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18 July 2025
Arapahoe County Man Sentenced to 46 Months in Prison in Connection with Robbery of Mail CarrierRead the Press Release
DENVER – The United States Attorney for the District of Colorado announces that Marquis Taylor, age 29, was sentenced to 46 months in prison after pleading guilty to assault with intent to rob a U.S. mail carrier.
According to the plea agreement, in September of 2023, Taylor and two other individuals committed a strong-arm robbery of a postal carrier while she was on duty in her mail truck taking her lunch break. Taylor and the other individuals attempted to obtain a universal mailbox key to access community mailboxes. The men were unable to steal the universal key, but did steal various pieces of mail, packages, and a postal scanner. The postal carrier suffered minor injuries as a result of the robbery. One of the other suspects, Dravell Ross, was sentenced last year to four years in prison for the crime.
“Attacking a postal carrier to steal mail is a federal crime that threatens both public safety and the integrity of our mail system,” said United States Attorney Peter McNeilly. “This office will continue to aggressively prosecute those people who target federal employees simply for doing their jobs.”
"Today's sentencing is a message to those who contemplate perpetrating senseless and traumatizing acts of violence against U.S. Postal Service employees," said Inspector in Charge Bryan Musgrove of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. "Robberies of our employees are a top investigative priority for the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. Rest assured that the dedicated men and women of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service will ensure perpetrators of these acts are brought to justice no matter how much time has passed and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law."
The defendant was sentenced on July 17, 2025, by United States District Judge Regina M. Rodriguez.
The case was investigated by the United States Postal Inspection Service. The prosecution was handled by Assistant United States Attorney Tim Neff.
Case Number: 24-cr-00250-RMR
Amherst businessman sentenced for COVID fraudRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today Hormoz Mansouri, 71, of Amherst, NY, who was convicted of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and bank fraud, and bank fraud, was sentenced to time served and five years’ supervised release, to include one year of home detention. He was also ordered to pay restitution totaling $3,197,562 and to forfeit $1,888,603.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul E. Bonanno, who handled the case, stated that Mansouri filed fraudulent loan applications under both the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program. The loans available for these programs were designed to provide emergency financial assistance pursuant to the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES Act). Mansouri controlled the following business entities which applied for loans:
- HLM Holding LLC,
- El Team Inc.,
- NPTS Inc.,
- 2060 Sheridan Drive LLC,
- 212 Holden Avenue LLC,
- 350 Old Niagara Falls Boulevard LLC,
- 47 East Amherst LLC, and
- 3600 Harlem Road LLC.
The PPP loans that the Mansouri-controlled entities obtained, either inflated or completely fabricated the average monthly payroll and six of the eight entities had no actual employees or payroll expenses at all. The total amount of money received from the fraudulent PPP loans totaled approximately $3,000,000. The Mansouri controlled entities also received approximately $450,600 in Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL). These loan applications falsely represented revenues and cost of goods sold. On May 28, 2021, the United States Attorney’s Office seized approximately $1,923,603 of the fraudulently obtained money.
Mansouri also moved the fraudulent PPP and EIDL funds between various bank accounts; commingling the proceeds with legitimate business revenues; and funding certain accounts, including a campaign account (in the name of “Mansouri for County Comptroller”).
The sentencing is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Acting Special Agent-in-Charge Mark Grimm, and the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation Division, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Harry Chavis.
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213 charged in new cases related to SDTX’s continuing efforts to secure southern borderRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – In support of Operation Take Back America, the Southern District of Texas has filed another 210 cases in immigration and border security-related matters from July 11-17, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
The cases include 14 involving human smuggling. A total of 101 people are charged with illegally entering the country, while another 89 face charges of felony reentry after prior removal. Most of those individuals have prior felonies such as narcotics, violent crime, sexual assaults, immigration crimes and more. Other relevant cases charged this week relate to other immigration crimes and illegal fishing.
The criminal complaints include four men found in the Rio Grande Valley area after being removed already this year. The charges allege Humberto Alvarez-Chio, Irvin Gonzalez-Silva and Miguel Angel Reyes-Garcia have prior convictions for illegal reentry, human smuggling and sexual assault of a child, respectively. Juan Cruz-Montiel served a sentence for burglary before his removal July 11, but authorities found him again near Hidalgo just four days later, according to the allegations. All three men could face up to 20 years in federal prison, if convicted.
In McAllen this week, Lyford resident Jose Rodriguez Jr. was sentenced to 240 months in federal prison for possessing images depicting the sexual abuse of prepubescent children. Law enforcement originally arrested Rodriguez in connection with an alien transporting event. At that time, they seized his phone and discovered over 250 images and videos of child sexual abuse material (CSAM). At the hearing, the court heard additional information detailing Rodriguez’s prior conviction of aggravated sexual assault of a child, which involved tying up his 9-year-old victim before attempting to sexually assault her and tying up an eight-year-old witness. The court also heard he downloaded CSAM files on 20 separate occasions, beginning only six months after he was released from his 13-year sentence for the aggravated sexual assault of a child conviction. The court noted the need to protect the public from Rodriguez’s crimes and highlighted that Rodriguez had a complete lack of remorse for his actions. He had previously received 16 months for human smuggling conviction.
“Those who sexually assault children, possess child sexual abuse material, or smuggle human beings like some sort of commodity are all imbued with a common trait: total disdain for the inherent value and dignity of a human being. The defendant here had a history of doing all three,” said Ganjei. “Fortunately, SDTX prosecutors were successful in advocating for the maximum possible sentence in this case, that of 20 years, so Mr. Rodriguez will now have two decades to reflect on his conduct. I thank the jury for their time and attention in this important case.”
Euclides Vasquez-Hernandez faced a Corpus Christi federal jury for illegally reentering the United States. They heard that he had been removed in 2018, but authorities discovered him again March 7 in Robstown. Vasquez-Hernandez took the stand and ultimately admitted he reentered the country by crossing a river a few days after his removal. He now faces up to 20 years in federal prison.
A Laredo jury convicted a South Carolina woman of transporting illegal aliens. Sharon Thompkins was the passenger in a blue tractor trailer as it approached Border Patrol (BP) checkpoint 29 near Laredo. An x-ray scan revealed anomalies in the vehicle, and authorities found four illegal aliens sitting side-by-side on the bed in the sleeper compartment. She had instructed them to sit there and closed the curtains in order to conceal them. The defense attempted to convince the jury Thompkins was merely present and did not agree to illegally transport aliens. The jury did not believe those claims and found her guilty. She faces up to five years in federal prison.
Also of note was the sentencing of Sullivan City resident Carlos Alberto Salinas. He attempted to pick up 10 illegal aliens and approximately 100 kilograms of marijuana from the Rio Grande River. The court enhanced the sentence to 10 years after finding Salinas was responsible for smuggling over 75 aliens and fled to Mexico in an attempt to evade law enforcement.
As part of the announcements this week was the sentencing of two Brownsville residents for smuggling three illegal aliens in the trunk of a vehicle. Ofelia Christine Monares and Michael Rosa received 40 and 25 months, respectively. Law enforcement discovered three Vietnamese nationals in the trunk of a Nissan Sentra, dehydrated and sweating profusely. Monares and Rosa received increases in their calculated sentencing guideline range for placing the life of the aliens in jeopardy.
Finally, a 47-year-old Mexican national was also sentenced for illegally reentering the United States for a fourth time. Arnulfo Olivares-Cervantes was first removed in 1999 and returned three other times. He has multiple felony convictions including attempted murder, narcotics trafficking and illegal reentry. Authorities discovered him again in Edinburg. He received a 46-month sentence.
These cases were referred or supported by federal law enforcement partners, including Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) - Homeland Security Investigations, ICE - Enforcement and Removal Operations, BP, Drug Enforcement Administration, FBI, U.S. Marshals Service and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives with additional assistance from state and local law enforcement partners.
The 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 our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces and Project Safe Neighborhood.
Under current leadership, public safety and a secure border are the top priorities for this district. Enhanced enforcement both at the border and in the interior of the district have yielded aliens engaged in unlawful activity or with serious criminal history, including human trafficking, sexual assault and violence against children.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Texas remains one of the busiest in the nation. It represents 43 counties and more than nine million people covering 44,000 square miles. Assistant U.S. Attorneys from all seven divisions including Houston, Galveston, Victoria, Corpus Christi, Brownsville, McAllen and Laredo work directly with our law enforcement partners on the federal, state and local levels to prosecute the suspected offenders of these and other federal crimes.
An indictment or criminal complaint is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence. A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.
17 July 2025
Woman who traveled the country impersonating victims to commit bank fraud sentenced to six years in prisonRead the Press Release
Seattle – A leader in a nationwide $1.4 million bank fraud scheme was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Seattle to six years in prison for conspiracy to commit bank fraud, aggravated identity theft, and money laundering, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Teal Luthy Miller. Amber Towndrow, 36, was indicted along with coconspirator Darby Canfield, 35, in April 2024. At the sentencing hearing U.S. District Judge Jamal N. Whitehead said, “This was not a simple crime of desperation, this was a sophisticated nationwide fraud…. It was not a momentary loss in judgement. Despite one arrest, you continued in the scheme…. You did not just steal money, you stole peace of mind.”
“This was a sophisticated scheme using stolen information, fake IDs and business registration requirements across different states. This defendant was a primary actor for the operation,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Miller. “She successfully impersonated her victims – indeed she memorized all the details of their lives. This significant federal sentence is aimed at setting her on a new, law-abiding path.”
According to records filed in the case, Towndrow and her coconspirators acquired personal identifying information for at least 19 victims nationwide. In Western Washington, the co-schemers used that personal information to register businesses with the Washington Secretary of State. Armed with the business documents and false identification documents such as drivers’ licenses and passports, Towndrow would open business bank accounts at financial institutions where the victim already had a personal savings account. The bank system would link the new business bank account to the real customer’s bank account. The conspirators would then transfer money from the personal bank account to the business account. Towndrow would then use a business account debit card to purchase money orders and high value goods such as designer merchandise or electronics. Towndrow and other conspirators would use various fake IDs to cash the money orders at locations such as Money Tree outlets.
With this scheme Towndrow committed bank fraud and identity theft in Washington, Colorado, Pennsylvania, California, New Jersey, Indiana, and Washington D.C.
Court records detail how Towndrow defrauded a victim living in Illinois by creating a company registered in Colorado. Towndrow listed the Illinois victim as the registered owner of the company. Towndrow traveled to a Chase branch in Seattle where she opened a business banking account for the fake company. Towndrow and her coconspirators used online banking to transfer $131,709 from the Illinois victim account to the business account. Towndrow used the business debit card to purchase 128 U.S. Postal Service money orders totaling $126,653. The money orders were made payable to various people the co-schemers could impersonate with their fake IDs. The conspirators then cashed several of the money orders at various locations in the Seattle area.
The plea agreement admits similar conduct regarding a victim residing in Texas, who was defrauded of $75,000, of which $50,000 was used to purchase MoneyGram money orders across the Seattle area.
Towndrow admits she opened at least 50 business bank accounts and attempted to obtain $1.4 million. She admits she successfully obtained $664,000.
The crime has a significant impact on the individual victims – even when the bank ultimately replaces the money stolen from the account. One victim had $40,000 stolen from her accounts just weeks before her wedding – adding significant stress to what should have been a joyful time. And the impact doesn’t end when the money is replaced.
Assistant United States Attorney Sean Waite wrote to the court, “for some victims, the impact may last a lifetime. Identity theft burdens victims with defending against debt collections, decreases in credit scores, and any host of expenses or liabilities that are unfairly associated with them. Victims often also encumber severe non-financial impacts, such as to their mental health and well-being.”
The case was investigated by The U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Diplomatic Security Service, and the Seattle Police Department.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Sean Waite.
Vacaville Man Indicted for Firearm and Drug PossessionRead the Press Release
A federal grand jury returned a four-count indictment charging James Cargill, 44, of Vacaville, with two counts of possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute, being a felon in possession of a firearm, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense, Acting U.S. Attorney Kimberly A. Sanchez announced.
According to court documents, Cargill was arrested in January 2025 for possessing more than 500 grams of a substance or mixture containing methamphetamine and a loaded semi-automatic pistol. Cargill is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition due to his prior felony convictions for burglary, evading police officers, and possession of a firearm. After being released from custody, Cargill was arrested again in May 2025 for possessing methamphetamine and another loaded semi-automatic pistol.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Vacaville Police Department, the Fairfield Police Department, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles Campbell is prosecuting the case.
If convicted, Cargill faces a mandatory minimum of 15 years in prison, a maximum statutory penalty of life in prison and a $10 million fine. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
United States and the States of Georgia, Colorado, and South Carolina Obtain $114.5M in Judgments in a Sprawling Cancer Genetic Testing Lab SchemeRead the Press Release
COLUMBIA, S.C. —Kevin S. Murdock, former CEO and owner of the now-defunct laboratory Premier Medical, Inc., has agreed to a consent judgment of $27,544,460, acknowledging there is a likelihood he would be found liable in the civil action brought against him by the United States and the States of Colorado, Georgia, and South Carolina (the Governments) for violating the False Claims Act, the Georgia False Medicaid Claims Act, the Colorado Medicaid False Claims Act, and the South Carolina Medical Assistance Provider Fraud Statute. The settlement came one day before his two-week trial was set to begin.
This adds to the $87 million in judgments and settlements the Governments previously obtained against the other defendants named in their suit.
On July 30, 2021, the Governments filed a Joint Complaint in Intervention against Defendants Premier Medical, Inc., Kevin S. Murdock, Michael Conroy, Freedom Medical Labs, LLC, Robert Alan Richardson, and Edward Burch for fraud, waste and abuse against the Medicaid programs of Georgia, Colorado and South Carolina. On April 25, 2025, the U.S. District Court for the District of South Carolina entered a default judgment totaling $71,015,255.70 against Premier Medical, Inc., the clinical lab previously owned by Kevin S. Murdock in Greenville, South Carolina. Premier Medical has been terminated by each of the Medicaid agencies of Georgia, Colorado and South Carolina.
By virtue of the default judgment against Premier Medical, the facts alleged by the Governments as to Premier Medical are taken to be true. Moreover, Murdock has acknowledged that there is a likelihood he would be found liable for violating the federal and state False Claims Acts. The Joint Complaint in Intervention included the following facts:
Premier Medical, its owner Kevin Murdock, and Michael Conroy (together, Premier Defendants), paid illegal kickbacks to Defendants Freedom Medical Labs, LLC, Robert Alan Richardson, and Edward Burch (together, Freedom Defendants), for referrals for expensive cancer genetic (CGX) testing. The Premier Defendants conspired with the Freedom Defendants to target Medicaid beneficiaries in the states of Georgia, Colorado and South Carolina because those states reimbursed favorably for CGX testing. As an example, Premier Medical could gain close to $12,000 in reimbursement for CGX testing of a Georgia Medicaid patient and close to $9,500 in reimbursement for CGX testing of a Colorado Medicaid patient. Accordingly, in 2018 and 2019, the Freedom Defendants traveled to Colorado, Georgia and South Carolina and set up tables in public spaces in low-income areas, such as bus stops, dollar stores and street corners, to target Medicaid beneficiaries. The Freedom marketers falsely advertised they were screening for cancer and enticed Medicaid beneficiaries to provide DNA samples with up to $20.. The Freedom Defendants only obtained samples from those who had a Medicaid card. They would then pay a telemedicine company for a provider’s order for the CGX testing for that individual. The provider ordering the test did not have a treating relationship with the beneficiary. Premier Defendants conspired with the Freedom Defendants and were aware these providers’ orders and patient samples were obtained using kickbacks, in violation of the Anti-Kickback Statute. These claims were medically unnecessary because they were not the result of a valid test ordered by a patient’s treating provider. Further, patients never spoke to a provider and most never received the results of their tests.
For their roles in the scheme, Robert Alan Richardson, individually and on behalf of Freedom Medical, signed a consent judgment for $8 million, as did Edward Burch. They resolved the Governments’ claims for lesser amounts based on their ability to pay. As part of the resolution, Richardson and Burch admitted to certain conduct. Freedom Medical agreed to a period of exclusion from federal healthcare programs for a period of seven years. Richardson and Burch previously pleaded guilty for similar conduct related to their referrals of cancer genetic tests to a lab in Tennessee.
Additionally, the Governments resolved their case against former Vice President of Compliance for Premier Medical, Michael Conroy. Michael Conroy admitted that he assisted in Premier Medical’s and Freedom Medical’s efforts to target certain Medicaid beneficiaries by shipping collection kits to marketers in the target states, by running eligibility checks on beneficiaries, and by coordinating directly with a telemedicine group to obtain the physician orders. Conroy represents he was directed to do these things by Premier Medical’s owner, Kevin Murdock. To resolve the allegations against him, Michael Conroy paid $15,000 and he agreed to a three-year period of exclusion from federal health care programs.
Under the False Claims Act and state analogues, the Governments are entitled to treble damages plus penalties. All said, the Governments resolved this cancer genetic testing scheme against all defendants for more than $114 million in judgments and settlements. This scheme cost the Georgia Medicaid program $7,071,860.04, the Colorado Medicaid program $6,581,567.19, and the South Carolina Medicaid program $118,803.44.
“This is a significant victory in the fight against fraud, waste, and abuse in our state and nation,” said U.S. Attorney Bryan Stirling for the District of South Carolina. “Health care fraud is pervasive, and taxpayers should not be funding it. Without strong enforcement, it has the potential to cripple an overburdened system and to drain resources from the legitimate health care needs of elderly and disadvantaged Americans. The scheme perpetuated by the defendants in this case was fueled by greed and kickbacks, which have no place in health care. We will continue to invest all available resources, including by collaborating with other states, to protect our health care system and to hold accountable those who engage in this type of egregious fraud.”
"Health care executives who submit fraudulent claims to Medicaid undermine a valuable health care program intended to care for some of the most vulnerable populations in our country,” said Special Agent in Charge Kelly J. Blackmon with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General. “This settlement demonstrates our steadfast commitment to safeguarding the integrity of taxpayer-funded health care programs like Medicaid as well as the well-being of enrollees who depend on those programs. We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to use all the tools in our arsenal to hold those who steal from the American public accountable.”
“We’re committed to stopping scams that target our most vulnerable Georgians and play into fears about serious diseases such as cancer,” said Georgia Attorney General Chris Carr. “This type of fraud and abuse will not be tolerated in our state, and we will continue to uphold the integrity of Georgia’s Medicaid program while protecting taxpayer dollars.”
"Medicaid fraud undermines the integrity of our healthcare system, harming both patients and taxpayers. Its existence cannot be tolerated. These recent civil judgments highlight the importance of stringent oversight and enforcement. Collaborating with state and federal partners on these endeavors is essential for safeguarding public health and ensuring that resources are directed where they are truly needed,” said South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson. “We must remain vigilant in our efforts to root out fraud, waste, and abuse, holding accountable those who seek to exploit our healthcare system for personal gain."
The judgment includes the resolution of claims brought under the qui tam or whistleblower provisions of the False Claims Act by Karen Mathewson, a former employee of Premier Medical. Under those provisions, a private party can file an action on behalf of the United States and receive a portion of any recovery. The qui tam case is captioned United States ex rel. Mathewson v. Premier Medical, Inc., 6:18-cv-00165-TMC (D.S.C.).
The resolution obtained in this matter was the result of a coordinated effort between the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of South Carolina and the Attorneys General Offices of Georgia, Colorado, and South Carolina, with assistance from the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General and the Defense Criminal Investigative Service.
The investigation and resolution of this matter illustrates the government’s emphasis on combating healthcare fraud. One of the most powerful tools in this effort is the False Claims Act. Tips and complaints from all sources about potential fraud, waste, abuse, and mismanagement can be reported to the Department of Health and Human Services at 800-HHS-TIPS (800-447-8477).
The matter was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Beth Warren and Nancy Cote of the District of South Carolina, Senior Assistant AG Sara Vann and Assistant AG James Champlin of the Georgia Attorney General’s Office, Assistant AGs Lauren Jones and Hannah Perng, with support from Attorney Fellow Alison Noon, from the Colorado Attorney General’s Office, and Assistant Deputy AGs Stephanie Opet and Brandon Steen of the South Carolina Attorney General’s Office.
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Undocumented Mexican National Indicted for Sex Trafficking a Minor, Drug Crimes, and other ChargesRead the Press Release
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – A federal grand jury in Salt Lake City returned an indictment charging an undocumented Mexican national, living in the United States illegally, with federal crimes, including sex trafficking a minor, production of child pornography, and multiple drug and firearm crimes.
Victor Manuel Sanchez-Chacon, aka “Speedy,” 31, of Mexico, living in Taylorsville, Utah, was previously ordered detained by a U.S. Magistrate Judge.
According to the court documents, on November 9, 2024 and between August 27, 2023 and September 1, 2023, Sanchez-Chacon allegedly enticed a minor to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing child sexual abuse material. Beginning on October 25, 2023, Sanchez-Chacon allegedly recruited and enticed a minor to engage in a commercial sex act.
As alleged, between August 2024 and December 2024, detectives with the South Valley Special Enforcement Team (SET) opened an investigation into the trafficking of narcotics to juveniles at high schools in the Salt Lake Valley area. During the investigation, Sanchez-Chacon was identified as a trafficker. On May 15, 2025, agents with Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and task force officers from SET conducted a traffic stop on the vehicle Sanchez-Chacon was driving. During a search of the vehicle, officers seized drugs and other items. Subsequently, a residential search warrant was executed and law enforcement also seized three firearms, associated ammunition, and body armor. An Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations records check revealed Sanchez-Chacon does not possess valid immigration documents and entered the United States at an unknown date and time.
Chacon is charged with possession of cocaine with intent to distribute, possession of marijuana with intent to distribute, unlawful alien in possession of a firearm and ammunition, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, production of child pornography, and sex trafficking of a minor. His initial appearance on the indictment is scheduled for July 21, 2025, at 1:30 p.m. in courtroom 8.4 before a U.S. Magistrate Judge at the Orrin G. Hatch United States District Courthouse in downtown Salt Lake City.
Acting United States Attorney Felice John Viti for the District of Utah made the announcement.
The case is being investigated jointly by task force officers from the South Valley Special Enforcement Team (SET), Taylorsville City Police Department, Draper City Police Department and special assistance from Homeland Security Investigations, and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
Assistant United States Attorney Carol A. Dain of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) and Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN).
This case was also brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit Justice.gov/PSC.
An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Undocumented Alien Sentenced in Federal Court for Using a False Social Security Number to Obtain Employment at Boise HotelRead the Press Release
BOISE – Lina Marcela Ospina Isaza, 24, of Bucaramanga, Colombia, was sentenced to time served of approximately 2 months imprisonment for the false use of a social security number, Acting U.S. Attorney Justin D. Whatcott announced today. U.S. District Court Judge Amanda K. Brailsford waived the fine and special assessment due to Isaza’s likely deportation. Isaza pleaded guilty on June 10, 2025.
According to court records, Isaza, a Colombian citizen, unlawfully entered the United States near Otay Mesa, California on December 1, 2023. She was arrested and admitted to illegally crossing the international boundary without being inspected by an immigration officer at a designated Port of Entry. However, she was released from the custody of the Department of Homeland Security by “Order of Recognizance,” pending an immigration hearing. Isaza provided her address to a location in Massachusetts and was instructed that if she moved, she had five days to update her address with the Department of Homeland Security. Isaza instead moved to Boise and purchased a fraudulent social security card and a fraudulent legal permanent resident card. She presented both to a Boise hotel in April 2024 to obtain employment and signed an I-9 form that contained the fraudulent social security card number. She subsequently changed jobs and admitted to using the same fraudulent social security card to obtain new employment at a downtown Boise hotel in May 2024.
Acting U.S. Attorney Whatcott commended the work of Homeland Security Investigations, which led to the charge. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christian Nafzger prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations, and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
Isaza is one of eight recent indictments returned in the District of Idaho of undocumented aliens using false social security numbers and fraudulent legal permanent resident cards to unlawfully obtain employment at various businesses in Boise. The Department of Homeland Security continues to inspect I-9 employment forms to identify employees who fraudulently use social security numbers and/or fraudulent lawful permanent resident cards. False use of a Social Security Number is a felony offense which carries up to five years imprisonment and a $250,000 fine. For employers, the Department of Homeland Security increased civil penalties for Immigration Reform and Control Act violations on January 2, 2025. The new civil penalty for knowingly hiring, recruiting, referral or retention of unauthorized aliens was increased to a maximum fine of $5,724 (per unauthorized alien) for a first offense and up to $28,619 (per unauthorized alien) for a third or subsequent offense.
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U.S. Department of Justice Requests Data on Criminal Illegal Aliens in California JailsRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON — Today, the Department of Justice issued requests to sheriffs in multiple major California counties—including Los Angeles and San Francisco Counties—for lists of all inmates in their jails who are not citizens of the United States, their crimes of arrest or conviction, and their scheduled release dates.
In recent years, the United States suffered an invasion of illegal aliens at an unprecedented scale. Far too many of those illegal aliens have gone on to commit crimes on American soil, including rapes, murders, and other violent crimes. Today’s data requests are designed to assist federal immigration authorities in prioritizing the removal of illegal aliens who committed crimes after illegally entering the United States. Although every illegal alien by definition violates federal law, those who go on to commit crimes after doing so show that they pose a heightened risk to our Nation’s safety and security.
“Removing criminal illegal aliens is this Administration’s highest priority,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “I look forward to cooperating with California’s county sheriffs to accomplish our shared duty of keeping Californians and all Americans safe and secure.”
The Department of Justice hopes that California sheriffs will voluntarily produce the requested information. But if necessary, the Department will pursue all available means of obtaining the data, including through subpoenas or other compulsory process.
Two defendants sentenced for their roles in retail theft ring involving over a million dollars worth of stolen merchandiseRead the Press Release
ROCHESTER, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that James Civiletti, 34, of Greece, NY, who was convicted of conspiracy to transport stolen goods in interstate commerce, was sentenced to serve 14 months in prison by Chief U.S. District Judge Elizabeth A. Wolford. In addition, co-defendant Chad Lewis Jr., 20, also of Greece, NY, who was convicted of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, was also sentenced to serve 14 months in prsion.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Kyle P. Rossi, who handled the case, stated that between December 2021, and October 17, 2024, Lewis, Jr. conspired with a group of serial larcenists, including Amanda Reeves and Shabon Banks, to engage in an ongoing retail theft conspiracy involving the New York Gold Diamond Pawn Shop. The pawn shop is owned and operated by another co-defendant Dominic Sprague and managed by Civiletti.
Lewis, Jr. and the other larcenists stole new-in-box items from store shelves on a weekly, and sometimes daily, basis. They then sold the stolen goods to the pawn shop for a fraction of the actual retail value. The pawn shop, including Civiletti, then resold the stolen merchandise on eBay at much higher prices, resulting in significant profits. The pawn shop purchased 37,936 stolen new-in-box items from Lewis, Jr., Banks, and Reeves on more than 670 occasions, for which the larcenists were paid $290,000.00. The actual losses to the victim-retailers were approximately $1,160,000.00.
Reeves, Banks, and Sprague have also been convicted and are awaiting sentencing.
The sentencings are the culmination of an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Erin Keegan, the Internal Revenue Service, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Harry Chavis, the Greece Police Department, under the direction of Chief Michael Wood, and the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office, under the direction of Sheriff Todd Baxter.
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Two Men Plead Guilty to Money Laundering in Connection with Phishing Scams That Targeted SF-Based Company, Other VictimsRead the Press Release
SAN FRANCISCO – George Aboagye and Dennis Jordan pleaded guilty to money laundering in connection with their roles in online phishing scams. Aboagye entered his guilty plea today and Jordan pleaded guilty on July 10, 2025.
Aboagye, 44, who previously resided in Stone Mountain, Ga., and Jordan, 39, who previously resided in Dallas, Texas, were originally indicted by a federal grand jury in February 2024 and charged by superseding informations in July 2025.
According to court documents and the plea agreements, in December 2019, Aboagye laundered $922,445.34 fraudulently obtained from a San Francisco-based business through a business email compromise scam. Employees at the victim business received a fraudulent email that purported to be from one of the business’s actual service providers. The email induced employees at the victim business to send a wire transfer in the amount of $922,445.34 to a bank account for a fake company. Aboagye and others used the fake company’s bank account to receive and launder the proceeds from this scam.
To conceal the source of the fraudulently obtained funds, portions of the $922,445.34 were distributed to Aboagye and other individuals, including Jordan, who deposited a $20,000 cashier’s check derived from the fraud proceeds into a bank account he set up under another fake business name.
Aboagye also wired other ill-gotten proceeds into accounts held in his name, including portions of $173,315.70 fraudulently obtained from a North Dakota state agency in May 2020 as part of a business email compromise and fraudulent payments totaling $80,300 from the Small Business Administration in August 2020. In sum, Aboagye admitted to laundering between $1.5 million to $3.5 million in fraudulent proceeds.
Jordan also admitted to using multiple fake companies and identities to open bank accounts, which he then used to receive funds from various victims, including $15,000 in January 2020 from a victim in California who believed the money was going to be used to obtain a shipment of gold from Australia, and $40,000 in April 2020 from a victim in California who believed the money was being used to help Covid-19 research. Jordan also used one such account to obtain a $220,000 loan through the Small Business Administration’s Covid-19 Paycheck Protection Program. Jordan used some of these funds to purchase a residence for himself in Dallas. In sum, Jordan admitted to laundering $336,600 in fraudulent proceeds.
United States Attorney Craig H. Missakian and FBI Special Agent in Charge Sanjay Virmani made the announcement.
Both defendants have remained in custody since their arrests and both were remanded into custody following their guilty pleas. Jordan and Aboagye are scheduled to be sentenced on Sept. 24, 2025, before U.S. District Judge Rita F. Lin. Each defendant faces a maximum statutory penalty of 20 years in prison and a $500,000 fine. Any sentence will 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.
This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
Assistant United States Attorneys S. Waqar Hasib and Kevin Yeh are prosecuting the case. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the FBI.
Two Men Indicted with Conspiracy to Distribute 900 Pounds of Methamphetamine, One Charged with Illegal ReentryRead the Press Release
ST. PAUL, Minn. – Joel Casas-Santiago, 46, and Guillermo Mercado-Chaparro, 44, are both charged with one count of Conspiracy to Distribute Methamphetamine. Mercado-Chaparro is additionally charged with Illegal Reentry by a Removed Alien, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Joseph H. Thompson.
According to court documents, an undercover police officer bought a pound of methamphetamine from Mercado-Chaparro, who was driving a Toyota Tacoma truck during the buy. Through post-buy surveillance, police learned that Mercado-Chaparro was traveling driving throughout south Minneapolis to conduct suspected drug deals.
Several days later, police saw Mercado-Chaparro walk to the Tacoma, retrieve two large garbage bags from the truck bed, and place them in a nearby Jeep Wrangler. The Jeep was eventually stopped, and Casas-Santiago and Mercado-Chaparro were ordered out of the car. A drug-sniffing dog alerted the odor of drugs in the Jeep. When police searched the Jeep, they found over 250 pounds of methamphetamine in the garbage bags and a cooler.
Police arrested Casas-Santiago and Mercado-Chaparro and then obtained a search warrant for the Tacoma. They searched the truck and seized over 630 pounds of methamphetamine from the truck bed.
Altogether, Casas-Santiago and Mercado-Chaparro were in possession of almost 900 pounds of methamphetamine with the intent to distribute.
“This isn’t just another drug bust—it’s one of the largest methamphetamine seizures in Minnesota history,” said Acting United States Attorney Joseph H. Thompson. “A 900-pound haul like this doesn’t just show intent to distribute. It shows intent to poison entire communities. We will not let Minnesota become a distribution hub for cartel-scale operations. This prosecution is just the beginning.”
This case was investigated and prosecuted by the Minnesota Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) as part of Operation Take Back America. HSTFs, which were established by President Trump in Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion, are joint operations led by the Department of Justice and the Department of Homeland Security. Operation Take Back America is a nationwide federal initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration, Homeland Security Investigations, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, the Ramsey County Crime Enforcement Team, the St. Paul Police Department, the Central Minnesota Violent Offender Task Force, and the Minneapolis Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Allen Slaughter and Campbell Warner are prosecuting the case.
Two Men Are Sentenced to 10+ Years in Prison for Drug and Gun ChargesRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Christopher Murrita Diaz, 20, and Gustavo Vergara Avalos, 21, both of Monroe, N.C., were each sentenced to 130 months in prison followed by a term of supervised release yesterday for drug and gun charges, announced Russ Ferguson, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. Both Diaz and Avalos pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute cocaine and possession of a machinegun. Diaz also pleaded guilty to distribution of cocaine, transfer of a machinegun, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking.
Alicia Jones, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Charlotte Field Division, and Sheriff Eddie Cathey of the Union County Sheriff’s Office, join U.S. Attorney Ferguson in making the announcement.
According to court documents and court proceedings, law enforcement initiated and investigation into Diaz after they learned he was selling cocaine and machinegun conversion devices, commonly referred to as a “Glock switches.” During the investigation, Diaz sold cocaine to a confidential informant working with the ATF, 28 Glock switches, a firearm, two AR style firearms, and a machinegun. At least one of the sales of contraband occurred at Vergara-Avalos’ residence. In October 2023, law enforcement executed a search warrant at the residence where they seized a total of 10 firearms, 26 Glock switches, and more cocaine.
Both men are in custody and will be transferred to the custody of the Federal Bureau of Prisons upon designation of a federal facility.
The ATF and Union, Union County Sheriff’s Office, the Monroe Police Department and the Waxhaw Police Department investigated the case. The U.S.
Attorney’s Office in Charlotte handled the prosecution.
Two Indicted for Fraudulent FEMA Claims for Lahaina Fire and California Fire Federal DisastersRead the Press Release
HONOLULU – Acting United States Attorney Ken Sorenson announced that Daylyn Harris, 34, and Chelsea Johnson, 32, of Honolulu, Hawaii, were arrested on July 15, 2025 and charged in a seven-count indictment returned by a federal grand jury on July 17, 2025.
The indictment alleges that Harris and Johnson conspired with each other and carried out a wire fraud scheme, wherein Harris and Johnson submitted false claims to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (“FEMA”), claiming to have suffered income, housing, and property losses as a result of two federal disasters, when, as Harris and Johnson both knew, they did not live in the disaster area or suffer any such losses. Specifically, Harris falsely claimed that he resided in Lahaina, Hawaii during the Lahaina fires federal disaster in August and September 2023, and that he lost housing and income, suffered medical bills, and lost property when, in fact, did not suffer such losses. Johnson assisted the fraudulent claim by posing as Harris’s Maui landlord. The indictment also alleges that in January 2025, Johnson falsely claimed to live in Pacific Palisades, California during the California fires federal disaster and claimed lost housing and other expenses. The indictment alleges that, together, Harris and Johnson received over $60,000 in disaster relief from FEMA.
If convicted of the charged offenses, the defendants face up to thirty years in prison and a fine of up to $1,000,000 for each count.
The charges in the indictment are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. In the case of conviction, any sentence would be imposed by a United States District Judge based on the statutory sentencing factors and the advisory United States Sentencing Guidelines.
This case is being investigated by the Department of Homeland Security – Office of the Inspector General, with assistance from the Honolulu Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael F. Albanese is prosecuting the case.
Twice deported Mexican national indicted for unlawfully returning to the United StatesRead the Press Release
TYLER, Texas – A Mexican national, illegally living in Tyler, has been charged with unlawfully returning to the United States, announced Eastern District of Texas Acting U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs.
Jose Luis Rosales-Betancourt, 39, was named in an indictment returned by a federal grand jury this week in the Eastern District of Texas charging him with unlawful reentry following removal.
The indictment alleges that on July 8, 2025, Betancourt was twice previously deported in 2008 and 2013. Public records also indicate that Betancourt was previously convicted in 2006 of aggravated robbery in Smith County, after which he received a five-year prison sentence. Betancourt was again convicted in 2012 for illegal reentry following removal in the Eastern District of Texas, for which he was sentenced to 30 months.
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).
If convicted, Betancourt faces up to 20 years in federal prison and deportation.
This case is being investigated by Homeland Security Investigations-Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the Smith County Sheriff’s Office. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Lucas Machicek.
A federal indictment is not evidence of guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Trinitarios Gang Member Arrested for Selling Fentanyl, Firearms, and Machine Gun Conversion DevicesRead the Press Release
United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Jay Clayton, and Special Agent in Charge of the New York Field Office of Homeland Security Investigations (“HSI”), Ricky J. Patel, announced today the arrest of WILVYN ANTONIO ROSARIO MARTINEZ, a/k/a “Anthony,” a self-proclaimed member of the Trinitarios street gang. ROSARIO MARTINEZ is charged with, among other things, conspiring to distribute fentanyl and possessing, in connection with that conspiracy, numerous firearms, including an untraceable firearm and several devices that operated to convert the untraceable firearm into a machine gun capable of automatically shooting more than one shot, without manual reloading, by a single function of the trigger. ROSARIO MARTINEZ was presented yesterday before a U.S. Magistrate Judge in the District of Massachusetts.
“As alleged, Rosario Martinez traveled from Massachusetts to New York to deal highly dangerous drugs and guns,” said U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton. “Besides selling fentanyl in the form of counterfeit pharmaceutical pills, multiple loaded firearms, firearms with serial numbers partially defaced, and an untraceable ghost gun, he also allegedly sold switches to convert the ghost gun into a fully automatic machine gun. The trafficking of these deadly poisons and lethal weapons fuels violence and overdose deaths in our communities. Together with our law enforcement partners, we will relentlessly pursue those who sell illegal drugs and firearms and prosecute them to the fullest extent of the law.”
“Wilvyn Antonio Rosario Martinez and his associates are accused of crimes that jeopardize the public’s safety in several ways,” said HSI Special Agent in Charge Ricky J. Patel. “As alleged, he was among individuals found to be in possession of several firearms, including a ghost gun, several firearm ‘switches,’ which convert a pistol into a machine gun, and thousands of potentially ultra-deadly fentanyl pills – all of which could have caused irreparable harm or death to countless members of our New York neighborhoods. I thank the brave Special Agents and NYPD Detectives with HSI New York’s Violent Gang Task Force for confronting our community’s most serious offenses directly and without hesitation.”
According to the allegations contained in the Complaint:[1]
On five occasions between approximately December 2024 and May 2025, ROSARIO MARTINEZ and his associates – who claimed to be Trinitarios members – traveled from Massachusetts to New York to sell approximately 580 grams of powder fentanyl and counterfeit 30-milligram oxycodone pills that actually were pressed fentanyl, seven firearms, more than 100 rounds of ammunition (including armor piercing bullets), five firearm switches, and other firearm accessories. The firearms included three loaded firearms, two firearms with partially defaced serial numbers, a rifle, and a privately manufactured, untraceable ghost gun. NYPD analysis of the firearm switches confirmed that each one was operable and converted the ghost gun that was sold with the switches into a fully automatic machine gun, capable of continuous fire so long as bullets remained in the firearm’s clip. A photograph of the switches, some of the firearms, some of the ammunition, and some of the fentanyl pills sold by ROSARIO MARTINEZ and his associates appears below:
March 4, 2025 sale of a semiautomatic rifle, a pistol with a partially obliterated serial number, a magazine that had been loaded with 8 armor piercing bullets, 65 other rounds of ammunition, and approximately 595 fentanyl pills
May 7, 2025 sale of a ghost gun, a magazine that had been loaded with 9 rounds of ammunition, 5 ghost gun switches, and approximately 2,000 fentanyl pills
* * *
ROSARIO MARTINEZ, 35, of Lynn, Massachusetts, is charged with one count of conspiring to distribute fentanyl, which carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison and a maximum sentence of life in prison; one count of possessing firearms, including machine guns, in furtherance of the fentanyl trafficking conspiracy, which carries a mandatory sentence of 30 years in prison, to be served consecutive to any other prison term imposed, and a maximum sentence of life in prison; and one count of possessing and transferring a machine gun, which carries a maximum potential sentence of 10 years in prison.
The statutory minimum and maximum potential sentences in this case are prescribed by Congress and provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by a judge.
Mr. Clayton praised the outstanding investigative work of HSI’s Violent Gang Task Force and the Yonkers Police Department.
This case is being handled by the Office’s Narcotics Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorney Katherine Cheng is in charge of the prosecution.
The charges contained in the Complaint are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
u.s._v._rosario_martinez_complaint.pdf[1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Complaint and the description of the Complaint set forth herein constitute only allegations, and every fact described should be treated as an allegation.
Tigard Man Sentenced to 17 Years in Federal Prison for Attempted Murder and Aggravated Assault for Shooting a U.S. Postal Service EmployeeRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Ore.—A Tigard, Oregon man was sentenced to federal prison today for shooting a United States Postal Service letter carrier.
Kevin Eugene Irvine, 34, was sentenced to 205 months in federal prison and five years’ supervised release.
According to court documents, on December 24, 2022, while driving a white van through a Milwaukie, Oregon neighborhood, Irvine made eye contact with a letter carrier delivering mail on foot. Irvine threw his arms in the air, which the letter carrier mistook as waving, and the letter carrier waved back.
A short time later, on an adjacent street, the letter carrier noticed the same van and again made eye contact with Irvine as he drove past. Irvine stopped the van several houses away, got out of the van with a rifle, knelt on the street and fired three rounds, striking the letter carrier once as the letter carrier ran for cover. After the shooting, Irvine picked up his shell casings and drove off.
On December 28, 2022, officers spotted the van in Lake Oswego, Oregon, where they stopped the vehicle and arrested Irvine. Later, investigators sought and obtained a search warrant for Irvine’s van and found three rifles, ammunition, spent shell casings, a knife, shooting targets and ballistic gear.
On February 8, 2023, a federal grand jury in Portland returned a three-count indictment charging Irvine with aggravated assault on a federal employee with a firearm, attempted murder of a federal employee, and discharging a firearm during a crime of violence.
On March 26, 2025, Irvine was convicted of all three counts following a bench trial.
This case was investigated by the United States Postal Inspection Service with assistance from the Milwaukie Police Department and the Lake Oswego Police Department. It was prosecuted by Gary Y. Sussman and Eliza Carmen Rodriguez, Assistant U.S. Attorneys for the District of Oregon.
Three Memphis Bank Robbers Convicted at TrialRead the Press Release
A federal jury in Memphis, Tennessee, convicted three men today for their roles in a violent bank robbery conspiracy, involving five bank robberies and an attempted sixth, in which the robbers shot two people. The defendants were found guilty of four bank robberies and using firearms during some of those robberies. Four of their co-defendants have pleaded guilty.
“The bank robberies committed by these seven defendants included gun-point threats, instilling fear and chaos in innocent victims going about their days,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew R. Galeotti of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Their actions terrorized bank employees and customers alike. We are grateful to our prosecutors, the FBI, and our local law enforcement partners for bringing these dangerous individuals to justice and helping make the Memphis community safer."
“The hard work and determination of the FBI and its partners cannot be overstated,” said Assistant Director Jose A. Perez of the FBI Criminal Investigative Division, “We are proud that our actions held these criminals accountable for their harm to the Memphis community.”
Evidence at trial proved that between April 2023 and December 2023, the defendants, Courtney Trenell, 34; Devin Hinds, 36; and Joshua Cribbs, 33, all of Memphis, conspired to rob banks in and around Memphis. Four of the co-conspirators, Robert Haley, Travis Drain, Marquarius Trenell, and Monterrio Trenell, already pleaded guilty to bank robbery and using a firearm during the robberies.
During the Aug. 11, 2023, robbery of a branch of Truist Bank, Hinds raised a gun and shook it back and forth at a bank customer to instill fear and deter her from notifying law enforcement. He then served as a getaway driver. Hinds also drove a getaway car during the Dec. 22, 2023, robbery of a branch of the Independent Bank where a co-defendant pointed a semi-automatic military-style rifle at bank employees.
Courtney Trenell and Cribbs helped rob branches of the Bank of Bartlett and First Horizon Bank on Oct. 20, 2023. The defendants planned to rob the banks, which are directly across the street from each other, at the same time to confuse law enforcement and evade capture. Cribbs entered the Bank of Bartlett with a trash bag and threatened bank employees into handing over money. Cribbs unknowingly took at least one dye pack, which exploded after the robbers fled, releasing red dye that stained the stolen cash. During the Bank of Bartlett robbery, Courtney Trenell operated a second getaway vehicle stationed about a mile from the robbery, aiding one of the robbers in fleeing the area.
At trial, an FBI special agent testified that the defendants spoke over conference calls before and after the robberies, which the government argued was to coordinate the crimes. An FBI analyst testified that DNA evidence from Courtney Trenell and Hinds was found inside their respective getaway vehicles.
In total, the group stole over $170,000 cash from five bank robberies. The sixth robbery attempt was unsuccessful and ended in a shoot-out between the co-defendants and an armed security guard where the robbers shot two victims. Co-defendants Haley and Drain coordinated the five robberies and one attempted robbery throughout the conspiracy, while Marquarius Trenell robbed the Truist Bank on Aug. 11, 2023, as well as the Bank of Bartlett with Monterrio Trenell, and others, on Oct. 20, 2023.
Cribbs is scheduled to be sentenced on Oct. 22, and Courtney Trenell and Hinds are scheduled to be sentenced on Oct. 23. Their co-defendants who earlier pleaded guilty will face sentencing later this year. A federal district judge will determine sentences after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Hinds faces a maximum penalty of life in prison for his use of a firearm during a bank robbery; Courtney Trenell and Cribbs each face a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison for their roles in the robberies.
A grand jury indicted an eighth co-defendant, Mario Patterson, 45, of Memphis, for his role in the conspiracy, as well as the individual bank robberies and firearm crimes he committed. He faces trial later this year and is presumed innocent until proven guilty.
The FBI and the Memphis Police Department Safe Streets Task Force investigated the case.
Trial Attorney Ashleigh Atasoy of the Criminal Division’s Violent Crime and Racketeering Section (VCRS) and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Gregory A. Wagner, Stephen Hall, and Tony Arvin for the Western District of Tennessee prosecuted the case.
This case is part of the Safe Streets Task Force’s efforts to prosecute violent crimes in Memphis, Tennessee and surrounding areas.
Thirteenth Defendant Pleads Guilty in Transnational Scheme to Defraud U.S. ConsumersRead the Press Release
MIAMI – A Peruvian national pleaded guilty yesterday for his participation in transnational mail and wire fraud schemes that targeted vulnerable United States consumers.
According to court documents, David Cornejo Fernandez, 36, of Lima, Peru, facilitated fraud schemes that stole millions of dollars from Spanish-speaking victims across the United States. Cornejo provided Internet-based telephone lines, caller-ID spoofing services, and recording capabilities to a network of fraudulent call centers based in Peru. Relying on Cornejo’s services, those call centers defrauded and extorted thousands of Spanish-speaking victims by falsely threatening them with court proceedings, fines, and other consequences. Cornejo further provided the call centers with the technology – and, at times, the training – to convincingly impersonate federal agents, police officers, attorneys, court personnel, and other government officials in order to extort payments from victims. Cornejo was extradited from Peru in November 2024 to face charges related to the scheme.
Cornejo is the 13th defendant to be convicted in connection with a $15 million transnational fraud scheme that defrauded and threatened Spanish-speaking U.S. consumers. These fraudsters falsely claimed the victims would suffer severe legal, financial and other consequences if they did not pay for English-language products. Collectively, the scheme was responsible for defrauding more than 30,000 United States consumers, many of whom were vulnerable.
"This guilty plea marks another important victory in our relentless pursuit of transnational fraudsters who impersonate U.S. government officials to exploit vulnerable Spanish-speaking communities across the United States," said U.S. Attorney Hayden P. O'Byrne for the Southern District of Florida. "David Cornejo Fernandez enabled a sophisticated network of call centers that used technology to impersonate government officials, instill fear, and steal millions from hardworking individuals. Today's outcome sends a clear message: we will work hand-in-hand with our international partners to dismantle these schemes, extradite those responsible, and ensure they face justice in U.S. courts, no matter how far they try to hide.”
“The Department of Justice is committed to protecting vulnerable U.S. consumers from fraud, especially schemes carried out by criminals impersonating U.S. government officials,” said Assistant Attorney General Brett A. Shumate of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “Those who target American consumers from abroad will be identified, prosecuted, and held accountable for their crimes. We thank the Republic of Peru for their assistance in arresting and extraditing this defendant and others involved in these scams.”
“The defendant thought he could hide behind borders and phone lines, but the Postal Inspection Service is relentless when it comes to protecting American consumers,” said Acting Inspector in Charge Bladismir Rojo, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Miami Division. “Setting up fake call centers to harass and intimidate innocent victims, Cornejo and his co-conspirators, crafted a campaign of fear designed to rob people of not only their savings but their peace of mind. If you target Americans, no matter where you are in the world we will find you.”
In pleading guilty, Cornejo admitted that he provided his co-conspirators with the technology to manipulate the phone numbers on victims’ caller IDs, which enabled them to place threatening calls that appeared to be coming from U.S. federal agencies, court officials or law enforcement agencies. Cornejo also placed recordings on his co-conspirators’ inbound phone lines that appeared to be recordings from actual U.S. courts, police departments and federal agencies. These recordings enhanced the apparent legitimacy of the threatening calls and were used to extort payments from vulnerable consumers in the Southern District of Florida and across the United States. Cornejo also regularly replaced telephone numbers that victims reported as fraudulent, thus enabling his co-conspirators to continue with the fraudulent scheme.
Yesterday, Cornejo pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud. A sentencing hearing is scheduled before the Senior U.S. District Judge Robert N. Scola in Miami on Sep. 25. Cornejo faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
U.S. Attorney Hayden P. O'Byrne for the Southern District of Florida, Assistant Attorney General Brett A. Shumate of the Justice Department’s Civil Division, and Acting Inspector in Charge Bladismir Rojo, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Miami Division, made the announcement.
USPIS and the Consumer Protection Branch investigated the case.
Senior Trial Attorney and Transnational Criminal Litigation Coordinator Phil Toomajian and Trial Attorney Carolyn Rice of the Consumer Protection Branch are prosecuting the case and Assistant U.S. Attorney Annika Miranda for the Southern District of Florida is handling asset forfeiture. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs, U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida, State Department’s Diplomatic Security Service, U.S. Marshals Service, Peruvian National Prosecutor General’s Office and Peruvian National Police provided critical assistance.
If you or someone you know is age 60 or older and has experienced financial fraud, experienced professionals are standing by at the National Elder Fraud Hotline: 1-833-FRAUD-11 (1-833-372-8311). This Justice Department hotline, managed by the Office for Victims of Crime, can provide personalized support to callers by assessing the needs of the victim and identifying relevant next steps. Case managers will identify appropriate reporting agencies, provide information to callers to assist them in reporting, connect callers directly with appropriate agencies and provide resources and referrals, on a case-by-case basis. Reporting is the first step. Reporting can help authorities identify those who commit fraud and reporting certain financial losses due to fraud as soon as possible can increase the likelihood of recovering losses. The hotline is open Monday through Friday from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. ET. English, Spanish and other languages are available.
More information about the department’s efforts to help American seniors is available at its Elder Justice Initiative webpage. For more information about the Consumer Protection Branch and its enforcement efforts, visit www.justice.gov/civil/consumer-protection-branch. Elder fraud complaints can be filed with the FTC at www.reportfraud.ftc.gov/ or at 877-FTC-HELP. The Justice Department provides a variety of resources relating to elder fraud victimization through its Office for Victims of Crime, which can be reached at www.ovc.gov.
You may find a copy of this press release (and any updates) on the website of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida at www.usdoj.gov/usao/fls.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov, under case number 23-cr-20055.
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Thirteenth Defendant Pleads Guilty in Transnational Scheme to Defraud U.S. ConsumersRead the Press Release
A Peruvian national pleaded guilty yesterday for his participation in transnational mail and wire fraud schemes that targeted vulnerable United States consumers.
According to court documents, David Cornejo Fernandez, 36, of Lima, Peru, facilitated fraud schemes that stole millions of dollars from Spanish-speaking victims across the United States. Cornejo provided Internet-based telephone lines, caller-ID spoofing services, and recording capabilities to a network of fraudulent call centers based in Peru. Relying on Cornejo’s services, those call centers defrauded and extorted thousands of Spanish-speaking victims by falsely threatening them with court proceedings, fines, and other consequences. Cornejo further provided the call centers with the technology – and, at times, the training – to convincingly impersonate federal agents, police officers, attorneys, court personnel, and other government officials in order to extort payments from victims. Cornejo was extradited from Peru in November 2024 to face charges related to the scheme.
Cornejo is the 13th defendant to be convicted in connection with a $15 million transnational fraud scheme that defrauded and threatened Spanish-speaking U.S. consumers. These fraudsters falsely claimed the victims would suffer severe legal, financial and other consequences if they did not pay for English-language products. Collectively, the scheme was responsible for defrauding more than 30,000 United States consumers, many of whom were vulnerable.
“The Department of Justice is committed to protecting vulnerable U.S. consumers from fraud, especially schemes carried out by criminals impersonating U.S. government officials,” said Assistant Attorney General Brett A. Shumate of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “Those who target American consumers from abroad will be identified, prosecuted, and held accountable for their crimes. We thank the Republic of Peru for their assistance in arresting and extraditing this defendant and others involved in these scams.”
“This guilty plea marks another important victory in our relentless pursuit of transnational fraudsters who impersonate U.S. government officials to exploit vulnerable Spanish-speaking communities across the United States,” said U.S. Attorney Hayden P. O'Byrne for the Southern District of Florida. “David Cornejo Fernandez enabled a sophisticated network of call centers that used technology to impersonate government officials, instill fear, and steal millions from hardworking individuals. Today's outcome sends a clear message: we will work hand-in-hand with our international partners to dismantle these schemes, extradite those responsible, and ensure they face justice in U.S. courts, no matter how far they try to hide”
“The defendant thought he could hide behind borders and phone lines, but the Postal Inspection Service is relentless when it comes to protecting American consumers,” said Acting Inspector in Charge Bladismir Rojo, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Miami Division. “Setting up fake call centers to harass and intimidate innocent victims, Cornejo and his co-conspirators, crafted a campaign of fear designed to rob people of not only their savings but their peace of mind. If you target Americans, no matter where you are in the world we will find you.”
In pleading guilty, Cornejo admitted that he provided his co-conspirators with the technology to manipulate the phone numbers on victims’ caller IDs, which enabled them to place threatening calls that appeared to be coming from U.S. federal agencies, court officials or law enforcement agencies. Cornejo also placed recordings on his co-conspirators’ inbound phone lines that appeared to be recordings from actual U.S. courts, police departments and federal agencies. These recordings enhanced the apparent legitimacy of the threatening calls and were used to extort payments from vulnerable consumers in the Southern District of Florida and across the United States. Cornejo also regularly replaced telephone numbers that victims reported as fraudulent, thus enabling his co-conspirators to continue with the fraudulent scheme.
Yesterday, Cornejo pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud. A sentencing hearing is scheduled before the Senior U.S. District Judge Robert N. Scola in Miami on Sep. 25. Cornejo faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
USPIS and the Consumer Protection Branch investigated the case.
Senior Trial Attorney and Transnational Criminal Litigation Coordinator Phil Toomajian and Trial Attorney Carolyn Rice of the Consumer Protection Branch are prosecuting the case and Assistant U.S. Attorney Annika Miranda for the Southern District of Florida is handling asset forfeiture. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs, U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida, State Department’s Diplomatic Security Service, U.S. Marshals Service, Peruvian National Prosecutor General’s Office and Peruvian National Police provided critical assistance.
If you or someone you know is age 60 or older and has experienced financial fraud, experienced professionals are standing by at the National Elder Fraud Hotline: 1-833-FRAUD-11 (1-833-372-8311). This Justice Department hotline, managed by the Office for Victims of Crime, can provide personalized support to callers by assessing the needs of the victim and identifying relevant next steps. Case managers will identify appropriate reporting agencies, provide information to callers to assist them in reporting, connect callers directly with appropriate agencies and provide resources and referrals, on a case-by-case basis. Reporting is the first step. Reporting can help authorities identify those who commit fraud and reporting certain financial losses due to fraud as soon as possible can increase the likelihood of recovering losses. The hotline is open Monday through Friday from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. ET. English, Spanish and other languages are available.
More information about the department’s efforts to help American seniors is available at its Elder Justice Initiative webpage. For more information about the Consumer Protection Branch and its enforcement efforts, visit www.justice.gov/civil/consumer-protection-branch. Elder fraud complaints can be filed with the FTC at www.reportfraud.ftc.gov/ or at 877-FTC-HELP. The Justice Department provides a variety of resources relating to elder fraud victimization through its Office for Victims of Crime, which can be reached at www.ovc.gov.
Texas Man Found Guilty on Drug Trafficking and Firearm Charges by Federal Jury in MonroeRead the Press Release
MONROE, La. – Acting United States Attorney Alexander C. Van Hook announced that Charles Logwood, 34, a military veteran from Houston, Texas, with ties to the Monroe area, has been convicted by a jury in Monroe on drug trafficking and firearms charges. Logwood was indicted in February 2024 and charged with possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and marijuana, and one count of possession of a firearm during a drug trafficking offense. The jury found Logwood guilty of all charges in the indictment.
Evidence at trial established that in 2023, agents with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (“DEA”) began an investigation into Logwood, a suspected drug supplier from Texas supplying methamphetamine to individuals in the Monroe area for sale and distribution. In August 2023, agents received information that Logwood was coming to the Monroe area to exchange methamphetamine for cash with another individual. Surveillance teams were established by officers with the Monroe Police Department, Ouachita Parish Sheriff’s Office, and federal agents. After physical surveillance identified the vehicle Logwood was driving, agents conducted a traffic stop of his vehicle. When officers approached Logwood’s vehicle, the odor of marijuana was coming from inside the vehicle, and he was asked to step out of the car. When asked if he had any weapons inside the vehicle, Logwood admitted to having a gun in the car.
A search of Logwood’s vehicle revealed a Taurus pistol, Model: PT 1911, Caliber: .45 ACP under the seat and a large amount of cash on his person. In addition, approximately 1.5 kilograms of marijuana was found in the backseat in a backpack. The backpack also had a pill crusher with several crushed Percocet pills. In the rear part of the vehicle was a cardboard box with a large package wrapped in black plastic which contained suspected methamphetamine weighing approximately 4.5 kilograms. Logwood was subsequently arrested. The suspected methamphetamine was seized and sent to the DEA Laboratory for testing. DEA Chemists determined that the suspected methamphetamine had a 98% purity.
Logwood faces a sentence of 10 years to life in prison on the methamphetamine trafficking charge, up to 5 years in prison on the marijuana trafficking charge, and not less than 5 years in prison on the firearm charge, and a fine of up to $10,000,000, or both.
The case was investigated by the DEA, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, Monroe Police Department, and Ouachita Parish Sheriff’s Office and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys J. Aaron Crawford and Daniel J. Vermaelen.
The investigation and conviction of Logwood was part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF is a program that identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
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Tangipahoa Parish Man Sentenced to 41 Months for Federal Controlled Substances Act ViolationsRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LA – RINGO MITCHELL JR. (“MITCHELL JR.”), age 36 of Tickfaw, Louisiana, was sentenced to 41 months imprisonment on July 3, 2025, by United States District Judge Barry Ashe after previously pleading guilty to violations of the Federal Controlled Substances Act, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson.
Specifically, MITCHELL JR. was sentenced for conspiracy to distribute, and possess with intent to distribute, methamphetamine, illegal use of a communications facility, and possessing, with intent to distribute, 50 grams or more of a mixture containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine, in violation of Title 21 U.S.C. §§ 841(a)(1) and 841(b)(1)(B).
According to the indictment, beginning on a time unknown but continuing until at least September 10, 2024, MITCHELL JR., and seven other individuals, conspired to distribute, and possess with intent to distribute, fentanyl and methamphetamine throughout the Tangipahoa Parish region of the Eastern District of Louisiana. The conspiracy was carried out through wire and electronic communications.
One other person has pled guilty in this investigation.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN.
Acting United States Attorney Simpson praised the work of the Drug Enforcement Administration, Homeland Security Investigations, Hammond Police Department, Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office, and the Tangipahoa Parish Sheriff’s Office. The prosecution is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney Lauren Sarver of the Narcotics Unit.
Tangipahoa Parish Man Guilty of Federal Controlled Substances Act ViolationsRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LA – LONNIE YANCY, III (“YANCY”), age 27 of Ponchatoula, Louisiana, plead guilty on July 10, 2025, to violations of the Federal Controlled Substances Act before United States District Judge Barry Ashe, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson.
YANCY pled guilty to conspiracy to distribute, and possess with intent to distribute, controlled substances in violation of Title 21 U.S.C. § 841(a)(1); § 841(b)(1)(A); § 841(b)(1)(B); and 846.
YANCY faces a minimum of 5 years and up to 40 years imprisonment, up to a $5,000,000 fine, and at least 4 years of supervised release following imprisonment. He also faces payment of a $100 mandatory special assessment fee.
According to the indictment, beginning on a time unknown but continuing until at least September 10, 2024, YANCY and seven other individuals conspired to distribute, and possess with intent to distribute, fentanyl and methamphetamine throughout the Tangipahoa Parish region of the Eastern District of Louisiana. The conspiracy was carried out through wire and electronic communications.
This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) operation. 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 at http://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
Acting United States Attorney Simpson praised the work of the Drug Enforcement Administration, Homeland Security Investigations, Hammond Police Department, Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office, and the Tangipahoa Parish Sheriff’s Office. The prosecution is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney Lauren Sarver of the Narcotics Unit.
Stockton Man Indicted for Illegal Firearm PossessionRead the Press Release
A federal grand jury returned a one-count indictment against Robert Jordan, 52, of Stockton, charging him with being a felon in possession of a firearm, Acting U.S. Attorney Kimberly A. Sanchez announced.
According to court documents, Jordan was pulled over by law enforcement officers for driving without license plates on his vehicle. When the officers conducted a records check on Jordan, they found that both his California Driver License and his vehicle’s registration were expired. During a later search of the vehicle, officers found a loaded revolver in the center console. Jordan is prohibited from possessing firearms due to his prior felony convictions for attempted murder and transporting a controlled substance.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Stockton Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jason Hitt and Charles Campbell are prosecuting the case.
If convicted, Jordan faces a maximum statutory penalty of 15 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN.
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).
Snohomish man who provided tactical training to extremist groups sentenced to prison for illegal gun possessionRead the Press Release
Seattle – An Army veteran who illegally possessed high powered firearms was sentenced Wednesday in U.S. District Court in Seattle to two years in prison, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Teal Luthy Miller. Kyle Christopher Benton, 29, was arrested in September 2024, following an investigation of his activities both online and in person involving high-powered weapons. Benton possessed both unregistered, short barrel rifles and machineguns, weapons capable of firing multiple rounds with a single trigger pull. Moreover, he used these weapons to further his standing with various racially or ethnically motivated violent extremist groups and groups espousing white supremacy.
At the sentencing hearing U.S. District Judge Tana Lin said, “You not only illegally possessed extremely dangerous firearms, but you bragged about it and put on firearms trainings for others while doing so.”
According to records filed in the case, Benton was investigated by the FBI after he was discharged from the United States Army and after he threatened to kill his wife. The investigation revealed Benton operated multiple social media accounts where he posted violent extremist content, neo-Nazi propaganda, and anti-Semitic materials. But it was not just online activity. Benton participated in “hate rallies” and other gatherings located in Oregon, Washington, and Idaho in furtherance of his white supremacist views. Drawing upon his military training and veteran status, he led workshops about firearms for various white supremacy groups.
On September 6, 2024, law enforcement executed a court authorized search warrant at Benton’s Snohomish home and seized a firearm resembling an M16 rifle that fired in a fully automatic fashion. They also seized an uninstalled drop-in auto sear (which makes a gun fire like a machinegun) and two rifles with overall barrel lengths of less than 16 inches. Such guns must be registered under the National Firearms Act.
On March 28, 2025, Benton pleaded guilty to Unlawful Possession of a Machinegun, and Possession of an Unregistered Firearm.
In asking for a 30-month sentence Assistant United States Attorney Brian Wynne wrote to the court, “while Benton was in possession of these weapons, he was actively engaged with groups encouraging racially or ethnically motivated violence and white supremacy. Benton
used the firearms along with his military experience to establish himself within the groups. While engaged with these groups he put on workshops about firearms and held tactical trainings for group members.”
In his letter to the court, Benton now disavows his white supremacist views.
The case was investigated by the FBI. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Brian J. Wynne.
Six Charged in Conspiracy to Defraud Veterans and VA of Nearly $20 Million in GI Bill BenefitsRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces the return of an indictment charging Zachary Somers Hiscock (41, Arizona), Timothy Slater (66, Illinois), Nikhil Patel (48, Missouri), Gangadhar Bathula (59, Virginia), and Arif Hasan Sayed (54, California) with one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and ten counts of wire fraud. If convicted, each faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison on each count. A sixth conspirator, Kyle Blake Kotecha (38, Apopka), was charged by information and signed a plea agreement for his role in the conspiracy.
According to the indictment, Hiscock, Slater, Patel, Bathula, and Sayed conspired with Kotecha to violate the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) regulations that prohibit predatory practices targeting veterans for their GI Bill tuition benefits. As a result of this conspiracy, Hiscock, Slater, Patel, Bathula, Sayed, and Kotecha defrauded the VA and veteran students of millions of dollars of their hard earned GI Bill benefits.
Hiscock, Slater, Patel, Bathula, and Sayed operated for-profit, non-college degree schools across the United States. These schools purported to provide courses in cybersecurity and computer coding and were approved to receive GI Bill benefits.
VA regulations prohibit schools that receive GI Bill benefits from compensating individuals who recruit and enroll veteran students with a portion of the tuition they secure. Despite this ban on commission-based recruitment, Hiscock, Slater, Patel, Bathula, and Sayed hired Kotecha to target and recruit veteran students to attend their schools and paid Kotecha approximately 25 percent of the benefits the schools obtained through the veteran students that Kotecha enrolled. The defendants undertook various efforts to conceal and obfuscate the nature of this recruitment from VA auditors, including by using coded terms, concealed payments, backdated and falsified contracts, and phony enrollment records. Some of the schools created false records of attendance of non-veteran students to legitimize and disguise the dramatic increases of veteran enrollments.
Kotecha’s recruitment scheme was successful and pumped millions of dollars of GI Bill benefits into schools that had previously received little to none. The schools charged veterans tuition at or near the annual cap of $24,000 for instruction that lasted only 8 to 13 weeks. A small fraction of the veteran students went on to seek or obtain any certifications in programs purportedly taught.
The schools are charged with forfeiting $19,232,390 of GI Bill benefits fraudulently obtained as a result of the conspiracy. Kotecha has agreed to forfeit $3,965,264.34 to the United States as an estimate of the amount he personally obtained from the scheme.
“These charges serve as stark warning to those who would defraud the Post-9/11 GI Bill education benefits program,” said Special Agent in Charge David Spilker with the Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General’s Southeast Field Office. “The GI Bill has served millions of veterans since World War II and the VA OIG, along with our partners, will aggressively investigate fraud committed against this vital program.”
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
This case was investigated by the Department of Veterans Affairs, Office of Inspector General. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Noah P. Dorman and Dana E. Hill.
IndictmentShiprock Man Sentenced for Violent Knife Attack Causing Serious InjuriesRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – A Shiprock man was sentenced to 48 months in prison for attacking his ex-girlfriend with a knife, causing serious injuries.
There is no parole in the federal system.
According to court records, on November 2, 2024, Jane Doe, and her sister were stopped at a road construction zone when her ex-boyfriend, Tyrell Lee Johnson, 29, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, approached their vehicle. Johnson physically attacked Jane Doe, striking her head, stabbing her abdomen with a knife, and striking her with his vehicle as he fled the scene. Jane Doe sustained injuries, including an abdominal wound, bruises, and abrasions.
Navajo Police located Johnson’s vehicle in Cudei, New Mexico, identified by its damaged front bumper, and apprehended him after a brief pursuit. Officers recovered a black folding knife from Johnson’s possession and confirmed he had no alcohol in his system during processing.
Upon his release from prison, Johnson will be subject to three years of supervised release.
U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison and Philip Russell, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office made the announcement today.
The Farmington Resident Agency of the FBI’s Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Navajo Nation Department of Investigation and Department of Criminal Investigations. Assistant United States Attorney Mark A. Probasco is prosecuting the case.
Sanostee Woman Charged for 2022 AssaultRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – A Sanostee woman is facing multiple federal charges after allegedly using a rifle to seriously injure one individual and threaten another during an August 2022 incident.
According to court documents, on August 20, 2022, Leticia Washburn, 41, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, assaulted John Doe 1 and John Doe 2 with a rifle, causing serious bodily injury to John Doe 1.
Washburn is charged with two counts each of assault with a dangerous weapon and using and carrying a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence and one count of assault resulting in serious bodily injury and will remain in custody pending trial, which has not yet been scheduled. If convicted, Washburn faces a minimum of 10 years and up to life in prison.
U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison and Philip Russell, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today.
The Farmington Resident Agency of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Navajo Nation Police Department and Navajo Department of Criminal Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicholas Marshall is prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
San Joaquin County Felon Indicted for Illegal Firearms Trafficking and Being a Felon in Possession of FirearmsRead the Press Release
A federal grand jury returned a three-count indictment today against Rueben Paul Phill, 41, of Tracy, charging him with illegal firearms trafficking and two counts of being a felon in possession of firearms, Acting U.S. Attorney Kimberly A. Sanchez announced.
According to court documents, between Aug. 22, 2023, and Aug. 27, 2024, Phill trafficked firearms with Alejandra Susana Castillo, 34, of Tracy, by purchasing them in Nevada and selling them on the black market in California.
On July 27, 2024, Phill led a law enforcement officer on a high-speed chase in excess of 100 miles per hour. The officer ultimately ended the pursuit for public safety concerns. Two days later, another officer observed the car parked at a gas station. The officer detained Castillo, who was then using the car. During a search of the vehicle, the officer discovered a semi-automatic rifle in the trunk, along with three extended magazines.
In total, more than 30 firearms were traced to this conspiracy. At least three of these firearms have been recovered in connection with suspected firearm-related crimes. One such firearm, for example, was recovered in the possession of a felon in Vallejo on July 25, 2024, only three days after Castillo purchased the firearm in Nevada on July 22, 2024.
Castillo pleaded guilty to illegal firearms trafficking on Jan. 31, 2025, and is scheduled to be sentenced on Aug. 1, 2025.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the California Highway Patrol, the Pleasanton Police Department, the Reno Police Department, the Tracy Police Department, and the San Joaquin County District Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Adrian T. Kinsella is prosecuting the case.
If convicted, Phill faces a maximum statutory penalty of 15 years in prison and a $250,000 fine on each count. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; Phill is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
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 U.S. Department of Justice launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
This case 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).
San Antonio Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Receipt of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
SAN ANTONIO – A San Antonio man was sentenced in federal court to 210 months in prison for receipt of child pornography.
According to court documents, David Guzman, 44, knowingly received child pornography and, using his laptop and cell phone, searched for and downloaded files containing child pornography using a peer-to-peer file sharing program called uTorrent. Of the files on his laptop, Guzman possessed 107 image files and 268 video files containing infants, toddlers, bondage, bestiality, and other sadistic acts.
Homeland Security Investigations San Antonio executed a federal search warrant at Guzman’s residence on Nov. 30, 2022. He was arrested on Dec. 1, 2022, and was subsequently charged in a two-count indictment on Dec. 14, 2022. On April 10, 2024, he pled guilty to receipt of child pornography. In addition to the more than 17-year imprisonment, U.S. District Judge Jason Pulliam sentenced Guzman to lifetime supervised release and ordered him to pay $65,000 in restitution.
“Seeking out and downloading child pornography, as Guzman did, eternally victimizes the innocent children forced to engage in despicable acts and encourages the production of child sexual abuse material,” said U.S. Attorney Justin R. Simmons for the Western District of Texas. “Protecting children from predators and criminal exploitation remains a priority in this district, and I thank our partners at HSI San Antonio for working with us to bring this predator to justice.”
“Homeland Security Investigations is dedicated to safeguarding children from exploitation and ensuring justice is served,” said ICE HSI San Antonio Special Agent in Charge Craig Larrabee. “This 17 ½-year sentence reflects the seriousness of crimes involving the receipt of child pornography and underscores our commitment to holding offenders accountable. HSI will continue working tirelessly with our partners to protect vulnerable victims and pursue those who prey on them.”
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Bettina Richardson and Kirk Mangels prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
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Sacramento Man Sentenced to 9 Years in Prison for Fentanyl and Methamphetamine TraffickingRead the Press Release
Rosario Zamora Rojo, 41, of Sacramento, was sentenced Thursday by U.S. District Judge Dale A. Drozd to nine years in prison for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl, cocaine, and methamphetamine, Acting U.S. Attorney Kimberly A. Sanchez announced.
According to court documents, Rosario Zamora Rojo was a source of supply to a drug trafficking organization that was responsible for importing tens of thousands of fentanyl-laced counterfeit oxycodone “M-30” pills from Mexico and distributing them in northern California and elsewhere between May 2019 and January 2021. In November 2020, Zamora Rojo supplied a pound of methamphetamine to one of the organization’s leaders, co-defendant Jose Lopez-Zamora, which law enforcement later seized from one of the organization’s distributors. After supplying this methamphetamine, Zamora Rojo moved to Mexico. In December 2020, Zamora Rojo supplied thousands of fentanyl-laced M-30 pills to the organization and also gave the organization access to his storage unit in Sacramento to store the pills. Law enforcement later searched Zamora Rojo’s storage unit and seized more than 13,000 fentanyl M-30 pills, methamphetamine, heroin, and six firearms.
Fourteen other co-defendants have pleaded guilty, and ten have been sentenced to terms of imprisonment ranging from 19 months to 27 years. Jose Aguilar Saucedo is scheduled to be sentenced on July 28, 2025, and Luis Lopez Zamora and Sandro Escobedo are scheduled to be sentenced in August 2025. Leonardo Flores Beltran is scheduled to be sentenced in October 2025, and Erika Gabriela Zamora Rojo is scheduled to be sentenced in December 2025.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, with assistance from Homeland Security Investigations, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the U.S. Marshals Service, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Yuba-Sutter Narcotic and Gang Enforcement Task Force (NET 5), the California Highway Patrol, the Butte Interagency Narcotics Task Force (BINTF), the Tri-County Drug Enforcement Team (TRIDENT), the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Department, the Sacramento Police Department, the Roseville Police Department, the Manteca Police Department, the Yuba City Police Department, and the West Sacramento Police Department. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs worked with Mexican authorities to secure the arrest and extradition of Luis Lopez Zamora to the United States from Mexico. Assistant U.S. Attorney David W. Spencer is prosecuting the case.
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, please visit Justice.gov/OCDETF.
Rossi Sentenced to an Additional Three Years in Prison for Healthcare Fraud Related to COVID TestingRead the Press Release
PEORIA, Ill. – Aaron Rossi, 42, of Morton, Illinois, was sentenced on July 15, 2025, to an additional 37 months in prison for healthcare and wire fraud related to false billing for COVID tests at Reditus Labs. Rossi was also ordered to forfeit a recreational vehicle worth an estimated $1 million.
In addition, Rossi, who has been in county jail since August 2023 related to previous fraud convictions, was sentenced to a term of time served for possessing contraband while incarcerated.
At the sentencing hearing before Chief U.S. District Judge Sara Darrow, the government presented evidence that beginning in October 2020 and continuing until at least November 2021 Rossi, through his laboratory, Reditus, schemed to defraud Medicare, the State of Illinois, and several private health insurance companies. He did this by submitting claims with codes for services that were never performed and by receiving payments from more than one source for the same test. The government presented evidence showing that Rossi is responsible for a total combined loss of $525,520.61.
A federal grand jury returned an indictment against Rossi for the COVID test fraud in June 2024, charging him with 11 counts of healthcare and wire fraud. Rossi pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud and one count of healthcare fraud in April 2025.
At the time of his indictment in the COVID test fraud case, Rossi was already in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service on charges related to his scheme to defraud a former employer and file false income taxes. Rossi was ultimately sentenced to five years in prison in that case and ordered to pay more than $3 million in restitution and fines following his convictions for mail fraud and filing a false tax return.
While Rossi was being held in the Peoria County Jail on the charges related to his fraud at Reditus, a federal grand jury returned a third indictment in March 2025 charging Rossi with possessing contraband while incarcerated (three counts). According to the indictment, the Peoria County Sheriff’s deputies found several items of contraband in Rossi’s possession, including a synthetic cannabinoid (K2), which was hidden in his bible; a battery for lighting substances on fire; and a marijuana vape pen. The statutory penalties for each of the three counts ranged from 6 months to 10 years’ imprisonment, fines of $5,000 to $250,000, and one- to three-year terms of supervised release. Rossi pleaded guilty to all three of these counts in April 2025.
During this week’s sentencing hearing, Chief Judge Darrow noted that Rossi’s behavior was, as in his previous fraud case, driven by greed and hubris. She stated that Rossi stepped in and offered to help in response to the COVID pandemic, but then used those same circumstance to take advantage of others. Judge Darrow said that Rossi was in a position that most people in the country would never be in, but that he was there, in part, because of his fraud. Judge Darrow imposed the 37-month sentence, in part, based on her observation that Rossi had a high risk of recidivism as he seemed to take every opportunity given to him as an occasion to take more than he deserved. This included not just his previous fraud and his fraud at Reditus, but also his conduct at the jail. Judge Darrow stated that Rossi behaved as if he was above the law.
The statutory penalties for healthcare fraud are up to ten years’ imprisonment, and the penalties for wire fraud are up to 20 years’ imprisonment. Each charge is to be followed by up to a three-year term supervised release and carries the possibility of a $250,000 fine.
“This case showcases the hard work of multiple law enforcement agencies,” said Acting United States Attorney Gregory M. Gilmore. “Their cooperation and dedication led to the just result in this case. Our office is committed to these prosecutions and to holding those who commit fraud accountable.”
“This sentencing demonstrates the commitment of U.S. law enforcement to protecting the integrity of the federal healthcare system by holding fraudsters accountable for submitting false claims,” said Special Agent in Charge Linda T. Hanley of the United States Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “HHS-OIG, together with our law enforcement partners, will continue to safeguard taxpayer funds to ensure that the Medicare and Medicaid programs serve patients effectively and as intended.”
“This additional sentencing underscores two critical points: first, Mr. Rossi is being held fully accountable for his actions, and second, the relentless work of these agencies continues until justice is served,” said Christopher J.S. Johnson, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Springfield Field Office. “White-collar criminals often try to obscure the truth, but diligent investigation will always bring the facts to light.”
“This complex case required thousands of hours of investigation by U.S. Postal Inspectors and other investigative staff,” said Ruth Mendonça, Inspector in Charge of the Chicago Division of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. “The sentence rendered in this case makes every minute spent unraveling this scam worthwhile. We are proud of the combined efforts of our law enforcement partners and the United States Attorney’s Office who worked with Postal Inspectors in bringing Mr. Rossi to justice.”
“The U.S. Department of Labor’s Employee Benefit Security Administration will take every opportunity to work collaboratively with our law enforcement partners in these important investigations to protect participants in private sector health plans,” said Mark Underwood, Regional Director of the U.S. Department of Labor’s Employee Benefit Security Administration, Kansas City Regional Office.
The Reditus case investigation was conducted by the Department of Health and Human Services – Office of Inspector General; the United States Postal Inspection Service; the Internal Revenue Service; the U.S. Department of Labor -Employee Benefit Security Administration; and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Springfield Field Office. The Peoria County Sheriff’s Office investigated the contraband case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Douglas F. McMeyer and Tanner K. Jacobs represented the government in the prosecution.
Rochester woman going to prison for defrauding Social SecurityRead the Press Release
ROCHESTER, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Wendy Stone, 63, of Rochester, NY, who was convicted of conversion/unlawful conveyance of government money, was sentenced to serve 12 months in prison by U.S. District Judge Frank P. Geraci, Jr.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicholas M. Testani, who handled the case, stated that in December 2022, Victim 1 was a recipient of benefits under the Supplemental Security Income (SSI) Program. On December 28, 2022, Victim 1 died at a residence in Rochester. Stone discovered Victim 1’s body days after Victim 1 died. She was also aware that Victim 1 collected SSI Program benefits. But rather than inform authorities of Victim 1’s death, Stone took Victim 1’s debit card and spent SSI Program money still being deposited into Victim 1’s account for her own benefit. In furtherance of this scheme, Stone used Victim 1’s social security number to activate a new debit card in the name of Victim 1. In order to conceal Victim 1’s death and continue receiving Victim 1’s SSI Program benefits, Stone moved Victim 1’s corpse into the basement of the residence Victim 1 died in. She wrapped Victim 1’s corpse in plastic, placed it in a recycling bin, and periodically poured bleach on it. Victim 1’s corpse remained in the basement from December 2022 to September 2023. Between January 2023 and September 2023, Stone improperly collected $7,902.00 in SSI Program benefits intended for Victim 1. In addition, on February 6, 2023, Stone recertified SNAP benefits. In her recertification, Stone stated that Victim 1 still resided with her. As a result of this false information, Stone received an additional $1,072.00 in SNAP benefits that she was not entitled to receive.
The sentencing is the result of an investigation by the Social Security Administration Office of Inspector General, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Amy Connelly and the Rochester Police Department, under the direction of Chief David Smith.
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Rhode Island Man Admits ATM TheftRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – David Degrasse, age 59, of West Warwick, Rhode Island, pled guilty on Tuesday to interstate transportation of stolen property. Acting United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III; Special Agent in Charge Craig L. Tremaroli of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI); and New York State Police (NYSP) Superintendent Steven G. James made the announcement.
Degrasse admitted that in the early morning of April 27, 2023, he sawed into an ATM in a restaurant in Catskill, New York; removed approximately $9,300; and transported that money out of New York. He also acknowledged that he cut the alarm wires of a convenience store in Hillsdale, New York, and entered the store before abandoning that effort to go to the Catskill restaurant. Degrasse further admitted he sawed into and stole cash from ATMs in Walden, New York; Pine Plains, New York; Lenox, New York; Concord, Massachusetts; and Bagdad, Kentucky. Degrasse admitted to stealing a total of more than $55,000 from the ATMs. As part of his plea, Degrasse has agreed to forfeit the $9,300 from the Catskill theft and pay restitution.
Acting United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III stated: “David Degrasse’s multi-state crime spree is over. His arrest and prosecution should put an end to his despicable targeting and burglarizing of small businesses.”
FBI Special Agent in Charge Craig L. Tremaroli stated: “Mr. Degrasse’s arrest should send a clear message that the FBI will work diligently with our law enforcement partners to investigate and hold accountable any criminal who decides to target our small businesses for their own personal gain.”
NYSP Superintendent Steven G. James stated: “This case demonstrates the commitment of law enforcement to hold individuals accountable who prey on small businesses and violate the safety of our communities. I commend the work of our Troopers and Investigators, along with our federal partners at the FBI and U.S. Attorney’s Office, for their efforts in bringing this case to a successful resolution.”
At sentencing, Degrasse, who is in custody, faces a maximum term of 10 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, and a term of supervised release of up to 3 years. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statute the defendant is convicted of violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other factors.
The FBI and NYSP investigated the case, which Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan S. Reiner is prosecuting.
Previously Convicted Felon Found Guilty by Jury for Illegal Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON –Guy Cummings, 29, of the District of Columbia, was found guilty yesterday in U.S. District Court of being a felon in illegal possession of a firearm, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro and Special Agent in Charge Anthony Spotswood of the Washington Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.
Following a three-day trial, a federal jury found Cummings guilty on the one-count indictment charging him with unlawful possession of a firearm by an individual previously convicted of a crime punishable by more than a year. Chief Judge James E. Boasberg scheduled sentencing for Nov. 3, 2025.
This case is being prosecuted under the Make D.C. Safe and Beautiful initiative. Make D.C. Safe Again is a law enforcement initiative in support of President Trump's Executive Order to Make D.C. Safe and Beautiful. Make D.C. Safe Again aims to crack down on gun violence, prioritize federal firearms violations, pursue tougher penalties for offenses, and seek detention for federal firearms violators.
According to court documents, on Jan. 18, 2025, about 1:30 a.m., Metropolitan Police Department Officers were patrolling the 300 block of 50th Street NE, in the Lincoln Heights neighborhood.
As officers approached a group gathered on the sidewalk, Cummings immediately turned away and ran. One of the officers pursued Cummings on foot through the snow, never losing sight of him. The officer saw Cummings make a tossing motion with his right hand over a brick wall. Shortly after, the officer apprehended Cummings and recognized him as someone who had been ordered to stay away from the neighborhood. Cummings had also been issued a barring notice from the DC Housing Authority Police Department for five years after being arrested for carrying a pistol without a license.
Retracing Cummings flight path, officers found a loaded Glock 26 9mm pistol where it had landed in the snow after the officer had earlier watched Cummings make a tossing motion. The firearm had previously been reported stolen.
In 2017, Cummings had been convicted and sentenced to 36 months in prison for robbery and for carrying a dangerous weapon, and therefore was prohibited from possessing any firearm.
This case was investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Washington Field Division, with assistance from the FBI Washington Field Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sarah Martin, Benjamin Helfand, and Jared English.
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Prague Man Sentenced for Setting Ex-Girlfriend's House on Fire and Illegally Possessing a FirearmRead the Press Release
TULSA, Okla. – Today, U.S. District Judge Gregory K. Frizzell sentenced Henry Joseph Arthur, Jr., 52, for Arson in Indian Country and Felon in Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition. Judge Frizzell ordered Arthur to serve 120 months' imprisonment, followed by five years of supervised release.
In April 2023, Arthur plotted and devised a plan to burn down his ex-girlfriend's home. Surveillance and GPS data showed Arthur was responsible for setting the house on fire and burning it to the ground. While on pretrial bond, Arthur violated the terms of his bond and failed to participate in the court-ordered substance abuse program successfully. The court issued a warrant for Arthur’s arrest, and the U.S. Marshals found Arthur illegally in possession of a loaded handgun.
Court records show that Arthur has been convicted of 19 prior felonies, multiple protective order violations, domestic assault and battery, and crimes that endanger public safety.
Arthur will remain in custody pending transfer to the U.S. Bureau of Prisons.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Creek County Sheriff’s Office, and the Kellyville Fire Department investigated the case. The U.S. Marshal Service assisted in Arthur’s arrest. Assistant U.S. Attorney Niko Boulieris prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN.
Pocatello Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Trafficking DrugsRead the Press Release
POCATELLO – Jack Edward Newsom, 43, of Pocatello, was sentenced to 121 months in prison for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, Acting U.S. Attorney Justin Whatcott announced today. Chief U.S. District Judge David C. Nye also ordered Newsom to serve five years of supervised release after he completes his prison sentence.
According to court records, Newsom was arrested on May 8, 2024, when police officers executed a search warrant on his home and a fifth-wheel trailer parked in a storage facility. The officers seized 48.9 grams of fentanyl powder and a half a pound of methamphetamine from the residence in addition to a pound of marijuana, half a pound of methamphetamine, 79.6 grams of fentanyl powder, and 237 fentanyl pills from the fifth-wheel trailer. The warrant was executed after a months-long investigation in which law enforcement bought three and a half pounds of methamphetamine from Newsom on five occasions between February and April 2024.
Acting U.S. Attorney Whatcott commended the cooperative efforts of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the BADGES Task Force. The BADGES Task Force is a federally funded High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) partnership between the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Idaho State Police, the Pocatello Police Department, the Chubbuck Police Department, and the Bannock County Sheriff’s Office.
This case was investigated though the Oregon-Idaho High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) program. HIDTA is an Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) sponsored counterdrug grant program that coordinates with and provides funding resources to multiagency drug enforcement initiatives, including the BADGES Task Force.
The BADGES Task Force is a collaboration of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies that focuses primarily on drug trafficking crimes in Bannock County and throughout the region.
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Pittsburgh Felon Pleads Guilty to Drug Trafficking and Firearm ChargesRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, Pa. - A resident of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty in federal court to possession with the intent to distribute quantities of fentanyl and cocaine and possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.
Ronell Cathie, 31, pleaded guilty before United States District Judge Marilyn J. Horan on July 16, 2025.
In connection with the guilty plea, the Court was advised that, between March 2024 and July 2024, Cathie participated in a conspiracy to distribute fentanyl and cocaine, both Schedule II controlled substances. Additionally, on July 19, 2024, during the execution of a search warrant at Cathie’s residence, law enforcement recovered a stolen firearm, a magazine, and ammunition. Cathie has multiple prior felony convictions for firearms. Federal law prohibits possession of a firearm or ammunition by a convicted felon.
Judge Horan scheduled sentencing for November 12, 2025. The law provides for a total sentence of up to 20 years in prison, a fine of up to $1 million, or both. Under the federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history of the defendant.
Pending sentencing, Cathie will remain in custody.
Assistant United States Attorneys Katherine C. Jordan and Kelly M. Locher are prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Cathie.
This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
Physician Assistant who Pretended to be a Licensed Physician Pleads Guilty to Making False Statements to an Agency of the United StatesRead the Press Release
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – Raúl D. Villalobos-Meléndez pleaded guilty today to making false statements and representations to an agency of the United States in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1001(a)(2).
According to the Information, Raúl D. Villalobos-Meléndez, 36, of San Juan, knowingly falsified and forged documents and made materially false statements to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) representing himself to be a licensed physician. CMS is a federal agency within the United States Department of Health and Human Services that administers the Medicare and Medicaid program.
In truth, Raúl D. Villalobos-Meléndez has never been licensed to practice medicine in Puerto Rico or any part of the United States.
Although Villalobos-Meléndez graduated as a Doctor of Medicine from the University of Science Arts and Technology-Monserrat College of Medicine on June 16, 2018, he never successfully passed the required United States Medical License Examination (USMLE). Instead, Villalobos-Meléndez obtained a Physician Assistant license in Puerto Rico on April 7, 2021, which permitted him to serve only as a physician assistant. The defendant then altered his Physician Assistant license documents to fraudulently submit them as a Provisional Medical License and a Permanent Medical License.
In 2023, Villalobos-Meléndez submitted a fraudulent application for a position in the Post-Graduate Medical Education Internship Program at Hospital del Maestro in San Juan, PR. As part of the documentation submitted with his application to the Hospital del Maestro, the defendant included a forged Provisional License Registry Certification, allegedly issued by the Puerto Rico Medical Discipline and Licensing Board (in Spanish, Junta de Licenciamiento y Disciplina Médica de Puerto Rico, abbreviated “JLDM”) and forged USMLE score reports falsely indicating that he had passed all three Steps. In truth, Villalobos-Meléndez had failed the USMLE on multiple occasions and did not possess a Provisional Medical License.
Despite having no license to practice medicine in Puerto Rico, Raúl D. Villalobos-Meléndez received a salary to practice as a physician in the Transitional Internship program at the Hospital del Maestro in San Juan, Puerto Rico from June 1, 2023 to May 31, 2024.
On September 27, 2024, Villalobos-Meléndez knowingly submitted false information on a CMS-855I form to CMS when requesting enrollment as a physician practitioner and to become a Medicare provider. The defendant knowingly and fraudulently listed as active license information the false Puerto Rico medical license number “166037,” with an effective date of August 30, 2024, and designated his specialty as “General Practitioner.” Moreover, the defendant reassigned his benefits to the organization/group named Physician HMO. The president for Physician HMO signed, under penalty of perjury, accepting the reassignment of Medicare benefits for the defendant.
“The defendant lied to Puerto Rican and federal agencies by falsifying his documents and pretending to be a certified physician. This poses a danger to those who seek health care from medical professionals,” said W. Stephen Muldrow, United States Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico. “Along with our law enforcement partners, we will continue to investigate and prosecute these types of fraud that put the health and safety of health care patients at risk.”
“This case underscores our commitment to protecting the integrity of our health care system and patient safety. Using a forged medical license and providing false statements to gain access to federal healthcare programs is a serious breach of public trust,” stated Special Agent in Charge Naomi Gruchacz with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “HHS-OIG and our law enforcement partners will continue to work relentlessly to ensure those who deceive the system will face justice.”
“Falsifying medical credentials to infiltrate America’s healthcare systems is not only fraud—it places lives at risk, erodes public trust, and undermines the integrity of the noble medical profession,” said Devin J. Kowalski, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI's San Juan Field Office. “The FBI remains committed to protecting the integrity of our systems and holding accountable those who exploit it for personal gain. We will continue working closely with our partners to investigate and bring to justice individuals who threaten the wellbeing of our communities.”
Villalobos-Meléndez made his initial court appearance today at the U.S. District Court for the District of Puerto Rico where he waived indictment and pleaded guilty to a one-count Information before United States District Judge Silvia Carreño-Coll. He faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison, a fine not to exceed $250,000, and a term of supervised release. A federal district court judge will determine his sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. The sentencing hearing has been scheduled for October 22, 2025, at 9:30 a.m.
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) are investigating the case as part of Caribbean HEAT – a Healthcare Enforcement and Accountability Task Force & Working Group formed in 2024 to investigate and prosecute violations of federal law related to health care fraud, harm to patients and consumers, and health care program waste, fraud, and abuse. The Drug Enforcement Administration, the Puerto Rico Medicaid Fraud Control Unit and the U.S. Marshals also collaborated during the investigation. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Wallace A. Bustelo from HHS-OIG is prosecuting the case.
To report fraud, waste or abuse related to health care matters, please contact HHS-OIG Hotline:
1-800-HHS-TIPS (1-800-447-8477) or https://tips.oig.hhs.gov
To file a voluntary self-disclosure related to health care matters, please access the link below:
https://oig.hhs.gov/compliance/self-disclosure-info/self-disclosure-protocol/
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Passenger pleads guilty to sexual assault charges during flight from Montana to TexasRead the Press Release
MISSOULA - A New Jersey man accused of sexual assault while flying from Bozeman, Montana to Dallas, Texas admitted to charges today, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.
The defendant, Bhaveshkumar Dahyabhai Shukla, 37, pleaded guilty to one count of abusive sexual contact in the special aircraft jurisdiction of the United States. Shukla faces up to 2 years of imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and at least 5 years of supervised release.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Kathleen L. DeSoto presided. U.S. District Court Judge Dana L. Christensen will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Sentencing is set for November 19, 2025. Shukla was detained pending further proceedings.
The government alleged in court documents that on January 26, 2025, Shukla was flying from Bozeman to Dallas on American Airlines. He was seated next to Jane Doe and Doe’s daughter. Jane Doe had a coat on her lap because she was cold. Shukla also placed his coat on his lap and initially acted as if he was sleeping but began using his right hand to rub Jane Doe’s left leg near her pocket on her hip. Jane Doe initially thought Shukla was trying to pick her pocket, so she and her daughter got up and went to the restroom to diffuse the situation.
Shukla continued rubbing Jane Doe’s inner and outer thigh throughout the flight. Doe was scared and firmly told him to “stop touching me.” Shukla said he was sorry and attempted to offer her something out of his bag. He also tried to talk to Jane Doe’s daughter, and Doe responded, “she’s fine. Don’t talk to my daughter.” As the flight continued, the plane hit some turbulence and the flight crew remained seated. Shukla continued to rub Jane Doe’s thigh and, frightened, she turned her back to him, at which point he started rubbing her lower back and buttocks.
A witness seated in the row behind Shukla and Jane Doe confirmed that Shukla inappropriately touched Jane Doe for a large portion of the flight.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Zeno Baucus and Brian Lowney prosecuted the case. The FBI, ICE and Dallas Fort Worth International Airport Police conducted the investigation.
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Pensacola Felon Pleads Guilty to Unlawful Possession of Firearm and AmmunitionRead the Press Release
PENSACOLA, FLORIDA – Donavon Idris Ellis, 26, of Pensacola, Florida, pleaded guilty in federal court to charges of possession of firearms and ammunition by a convicted felon. The plea was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
Court documents reflect that Ellis was federally convicted in 2021 of three counts of distribution of carfentanil. During a search warrant of Ellis’ residence in March 2024, law enforcement officers found and seized two firearms, boxes of bulk ammunition, and multiple magazines, including a large capacity drum magazine. Ellis admitted to officers that the two firearms would be in his house.
U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “My office is committed to supporting the work of our brave local, state, and federal law enforcement partners who keep our communities safe. We will continue to aggressively prosecute all violations of our laws and hold offenders accountable.”
Sentencing is currently set for October 9, 2025, at 9:00 a.m. at the United States Courthouse in Pensacola before United States District Judge T. Kent Wetherell II. Ellis faces up to 15 years in prison.
The plea was the result of a joint investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Pensacola Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Alicia H. Forbes.
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.
Out-of-state deer poachers ordered to pay nearly $120,000 in southern IllinoisRead the Press Release
BENTON, Ill. – Five men from Mississippi were sentenced in southern Illinois federal court after admitting to using spotlights to illegally hunt white-tailed deer in Massac, Jefferson, Union, Pope and Clark counties.
Lee J. Johnson, 54, of Saucier, Mississippi, pleaded guilty to one count of unlawful transport of wildlife in violation of the Lacey Act and was sentenced to five years’ probation and ordered to pay $75,000 in restitution and a $10,000 fine.
Steven J. Pique, 56, of Biloxi, Mississippi, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to violate the Lacey Act and was sentenced to five years’ probation and ordered to pay $2,000 in restitution.
Gerald B. Moran, 40, of Saucier, Mississippi, pleaded guilty to one count of unlawful transport of wildlife in violation of the Lacey Act and was sentenced to five years’ probation and ordered to pay $5,000 in restitution and a $2,500 fine.
Joshua A. Marshall, 30, of Saucier, Mississippi, pleaded guilty to one count of unlawful transport of wildlife in violation of the Lacey Act was sentenced to three years’ probation and ordered to pay $7,500 in restitution and a $2,500 fine.
John M. Pritchard, 57, of Biloxi, Mississippi, pleaded guilty to one count of unlawful transport of wildlife in violation of the Lacey Act and was sentenced to five years’ probation and ordered to pay $10,000 in restitution and a $5,000 fine.
According to court documents, between 2018 and 2022, the poachers would use spotlights to scout white-tailed deer in Massac, Jefferson, Union, Pope and Clark counties in southern Illinois. Once a deer was located, members of the group would get a rifle, spotlight the deer again, and then shoot to kill. They would later return to collect the carcass.
“This was not an isolated incident of unlawful hunting; rather, it was a calculated, multi-year operation that exploited Illinois's prized wildlife resources for personal gain,” said Assistant Director Douglas Ault, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Office of Law Enforcement. “Targeting trophy deer under the cover of night, across multiple counties, and transporting them across state lines reflects a deliberate disregard for wildlife laws and the ecological balance we work tirelessly to protect. Such organized violations undermine decades of conservation progress and diminish the integrity of fair-chase hunting traditions that responsible hunters value nationwide."
After collecting the carcass, the poachers would then transport the animal over state lines from Illinois back to Mississippi where they would harvest and process the deer. Typically, the poachers would mount the deer’s head, antlers or other parts of its body.
The defendants’ fines will go to the Lacey Act Reward Account through the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and restitution will go to the Illinois Department of Natural Resources.
“This case sends a clear message: wildlife laws are not only about species protection, but they also uphold the principles of fair chase and ethical hunting. The Illinois Conservation Police, in partnership with our dedicated federal agencies, consistently demonstrate professionalism and commitment to enforcing these laws,” said Jed Whitchurch, director of the Illinois Department of Natural Resources’ Office of Law Enforcement. “The complexity and scale of this case required multiagency coordination, and thanks to that teamwork, we've reinforced the stewardship values that define responsible hunting and the importance of natural resources law enforcement.”
The case was investigated jointly by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Illinois Conservation Police, with support from USFWS Federal Wildlife Officers, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Mississippi. Assistant U.S. Attorney David Sanders prosecuted the case.
New Orleans Man Sentenced for Being Felon in Possession of FirearmsRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson announced that on June 26, 2025, JARROD CARTER (“CARTER”), age 30, a resident of New Orleans, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Nannette Jolivette Brown to 97 months imprisonment after previously pleading guilty to two counts of being a felon in possession of firearms, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 922(g)(1) and 924(a)(8). Following imprisonment, CARTER, will be placed on supervised release for three (3) years. Additionally, CARTER was sentenced to payment of a mandatory $200 special assessment fee.
According to court records, in January 2023, the New Orleans Police Department (NOPD) received a complaint about several unidentified black males brandishing firearms and distributing narcotics on Mandeville Street in New Orleans. Further investigation and surveillance by Drug Enforcement Administration Task Force (TFO) and NOPD officers revealed CARTER to be in possession of a loaded, Taurus .40 caliber handgun with an obliterated serial number and a loaded, Springfield AR-15 style rifle. CARTER is a previously convicted felon and prohibited from possessing firearms.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the New Orleans Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Tracey N. Knight, Chief of the Criminal Division.
Multiple Individuals Indicted for Violating the Federal Controlled Substances ActRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LA – Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson announced today a four-count indictment charging the following individuals:
- LARRY G. TURNER, (TURNER), age 41, of Tangipahoa Parish
- ELMO FRANKLIN(FRANKLIN), age 42, of Tangipahoa Parish
- REGGINALD HENRY(HENRY), age 41, of St. Tammany Parish
- JYSTON DANTZLER(DANTZLER), age 26, of Tangipahoa Parish
- WAYNE LONG(LONG), age 39, of Tangipahoa Parish
- GARRETT MCCLAIN JR.(MCCLAIN), age 24 of Tangipahoa Parish
- ROY SHORT(SHORT), age 52, of Washington Parish
- TAWAN ANTHONY(ANTHONY), age 22, of St. Tammany Parish
The indictment occurred on June 26, 2025, and was only announced after all eight individuals had been arrested by local law enforcement, and Drug Enforcement Administration special agents. All eight individuals were indicted in Count 1 for Conspiracy to distribute, and possess with intent to distribute, controlled substances, in violation of Title 2, U.S.C. § 841(a)(1); §841(b)(1)(A), § 841(b)(1)(B), §841(b)(1)(C), and 846. MCCLAIN was additionally charged in Count 2 for possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine, and 40 grams or more of fentanyl, in violation of Title 21, U.S.C. § 841(a)(1), §841(b)(1)(A), and § 841(b)(1)(B). HENRY and ANTHONY were also charged in Count 3 with possession with intent to distribute a quantity of a mixture of methamphetamine, and 40 grams or more of fentanyl, in violation of Title 21, U.S.C. § 841(a)(1), §841(b)(1)(B), and § 841(b)(1)(C). SHORT was additionally charged in Count 4 with possession with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl, in violation of Title 21, U.S.C. § 841(a)(1) and §841(b)(1)(B). HENRY and SHORT also face a sentencing enhancement due to their prior convictions for drug trafficking offenses.
If convicted of the charge(s) they face, TURNER, FRANKLIN, LONG, and MCCLAIN face a mandatory minimum sentence of ten (10) years, and up to life imprisonment, up to a $10,000,000 fine, and at least five (5) years of supervised release. HENRY and SHORT face a mandatory minimum sentence of ten (10) years, and up to life imprisonment, up to a $5,000,000 fine, and at least five (4) years of supervised release. DANTZLER and ANTHONY face a mandatory minimum sentence of five (years), and up to forty (40) years imprisonment, up to a $5,000,000 fine, and at least five (4) years of supervised release. There is also a $100 mandatory special assessment fee per count.
According to the indictment, beginning on a time unknown, but continuing until at least June 26, 2025, these eight individuals conspired to distribute, and possess with intent to distribute, fentanyl and methamphetamine throughout the Tangipahoa, St. Tammany, and Washington Parishes region of the Eastern District of Louisiana. The conspiracy mainly revolved around TURNER’s residence in Tickfaw, Louisiana. The execution of a federal search warrant at TURNER’s residence led to the recovery of over five (5) kilograms of suspected fentanyl in counterfeit pill form, along with multiple firearms.
Acting U.S. Attorney Simpson praised the work of the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Fentanyl Overdose Response Team (FORT), as well as the Hammond Police Department, Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office, 22nd JDC District Attorney’s Office, Washington Parish Sheriff’s Office, and the Louisiana National Guard. FORT was also assisted by the Louisiana State Police, Bogalusa Police Department, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, and the St. Tammany Parish Sheriff’s Office. The prosecution is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney Stuart Theriot of the Narcotics Unit.
Acting U.S. Attorney Simpson reiterated that an indictment is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.
Mount Airy Man Sentenced for Cattle Theft SchemeRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – William Dalton Edwards, 26, of Mount Airy, N.C., was sentenced today to 24 months in prison and three-years supervised release for his role in a scheme involving the theft of livestock from North Carolina stockyards and farms, announced Russ Ferguson, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. Edwards was also ordered to pay $334,350.46 to the victims of the scheme.
Miles B. Davis, Special Agent in Charge, Office of the Inspector General, Office of Investigation of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA-OIG), Southeast Region, Jason Byrnes, Special Agent in Charge of the United States Secret Service, Charlotte Field Office, Donald “Trey” Eakins, Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), Charlotte Field Office, Sheriff Alan Norman of the Cleveland County Sheriff’s Office
and Sheriff Darren Campbell of the Iredell County Sheriff’s Office, join U.S. Attorney Ferguson in making today’s announcement.
According to court documents and court proceedings, from April 2018 to October 2022, Edwards and his co-conspirator, Clint Clifford Sicking, conspired to defraud livestock markets, also known as sales barns, in Iredell and Cleveland Counties, North Carolina. The investigation determined that on multiple occasions Edwards and Sicking purchased cattle from sales barns in North Carolina. To pay for the cattle, Edwards and Sicking wrote checks that were worthless, knowing they did not have sufficient funds to cover the checks.
Court records show that Edwards and Sicking arranged to transport the cattle out-of-state before the defrauded sales barns and financial institutions could determine their checks were worthless. The stolen cattle were then resold in Texas and Oklahoma. Over the course of the scheme, Edwards and his Sicking caused over $350,000 in losses to sales barns in North Carolina. The sales barns—which are family-owned in North Carolina—incurred these losses because they are required to pay farmers and ranchers immediately after the sale of their livestock.
On August 2, 2024, Edwards pleaded guilty to conspiring to defraud the United States and to violate the laws of the United States. One of the objects of the charged conspiracy was to hamper and impede the Packers and Stockyard Division of the U.S. Department of Agriculture in its regulation of fair livestock markets. Other objects of the conspiracy included a scheme to obtain funds under the custody and control of federally insured financial institutions through false statements and representations; to steal livestock valued at more than $10,000; and to transport stolen livestock in interstate commerce. Sicking has also pleaded guilty to a conspiracy charge and is awaiting sentencing.
In making today’s announcement, U.S. Attorney Ferguson commended the USDA-OIG, the U.S. Secret Service, IRS-CI, and Cleveland County Sheriff’s Office and Iredell County Sheriff’s Office for their investigation of the case. U.S. Attorney Ferguson also thanked the Stanly County District Attorney’s Office, the Packers and Stockyard Division of the USDA, and the Texas Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association Special Rangers for their assistance.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael E. Savage of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte is prosecuting the case.
Mexican National Sentenced in Methamphetamine ConspiracyRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Lesley A. Woods announced that Claudia Isabel Cazerez-Quintero, 42, of Sinaloa, Mexico, was sentenced on July 15, 2025, in federal court in Omaha, Nebraska, for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and possessing methamphetamine with the intent to distribute. Chief United States District Judge Robert F. Rossiter, Jr. sentenced Cazerez-Quintero to a total of 226 months’ imprisonment on each charge to run concurrently. There is no parole in the federal system. After Cazerez-Quintero is released from prison, she will begin a 10-year term of supervised release. She is subject to deportation to Mexico as she is not a United States citizen.
Cazarez-Quintero was on federal supervised release during the conspiracy. She was convicted of possession of 3 kilograms of heroin with intent to distribute in the Northern District of Ohio on July 5, 2017. Chief Judge Rossiter sentenced Cazarez-Quintero to 30 months’ imprisonment for the supervised release violation, which will run concurrent to the new sentence of 226 months.
On December 14, 2023, a confidential source arranged via telephone to purchase one pound of methamphetamine in Omaha from a Mexican drug source via a courier who arrived in a Mazda and sold 0.3849 kilograms of methamphetamine for $3,000. Law enforcement followed the Mazda to the Muse apartments and through their investigation determined which apartment the drug courier was using.
On January 5, 2024, a confidential source conducted another controlled purchase of methamphetamine from the courier, this time purchasing 481.05 grams of methamphetamine for $2,500.
On January 10, 2024, while law enforcement was conducting surveillance on the residence of another known Omaha methamphetamine dealer near 27th and Hazel streets, they saw the Mazda arrive and identified Cazarez-Quintero as the driver. She remained at the residence for a short time before returning to the Muse apartment. Shortly thereafter, the Drug Enforcement Administration executed a search warrant at the 27th and Hazel streets residence and seized three pounds of methamphetamine.
Then, on January 11, 2024, law enforcement saw Cazarez-Quintero arrive to the apartment complex driving the Mazda. They executed a search warrant, detained her, and searched the apartment. During the search, they found approximately 56 pounds of methamphetamine in a dresser and backpack. Law enforcement also seized $17,880.00 in United States Currency which was administratively forfeited.
In Cazarez-Quintero’s purse, law enforcement found a portion of methamphetamine. In a post-Miranda interview, Cazarez-Quintero denied knowledge of the methamphetamine or currency but admitted to her clothes being present in the apartment. She admitted affiliation with the courier involved in the December 14, 2025, and January 5, 2025, buys and provided consent to search her phone. Within it, law enforcement observed multiple images of apparent methamphetamine and text messages consistent with drug trafficking, including a veiled discussion regarding delivering methamphetamine to the 27th and Hazel streets residence.
This case was investigated by the Omaha Police Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration.
Mexican National Charged in Federal Criminal Complaint with Staging Fake Immigration ‘Kidnapping’Read the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – An illegal alien from Mexico has been charged in a federal criminal complaint with orchestrating a phony kidnapping – which she blamed on federal agents or people working with federal agents – to generate public sympathy and solicit donations, the Justice Department announced today.
Yuriana Julia Pelaez Calderon, 41, of South Los Angeles, is charged with conspiracy and making false statements to federal officers.
Calderon, who is now U.S. immigration custody, is expected to make her initial appearance in the coming weeks in United States District Court in downtown Los Angeles.
“Dangerous rhetoric that ICE agents are ‘kidnapping’ illegal immigrants is being recklessly peddled by politicians and echoed in the media to inflame the public and discredit our courageous federal agents,” said United States Attorney Bill Essayli. “The conduct alleged in today’s complaint shows this hoax ‘kidnapping’ was a well-orchestrated conspiracy. The defendant and all those involved will face the full consequences of their conduct under federal law. I thank our partners at Homeland Security Investigations and all federal agents facing unprecedented levels of assaults for once again providing cool heads and professionalism during these difficult times.”
According to an affidavit filed with the complaint filed Wednesday, an attorney representing Calderon’s family held a press conference on June 30 to announce that Calderon had reportedly been kidnapped five days earlier at a Jack in the Box restaurant parking lot in downtown Los Angeles and brought to San Ysidro, where “she was presented to [a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement] staffer” and “presented with voluntary self-deportation paperwork.” The attorney then said Calderon refused to sign the paperwork and demanded to speak to a judge and a lawyer. In response, “she was punished” and was sent to a warehouse in an undisclosed location.
The press conference garnered media attention and stoked fear in the community. Meanwhile, Calderon’s daughter set up a GoFundMe page, requesting $4,500 and stating that Calderon “was taken by masked men in an unmarked vehicle…when she was on her way to work.” According to the complaint, this entire story was fabricated.
On July 3, when Calderon was still purportedly missing, federal agents grew concerned after confirming that Calderon was not in immigration custody. Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) began searching for Calderon over the holiday weekend.
On July 5, HSI agents tracked Calderon down in a shopping plaza parking lot in Bakersfield. Calderon continued to falsely claim she was taken by masked men and held in custody with others.
Video surveillance – including video of Calderon leaving the Jack in the Box parking lot and getting into a nearby sedan – as well as telephone records demonstrate Calderon fabricated the entire story. Calderon and her family knew that law enforcement was searching for her and feared for her safety, but Calderon and her family did not come forward. Instead, Calderon created what law enforcement believe to be fabricated photos of her “rescue,” made to look as if she was abused while in ICE custody and planned to hold a press conference on July 6 to increase donations to the GoFundMe page and to obtain other benefits.
“Diverting critical law enforcement resources is not only reckless and irresponsible, but it also endangers the community. Since early July, my office invested valuable time and resources working this alleged kidnapping investigation only to discover that it was a hoax,” said HSI Los Angeles Special Agent in Charge Eddy Wang. “The real cost of a fraud like this is the amount of fentanyl not seized, child predators not removed from the communities, and human trafficking victims not rescued because law enforcement re-directed resources to recover the defendant. We want to assure the public that allegations of criminal activity will be thoroughly investigated by HSI and our law enforcement partners and that those who engage in fraud and deception will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”
A criminal complaint contains allegations. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
If convicted of all charges, Calderon would face a statutory maximum sentence of five years in federal prison for conspiracy and up to five years in federal prison on the false statements charge.
Homeland Security Investigations Los Angeles is investigating this matter with support from the Garden Grove Police Department.
The Transnational Organized Crime Section is prosecuting this case.
Methamphetamine Traffickers SentencedRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – United States District Judge Thomas P. Barber has sentenced Larry Lee Woodard, Jr. (30, Bradenton) and Jesse Leahy (49, Sarasota) each to 10 years in federal prison for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. Woodard and Leahy previously pleaded guilty.
According to court documents, Woodard and Leahy were involved in a conspiracy to distribute more than 50 grams of methamphetamine in Bradenton and throughout Manatee County. They distributed more than 1.5 kilograms of methamphetamine in Manatee County during the course of the conspiracy.
This case was investigated by a joint Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) which includes Homeland Security Investigations and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The Central Florida Gulf Coast High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) which includes the Bradenton Police Department, the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office, the North Port Police Department, the United States Coast Guard Investigative Service, the Palmetto Police Department, the Sarasota Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives also assisted with the investigation. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Maria Guzman, David Sullivan, and Suzanne Nebesky.
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 at www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
McMinnville Repeat Offender Sentenced to 10 Years in Federal Prison for Trafficking Fentanyl in OregonRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Ore.— A McMinnville, Oregon man with a lengthy criminal history was sentenced to federal prison today for possessing and distributing fentanyl in Oregon.
Travis Charles Donnahoo, 46, was sentenced to 121 months in federal prison and four years’ supervised release.
According to court documents, on March 12, 2023, officers from the McMinnville Police Department arrested Donnahoo, who has a long history of drug trafficking including five prior state convictions for distributing drugs in Oregon, on four outstanding warrants issued for his arrest. The officers searched Donnahoo and seized a firearm, cash, and a black zippered case. The following day, on March 13, 2023, investigators executed a search warrant on the black case and found 145 grams of methamphetamine and 322 grams of counterfeit pills containing fentanyl.
On March 22, 2023, Donnahoo was charged by criminal complaint with possessing fentanyl and methamphetamine with the intent to distribute, possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and felon in possession of a firearm.
On April 8, 2025, Donnahoo pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute fentanyl.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, FBI, McMinnville Police Department, and Yamhill County Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Scott M. Kerin, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon.
Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid 80 to 100 times more powerful than morphine and 30 to 50 times more powerful than heroin. A 2-milligram dose of fentanyl—a few grains of the substance—is enough to kill an average adult male. The wide availability of illicit fentanyl in Oregon has caused a dramatic increase in overdose deaths throughout the state.
If you are in immediate danger, please call 911.
If you or someone you know suffers from addiction, please call the Lines for Life substance abuse helpline at 1-800-923-4357 or visit www.linesforlife.org. Phone support is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. You can also text “RecoveryNow” to 839863 between 2pm and 6pm Pacific Time daily.
Man Working Clean-up After 2024 Flood in Spencer Sentenced to Federal Prison for Stolen FirearmsRead the Press Release
A man working a clean-up crew for the historic June 2024 flooding in Spencer, Iowa was sentenced July 16, 2025, to more than 3 years in federal prison.
Hector Benavidez, age 38, from Donna, Texas, received the prison term after a February 12, 2024, guilty plea to one count of possession of firearms by a felon and one count possession of stolen firearms.
Evidence in the case revealed, during a gun audit at a Spencer store, two firearms were missing. Law enforcement and the stores loss prevention personnel discovered that Benavidez had been hired by a cleaning crew to help clean up after the 2024 flooding. This crew had access to the room where the firearms were located and stored. When Benavidez was confronted by law enforcement, he admitted to taking the firearms two days prior and stated they were with his belonging in the hotel room he was staying in. Law enforcement was able to locate and recover the firearms during a search of the hotel room. Benavidez was previously convicted of felony aggravated robbery in Texas.
Benavidez was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand to 42 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a 2-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
Benavidez is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was investigated by Spencer, Iowa Police Department, Clay County, Iowa Sheriff’s Department and the United States Department of Justice – Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, (ATF). This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Forde Fairchild.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 24-4056.
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