brooklyn for crimes committed as the leader of Los Choneros, a transnational criminal organization based in Ecuador that is responsible for significant drug trafficking into the United States, firearms trafficking from the United States, and acts of extreme violence. Macías Villamar will be arraigned on a seven-count superseding indictment charging him with international cocaine distribution conspiracy; international cocaine distribution; using firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking; smuggling firearms from the United States; and straw purchasing of firearms conspiracy. Macías Villamar will be arraigned before United States Chief Magistrate Judge Vera M. Scanlon after being extradited yesterday from Ecuador to the Eastern District of New York.
Joseph Nocella, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York; Robert Murphy, Acting Administrator of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA); L.C. Cheeks, Jr., Special Agent in Charge, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Newark Field Division (ATF); and Jonathan Carson, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Department of Commerce, Office of Export Enforcement, New York Field Office (OEE), announced the extradition and arraignment.
“As alleged, the defendant served for years as the principal leader of Los Choneros, a notoriously violent transnational criminal organization, and was a ruthless and infamous drug and firearms trafficker. The defendant and his co-conspirators flooded the United States and other countries with drugs and used extreme measures of violence in their quest for power and control,” stated United States Attorney Nocella. “This case demonstrates our Office’s commitment to identifying and targeting the leadership of such organizations, wherever they may be located, and bringing them to face justice here in the United States.”
“José ‘Fito’ Macias thought he could traffic poison into our country, smuggle American weapons back to his killers, and further his criminal enterprise using chaos and bloodshed. He was wrong,” stated DEA Acting Administrator Robert Murphy. “Today, the kingpin of Los Choneros faces justice on U.S. soil for his crimes.”
“ATF remains dedicated to working with our local, state, and federal partners to disrupt the shooting cycle by focusing on those individuals and criminal organizations responsible for the gun violence that plagues our neighborhoods,” stated ATF Special Agent in Charge Cheeks. “ATF will continue to collaborate with our law enforcement partners to address violent gang and drug-related activity that endangers the safety of our communities. Our joint efforts are essential in bringing accountability to violent offenders, combatting threats to the public, and reducing violent crime.”
As alleged in the indictment and other public filings, from at least 2020 to 2025, Macías Villamar was the principal leader of Los Choneros, the most violent and powerful transnational criminal organization in Ecuador. As the principal leader of Los Choneros, Macías Villamar employed members of the organization to carry out serious acts of violence on the organization’s behalf. At Macías Villamar’s direction, Los Choneros committed violent acts toward Ecuadorean law enforcement, Ecuadorian politicians, attorneys, prosecutors, and civilians. Los Choneros obtained many of its firearms and weapons by illegally trafficking and exporting them from the United States to Ecuador. As alleged, the defendant specifically employed individuals who purchased firearms, firearms components, and ammunition in the United States and then illegally smuggled them to Ecuador for use by Los Choneros.
In 2011, Macías Villamar went to prison in Ecuador on murder, robbery, weapons possession, and drug trafficking charges. He escaped in 2013 before being recaptured months later. During his second imprisonment in Ecuador, Macías Villamar used contraband cell phones and the internet to continue to direct the activities of Los Choneros and publish external communications and threats on Los Choneros’ behalf. In January 2024, he escaped from Ecuadorian prison a second time—just two days ahead of his planned move to a maximum-security facility. In response to his escape, Ecuador erupted in violence—including prison riots, gang attacks, kidnappings, and bombings—and the government of Ecuador declared a state of emergency. Ecuadorian authorities recaptured Macías Villamar on June 25, 2025, and he was extradited from Ecuador yesterday.
Macías Villamar and members and associates of his organization used firearms in furtherance of their weapon and drug trafficking activities, including machine guns, AK-47 assault rifles, and grenades. Macías Villamar and the Los Choneros organization have also been sanctioned by the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC).
The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs and Ecuadorian authorities provided substantial assistance to secure the extradition of Macías Villamar. This marks Ecuador’s first extradition of an Ecuadorian national since an April 2024 popular referendum amended Ecuador’s constitution to allow for the extradition of Ecuadorian nationals.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs) and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
The charges in the superseding indictment are allegations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. If convicted, the defendant faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 20 years in prison and up to life.
The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s International Narcotics and Money Laundering Section, and as part of the work of the Office’s Transnational Criminal Organizations Strike Force. Assistant United States Attorneys Chand Edwards-Balfour, Lorena Michelen, and David Berman are in charge of the prosecution.
The Defendant:
JOSÉ ADOLFO MACÍAS VILLAMAR (also known as “Fito”)
Age: 45
EcuadorE.D.N.Y. Docket No.: 25-CR-114 (FB)
Johnston Man Indicted for Possessing Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE – A Johnston man convicted and sentenced in 2006 for felony assaults involving the molestation of two minors has been indicted by a federal grand jury for allegedly downloading child sexual abuse material (CSAM), announced Acting United States Attorney Sara Miron Bloom.
Jonathan P. Graziano, 41, is charged by indictment with possession of child pornography.
Court documents reflect that Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the Rhode Island State Police Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force reviewed a report from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children regarding a user distributing CSAM via a messaging application. Further investigation determined that an IP address at a Johnston address that Graziano shared with others was being used to distribute the material. A court-authorized search of the residence and of electronic devices resulted in the discovery of hundreds of images and videos of CSAM on Jonathan Graziano’s personal electronic device.
Graziano is currently detained in federal custody on a criminal complaint filed in this matter on June 18, 2025. He is scheduled to be arraigned on the indictment on July 25, 2025. An indictment is merely an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney G. Michael Seaman.
The matter was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the Rhode Island State Police Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc
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Jefferson County man sentenced to federal prison for trafficking methamphetamineRead the Press Release
BEAUMONT, Texas – A Beaumont man has been sentenced to federal prison for drug trafficking violations in the Eastern District of Texas, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs.
Tomaas Herron Stittem, 29, pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine and was sentenced to 140 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Marcia A. Crone on July 21, 2025.
According to information presented in court, in December 2023, local law enforcement began investigating Stittem as a drug trafficker in the Jefferson County area. On January 24, 2024, Stittem was stopped for a traffic violation and found to be in possession of 109.2 grams of methamphetamine. Throughout the investigation, Stittem is responsible for trafficking approximately 318.28 grams of methamphetamine.
This case was investigated by the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office, U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Beaumont Police Department. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan C. Lee.
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Jacksonville Convicted Child Sex Traveler Sentenced to More Than 17 Years in Prison for Attempting to Entice and Meet A 13-Year-Old Child to Engage in Sexual ActivityRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – Chief United States District Judge Marcia Morales Howard has sentenced Jeremy Wayne Leggett (37, Jacksonville) to 17 years and 6 months in federal prison for using the internet to attempt to entice and meet a 13-year-old child to engage in sexual activity. Leggett was arrested on June 19, 2023, and has remained been in federal custody. Leggett pleaded guilty on January 15, 2025.
According to court records, Leggett is a registered child sex offender, having been previously convicted in Florida in 2020 of traveling to meet a minor to commit an unlawful sexual offense and transmitting harmful materials to a minor.
On June 16, 2023, an undercover FBI agent (UC) in the Jacksonville area, posing as a child, was working online in a social media application (app) to identify individuals seeking to meet children for sexual activity. The UC engaged in online conversation with an app user “dAddi” who posted a notice in a public chat room that read “Lookingfor [under 18 emoji] wannaspoiladaughter.” During this online conversation, user “dAddi,” who was identified as Leggett, was advised that the “child” was 13 years old. Leggett asked if the “child” “[l]ike[d] older men,” and sent the “child” a photo of himself. Leggett denied being a murderer or a kidnapper, telling the “child” that he was “just a pedophile.” He suggested that that they meet so he could perform oral sex on “her” in his vehicle. After more conversation, Leggett sent the “child” explicit photos of himself. On June 17, 18, and 19, 2023, Leggett initiated text messages with the UC and continued attempting to persuade the “child” to meet for sex.
On June 19, 2023, Leggett and the “child” arranged through text messages to meet at a retail shopping center in Jacksonville. That evening, Leggett drove his vehicle to this location to meet the “child” and circled the parking lot. When law enforcement officers attempted to stop Leggett’s vehicle, he quickly reversed his vehicle and fled the scene. A short time later, officers with the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office and FBI agents located Leggett at a residence in Jacksonville and he was arrested.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office, and the Naval Criminal Investigative Service. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney D. Rodney Brown.
It is another case brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue child victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Iowa Man Indicted for Sex Trafficking Multiple VictimsRead the Press Release
An eight-count indictment in the Northern District of Iowa has been unsealed charging a Des Moines man with four counts of sex trafficking by force, fraud or coercion and four counts of interstate transportation for purposes of prostitution through coercion and enticement.
According to the indictment, Marlin Santana Thomas Sr., 49, used force, fraud and coercion to cause four adult women to engage in commercial sex acts in the Northern District of Iowa and elsewhere between 2009 and 2015. The indictment also alleges that Thomas transported women from Iowa to Illinois and North Dakota for the purpose of engaging in prostitution.
The charge of sex trafficking by force, fraud or coercion carries a mandatory minimum penalty of 15 years in prison and a maximum penalty of life in prison. It also carries a minimum of five years of supervised release up to a lifetime of supervised release along with a fine of up to $250,000. Finally, restitution is mandatory upon any conviction for sex trafficking. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence upon any conviction after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The FBI and Des Moines Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Emily Nydle for the Northern District of Iowa and Trial Attorney Slava Kuperstein of the Civil Rights Division’s Human Trafficking Prosecution Unit are prosecuting the case.
The FBI is asking that anyone with information about Thomas to contact the Omaha Field Office at (402) 493-8688.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Anyone who has information about human trafficking should report that information to the National Human Trafficking Hotline toll-free at 1-888-373-7888, which is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. For more information about human trafficking, please visit www.humantraffickinghotline.org. Information on the Justice Department’s efforts to combat human trafficking can be found at www.justice.gov/humantrafficking.
Indiana man sentenced to federal prison for exploiting Texas minor through gaming appRead the Press Release
BEAUMONT, Texas – A Putnam County, Indiana man has been sentenced to over 24 years in federal prison for production of child pornography in the Eastern District of Texas, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs.
Tristan Kalobbe Martin, 29, pleaded guilty to production of child pornography and was sentenced to 293 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Marcia A. Crone on July 21, 2025.
According to information presented in court, in June 2022, Martin began communicating with a minor from Jasper County, Texas, while gaming through an on-line game console. Although the victim told Martin they were 15 years old, Martin continued to communicate with the minor. Law enforcement authorities in Jasper contacted law enforcement in Indiana in reference to the relationship. Local law enforcement in Indiana seized Martin’s cell phone, which contained nine videos of the minor engaging in sexually explicit behavior.
This case was prosecuted as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
This case was investigated by the FBI; Putnam County, Indiana, Sheriff’s Office; and the Jasper Police Department. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Rachel Grove.###
Indian man arrested for possessing a forged alien resident cardRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Swapnil Ramesh Tejale, 34, a citizen of India, was arrested and charged by criminal complaint with possession of a forged alien resident card, which carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael J. Smith, who is handling the case, stated that according to the complaint, on July 10, 2025, the Niagara Falls Border Patrol Station received a request from the Niagara Falls Police Department to help identify three individuals that they had encountered during a traffic stop. Agents arrived at the scene and questioned the three individuals as to their citizenship. Tejale presented a Lawful Permanent Resident Card but voluntarily admitted that the card was fictitious. It was determined that Tejale was illegally present in the United States without any immigration documents that would allow him to remain in the country lawfully. After Tejale was taken into custody, agents located a Social Security Card in his name. Record checks verified that the Social Security Card was also fictitious.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
The complaint is the result of an investigation by the U.S. Border Patrol Niagara Falls Station, under the direction of Patrol Agent in Charge Brady Waikal.
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Independence Man Charged for Illegally Possessing a FirearmRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – An Independence, Mo., man has been charged with illegally possessing a stolen firearm.
Daryl O.D. Beck, 37, was charged by a federal grand jury on July 15, 2025, with being a felon in possession of a firearm and for possession of a stolen firearm Beck has prior felony convictions including for possession and intent to manufacture a controlled substance, as well as for aggravated assault. The secret indictment was unsealed today following Beck’s initial appearance.
Under federal law, it is illegal for anyone who has been convicted of a felony to be in possession of any firearm or ammunition.
The charges contained in this indictment are simply accusations, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charges must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Brad K. Kavanaugh. It was investigated by the Independence, Missouri Police Department.
Operation Take Back America
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
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INTERPOL Washington Advances Panama’s Ability to Disrupt Transnational Criminal Gangs and TerroristsRead the Press Release
Under Project TERMINUS, an INTERPOL Washington team recently deployed to Panama City, Panama, to deliver and install critical equipment and technology designed to assist Panamanian authorities in detecting and interdicting transnational criminals and terrorists before they reach our borders. This latest deployment builds on a previous mission in June 2024 where a TERMINUS team integrated INTERPOL data into Panama’s newly established Border Information and Analysis Targeting Unit (BIATU).
“Project TERMINUS reflects our commitment to forward-deploy U.S. capabilities and build out trusted partnerships in key locations that enhance global security,” said INTERPOL Washington’s Acting Deputy Chief of Staff Keith Hood, who oversees the program. “This project with our Panamanian partners serves as a model of success for TERMINUS. By equipping one of our closest allies against cartels with the tools and training they need to disrupt transnational crime at its source, we helped protect our own communities, the homeland, and the region at large.”
The visit was conducted in close coordination with the U.S. Department of Justice’s International Criminal Investigative Training Assistance Program (ICITAP) and funded by the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Counterterrorism. The team participated in operational briefings with U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the Panamanian National Police (PNP), Panama Immigration, and the Panamanian Passport Authority. During the visit, the team formally donated essential equipment to the PNP and to Panama’s immigration fusion center (UPAPF), reinforcing operational capacity and advancing joint security objectives.
The team also saw firsthand how SENAFRONT—the Panamanian border security agency—has connected to and is actively utilizing INTERPOL’s I-24/7 system, marking a major milestone in the country's border integration efforts.
Project TERMINUS continues to serve as a vital tool for strengthening international police cooperation, disrupting transnational threats, and promoting shared regional security.
Illegal Alien Sentenced to Federal Prison for Unlawfully Possessing a FirearmRead the Press Release
PENSACOLA, FLORIDA – Juan Dias-Zacarias, also known to law enforcement as “Gabriel P. Roberro” and “Gabriel Perez Roblero,” an illegal alien from South America, was sentenced to one year and one day in federal prison for Unlawful Possession of a Firearm by an Illegal Alien. The plea was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “Law-abiding citizens are guaranteed the right to keep and bear firearms by our U.S. Constitution, but illegal aliens who unlawfully enter our country have no such right. In this case, the defendant not only unlawfully possessed a firearm, he used it to violently threaten another person. This criminal alien has repeatedly attempted to evade detection by using various aliases, but law enforcement’s advanced biometric capabilities helped to confirm his actual identity and secure his federal conviction. President Donald J. Trump and Attorney General Pam Bondi promised to Take Back America from violent criminals, and my office will continue to fulfill that promise by aggressively prosecuting these cases to keep our communities safe.”
Court records reflect that Dias-Zacarias was asked by a security guard multiple times to evacuate a hotel located in Pensacola, Florida. Dias-Zacarias responded by removing a revolver from his waistband and pointing it at the security guard, causing him to fear for his life. Eventually, the guard was able to disable Dias-Zacarias, remove the firearm from him, and notify law enforcement. Dias-Zacarias was previously encountered by immigration authorities in the United States in 1998, and he returned to Mexico. The defendant’s history reflects he has provided varying names, dates of birth, and countries of origin to U.S. law enforcement since his removal and illegal return. Recorded biometrics, however, have allowed law enforcement to identify him on each occasion.
“This criminal illegal alien posed a clear threat to public safety by illegally possessing a firearm, brandishing it at other people, and by repeatedly attempting to deceive authorities on his true identity,” said Homeland Security Investigations Tallahassee Assistant Special Agent in Charge Nichola Ingegno. “His prior deportation and continued efforts to evade law enforcement demonstrate a complete disregard of the laws of the United States. This sentencing reinforces our commitment to work alongside our federal, state, and local partners to protect the public from these kinds of threats and hold accountable those who abuse our system and endanger others.”
An ICE detainer has been lodged against Dias-Zacarias, and he will begin deportation proceedings after he serves his federal prison term. Dias-Zacarias’ imprisonment will be followed by a three-year term of supervised release, meaning if he returns to the United States during such timeframe, he will potentially face an additional period of incarceration related to violating his supervision.
The case was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement Removal Operations. Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer H. Callahan prosecuted this case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America (https://www.justice.gov/dag/media/1393746/dl?inline ) a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.
Honduran National Sentenced to 27 Months in PrisonRead the Press Release
HAMMOND, INDIANA – Luis Banegas Rodriguez, 25 years old, of Honduras, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Philip P. Simon after pleading guilty to conspiracy to commit bank fraud in two cases, announced Acting United States Attorney M. Scott Proctor for the Northern District of Indiana.
Banegas Rodriguez was sentenced to 27 months in prison followed by 1 year of supervised release. He was also ordered to pay $533,043 in restitution.
According to documents in each case, on January 11, 2023, Banegas Rodriguez and his co-conspirators used fake identification cards to cash 169 fraudulent paychecks totaling $233,569 at three branches of the same bank in the Northern District of Indiana. The fraudulent paychecks were designed to look like they had been issued by a company that operates dairy farms in the Northern District of Indiana.
Almost six months later, on June 23, 2023, Banegas Rodriguez and his co-conspirators used fake identification cards to cash 178 fraudulent paychecks totaling $299,474 at five branches of the same bank and three check cashing businesses in the Eastern District of Oklahoma. The fraudulent paychecks were designed to look like they had been issued by a building materials supply company in the Eastern District of Oklahoma.
“Banegas Rodriguez participated in a far-reaching conspiracy that caused major financial harm to community banks and small businesses across the United States. Due to the unwavering efforts and collaboration between federal, state, and local law enforcement, Banegas Rodriguez was brought to justice for his role in this scheme,” said Proctor. “The sentence imposed by the court sends a message that there are real consequences for engaging in fraud, particularly in northwest Indiana.”
“The illicit actions of co-conspirators to commit bank fraud as they travel throughout the United States will not be tolerated,” said Matthew J. Scarpino, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) in Chicago. “HSI will continue to partner with our fellow law enforcement agencies to disrupt these types of offenders and hold them accountable for their crimes.”
These cases were investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the United States Secret Service, and the Indiana State Police, with valuable assistance provided by the Benton County (Indiana) Sheriff’s Department, the Benton County (Indiana) Prosecutor’s Office, the Poteau (Oklahoma) Police Department, and the Houston (Texas) Police Department.
The cases were prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Steven J. Lupa from the Northern District of Indiana and Assistant United States Attorneys Kara Traster and Jordan Howanitz from the Eastern District of Oklahoma.
Honduran Citizen Sentenced to Prison for Illegal Reentry; Faces DeportationRead the Press Release
WILLIAMSPORT -The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Elio Yoel Cardona-Torres, age 43, a citizen of Honduras, was sentenced on July 17, 2025, to time-served (five months in prison) by Chief United States District Judge Matthew W. Brann for illegally reentering the country after having previously been removed. Cardona-Torres had pleaded guilty to the charge.
According to Acting United States Attorney John Gurganus, Cardona-Torres was arrested during targeted enforcement in Sayre, Pennsylvania, on February 22, 2025. Cardona-Torres had previously been removed from the United States pursuant to court order in 2006, 2008 and 2010. Cardona-Torres again faces deportation proceedings.
The case was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Removal Operations. Assistant United States Attorney Robin Zenzinger prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America (https://www.justice.gov/dag/media/1393746/dl?inline) a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
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Hermandad de Pistoleros Latinos gang member sentenced to 100 months for heroin traffickingRead the Press Release
LAREDO, Texas – A 33-year-old Laredo man has been sentenced for possession with the intent to distribute 100 grams or more of heroin, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
Raul Garcia Jr. aka Rule pleaded guilty Aug. 6. 2024.
U.S. District Judge Keith P. Ellison has now ordered Garcia to serve 100 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by four years of supervised release. At the hearing, the court heard about Garcia’s numerous prior convictions and contacts with law enforcement. In handing down the sentence, the court noted this was a serious crime.
The investigation began in January 2024 when law enforcement learned Garcia may have been selling fentanyl in the Laredo area. Over the next three months, authorities discovered Garcia was selling narcotics out of his home.
A search warrant in March of that year resulted in the discovery of heroin packaged for street sale. A month later, law enforcement obtained a second search warrant and again found heroin. Similar to previously found drugs, the heroin was also packaged for street sale.
The searches also revealed methamphetamine, crack cocaine, fentanyl, marijuana, money and stolen firearm.
At the time of his plea, Garcia admitted to possessing the drugs located and seized throughout the investigation.
He will remain in custody pending transfer to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
The Drug Enforcement Administration, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Laredo Police Department’s Narcotics Division conducted the investigation with assistance from Immigration and Customs Enforcement - Homeland Security Investigations and Border Patrol. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Steven Chamberlin and Leslie Cortez prosecuted the case.
This case is being prosecuted as part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF is the largest anti-crime task force in the country. OCDETF identifies, disrupts and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found on the Department of Justice’s OCDETF webpage.
Guatemalan National Indicted for Illegal ReentryRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE – A Guatemalan national previously deported from the United States in 2018 has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Rhode Island on a charge of illegal reentry, announced Acting United States Attorney Sara Miron Bloom.
Jose Alejandro Morales Cordon, 37, came to the attention of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) through an automated biometric fingerprint match of fingerprints entered into the National Crime Enforcement Center in June 2025 following his arrest on state assault and cyberstalking charges. He is scheduled to be arraigned in U.S. District Court on July 28, 2025.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S Attorney Julie M. White.
The matter was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
A federal indictment is merely an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
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Grand Juries Charge Three Mexican Nationals with Illegal ReentryRead the Press Release
TOLEDO, Ohio – The United States Attorney’s Office (USAO) has announced that federal grand juries in the Northern District of Ohio have returned indictments charging three Mexican nationals with violating Title 8 U.S. Code (USC) 1326, illegal reentry. Additionally, one defendant was charged with using fraudulent documents. These are separate cases and not related.
Raul Samano-Fuerte, 49, has been charged with one count of illegal reentry. He has been previously removed from the United States four times with the most recent being March 10, 2009. On June 23, 2025, he was found in Norwalk, Ohio, without the consent of the U.S. Attorney General or the Secretary for Homeland Security for readmission.
Gonzalo Diaz-Resendiz, 29, has been charged with one count of illegal reentry. He has been previously removed from the United States on at least one occasion with the most recent being Sept. 6, 2013. On June 30, 2025, he was found in Ottawa, Ohio, without the consent of the U.S. Attorney General or the Secretary for Homeland Security for readmission.
Cesar Ramirez-Velazquez, aka Cesar Ramirez-Rincon, 44, has been charged with one count of illegal reentry. He has two previous removals from the United States with the most recent being June 7, 2009. He was again found in the country on March 19, 2024, in Norwalk, Ohio without the consent of the U.S. Attorney General or the Secretary for Homeland Security to be readmitted. He was also charged with two counts of possession of a fraudulent identification document for possessing a fraudulent permanent resident card and a fraudulent Social Security card in violation of Title 18 USC 1546 (a). Additionally, the defendant is charged with misuse of a Social Security Number, in violation of Title 42, USC 408 (a)(7)(B).
The investigations preceding the indictments were conducted by the U.S. Border Patrol-Sandusky Bay Station.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Ava Rotell Dustin is leading the prosecution.
An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. Each defendant is entitled to a fair trial in which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
If convicted, the defendant’s sentence will be determined by the Court after a review of factors unique to this case, including the defendant’s prior criminal records, if any, the defendant’s role in the offense and the characteristics of the violations.
These cases are part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations, and protect communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
Gillette man sentenced to 25 years in federal prison for trafficking methamphetamineRead the Press Release
Wade Schear, 42, of Gillette, Wyoming, was sentenced to 25 years’ imprisonment followed by five years of supervised release for possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine. Chief U.S. District Court Judge Kelly H. Rankin imposed the sentence on July 17, 2025, in Cheyenne.
Shear was convicted by a federal jury on April 30 following a three-day jury trial. According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, the Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation Central Enforcement Team began an investigation into the possession, transportation, and distribution of methamphetamine in Natrona County. During the investigation, Schear was identified as a person of interest. On June 22, 2024, the Platte County Sheriff's Office conducted a traffic stop on Schear's vehicle near Chugwater. Deputies searched Schear's vehicle after a K9 alerted to presence of controlled substances. Deputies located approximately 871 grams of methamphetamine in two large plastic bags hidden in Schear’s backpack. Trial evidence indicated Schear frequently traveled from Wyoming to Colorado to obtain large quantities of methamphetamine to bring back to Wyoming. Schear had previously been convicted of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine on two occasions.
The Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation Central Enforcement Team and the Platte County Sheriff’s Office investigated the crime. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Mackenzie R. Morrison and Eric Heimann prosecuted the case.
Case No. 24-CR-00136
Four Foreign Nationals Plead Guilty, Two Others Awaiting Trial in a Multi-State ATM and Retail Skimming ConspiracyRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE – Four foreign nationals illegally present in the United States have admitted to a federal judge in Rhode Island that they participated in a scheme that compromised more than 15,000 credit, debit, and Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) cards and that they made hundreds of thousands of dollars in unauthorized bank withdrawals and retail purchases, announced Acting United States Attorney Sara Miron Bloom.
The defendants admitted that they used credit card “skimming” devices to steal debit and credit card users’ personal financial account information, which they then appropriated for their own use. Skimming devices were placed on retail outlet point-of-sale terminals and on ATMs at various financial institutions
An investigation revealed that from May 2023 through February 2024, the defendants compromised more than 15,000 bank cards and gained users’ personal financial account information by placing card skimming devices on point-of-sale terminals at various locations of major retailers and on ATMs of various financial institutions in Virginia, Maryland, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, New York, Rhode Island, and Massachusetts.
In Rhode Island, more than 200 debit cards were compromised at two Rhode Island financial institutions, resulting in over $280,000 of unauthorized ATM withdrawals from 67 customer accounts.
Robby Vicson Codreanu, 21, a citizen of the United Kingdom; Isabela Ignat Codreanu, 24, a citizen of Romania; and Armando Ion Codreanu, 24, and Nicolas Longin Codreanu, 23, citizens of Ireland, each pleaded guilty to charges of conspiracy to commit access device fraud; producing, using and trafficking in counterfeit access devices; accessing fifteen or more counterfeit and unauthorized access devices; and access device making equipment. Nicolas and Armando Codreanu also pleaded guilty to a charge of access devices issued to another person.
Nicolas Codreanu will be sentenced on October 14, 2025. Isabella, Armando, and Robby Codreanu will be sentenced on October 21, 2025. The sentences imposed will be determined by a federal district judge after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Two other defendants, Ionut Zamfir, 38, and Mila Ciuciu, 21, both citizens of Romania, are awaiting trial.
The cases are being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ronald R. Gendron
The matter was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the Bristol Police Department, with the assistance of the Warwick Police Department, Coventry Police Department, Westerly Police Department, Johnston Police Department, Seekonk Police Department, United States Secret Service, and Homeland Security Investigations agents in Lafayette, LA, New York, NY, and Los Angeles, CA.
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Foster Man Admits to Downloading and Storing Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE – A Foster man previously convicted and incarcerated for sharing sexually explicit photographs online with a person he believed to be a 13-year-old girl with whom he also attempted to meet near her middle school to engage in sex today pleaded guilty to a charge of receipt of child pornography, announced Acting United States Attorney Sara Miron Bloom.
John Q. Adams, 36, admitted that on January 13, 2021, he downloaded and stored an explicit video file depicting child sexual abuse material involving two adult males and a prepubescent female. Further investigation determined that Adams had downloaded and stored approximately 112 images and 49 videos of child sexual abuse material.
Adams is scheduled to be sentenced on October 21, 2025. The sentence imposed will be determined by a federal district judge after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Denise M. Barton.
The matter was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the Rhode Island State Police Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc
To report suspected online child sexual exploitation and/or abuse, call the Know2Protect Tipline at 1-833-591-KNOW (5669) or visit the NCMEC CyberTipline® at https://report.cybertip.org/
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Former East Bay Financial Advisor Charged with Allegedly Operating Long-Running $9.5 Million Ponzi SchemeRead the Press Release
OAKLAND – A federal grand jury indicted Edwin Emmett Lickiss, Jr., on one count of wire fraud and one count of money laundering in connection with an alleged $9.5 million investment fraud scheme.
According to the indictment filed on July 17, 2025, and unsealed today, between 1998 and September 2024, Lickiss, 77, was a financial advisor based in Danville and Alamo, Calif., who owned and operated Foundation Financial Group, a firm that provided investment services to investors in the Northern District of California, Idaho, and throughout the United States. Lickiss was a registered broker until 2014, when the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority suspended his broker’s license. Despite the suspension and loss of his broker’s license, Lickiss allegedly continued to solicit and obtain investments from victim investors until around September 2024.
The indictment alleges that as part of his scheme, Lickiss falsely represented to investors that he would invest their funds in government bonds and other bonds. To induce his victims to invest their money with him, Lickiss claimed he had exclusive access to fictitious bonds that paid very high rates of returns, including rates in excess of 20 percent. Lickiss described the fictitious bonds as safe, secure, and tax-free, and falsely claimed, among other things, that they could be redeemed at any time.
In order to convince investors that he had invested their funds as promised, Lickiss allegedly gave fraudulent promissory notes that included the terms of the fake bond investments and purported to track investors’ total investment in the fake bonds. Lickiss also occasionally made lulling payments to victim investors, falsely describing the payments as interest that had accrued on the nonexistent bonds, when, in fact, the payments were made with funds Lickiss fraudulently obtained from subsequent victim investors. In addition to making the foregoing misrepresentations, Lickiss allegedly failed to disclose to victim investors that he had been suspended in 2014 from association with any broker-dealer and that he subsequently lost his broker’s license in 2016.
Instead of investing the funds as promised, Lickiss allegedly used victim investors’ funds to pay earlier investors, in the manner of a Ponzi scheme, and for his personal use, including cash withdrawals, home renovations, travel, and car, mortgage, and personal credit card payments. In all, Lickiss allegedly obtained at least $9.5 million from no fewer than 50 victim investors.
United States Attorney Craig H. Missakian, FBI Special Agent in Charge Sanjay Virmani, and IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) Oakland Field Office Special Agent in Charge Linda Nguyen made the announcement.
Lickiss is scheduled to make his initial appearance on July 22, 2025, at 10:30 a.m., before U.S. Magistrate Judge Nathanael Cousins in Courtroom F in San Francisco.
An indictment merely alleges that crimes have been committed, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. Defendant faces a maximum statutory sentence of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine on the wire fraud count, and 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine on the money laundering count. Any sentence following conviction would be imposed by the court after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal statute governing the imposition of a sentence, 18 U.S.C. § 3553.
The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission has also filed a civil enforcement action against Lickiss in the Northern District of California.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ryan Arash Rezaei and Benjamin J. Wolinsky are prosecuting the case with the assistance of Lynette Dixon. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the FBI and IRS-CI. The U.S. Attorney’s Office thanks the Atlanta Regional Office of the SEC for its assistance in the investigation.
Lickiss Indictment
Former Assistant Director of Central Pennsylvania Youth Ministries Charged with Child-Pornography OffensesRead the Press Release
HARRISBURG - The United States Attorney for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that former Assistant Director of Central Pennsylvania Youth Ministries, Daniel Reed, age 51, of Thompsontown, Juniata County, Pennsylvania, was charged by criminal complaint with attempted production of child pornography, production of child pornography, and possession of child pornography.
According to Acting United States Attorney John Gurganus, the criminal complaint alleges that Central Pennsylvania Youth Ministries received a report from an adult female who said that she was “groomed” into a sexual relationship with Reed when she was between 14 and 17 years old. It is further alleged that thereafter a “peep hole” and two-way mirror was discovered in the second-floor hallway closet of the Youth Ministries and looked into the second-floor bathroom which had a shower.
Following the execution of a search warrant at Reed’s residence, law enforcement seized an electronic device which contained internet searches relating to the use of hidden cameras for illicit purposes. It also included a text message to a group that included two 16-year-old minor females, appearing to encourage them to use the shower at the Youth Ministries’’ facility. Also, on a hard drive seized from the residence, law enforcement discovered at least seven nude images of minor females from the second-floor bathroom at the Youth Ministries’ facility, and images of others in other bathrooms and bedrooms. All the images appeared to have been taken from a hidden camera.
The FBI's Philadelphia Field Office is seeking to identify potential victims. If you, your family member, or anyone that you know may have information relating to these matters under investigation and/or would like to report a crime, please contact the FBI Philadelphia Office at (215) 418-4000.
The case was investigated by the Pennsylvania State Police and Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant United States Attorney K. Wesley Mishoe is prosecuting the case.
The maximum penalty upon conviction for the charged offenses is 70 years’ imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, a fine, and the imposition of a special assessment. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by a court after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
Criminal complaints only contain allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.
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Former Accountant for Chicago Construction Company Sentenced to More Than Two Years in Prison for $1.8 Million EmbezzlementRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — A former senior accountant for a Chicago construction company has been sentenced to more than two years in federal prison for embezzling company funds.
RICHARD A. MANDARINO entered false payment requests in the construction company’s accounting system, causing checks to be issued to vendor companies for goods and services that Mandarino knew were never provided. Mandarino then converted those payments to his and others’ personal use. He concealed the thefts by creating fictitious credits and offsets in the construction company’s accounting system.
Mandarino committed the fraud from 2015 to 2017 while he resided in Canada and worked on the Chicago construction company’s Canadian business projects. As a result of his conduct, Mandarino caused losses totaling more than $1.8 million.
Mandarino, 46, of Scarborough, Ontario, Canada, pleaded guilty last year to a federal wire fraud charge. In an order issued on Friday, U.S. District Judge Steven C. Seeger sentenced Mandarino to two years and two months in federal prison and ordered him to pay more than $1.8 million in restitution to his victims.
The sentence was announced by Andrew S. Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and Douglas S. DePodesta, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI. The government was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kartik K. Raman and former Assistant U.S. Attorneys Yusef Dale and Patrick J. King, Jr.
“Defendant engaged in a deceptive and calculated scheme against his employer who trusted him with its finances,” the government argued in its sentencing memorandum. “The scheme was complex and multilayered.”
Foreign National Sentenced for Conspiring to Export U.S.-Made Drill Rigs to Iran in Violation of U.S. Sanctions LawsRead the Press Release
Brian Assi, also known as Brahim Assi, 63, of Beirut, Lebanon, was sentenced to 44 months in prison for conspiring to violate the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) and the Iranian Transactions and Sanctions Regulations (ITSR), attempted unlawful export of goods from the United States to Iran without a license, attempted smuggling goods from the United States, submitting false or misleading export information, and conspiracy to commit money laundering.
“The defendant conspired to export millions of dollars of U.S.-made heavy machinery to Iran, a leading state sponsor of terrorism,” said John A. Eisenberg, Assistant Attorney General for National Security. “The National Security Division will find and prosecute those who illegally sell American products to our adversaries.”
“The defendant threatened U.S. economic and national security by conspiring and concealing his efforts to circumvent our export controls to provide heavy machinery to Iran, a designated state sponsor of terrorism for the past 40 years,” said U.S. Attorney John P. Heekin for the Northern District of Florida. “My office will continue to aggressively pursue anyone who violates our laws and offers material support to America’s enemies.”
Assi was convicted of the charges in October 2024. According to evidence presented at trial, Assi was a Middle East-based salesman of a multinational heavy machinery manufacturer with a U.S.-based subsidiary and production plant located in Alachua, Florida. Assi conspired with individuals affiliated with Sakht Abzar Pars Co. (SAP-Iran), based in Tehran, Iran, to export U.S.-made heavy machinery indirectly to Iran without first obtaining the required licenses from the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC).
Assi and his Iranian co-conspirators orchestrated the scheme by locating an Iraq-based distributor to serve as the forward-facing purchaser of two U.S.-origin blasthole drills from the U.S. subsidiary of Assi’s employer. The drills are a type of heavy machinery used to create holes in the ground that are then filled with controlled explosives for mining.
Assi facilitated the sale of the drills and attempted export them to Iran and used freight forwarding companies to ship the heavy equipment from the U.S. to Turkey. In doing so, Assi concealed any Iranian involvement in the transaction from his employer, claiming the drills were ultimately destined for use in Iraq. But in truth, Assi intended for his Iranian co-conspirators to transship or reexport those items from Turkey to Iran, in circumvention of the U.S. export control and sanction laws.
In furtherance of the conspiracy, Assi concealed his activities with his Iranian co-conspirators by causing false information to be entered into the Automated Export System (AES), a U.S.-government database containing information about exports from the United States. The U.S.-based plant hired a U.S. freight forwarder to arrange the drill’s export from the U.S. to Iraq. As part of the shipping process, the freight forwarder submitted information to AES about the shipment, including the ultimate consignee’s name and the ultimate delivery destination. Assi misled his employer by claiming that the Iraqi distributor was the ultimate consignee, and that the ultimate delivery destination was Iraq. In fact, Assi knew that his co-conspirators in Iran were the true intended recipients, and Iran was the ultimate intended delivery destination.
In furtherance of the illicit transaction, Assi and his co-conspirators caused the transfer of approximately $2.7 million from Turkey to pass through the United States.
The Commerce Department Bureau of Industry and Security’s Office of Export Enforcement investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Andrew J. Grogan and Harley W. Ferguson for the Northern District of Florida and Trial Attorney Ahmed Almudallal of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section prosecuted the case.
Foreign Citizen Extradited to New Zealand to Stand Trial for Child RapeRead the Press Release
HONOLULU – Acting United States Attorney Kenneth M. Sorenson announced that a foreign citizen overstaying a visitor visa on Oahu was extradited to New Zealand where he is wanted to stand trial for the alleged rape of a twelve year- old. The man invoked his right to name suppression under New Zealand law and is not being identified by the United States Attorney’s Office.
According to the extradition request submitted by New Zealand, the man is charged with rape, indecent assault on a young person, and unlawful sexual connection, among other offenses, for a 2015 encounter with the minor victim in a guest room adjoining the minor’s family home. Multiple witnesses provided statements to New Zealand Police, including a female friend of the victim, who corroborated the victim’s story and reported having also been inappropriately touched by the man in the months preceding the incident. Following an initial encounter with New Zealand Police in September 2015, the man fled New Zealand, eventually finding his way to Hawaii.
The United States Marshals Service, with substantial assistance from Homeland Security Investigations, arrested the man in March 2024. On April 3, 2025, following federal court proceedings in Honolulu, the court certified him as extraditable to New Zealand. The United States Secretary of State thereafter granted the extradition request, and he was surrendered to New Zealand authorities on May 30, 2025.
The case was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan D. Slack of the District of Hawaii and the Office of International Affairs in the Justice Department’s Criminal Division
Federal inmate sentenced for trafficking methamphetamine in prisonRead the Press Release
BEAUMONT, Texas – A federal inmate has been sentenced to additional time in federal prison for drug trafficking violations in the Eastern District of Texas, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs.
Kerry Wayne Feaster, 49, pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and was sentenced to 63 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Marcia A. Crone on July 21, 2025.
According to information presented in court, on August 14, 2024, a correctional officer at the federal prison in Beaumont conducted a search of Feaster, an inmate at the prison. The search revealed a black package in Feaster’s gym bag containing 52.488 grams of methamphetamine.
This case was investigated by the FBI and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Rachel Grove.
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Eye Consultants of Pennsylvania, PC Agrees to Pay $790,000.00 to Settle False Claims Act AllegationsRead the Press Release
HARRISBURG, PA —The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Eye Consultants of Pennsylvania, PC (ECOP) has agreed to pay $790,000.00 to resolve False Claims Act allegations of civil liability for submitting claims to Medicare for Evaluation & Management (E&M) services that violated Medicare rules and regulations.
According to the Acting United States Attorney John C. Gurganus, between September 1, 2018, and April 7, 2025, ECOP submitted claims to Medicare Part B for E&M services on the same date of service for beneficiaries receiving bilateral eye injections in violation of the applicable Medicare rules and regulations.
“The United States Attorney’s Office in the Middle District of Pennsylvania is dedicated to working with its law enforcement partners to zealously investigate allegations of the submission of unsupported claims to federal healthcare programs,” said Acting United States Attorney John C. Gurganus. “Improperly billing federal healthcare programs increases the costs of these taxpayer-funded programs. Settlements like this one are an important part of the fight against fraud, waste and abuse.”
“Providers who participate in the Medicare program must abide by the program’s rules when submitting claims,” said Maureen Dixon, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “HHS-OIG is committed to protecting the integrity of the Medicare program and maintaining the trust of the people it serves. We will continue to work with the United States Attorney’s Office and other law enforcement partners to address allegations brought under the False Claims Act.”
This matter was handled by the Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG), and Assistant U.S. Attorney Tamara Haken of the Affirmative Civil Enforcement Unit of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania.
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Engineer Pleads Guilty to Stealing for Chinese Government’s Benefit Trade Secret Technology Designed for Missile Launch and DetectionRead the Press Release
A Santa Clara County man and former engineer at a Southern California company pleaded guilty today to stealing trade secret technologies developed for use by the U.S. government to detect nuclear missile launches, track ballistic and hypersonic missiles, and to allow U.S. fighter planes to detect and evade heat-seeking missiles.
Chenguang Gong, 59, of San Jose, pleaded guilty to one count of theft of trade secrets. He remains free on $1.75 million bond.
According to his plea agreement, Gong – a dual citizen of the United States and China – transferred more than 3,600 files from a Los Angeles-area research and development company where he worked – identified in court documents as the victim company – to personal storage devices during his brief tenure with the company last year.
The files Gong transferred include blueprints for sophisticated infrared sensors designed for use in space-based systems to detect nuclear missile launches and track ballistic and hypersonic missiles, as well as blueprints for sensors designed to enable U.S. military aircraft to detect incoming heat-seeking missiles and take countermeasures, including by jamming the missiles’ infrared tracking ability. Some of these files were later found on storage devices seized from Gong’s temporary residence in Thousand Oaks.
In January 2023, the victim company hired Gong as an application-specific integrated circuit design manager responsible for the design, development and verification of its infrared sensors. Beginning on approximately March 30, 2023, and continuing until his termination on April 26, 2023, Gong transferred thousands of files from his work laptop to three personal storage devices, including more than 1,800 files after he had accepted a job at one of the victim company’s main competitors.
Many of the files Gong transferred contained proprietary and trade secret information related to the development and design of a readout integrated circuit that allows space-based systems to detect missile launches and track ballistic and hypersonic missiles and a readout integrated circuit that allows aircraft to track incoming threats in low visibility environments.
Gong also transferred files containing trade secrets relating to the development of “next generation” sensors capable of detecting low observable targets while demonstrating increased survivability in space, as well as the blueprints for the mechanical assemblies used to house and cryogenically cool the victim company’s sensors. This information was among the victim company’s most important trade secrets that are worth hundreds of millions of dollars. Many of the files had been marked “[VICTIM COMPANY] PROPRIETARY,” “FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY,” “PROPRIETARY INFORMATION,” and “EXPORT CONTROLLED.”
Law enforcement also discovered that, between approximately 2014 and 2022, while employed at several major technology companies in the United States, Gong submitted numerous applications to ‘Talent Programs’ administered by the People’s Republic of China (PRC). The PRC government has established these talent programs as a means to identify individuals who have expert skills, abilities, and knowledge of advanced sciences and technologies in order to access and utilize those skills and knowledge in transforming the PRC’s economy, including its military capabilities.
In 2014, while employed at a U.S. information technology company headquartered in Dallas, Gong sent a business proposal to a contact at a high-tech research institute in China focused on both military and civilian products. In his proposal, translated from Chinese, Gong described a plan to produce high-performance analog-to-digital converters like those produced by his employer. In another Talent Program application from September 2020, Gong proposed to develop “low light/night vision” image sensors for use in military night vision goggles and civilian applications. Gong’s proposal included a video presentation that contained the model number of a sensor developed by an international defense, aerospace, and security company where Gong worked from 2015 to 2019.
Gong travelled to China several times to seek Talent Program funding in order to develop sophisticated analog-to-digital converters. In his Talent Program applications, Gong underscored that the high-performance analog-to-digital converters he proposed to develop in China had military applications, explaining that they “directly determine the accuracy and range of radar systems” and that “[m]issile navigation systems also often use radar front-end systems.” In a 2019 email, translated from Chinese, Gong remarked that he “took a risk” by traveling to China to participate in the Talent Programs “because [he] worked for…an American military industry company” and thought he could “do something” to contribute to China’s “high-end military integrated circuits.”
According to his plea agreement, the intended economic loss from Gong’s criminal conduct exceeds $3.5 million.
U.S. District Judge John F. Walter scheduled sentencing for Sept. 29, at which time Gong faces a statutory maximum penalty of 10 years in prison.
The FBI’s Los Angeles Field Office through the Counterintelligence Task Force in partnership with the State Department’s Diplomatic Security Service and Homeland Security Investigations is investigating this matter. The FBI’s San Francisco Field Office and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of California also provided substantial assistance.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys David C. Lachman and Nisha Chandran for the Central District of California and Trial Attorney Brendan Geary of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section are prosecuting the case.
Engineer Pleads Guilty to Stealing Trade Secret Technology Designed for Missile Launch DetectionRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – A Santa Clara County man and former engineer at a Southern California company pleaded guilty today to stealing trade secret technologies developed for use by the United States government to detect nuclear missile launches, track ballistic and hypersonic missiles, and to allow U.S. fighter planes to detect and evade heat-seeking missiles.
Chenguang Gong, 59, of San Jose, pleaded guilty to one count of theft of trade secrets. He remains free on $1.75 million bond.
According to his plea agreement, Gong – a dual citizen of the United States and China – transferred more than 3,600 files from a Los Angeles-area research and development company where he worked – identified in court documents as the victim company – to personal storage devices during his brief tenure with the company in 2023.
The files Gong transferred include blueprints for sophisticated infrared sensors designed for use in space-based systems to detect nuclear missile launches and track ballistic and hypersonic missiles, as well as blueprints for sensors designed to enable U.S. military aircraft to detect incoming heat-seeking missiles and take countermeasures, including by jamming the missiles’ infrared tracking ability. Some of these files were later found on storage devices seized from Gong’s temporary residence in Thousand Oaks.
In January 2023, the victim company hired Gong as an application-specific integrated circuit design manager responsible for the design, development and verification of its infrared sensors. Beginning on approximately March 30, 2023, and continuing until his termination on April 26, 2023, Gong transferred thousands of files from his work laptop to three personal storage devices, including more than 1,800 files after he had accepted a job at one of the victim company’s main competitors.
Many of the files Gong transferred contained proprietary and trade secret information related to the development and design of a readout integrated circuit that allows space-based systems to detect missile launches and track ballistic and hypersonic missiles and a readout integrated circuit that allows aircraft to track incoming threats in low visibility environments.
Gong also transferred files containing trade secrets relating to the development of “next generation” sensors capable of detecting low observable targets while demonstrating increased survivability in space, as well as the blueprints for the mechanical assemblies used to house and cryogenically cool the victim company’s sensors. This information was among the victim company’s most important trade secrets that are worth hundreds of millions of dollars. Many of the files had been marked “[VICTIM COMPANY] PROPRIETARY,” “FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY,” “PROPRIETARY INFORMATION,” and “EXPORT CONTROLLED.”
Law enforcement also discovered that, between approximately 2014 and 2022, while employed at several major technology companies in the United States, Gong submitted numerous applications to ‘Talent Programs’ administered by the People’s Republic of China (PRC) government. The PRC government has established these talent programs as a means to identify individuals who have expert skills, abilities, and knowledge of advanced sciences and technologies in order to access and utilize those skills and knowledge in transforming the PRC’s economy, including its military capabilities.
In 2014, while employed at a U.S. information technology company headquartered in Dallas, Gong sent a business proposal to a contact at a high-tech research institute in China focused on both military and civilian products. In his proposal, translated from Chinese, Gong described a plan to produce high-performance analog-to-digital converters like those produced by his employer.
In another Talent Program application from September 2020, Gong proposed to develop “low light/night vision” image sensors for use in military night vision goggles and civilian applications. Gong’s proposal included a video presentation that contained the model number of a sensor developed by an international defense, aerospace, and security company where Gong worked from 2015 to 2019.
Gong also travelled to China to seek Talent Program funding in order to develop sophisticated analog-to-digital converters. In his Talent Program applications, Gong underscored that the high-performance analog-to-digital converters he proposed to develop in China had military applications, explaining that they “directly determine the accuracy and range of radar systems” and that “[m]issile navigation systems also often use radar front-end systems.” In a 2019 email, translated from Chinese, Gong remarked that he “took a risk” by traveling to China to participate in the Talent Programs “because [he] worked for…an American military industry company” and thought he could “do something” to contribute to China’s “high-end military integrated circuits.”
According to his plea agreement, the intended economic loss from Gong’s criminal conduct exceeds $3.5 million.
United States District Judge John F. Walter scheduled a September 29 sentencing hearing, at which time Gong will face a statutory maximum sentence of 10 years in federal prison.
The FBI’s Los Angeles Field Office through the Counterintelligence Task Force in partnership with the State Department’s Diplomatic Security Service and Homeland Security Investigations is investigating this matter. The FBI’s San Francisco Field Office and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of California also provided substantial assistance.
Assistant United States Attorneys David C. Lachman of the Terrorism and Export Crimes Section and Nisha Chandran of the Major Frauds Section are prosecuting this case, with valuable assistance from Department of Justice Trial Attorney Brendan P. Geary of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section.
District Man Sentenced to 11.5 Years in Scheme to Steal Residential Real Estate Using Fraudulent DeedsRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON - Jeffrey M. Young-Bey, 68, of the District of Columbia, was sentenced today to 138 months in prison for his role a scheme that stole residential real estate property in order to generate more than $850,000 in fraudulent loans, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
Young-Bey was found guilty by a jury on Feb.12, 2024, on 12 federal charges: one count of conspiracy to commit mail fraud and bank fraud, two counts of bank fraud, two counts of mail fraud, two counts of money laundering, and five counts of aggravated identity theft. In addition to the term of incarceration, U.S. District Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly ordered five years of supervised release.
Joining in the announcement was FBI Assistant Director in Charge Steven J. Jensen of the Washington Field Office, which led the investigation.
According to the government’s evidence, beginning in November 2019, Young-Bey conspired to steal a residential townhome located in LeDroit Park in order to obtain mortgage financing against the stolen property.
Young-Bey identified a target property owned free and clear by an elderly homeowner. He then prepared a fraudulent property deed, including forged signatures of the true owners and used a fake notary stamp to make the deed appear legitimate.
Young-Bey filed the deed with the District of Columbia Recorder of Deeds, transferring the title from the true owners to a corporate entity. Young-Bey passed a check to the D.C. Recorder of Deeds to pay for the transfer taxes but put a stop payment order on the check before the D.C. government could cash the check. After causing the fake deed to be recorded with the D.C. Recorder of Deeds, he falsely told a mortgage services business that another individual had inherited the property and wanted to take a large loan against the value of the home.
Young-Bey created a fake rental lease and deceived the mortgage company into loaning one of his associates approximately $360,000 against the value of the home they did not own, which was split evenly between the two. Young-Bey used his half of the proceeds to buy a BMW 3-Series valued at approximately $23,000.
After succeeding on the first scam, Young-Bey executed a second fraudulent scheme on a Shephard Park property in the District, forging the names of the two owners, using the fake notary stamp, and recording the deed at the D.C. Recorder of Deeds Office. Young-Bey again put a stop payment order on the transfer tax check before it could be cashed. Young-Bey used the recorded deed to obtain a construction loan of more than $500,000 against the value of the house. Young-Bey took a portion of the loan and purchased a BMW 7-Series worth approximately $120,000. He promptly sold the home to a legitimate real estate company for an additional $42,000 in profit. The fraud was discovered when the real estate company began performing renovations on the home and the rightful owners were alerted to the construction and demolition by their neighbors.
This case was investigated by the FBI’s Washington Field Office with assistance from the Metropolitan Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher R. Howland and Kevin L. Rosenberg of the Fraud, Public Corruption, and Civil Rights Section with the assistance of Paralegal Specialist Gina Torres. Valuable assistance was provided by Assistant U.S. Attorney Joshua S. Rothstein, who investigated and indicted the case, as well as former Assistant U.S. Attorney Virginia Cheatham, former Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Viviana Vasiu, and Paralegal Specialist Lisa Abbe, each of whom assisted in investigating the case. The prosecution team was also assisted by Tonya Jones from the Victim Witness Assistance Unit and Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel Lenerz from the Appellate Section.
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Department of Justice Honors Senate Judiciary Committee Request for Information Related to Clinton Email InvestigationRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Attorney General Pamela Bondi released the following statement regarding Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley's request for information related to the FBI's handling of the investigation into Hillary Clinton's use of a private email server and mishandling of classified information during her time as Secretary of State:
“Today, the Department of Justice honored Chairman Grassley’s request to release information relating to former-FBI Director James Comey’s failed investigation into Hillary Clinton’s mishandling of highly classified information during her tenure as Secretary of State. I commend Chairman Grassley for his unwavering, years-long commitment to exposing the truth and holding those who seek to conceal it accountable. This Department of Justice is fully committed to transparency and will continue to support good-faith efforts in Congress to ensure accountability across the federal government.”
Department of Justice Coordinates Release of Files Related to Assassination of Martin Luther King Jr.Read the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Today, Attorney General Pamela Bondi hosted Dr. Alveda King at the Department of Justice to commemorate the release of files regarding the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. The release contains 230,000 pages of documents and comes in accordance with Donald J. Trump’s Executive Order 14176.
This disclosure is the product of months of collaboration between the Department of Justice (DOJ), Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI), Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), and National Archives and Records Administration (NARA). DOJ Attorneys spent hundreds of hours preparing and digitizing these documents for release.
"The American people deserve answers decades after the horrific assassination of one of our nation’s great leaders," said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. "The Department of Justice is proud to partner with Director Gabbard and the ODNI at President Trump’s direction for this latest disclosure."
"I am grateful to President Trump and Attorney General Bondi for delivering on their pledge of transparency in the release of these documents on the assassination of Martin Luther King, Jr.," said Dr. Alveda King. "My uncle lived boldly in pursuit of truth and justice, and his enduring legacy of faith continues to inspire Americans to this day. While we continue to mourn his death, the declassification and release of these documents are a historic step towards the truth that the American people deserve."
Attorney General Bondi and Dr. King discussed the remarkable life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and the need for transparency pertaining to his assassination on April 4th, 1968, in Memphis, Tennessee.
Please see a link to the documents here.
Crystal Lake Man to Federal Prison for Meth ConspiracyRead the Press Release
A man who conspired to distribute methamphetamine was sentenced July 19, 2025, to more than five years in federal prison.
Jeremy Nedved, age 42, from Crystal Lake, Iowa, received the prison term after a January 6, 2025, guilty plea to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine.
At sentencing, Nedved admitted that between February and September 2024, he utilized the “dark web”, a part of the internet that is not visible to search engines and requires the use of an anonymizing browser called Tor to be accessed, to purchase methamphetamine that he further distributed to others. In August 2024, law enforcement had become aware Nedved was using the U.S. mail to receive controlled substances. On August 29, 2024, a mail watch notification was triggered for Nedved’s P.O. Box in Crystal Lake on a package. A search warrant was obtained to intercept and search the package which netted approximately a half pound of methamphetamine. On September 3, 2024, a controlled delivery of the methamphetamine package took place at the Crystal Lake post office. Nedved retrieved this parcel and was arrested.
Nedved was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand. Nedved was sentenced to 63 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system. Nedved is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Patrick T. Greenwood and investigated by the United States Postal Inspection Service, the Iowa Department of Criminal Investigation and the Hancock County Sheriff’s Office.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 24-CR-03040.
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