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11 July 2025
Two Des Moines Men Sentenced to Federal Prison for Conspiracy to Distribute FentanylRead the Press Release
DES MOINES, Iowa – Two Des Moines men were sentenced on July 11, 2025, to federal prison for conspiracy to distribute fentanyl.
According to public court documents and evidence presented at sentencing, in the summer of 2023, Ajang Malou Wour, 43, began trafficking fentanyl pills, shortly after he was discharged from a term of federal supervised release. By September 2024, Wour began bringing trafficking fentanyl powder. Within an 18-month period, Wour obtained and distributed over 60,000 fentanyl pills and 40 ounces of fentanyl powder. Omar Mohamed Nurani, 22, received fentanyl pills from Wour frequently and sold the pills to other distributors and customers.
In June 2024, Wour sold Nurani fentanyl pills, which Nurani then to a customer. The victim used the pills, overdosed, and died. After the victim’s death, Wour and Nurani continued to sell fentanyl pills and fentanyl powder. Nurani obtained and distributed over 2,000 fentanyl pills and eight ounces of fentanyl powder.
Wour was sentenced to 144 months in prison, followed by a five-year term of supervised release. Nurani was sentenced to 120 months in prison, followed by a four-year term of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. This case was investigated by the Des Moines Police Department, with assistance from the Ankeny Police Department and the Mid-Iowa Drug Enforcement Task Force.
Fentanyl has become the leading cause of drug overdose deaths in the United States. Fentanyl deaths for youth ages 15 to 24 more than doubled between 2018 and 2022. Counterfeit, fentanyl-laced pills often resemble pharmaceutical pills, but contain potentially lethal doses of fentanyl. Visit the Drug Enforcement Administration’s website to learn more about One Pill Can Kill.
To’Hajiilee Man Sentenced to 17 Years for 2020 MurderRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – A To’Hajiilee man was sentenced to 17 years in federal prison for the brutal killing of a local man in 2020. Earlier this month, that man also pled guilty in a separate case to assaulting a federal detention officer while he was in custody awaiting trial.
There is no parole in the federal system.
According to court documents, on June 24, 2020, Antonio Chaco, 42, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, argued with Thomas Anthony Brown outside Chaco’s trailer home in To’Hajiilee. Without warning or cause, Chaco struck Brown in the face and continued to punch and kick Brown until he lost consciousness. Chaco then wrapped Brown in a square of carpet, transported Brown to a remote desert location within the Navajo Nation, and continued his assault before abandoning Brown—leaving Brown to perish in the wilderness without water, food, phone, or shelter.
On July 4, 2020, Thomas Anthony Brown’s family found Brown’s skeletonized remains in the To’Hajiilee wilderness. The Office of the Medical Investigator later determined Brown’s cause of death was homicidal violence, including blunt-head trauma.
Thomas Brown’s picture and cowboy hat, as displayed during sentencingUpon his release from prison for this crime, Chaco will be subject to five years of supervised release.
In a separate case, Chaco pled guilty on June 30, 2025, to assaulting a federal detention officer at the Cibola County Correctional Facility while Chaco was in custody pending trial for the murder of Thomas Brown. For this offense, Chaco faces up to 20 years in prison. That sentencing has not yet been scheduled.
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 Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Navajo Police Department and Navajo Nation Department of Criminal Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Zachary C. Jones and Brittany DuChaussee are prosecuting these cases.
Three-Time Felon Charged with Possession of a Firearm in AustinRead the Press Release
AUSTIN, Texas – An Austin felon made his initial appearance in federal court today after he was arrested on criminal charges related to his alleged possession of a firearm.
According to court documents, Frank Horton Lee Jr., 38, was allegedly found to possess a.45 ACP caliber semiautomatic pistol following a traffic stop by officers of the Austin Police Department on May 24.
According to the complaint filed in federal court, Lee is a convicted felon and is charged with one count of possession of a firearm by a felon. If convicted, he faces up to 15 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 Justin Simmons for the Western District of Texas made the announcement.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Austin Police Department are investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Alan Buie is prosecuting the case.
A criminal complaint is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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The former senior Costa Rican official has been charged, arrested, and is pending extradition to the United States on international drug trafficking chargesRead the Press Release
A former Costa Rican government official and judge has been charged with federal drug trafficking violations in the Eastern District of Texas, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs.
Celso Manuel Gamboa Sanchez, 49, was named in a federal indictment returned by a grand jury this week in the Eastern District of Texas charging him with manufacturing and distributing cocaine knowing it would be unlawfully imported into the United States and conspiracy.
The indictment alleges that Gamboa Sanchez conspired with and assisted other international drug traffickers to manufacture, distribute, and transport significant quantities of cocaine, much of which was trafficked through Costa Rica and ultimately into the United States for further distribution. Gamboa Sanchez has held several governmental positions in Costa Rica, including Minister of Public Security in 2014, a position charged with overseeing crime prevention in the country, and judge from 2016 to 2018.
On June 23, 2025, Gamboa Sanchez was arrested in Costa Rica, pursuant to a provisional arrest warrant issued because of similar international drug trafficking charges alleged against Gamboa Sanchez in 2024 in the Eastern District of Texas. Also on June 23, 2025, Costa Rican officials arrested another alleged Costa Rican international narcotics trafficker, Edwin Danny Lopez Vega, who was an associate of Gamboa Sanchez, and indicted in the Eastern District of Texas.
Both remain jailed in Costa Rica and are awaiting extradition to the United States.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
If convicted, Gamboa Sanchez and Lopez Vega face a minimum of ten years and a maximum of life in federal prison.
This case is being investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the North Texas Strike Force. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs provided substantial assistance. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Wes Wynne and Christopher Eason.
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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Texas Company Guilty of Aiding and Abetting Fraudulent Transactions Related to False Ethanol Sales, Pays over $15,000,000 in Fines, RestitutionRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS –Acting United States Attorney Michael M. Simpson announced today the June 10, 2025, guilty plea and sentencing of Plano, Texas-based MUREX MANAGEMENT, INC. (“MMI”), for aiding and abetting transactions that defrauded financial institutions, including failed New Orleans-based First NBC Bank. U.S. District Judge Carl J. Barbier sentenced MMI to pay $15,745,846.10 in fines and restitution, a sum that MMI paid on the day of sentencing as part of its plea agreement in this case.
According to court documents, MMI was the management company and affiliate of Murex LLC, a privately-owned ethanol marketing and logistics company. Another company, named as “Company A” in court records, was the U.S.-based subsidiary of a separate, foreign publicly traded company that operated ethanol production plants.
Beginning in 2013, Company A and its parent companies, began to experience financial stress. In order to ameliorate cash flow issues and to manufacture additional financing for its debts, Company A initiated a strategy called “buy/sells” and approached MMI to assist in this strategy. Company A’s plan called for Company A and MMI, through its affiliate, to create fictitious invoices purporting to be sales of ethanol between the two companies, which could then be sold as accounts receivable to unwitting buyers via a New Orleans-based online marketplace. This strategy would provide cash flow for Company A and a profit to MMI. Although these invoices purported to show the bona fide sale of ethanol between MMI and Company A, in fact, no ethanol was exchanged between the companies through these transactions. The unwitting buyers of these fraudulent accounts receivable included FDIC-insured financial institutions like First NBC Bank.
In plea documents, MMI admitted that, between October 28, 2013, and September 18, 2015, Company A and MMI conducted approximately $1.2 billion in fraudulent “buy/sell” transactions, with MMI making a profit of approximately $6,073,049. Company A eventually defaulted on paying financial institutions for the accounts receivable that had been posted for auction by MMI. The defaulted auctions caused a loss of approximately $73,073,683.05 to First NBC Bank, and a loss of approximately $8,330,427.02 to a North Carolina-based bank.
As part of MMI’s plea agreement, it agreed to a fine of $6,073,049.24. Furthermore, MMI agreed as part of its plea to pay $4,263,145.30 in restitution to the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation as Receiver for First NBC Bank, as well as $5,409,651.56 to the successor of the North Carolina-based bank that also purchased the false accounts receivables. MMI was also ordered to pay a $400.00 mandatory special assessment fee.
“The conclusion of this case sends a clear message”, said Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson. “Entities that engage in fraudulent schemes to manipulate and damage the security of our nation's banking system will be held accountable. Along with our federal, state and local investigative partners, our office will continue to investigate and prosecute financial corruption-wherever it may be uncovered in the Eastern District of Louisiana”.
“The FDIC OIG is pleased to join our law enforcement partners in announcing today’s guilty plea, and we remain committed to investigating and holding accountable corporate offenders who defraud our insured financial institutions and cause harm to our nation’s banking industry,” said Robert De Los Santos, Acting Special Agent in Charge, Dallas Region, Office of Inspector General for the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation.
“The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Criminal Investigation Division is proud to have played a key role in this collaborative effort, which resulted in more than $15 million in restitution and penalties,” said Special Agent in Charge Kimberly Bahney of EPA’s Southwest Branch. “Working alongside the FDIC OIG and our law enforcement partners, we remain committed to holding accountable those who defraud the government and undermine the integrity of the renewable fuels program.”
Acting U.S. Attorney Simpson praised the work of the FDIC Office of Inspector General, Dallas Field Office, and the Environmental Protection Agency, Criminal Investigation Division, Houston Resident Office, that investigated this matter. Assistant United States Attorneys Matthew R. Payne of the Financial Crimes Unit and Nicholas D. Moses, Healthcare Fraud Coordinator, handled this prosecution.
Tallahassee Man Pleads Guilty to Drug Trafficking and Illegal Firearms PossessionRead the Press Release
TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA – Jason Rigdon, 44, of Crawfordville, Florida, pleaded guilty July 9, 2025, to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, and possession of multiple firearms by a convicted felon. The plea was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “I applaud the excellent work of our federal, state, and local partners to make our community safer by getting this dangerous individual off the streets. My office remains fully committed to fulfilling the promise made by President Donald J. Trump and Attorney General Pam Bondi to Take Back America by targeting violent criminals with the full force of the law.”
Court documents reflect that pursuant to a federal search warrant of Rigdon’s Crawfordville residence, methamphetamine, drug paraphernalia, and thirteen firearms were seized. Rigdon was previously convicted of multiple State of Florida felony charges including drug trafficking, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, fleeing and eluding law enforcement, and illegal possession of firearms. At the time of arrest, a privately made firearm, commonly known as a “ghost gun,” was also seized.
Rigdon is scheduled for sentencing before United States District Judge Robert L. Hinkle on September 25, 2025, at 10:00 a.m. in Tallahassee, Florida. Rigdon faces up to thirty years’ imprisonment on the drug charge, and up to fifteen years’ imprisonment on the firearms charge.
The Drug Enforcement Administration, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Leon County Sheriff’s Office, Wakulla County Sheriff’s Office, and the Tallahassee Police Department investigated the case. Assistant United States Attorney Eric K. Mountin is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America (https://www.justice.gov/dag/media/1393746/dl?inline ) a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access available 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.
Suburban Chicago Man Sentenced to Two Years in Prison for Threatening FEMA Employees and Law Enforcement OfficersRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — A suburban Chicago man has been sentenced to two years in federal prison for threatening Federal Emergency Management Agency employees and local law enforcement officers.
DARREN D. WALTON, 31, of Midlothian, Ill., made more than 100 phone calls to FEMA employees in connection with an application for disaster assistance that Walton filed with the agency for alleged damage to his vehicle due to flooding in 2023. Many of the calls contained threats of violent and destructive behavior against FEMA and its employees. In one call, Walton told a FEMA employee, “Y’all better stop [expletive] playing with me, bro. Before there be a mass shooting in a little bit, bro. Real talk. And I’ll smile in court on camera on the news, letting ‘em knowing I killed them [expletive] ‘cause you was playing with me, bro.”
When FEMA reported the calls to local law enforcement, Midlothian Police Department officers performed a welfare check at Walton’s residence, after which his calls began to reference police officers. In a call to FEMA on the day after the welfare check, Walton stated, “Send ‘em again. And I’ll kill the [expletive]. Tell them I kill they [expletive] this time. I’m ready to kill. And I’m going to kill. And I’m gonna make sure I kill. I’m going to kill a good four, five officers before the police even take me out the [expletive], guaranteed.”
Walton pleaded guilty earlier this year to a federal charge of transmitting a threat in interstate commerce. U.S. District Judge Steven C. Seeger imposed the two-year prison sentence during a hearing on Wednesday in federal court in Chicago.
The sentence was announced by Andrew S. Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois. The investigation was led by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security / Federal Protective Service-Region 5. Valuable assistance was provided by the Midlothian Police Department.
“Defendant’s threats were terrifying to the FEMA employees who received them,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam Rosenbloom argued in the government’s sentencing memorandum. “The FEMA employees who received the calls were public servants doing their job. They did not deserve to be exposed to the terrifying threats contained in defendant’s calls.”
Stephanie Van Marter to Serve as Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of WashingtonRead the Press Release
Spokane, Washington – On July 7, 2025, Stephanie Van Marter assumed the role of Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Washington.
Van Marter, who was born and raised in Spokane, is a distinguished graduate of Gonzaga Prep, Gonzaga University, and the Gonzaga School of Law, where she graduated with highest honors in 1999. She has been with the United States Attorney’s Office for more than two decades and has served in numerous leadership positions over that time, most recently as Senior Litigation Counsel, Deputy Criminal Chief, and Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (“OCDETF”) Coordinator. Working alongside federal, state and tribal agency partners, she has taken on hundreds of complex federal cases involving transnational drug trafficking, murder, weapons offenses, crimes against our tribal communities and members, and crimes against children. Van Marter has been nationally recognized for her successful prosecutions and leadership in targeting and bringing to justice the most dangerous transnational drug traffickers harming our community.
Van Marter began her prosecutorial career as a deputy prosecuting attorney for Ada County in Boise, Idaho. During law school, she began serving in the U.S. Attorney’s Office as an intern and volunteered as a victim advocate at Lutheran Family Services in Spokane. While earning undergraduate degrees in criminal justice and psychology from Gonzaga, she worked at the Spokane Police Department, supporting community policing initiatives. Van Marter continues to be an active member of the Spokane community, serving as a board member of the Cancer Care Foundation with her father and sister, and as one of the founding board members for the Spokane Alliance for Fentanyl Education (“SAFE”), which recently received national recognition for its work educating the public on the dangers of illicit fentanyl. Skiers at Mount Spokane may also recognize Van Marter, a certified first responder, who served for 13 years as a member of the National Ski Patrol. She and her husband, who was also raised in the Spokane community, are the proud parents of four grown sons, each of whom has gone on to earn a college or advanced degree. Two of her sons also serve in the United States military. Van Marter intends to remain engaged in community service throughout her time at the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
“Having grown up in this community and chosen it as the place to raise my own family, I am humbled and honored to serve as Acting United States Attorney,” Van Marter said. “I have dedicated my career to this community and to developing and maintaining partnerships with all who serve in law enforcement. I have always been driven by a deep commitment to bring justice to those impacted by crime, to ensure that the voices of victims are heard, and to carry out the important law enforcement and prosecutorial missions of this District. I am proud to be a part of a team of dedicated professionals who work every day to protect our communities, and to work with our federal, state, tribal and community partners and to bring and defend cases that will continue to make our communities stronger and safer.”
Van Marter’s law enforcement colleagues have welcomed her into her new role as the chief law enforcement officer for the Eastern District, which spans all 20 counties east of the Cascade mountains in Washington. “Steph Van Marter has consistently demonstrated a deep commitment to justice and public safety in all of her work, from transnational drug cases to complicated Indian Country matters,” said Tom Atkinson, the Deputy Associate Director of the Division of Drug Enforcement for the Bureau of Indian Affairs. “Her strong support for the BIA and her unwavering collaboration with tribal, federal, and local partners continues to make a real impact in the communities that make up the Eastern District. We fully support her appointment as Acting U.S. Attorney and are confident she will continue to champion tribal sovereignty, safety, and justice for all.”
Van Marter succeeds Richard R. Barker, who concludes his service as Acting U.S. Attorney but leaves the leadership of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in experienced hands. “Through her years of service, Steph Van Marter has built outstanding relationships with law enforcement and community members and has brought unmatched dedication to the mission of this office,” Barker said.
Van Marter looks forward to building on the legacy established by the United States Attorneys who have come before her. “This office has an incredibly rich tradition of outstanding leadership. From Jim Connelly, Jim McDevitt, Mike Ormsby, and Joseph Harrington, from whom I learned so much in the early part of my career, through the late Bill Hyslop, to Vanessa Waldref and Richard Barker, the U.S. Attorneys in this District have laid a strong foundation upon which I am eager to build. I am privileged to have been mentored by these incredible leaders and to have seen firsthand the vast talent of so many Assistant United States Attorneys who have worked and sacrificed for the good of this office and the people in this District. I am grateful for the high standards set by those who have come before me, and I am humbled to be able to follow their examples.”
Van Marter also highlighted her excitement about continuing the great work done by her team at the U.S. Attorney’s Office: “We will build on our already-strong and important relationships with law enforcement and community partners throughout this District. We will keep seeking justice by bringing a one team approach; to combine and expand our resources together so we can bring the most impactful cases that help our community to be safer. We will continue to stand for those impacted by crime. I am so grateful to have this opportunity to continue to strengthen Eastern Washington and secure justice for those who call this beautiful and special place home.”
Southern District of Texas charges 238 this week alone in relation to border enforcement effortsRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – A total of 236 new cases have been filed in immigration and border security-related matters from July 3-10, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
Among those are 106 people who face charges of illegally reentering the country. The majority have prior felony convictions for narcotics, violent crimes, prior immigration crimes and more. A total of 116 people are charged with illegally entering the country, while six cases allege various instances of human smuggling with the remainder involving other immigration related crimes.
Two of those charged include Mexican nationals Charlie Ruben Ortiz-Lopez and Mauricio Rivera-Medina. According to their criminal complaints, both have prior convictions for illegal reentry. Rivera-Medina was last removed just last month, but authorities allegedly found him again illegally in the United States near Mission. They encountered Rivera-Medina near Edinburg after he had been previously removed in November 2023, according to his charges.
Another man facing charges this week is Honduran national Jose Eduardo Escobar-Reyes, who law enforcement allegedly discovered unlawfully in the United States near Roma. According to court documents, he was previously removed March 12 and has a prior conviction for conspiracy to distribute cocaine.
If convicted, all three face up to 20 years in prison.
In addition to the new cases, a Rio Grande City man was ordered to prison for 24 months for unlawfully transporting an illegal alien. At the hearing, the court heard additional evidence that Jason Al Venecia took his girlfriend and her minor daughter with him to smuggle the illegal alien to facilitate passage through the Falfurrias Border Patrol (BP) checkpoint. While on bond awaiting sentencing, Al Venecia was also caught assisting his girlfriend during her own attempt to smuggle illegal aliens. She has since pleaded guilty to separate charges in her case prosecuted in the McAllen Division.
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.
Scottsdale Man Sentenced to Nearly 3 Years in Prison for FraudRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – Brandon Scott Menaged, 22, of Scottsdale, Arizona was sentenced on July 9, by Senior United States District Judge David G. Campbell to 33 months in prison and ordered to pay $751,000 in restitution. Menaged previously pleaded guilty to Wire Fraud.
Between January 2023 and December 2024, Menaged defrauded multiple victims by soliciting their money for investments that did not exist. For example, Menaged misrepresented to victims the nature of the investments and referenced phantom investors to convince the victims to provide him with funding. Meanged then diverted victims’ funds for his personal expenses. When victims asked Menaged to return their funds, he provided them with a series of excuses for why the funds could not be returned or blocked their communications. Through this scheme, Menaged fraudulently received $1,000,000 from victims and used the money to fund his lavish lifestyle by gambling at casinos, traveling internationally, and purchasing luxury vehicles, firearms, and Rolex watches.
The FBI’s Phoenix Division conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney, Kevin M. Rapp, District of Arizona handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-24-01974- PHX-DGC
RELEASE NUMBER: 2025-112_Menaged# # #
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.San Diego Securities Attorney Sentenced to Prison for FraudRead the Press Release
SAN DIEGO – Securities attorney Andrew Coldicutt was sentenced in federal court today to 85 months in prison for securities fraud, false securities registration statements, and wire fraud in connection with two pump-and-dump schemes.
U.S. District Judge Jinsook Ohta also ordered Coldicutt to pay $42,970 in forfeiture and a $100,000 fine.
Coldicutt was convicted by a federal jury in March on all 17 counts following a weeklong trial. According to evidence presented at trial, in the first scheme, Coldicutt worked with others from 2017 through 2019 to prepare and execute a pump-and-dump stock fraud scheme. Coldicutt created a business plan for a fake backyard fruit harvesting company. He prepared and filed securities registration statements with the SEC for an initial public offering of the company’s stock.
The securities registration statements contained false and misleading information about the company, its business plans, and the people who owned and controlled the company. Since Coldicutt was unwittingly working with undercover FBI agents and sources gathering evidence against him, no investors were injured.
In the second scheme, in 2019, one of Coldicutt’s corporate clients needed to raise money fast. Rather than raise money legally, Coldicutt presented the undercover FBI agents with another pump-and-dump stock fraud scheme. Coldicutt wrote a false attorney opinion letter to facilitate the sale of stock for the pump-and-dump scheme. However, a broker-dealer denied the stock transfer and again, no investors were injured.
A “pump and dump” scheme is a type of fraud where manipulators gain control over a company’s stock and boost a company's stock price by spreading false information or trading in a way that creates fake demand. Once the stock price is inflated, they sell off their shares (the “dump”), causing the price to drop and leaving investors with losses.
“Attorneys are expected to uphold the law, not exploit it,” said U.S. Attorney Adam Gordon. “Today’s sentence holds the defendant accountable for abusing that trust and attempting to manipulate the market for personal gain.”
“Today’s sentence demonstrates the FBI’s commitment to hold accountable those who unlawfully pursue personal gain at the expense of the American people,” said Special Agent in Charge Mark Dargis of the FBI’s San Diego Field Office. “Attorneys who exploit the system not only hurt potential victims. They also erode the community’s trust. The FBI will relentlessly investigate such criminals to protect our citizens and ensure justice is served.”
The Securities and Exchange Commission has also taken civil action against Coldicutt.
DEFENDANT Case Number 22cr1881
Andrew Coldicutt Age: 44 San Diego, California
SUMMARY OF CHARGES
Title 15, U.S.C., Sec. 77q, 77x – Securities Fraud
Maximum Penalty: Five years in prison
Title 15, U.S.C., Sec. 77g, 77x – False Securities Registration Statements
Maximum Penalty: Five years in prison
Title 18, U.S.C., Sec. 1343 – Wire Fraud
Maximum Penalty: Twenty years in prison
INVESTIGATING AGENCY
Federal Bureau of Investigation
San Antonio Man Arrested for Alleged Facebook Threat Against President Trump Ahead of Friday’s Visit to Texas Hill CountryRead the Press Release
SAN ANTONIO – A San Antonio man was arrested Thursday night in San Antonio on criminal charges related to his alleged threat against the President of the United States.
According to court documents, Robert Herrera, 52, commented on a San Antonio news outlet’s July 10 Facebook post pertaining to President Donald Trump’s planned visit to the Texas Hill Country. Using the handle, “Robert Herrer,” Herrera allegedly commented, “I won’t miss,” along with a photo depicting President Trump surrounded by U.S. Secret Service agents immediately after the July 13, 2024, assassination attempt in Butler, Pennsylvania. The criminal complaint alleges that a separate Facebook poster replied to “Robert Herrer” stating, “you won’t get the chance, I promise,” to which “Robert Herrer” responded to, “I’ll just come for you.” Accompanying that statement, “Robert Herrer” included a photo of an assault rifle and loaded magazines.
Herrera was arrested the same day and is facing a federal charge of making threats against the President and interstate threatening communications. If convicted, he faces up to five years in prison for each charge. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
“This case is an example of great cooperation between federal, state, and local law enforcement partners committed to taking down anyone who would threaten the life of the President or anyone else,” said U.S. Attorney Justin R. Simmons for the Western District of Texas. “I want to thank Chief McManus and his team at SAPD for their swift response to this threat. To be clear, these types of threats will not be taken lightly, and we will always take a swift, aggressive approach, as was done here.”
“I would like to thank the San Antonio Police Department and the FBI San Antonio Field Office for assisting the U.S. Secret Service in this matter,” said Special Agent in Charge Brian J. Gibson for the U.S. Secret Service San Antonio Field Office. “Investigating threats towards individuals under Secret Service protection are treated as our highest priority. This is one of the countless reasons the Secret Service prides ourselves on forging and maintaining relationships with other law enforcement agencies. As this is an ongoing investigation, the Secret Service will have no further comment on this incident.”
"While the FBI fully supports and defends every American’s right to free speech, it is important to understand that threatening violence against any individual is not constitutionally protected speech, it is a federal crime,” said Special Agent in Charge Aaron Tapp of the FBI’s San Antonio Field Office. “The FBI and our partners take threats of violence seriously and we urge the public to do the same. We would like to thank the United States Secret Service, the San Antonio Police Department, the Texas Department of Public Safety, and the United States Attorney's Office for their tremendous partnership in addressing this threat against the President. We urge all members of the public to express their views peacefully and respectfully in a manner consistent with the values that define our nation.”
“SAPD remains committed to working alongside our federal partners to ensure that threats of violence are taken seriously and addressed quickly,” said Chief William McManus for the San Antonio Police Department. “I want to commend the individual who reported the threatened violence against POTUS. Law enforcement cannot do this job without the assistance of our community.”
The U.S. Secret Service, FBI, and San Antonio Police Department are investigating the case with assistance from the Texas Department of Public Safety.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Roomberg is prosecuting the case.
A criminal complaint is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Sacramento Man Sentenced to 16 Years in Prison for Conspiring to Distribute Fentanyl and MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
Gilbert Ramirez, 27, of Sacramento was sentenced Thursday by Chief U.S. District Court Judge Troy L. Nunley to 16 years and three months in prison for participating in a conspiracy to distribute, and possessing with intent to distribute, fentanyl and methamphetamine; distribution of fentanyl and methamphetamine; and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith announced.
According to court documents, from April through July 2022, Ramirez and his co-defendant, Michael Valentino Lovato, 36, of Sacramento, sold large quantities of methamphetamine and fentanyl in Sacramento County.
On Oct. 24, 2024, Lovato was sentenced 19 years and 10 months in prison.
This case was the product of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Sacramento Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kristin F. Scott 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 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 prosecution is also part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Strike Force Initiative, which provides for the establishment of permanent multi-agency task force teams that work side-by-side in the same location. The Sacramento Strike Force is a co-located model enables agents from different agencies to collaborate on intelligence-driven, multi-jurisdictional operations to disrupt and dismantle the most significant drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations. The specific mission of the Sacramento Strike Force is to identify, investigate, disrupt, and dismantle the most significant drug trafficking organizations (DTOs) and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs) shipping narcotics, firearms, and money through the Eastern District of California, thereby reducing the flow of these criminal resources in California and the rest of the United States. The Sacramento Strike Force leads intelligence-driven investigations targeting the leadership and support elements of these DTOs and TCOs operating within the Eastern District of California, regardless of their geographic base of operations.
Sacramento Man Pleads Guilty to Shooting at Federal AgentsRead the Press Release
Jason Raysean Broadbent, 38, of Sacramento, pleaded guilty Thursday to assaulting federal officers with a deadly weapon, possession of methamphetamine near a school with intent to distribute, being a felon in possession of a firearm, possession of an unregistered destructive device, and possession of an unregistered, short-barreled machine gun, Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith announced.
According to court documents, on Nov. 19, 2015, federal agents went to Broadbent’s girlfriend’s residence in Sacramento to serve a search warrant. After the agents knocked and announced their presence and no one came to the door to answer, they forced entry and began filing into the living room shouting “police” and “search warrant.” Within seconds, Broadbent fired shots through a bedroom wall at the agents in the living room, narrowly missing them. Broadbent then fled out a back door of the residence, climbed up onto a fence in the backyard, and pointed his Glock semi-automatic pistol at another ATF agent on the perimeter, who then shot Broadbent several times. Broadbent was transported to the hospital where he was treated for and recovered from his injuries.
In the bedroom from which Broadbent fired at the agents, law enforcement found almost two pounds of methamphetamine, a revolver, and a small safe that contained a semi-automatic pistol and a pipe bomb. Broadbent possessed the methamphetamine with the intent to distribute it to others, within 1,000 feet of Christian Brothers High School. Broadbent also knowingly possessed the firearms and the pipe bomb. Broadbent was prohibited from possessing firearms because he had multiple prior felony convictions.
Law enforcement also served a search warrant at Broadbent’s Sacramento residence that same day. In Broadbent’s bedroom, law enforcement found approximately 2.5 pounds of methamphetamine, a loaded pistol in the same backpack as the methamphetamine, and two unserialized (ghost gun) AR-15 style short-barreled machine gun rifles. Each rifle had a 9-inch barrel, and a conversion device called a “lightning link” to convert them into fully automatic machine guns.
This case is the product of an investigation by Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives with assistance from the Sacramento Police Department, the Sacramento County District Attorney’s Office, the Woodland Police Department, the Yolo County Sheriff’s Department, the Yolo County District Attorney’s Office, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the California Highway Patrol. Assistant U.S. Attorneys David Spencer, Justin Lee, and Nicole Vanek are prosecuting the case.
Broadbent is scheduled to be sentenced by Judge Daniel J. Calabretta on Oct. 23, 2025. Broadbent faces a maximum statutory penalty of life in prison and a $20 million fine. The plea agreement contemplates a sentence of 50 years in prison. The actual sentence, however, will 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.
This case was a 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.
Randolph County Man Admits to Methamphetamine ChargeRead the Press Release
ELKINS, WEST VIRGINIA – Jacob Paul Wilson, 28, of Harmon, West Virginia, has admitted to distributing more than five grams of methamphetamine.
According to court documents, Wilson was selling methamphetamine from his home in Randolph County, West Virginia.
Wilson faces at least 5 years and up to 40 years in federal prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven Warner is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government.
The Mountain Region Drug Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative, investigated.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael John Aloi presided.
Raleigh County Physician Pleads Guilty to Federal Drug Crimes in Connection with HOPE ClinicRead the Press Release
BECKLEY, W.Va. – Sanjay Mehta, D.O., 57, of Shady Spring, pleaded guilty on Thursday, July 10, 2025, to three counts of aiding and abetting obtaining a controlled substance by fraud. Mehta admitted to unlawful prescription practices at HOPE (Hitech Opioid Pharmachovigilance Expertise) Clinic, a purported pain management clinic that operated in Beckley, Beaver and Charleston, West Virginia, and Wytheville, Virginia.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Mehta worked at the Beckley HOPE Clinic from November 2012 through July 2013 and the Beaver HOPE Clinic from August 2013 through May 2015. Mehta had little to no experience in dealing with chronic pain patients and no training in prescribing Schedule II narcotics for the treatment of chronic pain when he was recruited to work at HOPE Clinic.
As part of his guilty pleas, Mehta admitted to writing prescriptions for three different HOPE Clinic customers with no legitimate medical purpose, including prescriptions for oxycodone, methadone, and Roxicodone, a brand name for oxycodone hydrochloride. Two of the three customers died of opioid intoxication within days of receiving their unlawful prescriptions.
Mehta is scheduled to be sentenced on October 31, 2025 and faces a maximum penalty of four years in prison, up to three years of supervised release, and a $750,000 fine. Mehta also agreed to surrender his Drug Enforcement Administration Certificate of Registration, not oppose the revocation of his registration to dispense controlled substances, and not apply for re-registration.
Mehta was initially indicted in 2018 along with others associated with HOPE Clinic and Patients, Physicians and Pharmacists Fighting Diversion (PPPFD), which managed HOPE Clinic’s daily operations. The indictment alleges that from November 2010 to June 2015, the defendants conspired to distribute oxycodone and other Schedule II controlled substances, not for legitimate medical purposes and outside the usual course of professional practice.
Mehta and six other physicians pleaded guilty to separate charges in lieu of the indictment. PPPFD owner-operator Mark T. Radcliffe, 68, of Shady Spring, and co-defendant Michael T. Moran, M.D., 60, of Covington, Virginia, are scheduled for trial on October 6, 2025. An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
“It is readily evident that the Southern District of West Virginia has been severely impacted by the opioid crisis. The United States Attorney’s Office is committed to bringing to justice those whose criminal conduct contributes to this crisis and worsens its most tragic consequences,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Lisa G. Johnston. “This commitment stems from the recognition that such actions harm patients and undermine efforts to combat the epidemic.”
Johnston made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services-Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG), the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigations (IRS-CI), the Food and Drug Administration-Office of Criminal Investigations (FDA-OCI), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the West Virginia State Police, the Metropolitan Drug Enforcement Network Team (MDENT), the Beckley Police Department, the Kentucky State Police, the Harrison County, Kentucky, Sheriff’s Department, and the Appalachia High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Task Force (AHIDTA).
“Medical professionals who cause the distribution of controlled substances not for legitimate medical purposes and not within the usual course of professional medical practice can cause significant harm to the those who purchase them,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Ronald Dawkins, FDA Office of Criminal Investigations Metro Washington Field Office. “This case demonstrates that we will hold accountable individuals who would compromise patient safety for personal gain by causing the unlawful distribution of Schedule II prescription medications.”
United States Magistrate Judge Omar J. Aboulhosn presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorneys Jennifer Rada Herrald and Brian D. Parsons are prosecuting the case.
This prosecution was 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.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:25-cr-104.
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Previously Convicted Felon from Donora Pleads Guilty to Drug Trafficking and Firearm ChargesRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, Pa. – A resident of Donora, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty in federal court on July 9, 2025, to fentanyl and cocaine trafficking and the unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.
Tre Robert Goins, 31, pleaded guilty before Senior United States District Judge Joy Flowers Conti to possession with the intent to distribute quantities of fentanyl and cocaine and possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon. Goins will proceed to trial in August 2025 on an additional federal charge of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
In connection with the guilty plea, the Court was advised that, on May 24, 2024, Goins fled from a traffic stop initiated by the City of Duquesne Police Department. Goins led law enforcement on a high-speed chase and crashed his vehicle, at which time, police recovered fentanyl, cocaine, and a loaded firearm, which had been reported stolen, from Goins’ car. Goins has multiple prior felony convictions for firearms. Federal law prohibits possession of a firearm or ammunition by a convicted felon.
Judge Conti scheduled sentencing for October 22, 2025. The law provides for a maximum 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.
Assistant United States Attorneys Kelly M. Locher and Katherine C. Jordan are prosecuting this case on behalf of the United States.
Pending sentencing, Goins will remain in the custody of the United States Marshals Service.The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, City of Clairton and Duquesne police departments, and Elizabeth Township Police Department conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Goins.
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.
Parmelee Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Assaulting a Federal OfficerRead the Press Release
PIERRE - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Eric C. Schulte has sentenced a Parmelee, South Dakota, man convicted of Assaulting, Resisting and Impeding a Federal Officer. The sentencing took place on July 8, 2025.
Lonnie Running Bear, Jr., age 32, was sentenced to ten months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Running Bear was indicted by a federal grand jury in January 2025. He pleaded guilty on April 7, 2025.
On the afternoon of November 21, 2024, Running Bear was arrested by Rosebud Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services following a disturbance at the community center in Parmelee. As Running Bear was being placed in a patrol vehicle, he kicked the arresting officer multiple times in the chest.
This case was investigated by the Rosebud Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kirk Albertson prosecuted the case.
Running Bear was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Ovidio Guzman Lopez—Son of “El Chapo” and a Head of Sinaloa Cartel—Pleads Guilty to Federal Drug Charges in ChicagoRead the Press Release
CHICAGO – OVIDIO GUZMAN LOPEZ, who succeeded his father—Joaquin Guzman Loera, also known as “El Chapo”—as one of the heads of the Sinaloa Cartel in Mexico, pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in Chicago to federal drug charges.
Guzman Lopez, 35, pleaded guilty to two counts of drug conspiracy and two counts of knowingly engaging in a continuing criminal enterprise. The guilty plea was entered as part of a multi-district plea agreement with the government that resolves charges against Guzman Lopez brought by grand juries in the Northern District of Illinois and the Southern District of New York.
U.S. District Judge Sharon Johnson Coleman did not set a sentencing date. Guzman Lopez has been detained without bond following his extradition from Mexico to the United States in 2023.
The guilty plea is the result of a collaboration between the Justice Department's Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section and prosecutors from the Northern District of Illinois, Southern District of New York, and Southern District of California, as well as law enforcement partners from the FBI, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Drug Enforcement Administration.
The guilty plea was announced by Andrew S. Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, Matthew R. Galeotti, Head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, Jay Clayton, United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Adam Gordon, United States Attorney for the Southern District of California, Jose A. Perez, Assistant Director of the FBI Criminal Investigative Division, Steven Jensen, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Washington Field Office, Ray Rede, Acting Special Agent in Charge for Homeland Security Investigations in Arizona, and Robert Murphy, Acting Administrator of the DEA. Substantial assistance in the investigation was provided by IRS Criminal Investigation, the Justice Department’s Offices of International Affairs and Enforcement Operations, and the U.S. Marshals Service. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Andrew Erskine, Erika Csicsila, and Michelle Parthum of the Northern District of Illinois; Assistant U.S. Attorneys Nicholas S. Bradley, Jane Y. Chong, Sarah L. Kushner, and David J. Robles of the Southern District of New York; Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Sutton of the Southern District of California; and Trial Attorney Kirk Handrich of NDDS.
The guilty plea was announced as part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to achieve various law enforcement goals, including the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), as well as 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).
“Today’s historic guilty plea sends yet another crystal-clear message that this Administration is going to shut down and hold accountable transnational criminal organizations and their highest-ranking members and associates,” said U.S. Attorney Boutros. “Under my leadership, the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Chicago will continue to prioritize the investigation and prosecution of drug cartels, several of which, including the Sinaloa Cartel, have been designated as foreign terrorist organizations. Our enforcement work will also extend to drug trafficking organizations, narcotics traffickers, and other dangerous criminal enterprises that seek to poison the American public with illegal and harmful drugs. Our successes stem from our close partnership with federal prosecutors across the country as well as our tight collaboration with our many law enforcement partners.”
As heirs to the Sinaloa Cartel, Guzman Lopez stated in his plea agreement that he and his three brothers, collectively known as “the Chapitos,” assumed their father’s leadership role following El Chapo’s arrest in 2016 and subsequent conviction in the Eastern District of New York. Guzman Lopez admitted in the plea agreement that he coordinated the transportation of cocaine, heroin, fentanyl, and other drugs and precursor chemicals from Mexico to the United States border, at times in shipments of hundreds or thousands of kilograms. Guzman Lopez used a network of couriers affiliated with the cartel to smuggle the drugs into the United States using vehicles, rail cars, tunnels, aircraft, and other means, the plea agreement states.
After the drugs were distributed throughout the United States, individuals working for Guzman Lopez used bulk cash transport, wire transfers, trade of goods, and cryptocurrency to launder the illicit proceeds and ensure that the money was transmitted to Guzman Lopez and other members of the cartel in Mexico, the plea agreement states. Guzman Lopez admitted that he and his cartel associates perpetrated violence against law enforcement officials, civilians, and rival drug traffickers in order to protect the cartel’s drug trafficking activities.
As part of his plea agreement, Guzman Lopez agreed to the entry of an $80 million forfeiture money judgment.
“Today’s guilty plea is another major step toward holding the Sinaloa Cartel and its leaders accountable for their role in fueling the fentanyl epidemic that has plagued so many Americans,” said U.S. Attorney Clayton. “We remain committed to dismantling the Cartel’s entire fentanyl infrastructure and ensuring that the Chapitos and their violent organization can no longer flood our communities with this poison.”
“With each passing day, you are seeing the sunset of the Sinaloa cartel,” said U.S. Attorney Gordon. “The Chapitos’ latest violence reflects their fading future. Their leaders who remain free are now paranoid, distrusted and desperate.”
“The guilty plea by Ovidio Guzman Lopez, son of ‘El Chapo,’ is a real victory for both the United States and Mexico but also a clear win for the rule of law,” said HSI Acting SAC Rede. “So much blood and violence lay with the Guzman family as well as spreading terror and plaguing both sides of the border with deadly drugs and weapons–no more. It’s impossible to measure the amount of work HSI and partner agencies have spent in securing this guilty verdict, but what is clear and evident is that no one is beyond the reach of law enforcement and our nation’s laws. Deliberate and coordinated teamwork resulted in today’s victory.”
Guzman Lopez’s three brothers—IVAN ARCHIVALDO GUZMAN SALAZAR, JESUS ALFREDO GUZMAN SALAZAR, and JOAQUIN GUZMAN LOPEZ—were also charged with drug trafficking in U.S. indictments. Joaquin Guzman Lopez was arrested last year and remains detained in U.S. custody without bond. He pleaded not guilty to charges filed in the Northern District of Illinois and is awaiting trial. Ivan Archivaldo Guzman Salazar and Jesus Alfredo Guzman Salazar are charged in both the Northern District of Illinois and Southern District of New York. They are not in custody and warrants have been issued for their arrests. The U.S. State Department has issued rewards of up to $10 million for information leading to their arrests and convictions. [See the reward information here and here.]
The public is reminded that the charges against Ivan Archivaldo Guzman Salazar, Jesus Alfredo Guzman Salazar, and Joaquin Guzman Lopez are merely allegations. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
ovidio_guzman_lopez_plea_agreement.pdfOhio Man Sentenced to 14 Years in Prison for Distributing Fentanyl-laced Drugs That Resulted in Three FatalitiesRead the Press Release
CLEVELAND – Jarad Paster, 32, of Berea, Ohio, has been sentenced to 175 months (14.5 years) in prison by U.S. District Court Judge Patricia A. Gaughan after he pleaded guilty to dealing drugs that caused the fatalities of three people in one day. He was also ordered to serve three years of supervised release after imprisonment. Judge Gaughan imposed the sentence July 8.
Paster was charged in a superseding indictment in June 2024 with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances, and distribution of controlled substances that resulted in death. The charges also included enhanced penalties for causing death resulting from the use of controlled substances. He pleaded guilty in December 2024.
According to court documents, from April 1-15, 2023, the defendant along with co-conspirator, Matthew Jarrell, 44, of Lakewood, Ohio, knowingly conspired to sell illegal drugs, in particular cocaine and fentanyl which are Schedule II controlled substances, and para-fluorofentanyl, a Schedule I controlled substance.
On April 15, 2023, three individuals ingested and overdosed on a controlled substance, namely cocaine and fentanyl. Investigators found that these deaths occurred as a result of drugs the victims received from Paster and Jarrell.
On Jan. 30, 2025, Jarrell was sentenced to 10 years in prison after pleading guilty in July 2024 to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances, and distribution of controlled substances that resulted in death.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) Cleveland District Office, the FBI Cleveland Task Force in partnership with the Cleveland Division of Police, and the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Elizabeth Crook.
According to the DEA, fentanyl is extremely lethal even in small amounts. To learn more about the DEA’s “One Pill Can Kill” awareness campaign, visit dea.gov/onepill.
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New Orleans Man Guilty of CarjackingRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA –MILTON CARTER (“CARTER”), age 34, pleaded guilty on July 8, 2025 before U.S. District Judge Greg G. Guidry to carjacking, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 2119(1).
According to court documents, on April 21, 2023, New Orleans Police Department (NOPD) officers responded to a 911 call that CARTER was in the parking lot of a business on Bienville Street threatening to shoot his romantic partner. When officers arrived, CARTER was wearing a backpack with a Ruger Model EC9S nine-millimeter handgun inside. The Ruger handgun was stolen during a carjacking at a retail establishment on St. Bernard Ave. approximately 36 hours earlier. The victim of the carjacking identified CARTER in a photo line-up as the perpetrator of the carjacking. As the victim was getting out of her car to walk into the store, CARTER approached with a sawed-off shotgun pointed at the head of the victim and commanded the victim to get out of the vehicle. CARTER then drove off in the victim’s car. When the car was recovered, the Ruger handgun CARTER possessed when he was arrested was missing from the glove compartment.
CARTER faces up to 15 years in prison, up to a $250,000 fine, up to three years of supervised release, and a mandatory special assessment fee of $100.
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 Federal Bureau of Investigation and the New Orleans Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney David Berman of the Violent Crime Unit is in charge of the prosecution.
Mexican national, illegally living in Beaumont, guilty of immigration violations in the Eastern District of TexasRead the Press Release
BEAUMONT, Texas –A Mexican national has pleaded guilty to an immigration violation in the Eastern District of Texas, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs.
Jesus Adame-Nunez, 43, a Mexican national illegally residing in Beaumont, pleaded guilty to illegal reentry by a previously deported person before U.S. Magistrate Judge Zack Hawthorn on July 10, 2025.
According to information presented in court, Adame-Nunez was arrested in Beaumont on February 11, 2025, after an investigation revealed that he had been previously deported from the United States to Mexico in 2006.
Adame-Nunez faces up to 2 years in federal prison and deportation at sentencing. The maximum statutory sentence prescribed by Congress is provided here for information purposes, as the sentencing will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the U.S. Probation Office.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
This case was investigated by Department of Homeland Security-Immigration and Customs Enforcement and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Chris Jackson.
Mexican national guilty of immigration violations in the Eastern District of TexasRead the Press Release
BEAUMONT, Texas –A Mexican national has pleaded guilty to an immigration violation in the Eastern District of Texas, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs.
Alejandro Uribe-Chavez, 43, a Mexican national illegally residing in Beaumont, pleaded guilty to illegal reentry by a previously deported person before U.S. Magistrate Judge Zack Hawthorn on July 10, 2025.
According to information presented in court, Uribe-Chavez was arrested in Beaumont on unrelated state charges on May 3, 2024. Further investigation revealed that he had been previously convicted of illegally entering the United States in the Southern District of Texas and deported to Mexico in 2019.
Uribe-Chavez faces up to 2 years in federal prison and deportation at sentencing. The maximum statutory sentence prescribed by Congress is provided here for information purposes, as the sentencing will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the U.S. Probation Office. Uribe-Chavez still faces unrelated state charges in Jefferson County.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Chris Jackson.
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Mexican National and Violent Repeat Offender SentencedRead the Press Release
TULSA, Okla. – The U.S. District Judge Gregory K. Frizzell sentenced Jose Luis Moreno-Yanez, 39, for Unlawful Reentry of a Removed Alien. Judge Frizzell ordered Moreno-Yanez to serve 78 months' imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release. Judge Frizzell ordered that 39-months of his federal sentence be served consecutively to his current State sentences for unrelated crimes. Upon his release, Moreno-Yanez is expected to face removal proceedings.
“While Moreno-Yanez is unlawfully in the United States, his criminal history shows that he commits acts of violence,” said U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. “He has no regard for the laws in the United States and continues to show that he is a threat to lawful citizens. I commend the work of State and Federal prosecutors and law enforcement for working hard to keep our communities safe.”
In May and June 2023, illegally re-entered the United States and was charged in two separate State cases for robbery with a firearm. He pleaded guilty in both cases and was additionally convicted of possessing a controlled drug, assault and battery, among several other charges. He was sentenced to serve 18 years and 20 years, concurrently, in the Oklahoma Department of Corrections. Additionally, because Moreno-Yanez illegally re-entered the United States while subject to a term of federal supervision, he pleaded guilty in Federal Court for violating the terms of his supervised release. A Federal Judge ordered Moreno-Yanez to serve 24 months' imprisonment.
The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Removal Operations investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney David D. Whipple prosecuted the case.
Mexican National Sentenced to 20 Years in Federal Prison for Smuggling over 85 Pounds of Meth into the U.S.Read the Press Release
DEL RIO, Texas – A Mexican national was sentenced in a federal court in Del Rio to 240 months in prison for four counts related to his role in a conspiracy to possess and import more than 85 pounds of methamphetamine from Mexico into the United States through Eagle Pass in 2022.
According to court documents, Miguel Antonio Esquivel Rodriguez, 33, attempted to enter the U.S. on Oct. 19, 2022, through the Eagle Pass Port of Entry. Customs and Border Protection officers referred Esquivel Rodriguez to secondary inspection, where anomalies were detected in the floorboard of his vehicle, along with a suspicious amount of air fresheners throughout the vehicle. Further investigation revealed trap doors in the floorboard and a non-factory hidden compartment that contained 83 baggies of a crystal-like substance. A lab report revealed the substance to be 39.382 kgs methamphetamine with a purity of 97%. Esquivel Rodriguez was arrested and taken to processing for further interviewing.
On Nov. 16, 2022, Esquivel Rodriguez was indicted on one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine, one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, one count of conspiracy to import methamphetamine, and one count of importation of methamphetamine. He was found guilty on all four counts in a December 2023 jury trial.
U.S. Attorney Justin R. Simmons for the Western District of Texas made the announcement.
Homeland Security Investigations investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Warsame Galaydh and Tyler Fleming 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 other 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 Project Safe Neighborhoods.
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Mexican National Arrested for Selling 100% Pure MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – Antonio Cruz, 36, of Mexico, was arrested on July 8, and charged by criminal complaint for Distribution of a Controlled Substance, after selling over 1000 grams of methamphetamine to an undercover agent.
According to the complaint, in April, Cruz met with an undercover Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosive (ATF) agent and another individual at a business parking lot in Phoenix, Arizona, to sell them methamphetamine. Cruz provided the agent with approximately 3 pounds of 100% pure methamphetamine in exchange for $2700.
A records check showed that Cruz is a Mexican national and previously convicted felon, illegally present in the United States.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
ATF is conducting the investigation in this case. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven Usry, District of Arizona, Phoenix, is handling the prosecution.
A criminal complaint is a formal accusation of criminal conduct. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
CASE NUMBER: 25-MJ-3289
RELEASE NUMBER: 2025-113_Cruz# # #
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.
Mexican National Arrested for Harboring Illegal Aliens and Employing Them at Taco RestaurantsRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – Blademir Angulo Audeves, 42, of Mexico, was arrested on July 8, and charged by criminal complaint for Harboring of an Illegal Alien, Knowingly Employing Unauthorized Aliens, Improper Entry by an Alien, and Alien in Possession of a Firearm. Angulo will have his initial appearance in federal court today.
According to the complaint filed in this case, in March 2025, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) began investigating allegations that Angulo was employing illegal aliens without work authorization at his taco restaurants in the Phoenix area. Through the investigation, HSI identified at least 12 illegal aliens working for Angulo, some of whom were living at Angulo’s home in Laveen, Arizona or at a second residence on 16th Avenue.
On July 8, HSI executed federal search warrants on Angulo’s residence and restaurant locations, as well as the 16th Avenue residence. Inside the two residences, agents encountered several Mexican citizens without legal permission to be in the United States. Agents also arrested Angulo without incident.
At Angulo’s residence, agents found three firearms and hundreds of rounds of ammunition in the master bedroom closet. According to immigration records, Angulo, a Mexican national, was encountered by authorities in 2011 while illegally present in the United States, and eventually left the country via Nogales, Arizona pursuant to a voluntary departure in May 2021. When he was arrested on July 8, Angulo did not have legal permission to be in the United States and was therefore prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition.
At Angulo’s taco restaurant locations, HSI agents also found Mexican citizens without legal permission to be present or employed in the United States legally.
Two of the illegal aliens that HSI encountered while executing the warrants as part of this operation, Christian Sagaste-Garcia and Jose Luis Ambriz-Cortes, were also arrested and separately charged with Re-entry of a Removed Alien. Sagaste-Garcia and Ambriz-Cortez were previously removed from the United States in October 2024 and February 2013, respectively.
These cases are part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (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).
Homeland Security Investigations is conducting the investigation in this case. The United States Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, Phoenix, is handling the prosecution.
A criminal complaint is a formal accusation of criminal conduct. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
CASE NUMBER: 25-MJ-3297; 25-MJ-3296; 25-MJ-3298
RELEASE NUMBER: 2025-114_Angulo# # #
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.Madison County Man Charged with Sexual Exploitation of ChildrenRead the Press Release
HUNTSVILLE, Ala. – A Madison County man has been indicted on child sexual exploitation charges, announced U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona.
A four-count indictment filed in U.S. District Court charges Randy Steven Smith, 48, of Huntsville, Alabama, with one count of sexual exploitation of children, one count of receipt of child pornography, one count of possession of child pornography and one count of transfer of obscene matter to a minor. These incidents occurred between 2023 and 2024 in Madison County.
The FBI Violent Crimes Task Force investigated the case with the assistance of the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency (ALEA), U.S. Marshal Service, Homeland Security Investigations, Madison County Sheriff’s Office, Etowah County Sheriff’s Office, and Huntsville Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney R. Leann White is prosecuting the case.
The case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched by the Department of Justice in May 2006 to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
An indictment contains only charges. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Louisiana Man Arrested in Texas for Allegedly Fleeing Border Patrol with 10 Pounds of MarijuanaRead the Press Release
EL PASO, Texas – A Louisiana man was arrested this week in Sierra Blanca on criminal charges allegedly fleeing from an immigration checkpoint.
According to court documents, Benjamin Thomas Mackey was referred to secondary inspection at the Sierra Blanca Border Patrol checkpoint due to a K-9 alert. The criminal complaint alleges that Mackey initially turned his vehicle off at the direction of Border Patrol agents, however quickly turned it back on and drove away at a high rate of speed. One agent allegedly had to move out of the way to avoid being hit by the vehicle.
Two agents responded in pursuit on I-10 East, exceeding speeds over 120 mph. Additional agents attempted to pull Mackey over in the town of Sierra Blanca as he allegedly drove in an erratic and dangerous manner, eventually crashing into a concrete barrier near a gas station. The criminal complaint further alleges that Mackey continued to flee on foot and agents were able to place him under arrest. During the chase, the complaint alleges, one Border Patrol agent obtained an injury to his legs and needed to be taken to the hospital. Inside Mackey’s vehicle, agents allegedly found 10 pounds of marijuana.
Mackey is charged with one count of high-speed flight from an immigration checkpoint. If convicted, he faces up to five 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 Justin R. Simmons for the Western District of Texas made the announcement.
The U.S. Border Patrol is investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Stanley Serwatka is prosecuting the case.
A criminal complaint is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Las Cruces Felon Sentenced for Firearm-Related Drug Trafficking DeathRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – A Las Cruces man was sentenced to 19 and a half years in prison for fatally shooting another man during a fentanyl drug deal, following his guilty plea to multiple federal drug trafficking and firearms charges.
There is no parole in the federal system.
According to court records, on January 24, 2022, Rudy Garcia, 38, a convicted felon prohibited from possessing firearms, arranged a deal for the victim and an acquaintance to purchase 100 fentanyl-laced pills for $500 from Garcia’s ex-wife. Prior to getting the pills, Garcia and the victim had a conversation at a motel where Garcia let the victim know he had a shotgun and displayed the shotgun so that it was visible to him. Garcia expressed concern that the victim had developed a reputation for conducting "drug rips" and did not want any trouble during the deal.
After obtaining the pills, Garcia and the victim walked together to a vehicle. As they were getting in, Garcia claimed he saw the victim reach for a pistol. Feeling threatened, Garcia exited the vehicle, pulled out his shotgun, and shot the victim. The victim died from the gunshot wound.
Garcia was arrested and charged with conspiracy, distribution of fentanyl, using and discharging a firearm during a drug trafficking crime resulting in death, and being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition.
Following his arrest, Garcia admitted to his involvement in the drug deal and the shooting during an interview with detectives. Surveillance footage and witness accounts corroborated the events leading to the victim’s death.
Garcia pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute fentanyl, distribution of fentanyl, using, carrying, and brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime, using a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime, discharging said firearm, and causing death through use of said firearm, and being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition
Upon his release from prison, Garcia 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 Las Cruces Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Las Cruces Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Randy M. Castellano prosecuted the case.
Killer of 16-Year-Old Sentenced to 25 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Bernard Eddy, 24, of the District of Columbia, was sentenced today by the Honorable Michael Ryan to 25 years in prison for the 2019 fatal shooting of 16-year-old Steffen Brathwaite, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
A Superior Court jury found Eddy guilty on April 22, 2025, of second-degree murder while armed and related weapons offenses. The government had requested a sentence of 31 years.
According to the government’s evidence, shortly after midnight on Sept.10, 2019, Eddy approached Steffen on the 3000 block of 24th Place, SE, as Steffen was walking alone through the neighborhood. Eddy, who was armed with a 9 mm handgun, fired multiple gunshots at Steffen. Steffen fell to the ground and Eddy fled on foot.
The evidence against Eddy included a 15-second video found on Eddy’s cell phone, which was recovered eight days after the slaying. In the recording, which was made about three hours after the shooting, Eddy is shown celebrating Steffen’s murder.
Eddy was arrested on Jan. 6, 2023, and has been held without bail since then.
This case was investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael Liebman and Mark Levy.
Kenel Man Convicted by Federal Jury for Sexual Abuse of a MinorRead the Press Release
ABERDEEN - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced that Jesse Norman White Bull, age 45, of Kenel, South Dakota, was found guilty on July 10, 2025, of two counts of Sexual Abuse of a Minor following a three-day federal jury trial in Aberdeen, South Dakota.
Each charge carries a maximum sentence of 15 years in federal prison and/or a $250,000 fine, a mandatory minimum of five years up to life of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Restitution may also be ordered.
White Bull was indicted by a federal grand jury in September 2024.
At trial, the evidence established White Bull sexually abused a 13-year-old girl on multiple occasions between June 2023 and July 2023 at a residence in Kenel, a community within the Standing Rock Sioux Indian Reservation.
This matter was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office because the Major Crimes Act, a federal statute, mandates that certain violent crimes alleged to have occurred in Indian Country be prosecuted in Federal Court as opposed to State Court.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
This case was investigated by the FBI and the Bureau of Indian Affairs – Office of Justice Services. Assistant U.S. Attorney Carl Thunem prosecuted the case.
A presentence investigation report was ordered and a sentencing date of September 29, 2025, was set. White Bull was released on bond pending sentencing.
Justice Department Files Statement of Interest on Suppression of Competition in the Marketplace of Ideas Through Deplatforming of Rival ViewpointsRead the Press Release
Today, the Justice Department filed a statement of interest in the United States District Court for the District of Columbia in the case of Children’s Health Defense et al. v. Washington Post et al. The lawsuit — led by plaintiffs allegedly deplatformed for sharing independent news and opinion related to the COVID-19 pandemic — alleges that the Washington Post, BBC, AP, and Reuters colluded with one another and with the large digital platforms to suppress competition from independent perspectives that rival mainstream media. The statement of interest explains how the antitrust laws protect viewpoint competition in news markets.
“When companies abuse their market power to block out and deplatform independent voices and protect legacy media, they harm competition and threaten the free flow of information on which consumers depend,” said Assistant Attorney General Abigail Slater of the Justice Department’s Antitrust Division. “This Antitrust Division will always defend the principle that the antitrust laws protect free markets, including the marketplace of ideas.”
The Antitrust Division routinely files statements of interest and amicus briefs in federal court where doing so will help protect competition and consumers, including by encouraging the sound development of the antitrust laws. A collection of these statements of antitrust and amicus filings is publicly available on the Division’s website.
Illegal alien charged in relation to unlawful employment and harboring of other illegal aliens at local taco restaurantRead the Press Release
McALLEN, Texas – A 39-year-old Mexican national illegally residing in Mission has been arrested on charges related to illegally hiring, employing and harboring more than a dozen people with no authority to be in the country, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
Authorities took Juan Ramirez Cortez into custody during an enforcement action July 10. He has made his initial appearance and is scheduled for a preliminary and detention hearing before U.S. Magistrate Judge Juan F. Alanis at 3 p.m. July 15. He remains in custody pending that hearing.
The charges allege Cortez was the manager at Ole Taco in Mission. In that role, Cortez is allegedly responsible for hiring and firing of employees, filling out employment paperwork and checking the immigration documents of employees. The criminal complaint alleges he hired at least 10 illegal aliens.
As part of the enforcement action, authorities also arrested 17 other individuals, all determined to be illegal aliens with no authority to be in the United States.
If convicted, he faces up to five years in federal prison.
FBI conducted the investigation with the assistance of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) - Homeland Security Investigations, ICE - Enforcement and Removal Operations, Drug Enforcement Administration and Texas Department of Public Safety.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin Storey Lyles is prosecuting the case.
A criminal complaint is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence. A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.
Honduran man charged with illegal re-entryRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, N.Y. –U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Petronilo Castillo Bonilla, 39, a citizen and national of Honduras, was arrested and charged by criminal complaint with re-entry of a removed alien, which carries a maximum penalty of two years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael J. Smith and Assistant U.S. Attorney Fauzia K. Mattingly, who are handling the case, stated that according to the complaint, on June 24, 2025, Border Patrol agents encountered a vehicle in Buffalo, NY, which was registered to Castillo Bonilla, who was previously ordered removed from the United States. As agents approached two individuals, who were previously seen exiting the vehicle and were now returning to the vehicle, and asked if one was Castillo Bonilla, both individuals immediately ran in opposite directions. After a brief chase and struggle, agents were able to detain both individuals. When questioned about his citizenship and legal status in the United States, Castillo Bonilla did not provide any information for the agents. During a brief search of his clothing, a Honduran passport was discovered. Subsequent investigation determined that Castillo Bonilla is a citizen and national of Honduras, and not a citizen or national of the United States. He was physically removed from the United States in December 2018.
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.
Castillo Bonilla made an initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael J. Roemer and was detained.
The complaint is the result of an investigation by U.S. Border Patrol, under the direction of Patrol Agent in Charge Martin B. Coombs.
The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
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Home Health Care Provider to Pay $334,807 to Settle False Claims Act AllegationsRead the Press Release
DETROIT - United States Attorney Jerome F. Gorgon Jr. announced today that M&Y Care, LLC (M&Y Care) agreed to pay a total of $334,807.20 to the United States and the State of Michigan to resolve allegations that it violated the False Claims Act.
M&Y Care provides a variety of home health care services to Michigan patients, including personal care. Its principal place of business is in West Bloomfield, Michigan. The settlement announced today resolves allegations that M&Y Care caused the Medicare and Medicaid Programs to be billed for services provided by staff who lacked the requisite qualifications during the period of January 1, 2015, through December 31, 2023. Specifically, the United States contends that M&Y Care improperly billed the Medicare and Medicaid Programs using Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) code G0156 for services provided by individuals who were insufficiently trained. When properly used, this CPT code pertains to the services of a home health aide under a home health plan of care. The United States alleges that Defendant should have billed for non-skilled care, instead of billing and being paid for services under CPT code G0156. The non-skilled care rate was about 74% lower than the reimbursement rates for CPT code G0156.
The civil settlement includes the resolution of claims brought under the qui tam or whistleblower provisions of the False Claims Act, in the case captioned United States and the State of Michigan ex rel. DeCarlo v. M&Y Care, LLC, et al., Case No. 19-11032 (E.D. Mich.). Under the False Claims Act, a private party can file an action on behalf of the United States and receive a portion of any recovery.
The resolution obtained in this matter was the result of a coordinated effort among the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Michigan, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services - Office of the Inspector General, and the Michigan Attorney General’s Health Care Fraud Division. The matter was handled by Assistant United States Attorney John Postulka from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Michigan.
The investigation and resolution of this matter illustrate the government’s emphasis on combating health care 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 U.S. Department of Health and Human Services at 800-HHS-TIPS (800-447-8477).
The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only; there has been no determination of liability.
Guilty Plea in Attempt to Possess Mass Quantity of ‘Boot,’ an Illegal Psychostimulant Imported from ChinaRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – One day before he was scheduled to go to trial, Marvin Benjamin Martin, 32, of the District of Columbia, pleaded guilty today in federal court atttempted possession with intent to distribute dipentylone, an illegal psychostimulant known as “boot,” which was imported from China, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
Martin pleaded guilty before Judge Beryl A. Howell to attempted possession with intent to distribute N,N Dimethylpentylone hydrochloride. Judge Howell scheduled sentencing for October 17, 2025. Martin is eligible for up to 20 years in prison.
According to court documents, in early 2024, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Washington D.C. High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area group (HIDTA) was conducting an ongoing investigation into illegal shipments of synthetic drugs and precursor chemicals originating in China. In February 2024, officers with U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) seized a package at the International Mail Facility at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX).The package, addressed to “Martin Hall” on 58th Street SE. had been mailed from China, and contained 10 kilos of boot.
HSI agents swapped out the boot in the package for sham materials and added a GPS tracking device.
On March 7, 2024, HIDTA, comprised of HSI, the Metropolitan Police Department, and officers from various other agencies, delivered the package to the front steps of the residence on 58th Street around 11:27 a.m. The officers watched as Martin retrieved the package, took it back to his vehicle, and drove off.
About an hour later, Martin discarded the empty package while keeping what he believed to be real drugs. At 12:37 p.m., investigators found Martin driving in a nearby residential neighborhood and attempted to detain him. Martin sped off and crashed into a minivan and fence before evading officers.
Agents subsequently found Martin at a home in Lanham, Maryland, and attempted to block him in with their vehicles. Martin accelerated his car towards the agents, striking the front side of an agent’s vehicle at high speed. About two hours later, agents again found Martin at the Lanham residence, this time in his undamaged car, a Mercedes sedan. Officers positioned their vehicles to block the street and Martin again drove his car towards the agents at a high speed. He swerved onto a sidewalk and hit a tree while accelerating past agents’ vehicles, once again evading capture.
On April 10, 2024, Martin was arrested in Annapolis, Maryland. From his multiple phones, agents recovered evidence showing that he had been selling boot and other narcotics, for years leading up to his arrest. The investigation also showed that Martin paid about $40,000 to $50,000 for the box of 10 kilograms of boot and would sell it for anywhere between $125 to $200 an ounce. From his phones, agents also found a DOJ press release links of other boot trafficking convictions that Martin shared with other individuals, showing knowledge of his criminal conduct
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Washington D.C. High Intensity Drug Traffic Area group (HIDTA), the Metropolitan Police Department, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Drug Enforcement Administration Washington Division, the Prince George’s County Police Department, and the Annapolis Police Department.
The matter is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Iris McCranie and Anthony Scarpelli of the Violent Crime and Narcotics Trafficking section (VCNT) of the U.S. Attorneys Office for the District of Columbia.
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Four Defendants Sentenced in Federal Court for Roles in Automobile Dealership Fraud ConspiracyRead the Press Release
Jackson, MS – Four defendants were sentenced in federal court last week for their roles in connection with a scheme to use the stolen identities of others to purchase expensive vehicles in the Jackson metropolitan area.
According to court documents and statements made in court, in June 2023, Paul Anthony Robinson, Sarah Elizabeth Calderon, Joshanique Elouise Bailey, David L. Jones, Jr., and Anna Waldei conspired with each other to obtain the identity information of credit-worthy individuals, create false identity documents in the names of those individuals, and then pose as those individuals at automotive dealerships in order to apply for vehicle financing. The defendants submitted credit applications and purchased or attempted to purchase vehicles from dealerships in the Jackson metro area. The defendants traveled from Louisiana to Mississippi in a vehicle rented by Waldei.
Robinson pleaded guilty to two counts of conspiracy to commit wire fraud on October 18, 2024. He received a sentence of 46 months in federal prison.
Calderon pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and one count of aggravated identity theft on November 26, 2024. She received a sentence of 39 months in federal prison.
Bailey pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud on April 9, 2025. She received a sentence of two years’ probation.
Jones pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and one count of aggravated identity theft on February 13, 2025. He received a sentence of 32 months in federal prison.
The remaining co-defendant, Anna Waldei, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud on March 27, 2025. Waldei is scheduled to be sentenced on August 21, 2025, and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison.
“Cases involving identity theft have long lasting implications for victims including difficulties reestablishing their identity and credit,” said Acting United States Attorney Patrick Lemon. “I am grateful for the hard work of the Secret Service and Attorney General’s Office in helping to bring these defendants to justice.”
“More than vehicles were stolen here. A person’s identity is their most valuable possession and identity theft is a serious crime,” said Attorney General Lynn Fitch. “It is one of the reasons our Cyber Fraud Task Force is such a vital law enforcement unit. I am proud to see the results of our work in this case with the U.S. Attorney’s Office and U.S. Secret Service to put the brakes on this auto theft scheme, put these criminals behind bars, and obtain justice for all of the victims.”
“The use of stolen identities by suspects to target unknowing victims represents a serious and evolving threat to public safety, financial security, and personal privacy,” said U.S. Secret Service Special Agent in Charge Patrick Davis. “These crimes are not just fraud—they are violations that often leave victims emotionally distressed, financially devastated, and struggling to reclaim their sense of security. This type of deception underscores the urgent need for increased public awareness, robust cybersecurity measures, and aggressive law enforcement efforts to investigate and disrupt these schemes. Protecting the identity and integrity of our citizens must remain a top priority, as every stolen identity is a potential gateway to further victimization and criminal enterprise.”
Acting U.S. Attorney Patrick A. Lemon of the Southern District of Mississippi, U.S. Secret Service Special Agent in Charge Patrick Davis, and Mississippi Attorney General Lynn Fitch made the announcement.
The United States Secret Service and the Mississippi Attorney General’s Office investigated the case through their partnership in the Cyber Fraud Task Force.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Kimberly T. Purdie prosecuted the case.
Former Rohnert Park Police Officer Found Guilty of Conspiracy to Commit Extortion, Impersonating ATF Agent, and Other Charges Related to Marijuana Seizure SchemeRead the Press Release
SAN FRANCISCO – This afternoon, a federal jury convicted former Rohnert Park police officer Joseph Huffaker on six counts of conspiracy to commit extortion, extortion, conspiracy to falsify records in a federal investigation, falsifying records in a federal investigation, conspiracy to impersonate a federal officer, and impersonating a federal officer. The jury’s verdict follows a week-long trial before Senior U.S. District Judge Maxine M. Chesney.
According to court documents and the evidence presented at trial, Huffaker, 40, of Rohnert Park, was employed between 2012 and 2019 with the City of Rohnert Park Department of Public Safety (RPDPS) as a police officer. The jury found that Huffaker conspired with his co-defendant, fellow police officer Brendan Jacy Tatum, to pull over drivers they suspected of possessing significant amounts of marijuana and extorting the drivers’ marijuana by falsely claiming to be ATF agents and threatening arrest if the drivers contested the property seizures. The jury also found that Huffaker conspired with Tatum to obstruct justice by creating a false police report two months after their extortions and sending that report to the FBI.
“No traffic stop should turn into a shakedown. Misconduct by police officers undermines public safety and jeopardizes public cooperation with law enforcement. Huffaker’s actions threw a shadow of suspicion over multiple law enforcement agencies which, thankfully, were quick to investigate and discover his scheme,” said United States Attorney Craig H. Missakian. “The jury’s verdict today holds Huffaker accountable and sends a strong message that we will not tolerate misconduct by those who hold the public trust.”
“Today’s verdict affirms that no one is above the law. Joseph Huffaker betrayed the sworn oath he took as a police officer and used his position to extort money and marijuana from drivers under the guise of legitimate law enforcement,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Sanjay Virmani. “Crimes like these damage the public’s confidence in law enforcement. Huffaker dishonored the oath every officer takes when he committed these crimes. The FBI remains committed to rooting out corruption at all levels, and we will continue to work closely with our partners to hold those who abuse their authority accountable.”
According to court documents and the evidence presented at trial, RPDPS previously operated an interdiction team between 2014 and early 2017 that conducted traffic stops on vehicles along Highway 101 between Cloverdale and Rohnert Park in an effort to seize illegal drugs. In December 2017, 11 months after the interdiction team had been disbanded, Huffaker and Tatum extorted significant quantities of marijuana from individuals, declaring to the individuals that their property would be seized, and at times threatening to arrest and charge the individuals. These seizures occurred while the officers were not on duty and not wearing their uniforms or body-worn cameras.
The jury found that the extortion conspiracy included a traffic stop on December 18 during which Huffaker and Tatum falsely claimed to be ATF agents and seized 23 pounds of marijuana.
In February 2018, the FBI received a complaint from a citizen who claimed to have been shaken down by police officers on the highway. An FBI agent asked Tatum for the police report related to the incident. The jury found that Tatum and Huffaker thereafter falsified a police Incident/Investigation Report regarding the unlawful December 18 traffic stop and seizure. Tatum then forwarded the falsified police report to an FBI agent who was investigating the stop.
Huffaker is currently released on bond. His sentencing hearing is scheduled for Oct. 15, 2025, before Judge Chesney. Huffaker faces a maximum statutory penalty of 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine for each count of conspiracy to commit extortion under color of official right, extortion under color of official right, and falsifying records in a federal investigation; five years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine for each count of conspiracy to falsify records in a federal investigation and conspiracy to impersonate a federal officer; and three years in prison, one year of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine for the count of impersonating a federal officer. 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.
Co-defendant Tatum pleaded guilty in December 2021 to conspiracy to commit extortion under color of official right, falsifying records in a federal investigation, and tax evasion. Tatum is scheduled to be sentenced on Sept. 3, 2025, before Judge Chesney.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Abraham Fine and Benjamin Kleinman are prosecuting the case with the assistance of Veronica Hernandez, Amala James, and Janice Pagsanjan. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the FBI and IRS Criminal Investigation.
Federal Jury Convicts Washington Man of Three Counts of Assault with a Dangerous Weapon on the Coeur d’Alene Indian ReservationRead the Press Release
COEUR D’ALENE – After a four-day trial, a federal jury sitting in Coeur d’Alene found Jason Bergeron, 50, of Washington, guilty of three counts of assault with a dangerous weapon, Acting U.S. Attorney Justin Whatcott announced today. U.S. District Judge Amanda K. Brailsford presided over the trial, which began on July 7, and concluded with guilty verdicts as to three counts of assault with a dangerous weapon on July 10.
According to testimony and evidence presented at trial, Bergeron drove to his ex-girlfriend’s house on the Coeur d’Alene Indian Reservation. Once there, he shot a rifle into the house while his ex-girlfriend, her daughter and son-in-law, and her three-year-old grandson were at the house. Bergeron shot multiple additional rounds of ammunition towards the daughter and son-in-law as they fled with their child, then pointed the rifle at his ex-girlfriend multiple times and threatened to kill her. All the victims in this case are members of the Coeur d’Alene Indian Reservation.
Each of the three counts of assault with a dangerous weapon is punishable by up to ten years in federal prison, a fine of up to $250,000, and up to three years of supervised release. Sentencing is set for September 24, 2025, before Judge Brailsford at the federal courthouse in Coeur d’Alene.
Acting U.S. Attorney Whatcott commended the Coeur d’Alene Tribal Police and the Federal Bureau of Investigation for a meticulous and professional investigation, which led to the charges. He also thanked the Coeur d’Alene Tribal Prosecutor and the Kootenai County Prosecuting Attorney for their assistance with this case. Assistants United States Attorney Bryce Ellsworth and Adam Johnson prosecuted the case.
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Federal Jury Convicts Hammond Man of Failing to Pay over Federal Trust Fund TaxesRead the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney Ellison C. Travis announced that a federal jury unanimously convicted Benjamin Thomas, III, age 52, of Hammond, Louisiana, of five counts of failing to truthfully account for and pay over federal trust fund taxes. The verdict followed a three-day jury trial before U.S. District Judge Brian A. Jackson. Thomas had been living in the Dominican Republic since early 2023.
As the evidence at trial demonstrated, beginning in or around 2013, Thomas owned, operated, and controlled a company called Lighthouse Community Care, Inc. (“Lighthouse”), a mental health services clinic based in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. As the business expanded, Thomas opened several locations all across Louisiana and hired more than 100 employees.
Throughout the company’s existence, Thomas would withhold “trust fund taxes” from his employees’ paychecks - the federal income, Social Security, and Medicare taxes that employers withhold from their employees’ paychecks and are required to pay to the IRS on a quarterly basis. But he often failed to timely file Lighthouse’s quarterly employment tax returns and consistently failed to pay over to the IRS the withheld funds. For the five specific time periods charged in the Indictment, the first three quarters of 2017 and the first two quarters of 2018, Thomas failed to truthfully account for and pay over more than $970,000 in trust funds.
As the evidence at trial demonstrated, the IRS frequently communicated with Thomas through written notices, phone calls, and an in-person interview to remind him of his tax obligations and encourage him to pay what he owed. Meanwhile, he diverted more than $350,000 in company funds to a vacation home in the Dominican Republic, more than $400,000 to a separate management company that he controlled, and more than $500,000 to a family trust that he created. Thomas also spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on luxury automobiles (including a Lamborghini and a McLaren), private school tuition, and high-end clothing, jewelry, and accessories.
“The defendant willfully failed to satisfy one of the most fundamental obligations business owners face - to truthfully account for and pay over the federal income, Social Security, and Medicare taxes that they withhold from their employees’ paychecks,” said Acting United States Attorney Travis. “Instead, he treated his company’s bank accounts like his own personal ATM. I sincerely appreciate the jury’s verdict and the work of our federal agents and our office’s prosecutors, who worked diligently to hold the defendant accountable for his criminal activity.”
“Employees expect their employers to turn over the employment taxes that are taken out of their paychecks to fund future Social Security and Medicare benefits,” said Special Agent in Charge Demetrius Hardeman, IRS Criminal Investigation, Atlanta Field Office. “Employers who fail their responsibilities are possibly harming their employees’ future benefits, while also stealing from taxpayers. IRS Criminal Investigation special agents are working on behalf of taxpayers to investigate and hold accountable those who commit these financial crimes.”
This case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigation Division, with valuable assistance from the United States Marshals Service (USMS) and the USMS’s law enforcement partners in the Dominican Republic. This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Alan A. Stevens, who also serves as Senior Litigation Counsel for the Criminal Division, and Assistant United States Attorney Benjamin M. Anderson.
District of Arizona Charges 147 Individuals for Immigration-Related Criminal Conduct this WeekRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – During the week of enforcement operations from July 5, 2025, through July 11, 2025, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona brought immigration-related criminal charges against 147 individuals. Specifically, the United States filed 71 cases in which aliens illegally re-entered the United States, and the United States also charged 57 aliens for illegally entering the United States. In its ongoing effort to deter unlawful immigration, the United States filed 16 cases against 19 individuals responsible for smuggling illegal aliens into and within the District of Arizona.
These cases were referred or supported by federal law enforcement partners, including Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE ERO), ICE Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), U.S. Border Patrol, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS), and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).
Recent matters of interest include:
United States v. Ismael Viera-Villa: On July 7, 2025, Border Patrol Agents working along State Route 83 attempted to stop and conduct an immigration inspection on the driver of a Dodge Ram truck after noticing suspicious behavior. The driver of the truck, Ismael Viera-Villa failed to yield, so agents deployed a vehicle immobilization device to stop the vehicle. Inside the truck, agents found seven individuals in the back seat who were trying to hide under the floor mats and backpacks. Agents learned that the back seat passengers and the front seat passenger, Fausto Gil-Cruz, were citizens of Mexico and Guatemala, all illegally present in the United States. Gil-Cruz was identified as the group’s foot guide that led the illegal aliens to the Dodge Ram truck. Viera-Villa and Gil-Cruz were both charged by criminal complaint with Conspiracy to Transport an Illegal Alien for Profit. [Case Number: 25-MJ-06416]
United States v. Carlos Meza-Alcantar: On July 7, 2025, Border Patrol Agents were conducting surveillance of a residence that was suspected of being used in human smuggling operations. Agents observed two vehicles driving in tandem towards the residence. One of the vehicles pulled into the garage while the other waited in the driveway. Several minutes later, the vehicle that had been in the garage left, and both vehicles drove in tandem until they pulled into a warehouse where semi-trucks were parked. A few minutes later, both vehicles left the warehouse, and then a semi-truck departed shortly thereafter. Agents investigated the area where the semi-truck had been parked and noticed several sets of footprints leading to the trailer. Agents at a nearby Border Patrol checkpoint encountered the same semi-truck and a Border Patrol canine alerted to the trailer. Agents inspected the trailer and discovered 14 individuals hiding inside. All 14 individuals were determined to be illegally present in the United States. The driver of the semi-truck was identified as Carlos Meza-Alcantar. Meza-Alcantar was charged by criminal complaint with Transportation of an Illegal Alien for Profit. [Case Number: 25-MJ-06415]
United States v. Blademir Angulo Audeves: On July 8, 2025, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) arrested Blademir Angulo Audeves, who was charged by criminal complaint for violations of Harboring of an Illegal Alien, Knowingly Employing Unauthorized Aliens, Improper Entry by an Alien, and Alien in Possession of a Firearm. HSI executed four federal search warrants after a five-month investigation into Angulo’s business practices which revealed that he was employing at least twelve unlawfully present aliens. Angulo also harbored several of the illegal aliens at his residence. During the execution of the search warrant, agents found three firearms in Angulo’s bedroom closet. Angulo, a Mexican national, is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition as an illegal alien. [Case Number: 25-MJ-3297]
These cases are part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
A criminal complaint is a formal accusation of criminal conduct. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
RELEASE NUMBER: 2025-115_July 11 Immigration Enforcement
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For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on X @USAO_AZ for the latest news.Detroit Man Sentenced to Prison for Fentanyl CrimeRead the Press Release
BECKLEY, W.Va. – Jesse Robert Phillips, 40, of Detroit, Michigan, was sentenced today to nine years and seven months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for possession with intent to distribute fentanyl.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on April 30, 2024, law enforcement officers responded to a disturbance call at a Mount Hope, West Virginia, residence where Phillips was living at the time. Officers seized four firearms and two bags containing a total of 19.896 grams of fentanyl analogue from Phillips’ bedroom at the residence.
As part of his guilty plea, Phillips admitted that he possessed the seized fentanyl, and that he intended to distribute it. Phillips further admitted that he had been selling fentanyl and used two other occupants of the residence, Robert Lee Moran and Kayla Nicole Dent, to sell fentanyl while he was living in West Virginia.
Moran, 47, of Mount Hope, was sentenced on June 3, 2025, to nine months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for distribution of fentanyl. Dent, 34, of Mount Hope, was sentenced to five years of federal probation after pleading guilty on January 29, 2025, to distribution of fentanyl.
Phillips has a criminal history that includes prior convictions for armed robbery and multiple drug offenses.
Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Beckley/Raleigh County Drug and Violent Crime Unit, which consists of officers from the West Virginia State Police, the Raleigh County Sheriff’s Department, and the Beckley Police Department.
Chief United States District Judge Frank W. Volk imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorneys Brian D. Parsons and Alexander A. Redmon prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:24-cr-142.
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Convicted Felon Sentenced to One Year and One Day in Prison for Assaulting Deputy U.S. Marshal, Violating Supervised ReleaseRead the Press Release
SAN FRANCISCO – Jeffrey Adam Crum was sentenced today to 12 months and one day in federal prison for assaulting a Deputy U.S. Marshal who was attempting to take him into custody following a hearing in federal court and 12 months and one day for violating the terms of his supervised release, with both terms to run concurrently. Senior U.S. District Judge Susan Illston handed down the sentence.
Crum, 34, who previously resided in Burlingame and San Francisco, was indicted by a federal grand jury on Dec. 3, 2024. He pleaded guilty on May 16, 2025, to one count of assaulting, resisting, or impeding a federal officer in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 111(a)(1). According to court documents and the plea agreement, Crum appeared in federal court on Nov. 22, 2024, for a hearing regarding allegations that he violated the terms of his supervised release following his conviction for being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition in federal court in Utah.
At the hearing on Crum’s supervised release violation, the district court ordered that Crum be detained pending further proceedings. Crum was upset by the Court’s decision and opposed, resisted, and impeded the efforts of multiple Deputy U.S. Marshals to take him into custody. Specifically, Crum resisted instructions by Deputy U.S. Marshals to enter and exit an elevator that would take him to a holding cell, forcing them to carry him. At one point, Crum kicked his legs out, striking a Deputy U.S. Marshal in the head.
United States Attorney Craig H. Missakian and Supervisory Deputy United States Marshal David Siegel made the announcement.
The defendant was immediately remanded into custody.
Special Assistant U.S. Attorneys Eli J. Cohen and Christine Chen prosecuted the case with the assistance of Marina Ponomarchuk and Kevin Costello. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the U.S. Marshals Service.
Cincinnati man pleads guilty to possessing 26 pounds of methamphetamineRead the Press Release
CINCINNATI – Myron Billups, 46, of Cincinnati, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court to possessing 500 grams or more of methamphetamine. He faces at least 10 years in prison.
According to court documents, on July 27, 2024, law enforcement officers observed Billups near a residence on Drew Avenue in Cincinnati receiving a plastic storage bin. Billups placed the bin in the trunk of a red Lexus that belonged to another individual and then went back inside the residence.
Later that morning, Billups, driving the red Lexus, was stopped by law enforcement for a traffic violation. A K9 alerted at the vehicle, and officers discovered approximately 26 pounds of methamphetamine in the storage bin.
During a subsequent search of the Drew Avenue residence, law enforcement discovered $3,000 in cash, drug paraphernalia and two baggies of fentanyl.
Billups was charged federally in August 2024.
Kelly A. Norris, Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Andrew Lawton, Acting Special Agent in Charge, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Detroit; and Springfield Township Police Chief Chris Niehaus announced the guilty plea entered on July 10 before Senior U.S. District Judge Michael R. Barrett. Assistant United States Attorney Ryan A. Keefe is representing the United States in this case.
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Chinese Nationals Charged with Conspiracy to Defraud Elderly VictimsRead the Press Release
WILLIAMSPORT - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that eight Chinese nationals who obtained student visas to attend college in the United States were indicted by a federal grand jury for conspiracy to commit wire fraud. Those indicated include: Yankun Jiang, 24, of State College, PA, Hanlin Yang, 24, of State College; Chenhao Chen, 25, of California; Xiaoqing Tu, 24, of California; Dongjie Lu, 35, of California; Lei Bao, 22, of New York; Kuo Zhang, 31, of New Jersey; and Jiacheng Zhang, 25, of Florida.
According to Acting United States Attorney John Gurganus, the indictment alleges that beginning in or about August of 2023 and continuing until on or about February 22, 2024, the defendants orchestrated a wide-scale computer “pop-up” scam targeting elderly victims falsely claiming that their computer or bank accounts had been compromised. The indictment further alleges that members of the conspiracy traveled to victims’ homes and posed as federal law enforcement officers to collect large sums of cash from the victims claiming that the assets would be protected, among other falsehoods. It is alleged that more than 50 victims across 19 states were defrauded of more than $10,000,000.
"These indictments highlight the relentless efforts of Homeland Security Investigations to safeguard our elderly population from complex fraud operations," stated Special Agent in Charge Edward V. Owens of HSI Philadelphia. "Schemes like these cause significant emotional and financial harm to elderly victims across the country. HSI, in partnership with the FBI, remains steadfast in our commitment to securing justice for the victims and ensuring that those responsible are held fully accountable."
“As outlined in the indictment, this criminal enterprise not only exploited elderly victims but did so by impersonating federal law enforcement—an egregious abuse of trust,” said Wayne A. Jacobs, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Philadelphia Field Office. “We urge older Americans and their families to remain alert to these kinds of scams. The FBI will never ask for money or payment of any kind. We are grateful to our partners at the U.S. Attorney’s Office and Homeland Security Investigations for their dedicated work in bringing this case forward.”
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI). Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah R. Lloyd is prosecuting the case.
The maximum penalty under federal law for this offense is 20 years of imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
Indictments and Criminal Informations are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.
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CEO of an Iranian Engineering Company Arrested for Allegedly Shipping Sophisticated Electronics from the U.S. to Iran in Violation of U.S. SanctionsRead the Press Release
An Iranian national and U.S. lawful permanent resident has been arrested on a four-count federal indictment charging him with unlawfully exporting electronics used in railway signaling and telecommunications systems from the United States to Iran, in violation the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) and the Iranian Transactions and Sanctions Regulations (ITSR).
Bahram Mohammad Ostovari, 66, a resident of Santa Monica and Tehran, Iran, was arrested Thursday afternoon upon his arrival at Los Angeles International Airport.
Ostovari is charged with one count of conspiracy to violate the International Emergency Economic Powers Act and three counts of violating the IEEPA.
According to the indictment unsealed today, Ostovari is the founder and CEO of a Tehran-based engineering company – identified in the indictment as “Company A” – that supplied signaling and communications systems to Iran and its government, including on projects for the Islamic Republic of Iran Railways. From at least May 2018 to July 2025, Ostovari and his co-conspirators obtained and shipped sophisticated computer processors, railway signaling equipment, and other electronics and electronic components to Company A in Iran. Many of these items were controlled under federal regulations, and their export to Iran without a license was prohibited.
To perpetrate his illegal export scheme, Ostovari used two front companies he controlled in the UAE – MH-SYS FZCO and Match Systech FZE – as conduits. Ostovari directed co-conspirators at these front companies to acquire the electronics and electronic components for Company A. Ostovari and his co-conspirators intentionally concealed from electronics suppliers in the United States and elsewhere that the goods were destined for Iran, falsely stating that MH-SYS and Match Systech in the UAE were the end users when in fact the true end user was Company A in Iran. Ostovari then directed his co-conspirators to arrange to ship the goods from the UAE to Company A in Iran.
After he became a lawful permanent resident of the United States in May 2020, Ostovari continued to export, sell, and supply electronics and electrical components to Company A in Iran.
As alleged, Ostovari knew of the U.S. sanctions against Iran, mentioning them in emails to co-conspirators and directing one co-conspirator to provide false information to a federal export control officer regarding the end use of U.S.-origin goods they had shipped to Company A in Iran.
The IEEPA and the ITSR impose controls and restrictions on transactions involving Iran based on the threats posed by Iran to the national security of the United States including, among others, its pursuit of nuclear weapons and sponsorship of terrorism. The IEEPA and ITSR, among other things, prohibit the export, re-export, sale, or supply, directly or indirectly, from the United States or by a United States person, wherever located, of any goods, technology, or services to Iran or the Government of Iran without first obtaining authorization from the U.S. Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC).
At no time did Ostovari, his companies, or his co-conspirators apply for or obtain authorization from OFAC to export, sell or supply goods and technologies from the United States to Iran.
If convicted, Ostovari faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison for each count.
Homeland Security Investigations and the Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security are investigating this case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys David C. Lachman and Colin S. Scott for the Central District of California are prosecuting the case, with valuable assistance from Trial Attorney Kathryn DeMarco of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
CEO of Iranian Engineering Company Arrested for Allegedly Shipping Sophisticated Electronics to Iran in Violation of U.S. SanctionsRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – An Iranian national and United States lawful permanent resident has been arrested on a four-count federal indictment charging him with unlawfully exporting electronics used in railway signaling and telecommunications systems from the United States to Iran, in violation of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) and the Iranian Transactions and Sanctions Regulations (ITSR).
Bahram Mohammad Ostovari, 66, a resident of Tehran, Iran, and Santa Monica, was arrested Thursday afternoon upon his arrival at Los Angeles International Airport.
Ostovari is charged with one count of conspiracy to violate the International Emergency Economic Powers Act and three counts of violating the IEEPA.
He pleaded not guilty to the charges at his arraignment today in United States District Court in downtown Los Angeles. A federal magistrate judge ordered him released on $1.3 million bond and scheduled a September 2 trial date.
According to the indictment unsealed today, Ostovari is the founder and CEO of a Tehran-based engineering company – identified in the indictment as “Company A” – that supplied signaling and communications systems to Iran and its government, including on projects for the Islamic Republic of Iran Railways. From at least May 2018 to July 2025, Ostovari and his co-conspirators obtained and shipped sophisticated computer processors, railway signaling equipment, and other electronics and electronic components to Company A in Iran. Many of these items were controlled under federal regulations, and their export to Iran without a license was prohibited.
To perpetrate his illegal export scheme, Ostovari used two front companies he controlled in the UAE – MH-SYS FZCO and Match Systech FZE – as conduits. Ostovari directed co-conspirators at these front companies to acquire the electronics and electronic components for Company A. Ostovari and his co-conspirators intentionally concealed from electronics suppliers in the United States and elsewhere that the goods were destined for Iran, falsely stating that MH-SYS and Match Systech in the UAE were the end users when in fact the true end user was Company A in Iran. Ostovari then directed his co-conspirators to arrange to ship the goods from the UAE to Company A in Iran.
After he became a lawful permanent resident of the United States in May 2020, Ostovari continued to export, sell, and supply electronics and electrical components to Company A in Iran.
Ostovari knew of the U.S. sanctions against Iran, mentioning them in emails to co-conspirators and directing one co-conspirator to provide false information to a federal export control officer regarding the end use of U.S.-origin goods they had shipped to Company A in Iran.
The IEEPA and the ITSR impose controls and restrictions on transactions involving Iran based on the threats posed by Iran to the national security of the United States including, among others, its pursuit of nuclear weapons and sponsorship of terrorism. The IEEPA and ITSR, among other things, prohibit the export, re-export, sale, or supply, directly or indirectly, from the United States or by a United States person, wherever located, of any goods, technology, or services to Iran or the Government of Iran without first obtaining authorization from the U.S. Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC).
At no time did Ostovari, his companies, or his co-conspirators apply for or obtain authorization from OFAC to export, sell or supply goods and technologies from the United States to Iran.
An indictment contains allegations that a defendant has committed a crime. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent until and unless proven guilty in court.
If convicted, Ostovari would face a statutory maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison for each count.
Homeland Security Investigations, the United States Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security Office of Export Enforcement, and IRS Criminal Investigation are investigating this matter.
Assistant United States Attorneys David C. Lachman and Colin S. Scott of the Terrorism and Export Crimes Section are prosecuting this case. Trial Attorney Kathryn DeMarco of the Justice Department National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section provided valuable assistance.
Brooklyn Man Sentenced for Role in International Wire Fraud Scheme Using Stolen Identities to Submit Fraudulent Tax Returns Seeking More Than $35 Million in RefundsRead the Press Release
ERIE, Pa. - A resident of Brooklyn, New York, pleaded guilty and was sentenced in federal court to three years of probation and ordered to pay $290,000 in restitution on his conviction of wire fraud conspiracy, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.
United States District Judge Susan Paradise Baxter imposed the sentence on Xerxes Shevar, 57, on July 10, 2025.
According to information presented to the Court, Shevar participated in a conspiracy involving multiple co-defendants in the United States, Ghana, Nigeria, and Ireland to commit wire fraud by submitting fraudulent federal tax returns in the names of individuals whose identities were stolen by the conspirators. The conspirators then opened bank accounts using stolen identities and used those accounts as repositories for their fraudulently obtained federal tax refunds. The conspirators obtained stolen identity information on the Internet and then traded that information among themselves using email accounts and other means of communication. The Indictment against Shevar—who was arrested in February 2024 when he returned to the United States from Ghana— and his co-conspirators alleges that, for the tax years 2010 to 2013, approximately $38 million in fraudulent tax refunds was sought from the IRS by the conspirators, causing the IRS to pay at least $10 million in fraudulent refunds. The Indictment also alleges that approximately 3,493 bank accounts were opened using stolen identities, affecting approximately 443 financial institutions, and that approximately 4,563 credit cards were obtained using the stolen identities, with approximately 11,468 individuals alleged to have been victimized.
Assistant United States Attorney Christian A. Trabold prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
Acting United States Attorney Rivetti commended the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Internal Revenue Service–Criminal Investigation for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Shevar.
Brazilian Man Sentenced for Illegal Reentry into U.S.Read the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, Pa. - A citizen of Brazil pleaded guilty and was sentenced in federal court on July 10, 2025, to time served and one year of supervised release on his conviction of illegal reentry of a removed alien, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.
Senior United States District Judge Joy Flowers Conti imposed the sentence on Paulo Henrique Fernandes Evaristo, 26.
According to information presented to the Court, Fernandes Evaristo reentered the United States without the permission of the Secretary of Homeland Security after having been previously removed on October 7, 2021. Fernandes Evaristo was found in Glassport, Pennsylvania, on March 5, 2025.
Assistant United States Attorney Carolyn J. Bloch prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
Acting United States Attorney Rivetti commended U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Fernandes Evaristo.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations, combat illegal immigration, and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.