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20 June 2025
Venezuelan National and Suspected Tren de Aragua Member Charged with Attempted Murder of Federal OfficerRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Lesley A. Woods announced that Gabriel Hurtado-Cariaco, 30, a citizen of Venezuela residing illegally in Bellevue, Nebraska, was charged on June 19, 2025, by criminal complaint with one count of attempted murder of a federal officer and one count of assault of a federal officer with infliction of bodily injury.
Special Agents with Homeland Security Investigations and the Federal Bureau of Investigation possessed an active immigration-related warrant for Hurtado-Cariaco’s arrest and encountered him in Sarpy County near his residence while he was driving. The agents initiated a traffic stop with lights and sirens. Hurtado-Cariaco pulled over and exited his vehicle with his arms raised. The agents gave instructive commands to Hurtado-Cariaco and attempted to place him in hand cuffs.
According to the complaint Hurtado-Cariaco, a suspected member of Tren de Aragua, began to fight with one Special Agent where both landed on the ground. Hurtado-Cariaco was able to throw the agent off him launching the agent through the air resulting in the agent forcefully striking their head and elbow on the pavement injuring them. A second Special Agent engaged with Hurtado-Cariaco to subdue and detain him. Hurtado-Cariaco resisted with both landing on the ground. While both agents tried to control Hurtado-Cariaco while on the ground, he maneuvered behind the injured agent and placed that agent in a chokehold. Hurtado-Cariaco ignored commands from the other agent and continued to choke the agent on the ground. The second agent placed Hurtado-Cariaco in a chokehold to stop the assault. Hurtado-Cariaco released his chokehold on the agent and then used his leverage, broke away from the second agent, and ran. The agents pursued Hurtado-Cariaco by foot, locating him at his apartment in Bellevue and arrested without further incident.
After the arrest, the injured agent was transported to the hospital for treatment.
“Deadly violence against law enforcement officers will not be tolerated by this Department of Justice,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “We have charged this illegal alien with attempted murder.”
“The arrest and prosecution of this vicious Tren de Aragua gang member underscores our unwavering commitment to protecting our law enforcement officers in the line of duty,” said Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche. “Violent attacks from terrorists against those who serve our communities will be met with swift and decisive justice.”
United States Attorney Lesley A. Woods said, “Violence against federal law enforcement officers in the line of duty will not be tolerated in Nebraska. Federal law enforcement officers are tasked with enforcing the laws of the United States and they must be able to do so safely. These federal agents maintained their professionalism while being met with potentially fatal violence. Despite sustaining injuries, the agents did not give up and made a successful arrest.”
Hurtado-Cariaco appeared before United States Magistrate Judge Ryan C. Carson on June 20, 2025. Magistrate Judge Carson ordered the defendant detained and set a preliminary and detention hearing for June 24, 2025. A criminal complaint is a charging document that contains one or more individual counts that are merely accusations. Every defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
The maximum possible penalty if convicted is not more than 20 years in prison, a $250,000 fine, and a term of supervised release of not more than five years. Hurtado-Cariaco was arrested on June 18, 2025, in Sarpy County, Nebraska.
This case is being investigated by Homeland Security Investigations.
Venezuelan National and Suspected Tren de Aragua Member Charged with Attempted Murder of Federal OfficerRead the Press Release
Attorney General Pamela Bondi, Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche and United States Attorney Lesley A. Woods announced today that Gabriel Hurtado-Cariaco, 30, a citizen of Venezuela residing illegally in Bellevue, Nebraska, was charged on June 19, 2025, by criminal complaint with one count of attempted murder of a federal officer and one count of assault of a federal officer with infliction of bodily injury.
Special Agents with Homeland Security Investigations and the Federal Bureau of Investigation possessed an active immigration-related warrant for Hurtado-Cariaco’s arrest and encountered him in Sarpy County near his residence while he was driving. The agents initiated a traffic stop with lights and sirens. Hurtado-Cariaco pulled over and exited his vehicle with his arms raised. The agents gave instructive commands to Hurtado-Cariaco and attempted to place him in hand cuffs.
According to the complaint, Hurtado-Cariaco, a suspected member of Tren de Aragua, began to fight with one Special Agent where both landed on the ground. Hurtado-Cariaco was able to throw the agent off him launching the agent through the air resulting in the agent forcefully striking their head and elbow on the pavement injuring them. A second Special Agent engaged with Hurtado-Cariaco to subdue and detain him. Hurtado-Cariaco resisted with both landing on the ground. While both agents tried to control Hurtado-Cariaco while on the ground, he maneuvered behind the injured agent and placed that agent in a chokehold. Hurtado-Cariaco ignored commands from the other agent and continued to choke the agent on the ground. The second agent placed Hurtado-Cariaco in a chokehold to stop the assault. Hurtado-Cariaco released his chokehold on the agent and then used his leverage, broke away from the second agent, and ran. The agents pursued Hurtado-Cariaco by foot, locating him at his apartment in Bellevue and arrested without further incident.
After the arrest, the injured agent was transported to the hospital for treatment.
“Deadly violence against law enforcement officers will not be tolerated by this Department of Justice,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “We have charged this illegal alien with attempted murder.”
“The arrest and prosecution of this vicious Tren de Aragua gang member underscores our unwavering commitment to protecting our law enforcement officers in the line of duty,” said Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche. “Violent attacks from terrorists against those who serve our communities will be met with swift and decisive justice.”
“Violence against federal law enforcement officers in the line of duty will not be tolerated in Nebraska," said U.S. Attorney Lesley A. Woods. “Federal law enforcement officers are tasked with enforcing the laws of the United States and they must be able to do so safely. These federal agents maintained their professionalism while being met with potentially fatal violence. Despite sustaining injuries, the agents did not give up and made a successful arrest.”
Hurtado-Cariaco appeared before United States Magistrate Judge Ryan C. Carson on June 20, 2025. Magistrate Judge Carson ordered the defendant detained and set a preliminary and detention hearing for June 24, 2025. A criminal complaint is a charging document that contain one or more individual counts that are merely accusations. Every defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
The maximum possible penalty if convicted is not more than 20 years in prison, a $250,000 fine, and a term of supervised release of not more than three years. Hurtado-Cariaco was arrested on June 18, 2025, in Sarpy County, Nebraska.
This case is being investigated by Homeland Security Investigations.
Read the complaint.
U.S. Attorney’s Office Filed 83 Border-Related Cases This WeekRead the Press Release
SAN DIEGO – Federal prosecutors in the Southern District of California filed 83 border-related cases this week, including charges of bringing in aliens for financial gain, reentering the U.S. after deportation, and importation of controlled substances.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of California is the fourth-busiest federal district, largely due to a high volume of border-related crimes. This district, encompassing San Diego and Imperial counties, shares a 140-mile border with Mexico. It includes the San Ysidro Port of Entry, the world’s busiest land border crossing, connecting San Diego (America’s eighth largest city) and Tijuana (Mexico’s second largest city).
In addition to reactive border-related crimes, the Southern District of California also prosecutes a significant number of proactive cases related to terrorism, organized crime, drugs, white-collar fraud, violent crime, cybercrime, human trafficking and national security. Recent developments in those and other significant areas of prosecution can be found here.
A sample of border-related arrests this week:
- On June 14, Guillermo Navarro Cinco and Daniel Vazquez Mijares, both Mexican citizens and alleged captains of a smuggling boat, were arrested and charged with Attempted Bringing in Aliens for Financial Gain after they were intercepted by the U.S. Coast guard 25 miles off Point Loma. Librado Lopez Ramirez, who was also aboard the boat and had been previously deported to Mexico, was arrested and charged with Attempted Entry After Deportation. According to a complaint, Navarro Cinco and Vazquez Mijares attempted to smuggle nine people – including Lopez Ramirez - on a small boat; some passengers said they didn’t know how to swim and feared for their lives as the boat faltered under excessive weight.
- On June 17, Erik Quintero Baez, a Mexican citizen, was arrested and charged with Importation of a Controlled Substance. According to a complaint, when the defendant attempted to cross the border in his tractor-trailer at the Otay Mesa Port of Entry, Customs and Border Protection Officers found three 20-liter jugs containing 167 pounds of liquid methamphetamine concealed in the cab.
- On June 18, Jose Julian Ugalde Ramos and Luis Adrian Carrillo Sandoval, Mexican citizens, were arrested and charged with Deported Alien Found in the United States. According to a complaint, Border Patrol agents found the defendants hiding in large bushes less than a mile north of the U.S.-Mexico border.
Also recently, a number of defendants with criminal records were convicted by a jury or sentenced for border-related crimes such as illegally re-entering the U.S. after previous deportation. Here are a few of those cases:
- On June 20, Alejandro Arellano-Mejia, a Mexican national who was previously convicted of felony attempted murder, was sentenced to 15 months in custody for re-entering the U.S illegally. In 2014, a Frenso jury found Arellano-Mejia guilty of attempted murder for shooting another man in the chest with a shotgun following an altercation at an outdoor gathering.
- On June 20, Baltazar Mendoza-Giron, a Mexican national, was sentenced to 15 months in custody for illegally re-entering the United States. Part of his sentence was imposed for violating supervised release after a 2024 conviction for illegal reentry. Mendoza-Giron also has previous convictions for harassment, for attempting to elude a pursuing police officer in a vehicle, and for criminally negligent homicide.
- On June 20, Alejandro Arellano-Mejia, a Mexican national who was previously convicted of attempted murder with a deadly weapon, was sentenced to 15 months in custody for illegally reentering the U.S.
- On June 20, Josue Roberto Suarez Ruiz of Honduras and Jesus Ernesto Peinado Armenta of Mexico were sentenced to 14 months and 12 months and one day, respectively, for transporting undocumented immigrants in an incident that became a high-speed chase. The defendants failed to stop for Border Patrol agents and were ultimately apprehended after fleeing the vehicle and attempting to hide near trash cans on residential properties.
- On June 20, Victor Armando Pena was sentenced to 12 months and one day in custody for illegally reentering the United States. After serving a 17-year sentence for attempted murder with an enhancement for committing the act while actively participating in a criminal street gang, he was removed to Mexico on January 17, 2025, only to return illegally less than two weeks later on January 30, 2025. He was arrested by Border Patrol in Imperial Beach after he had illegally entered the U.S. via Jet Ski.
Pursuant to the Department’s Operation Take Back America priorities, federal law enforcement has focused immigration prosecutions on undocumented aliens who are engaged in criminal activity in the U.S., including those who commit drug and firearms crimes, who have serious criminal records, or who have active warrants for their arrest. Federal authorities have also been prioritizing investigations and prosecutions against drug, firearm, and human smugglers and those who endanger and threaten the safety of our communities and the law enforcement officers who protect the community.
The immigration cases were referred or supported by federal law enforcement partners, including Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE ERO), Customs and Border Protection, 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), with the support and assistance of state and local law enforcement partners.
Indictments and criminal complaints are merely allegations and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of New Mexico Weekly Immigration and Border Crimes ReportRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – Today, the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of New Mexico announced its immigration enforcement statistics for this week. These cases are prosecuted in partnership with the El Paso Sector of the U.S. Border Patrol, along with Homeland Security Investigations El Paso, and assistance from other federal, state, and county agencies.
In the one-week period ending June 20, 2025, the United States Attorney’s Office brought the following criminal charges in New Mexico:
- 58 individuals were charged this week with Illegal Reentry After Deportation (8 U.S.C. 1326)
- 4 individuals were charged this week with Alien Smuggling (8 U.S.C. 1324)
- 29 individuals were charged this week with Illegal Entry (8 U.S.C. 1325)
- 69 individuals were charged this week with Illegal Entry (8 U.S.C. 1325), violation of a military security regulation (50 U.S.C. 797) and Entering Military, Naval, or Coast Guard Property (18 U.S.C. 1382), arising from the newly established National Defense Area in New Mexico.
Many of the defendants charged pursuant to 18 U.S.C. 1326 had prior criminal convictions for alien smuggling, fraud, drug possession, and reentry of a deported alien.
On June 18, 2025, the District of New Mexico obtained two convictions under Title 50 U.S.C. § 797, Violation of Defense Property Security Regulations, and Title 18 U.S.C. § 1382, Military Trespass, following the recent designation of a military-controlled National Defense Area (NDA) along the U.S.-Mexico border. Title 50 U.S.C § 797 and Title 18 U.S.C. § 1382 are among the federal statutes that establish criminal penalties for unlawful intrusions into areas designated as National Defense Areas. Title 50 USC § 797 refers to the willful violation of a defense property security regulation, which, pursuant to lawful authority, was approved by the Secretary of Defense—or a military commander designated by the Secretary of Defense—for the protection or security of Department of Defense property. Title 18 USC § 1382 subjects anyone to criminal penalties who, within the jurisdiction of the U.S., entered upon a military post, fort, or yard—in these cases, the New Mexico National Defense Area—for a purpose prohibit by law or lawful regulation, that is, illegal entry into the United States. These laws allow for prosecution of unauthorized entry into the NDA as a federal misdemeanor, carrying penalties of up to one year in prison and/or a fine.
In the first case, Andres De Los Santos-Martinez, a citizen of Mexico, pled guilty to re-entry after deportation, willfully violating a defense property security regulation, and military trespass by entering the New Mexico National Defense Area (NMNDA), a restricted military zone established in April 2025. De Los Santos-Martinez was apprehended by U.S. Border Patrol agents on June 1, 2025, in Doña Ana County, New Mexico, after crossing the border at a location not designated as a lawful port of entry. De Los Santos-Martinez had previously been apprehended in the NMNDA on May 7, 2025, and was advised in Spanish that unauthorized entry into the restricted military area was prohibited and subject to federal prosecution.
In the second case, Eduardo Herrera-Juvencio, also a Mexican national, pled guilty to re-entry after deportation, willfully violating a defense property security regulation, and military trespass by entering the New Mexico National Defense Area (NMNDA), a restricted military zone established in April 2025. Herrera-Juvencio was apprehended by U.S. Border Patrol agents on June 1, 2025, in Doña Ana County, New Mexico, after crossing the border at a location not designated as a lawful port of entry. Herrera-Juvencio had previously been apprehended in the NMNDA on May 7, 2025, and was advised in Spanish that unauthorized entry into the restricted military area was prohibited and subject to federal prosecution.
This week a significant case, Alejandro Villalobos-Torres, was indicted by a federal grand jury in Las Cruces charging Villalobos-Torres with conspiracy to take a hostage and two counts of hostage taking. In October 2022, HSI received reports of two illegal aliens be held against their will in a stash house in Doña Ana County, New Mexico. After executing a search warrant at the residence, agents located two men being held in the house. The victims were reportedly threatened with physical harm and one victim’s family member was contacted to request money for the victim’s release. Villalobos-Torres was arrested in March 2025 while in ICE custody and will remain in U.S. Marshals custody pending trial.
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.
These statistics represent prosecutions by the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of New Mexico only. The numbers do not include individuals apprehended by immigration enforcement officials and subjected solely to administrative process.
Under current leadership, public safety and a secure border are the top priorities for the District of New Mexico. 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 District of New Mexico consists of 33 counties and shares 180 miles of international border with Mexico. Assistant U.S. Attorneys from Albuquerque and Las Cruces work directly with our federal, state and local law enforcement partners to prosecute immigration-related and other federal offenses.
Texas Man Charged with Conspiracy to Defraud the United States and Related Offenses in Connection with Alleged Operation of Trucking CompaniesRead the Press Release
An indictment was unsealed on Wednesday in Houston charging a Texas man with offenses related to the alleged operation of illegal and unsafe trucking companies.
According to court documents, Shaquan Jelks, 48, of Houston, managed and controlled multiple commercial trucking companies after being ordered not to do so by a federal court and by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (“FMCSA”), the regulatory agency responsible for ensuring that commercial trucks and their drivers are equipped to operate safely on public roads and highways. The indictment against Jelks alleges that he repeatedly lied to and obstructed the FMCSA, including after a driver for his companies was killed in a single-vehicle crash in February 2022. The indictment also alleges that Jelks relied on fraud to finance his illegal trucking companies, including by diverting to his trucking companies money fraudulently obtained from the Paycheck Protection Program.
“Individuals who impair, impede, or obstruct the lawful functions of the FMCSA make our roads and highways less safe,” said Assistant Attorney General Brett Shumate of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “The Department will continue to work closely with the Department of Transportation and our law enforcement partners to protect drivers on our roads and highways.”
“Motorists have a right to expect that the commercial trucks on their roadways—which weigh tens of thousands of pounds or more—are safely maintained and operated,” said U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei for the Southern District of Texas. “By prosecuting those that undermine this expectation of safety, DOJ and DOT are simultaneously keeping our roadways safe and maintaining public confidence.”
“Keeping our highways safe is essential to protecting our families, our economy, and our way of life,” said Joseph Harris, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Department of Transportation Office of Inspector General’s Southern Region. “People have every right to expect that trucking companies follow the highest safety standards when using our public roads. Today’s announcement shows our continued commitment to holding commercial operators accountable—especially those who put profits ahead of public safety by disregarding key DOT regulations.”
The Department of Transportation’s Office of Inspector General and the Federal Bureau of Investigation are investigating the case.
Trial Attorneys Ethan Carroll and Lindsey Marcus of the Justice Department’s Consumer Protection Branch and Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Day of the Southern District of Texas are prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Stockton Brothers Indicted for Wire Fraud ConspiracyRead the Press Release
A federal grand jury returned an eight-count indictment against Stockton brothers Hector Perez, 34, and Flavio Perez, 29. Both are charged with wire fraud conspiracy, and Hector Perez is additionally charged with wire fraud and aggravated identity theft, Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith announced. Both were arrested on June 17, 2025.
According to court documents, between May 2018 and November 2020, the brothers conducted a wire fraud conspiracy against at least four different victims, which were invoice factoring companies.
Invoice factoring is a financial service that provides immediate cash flow to a business in exchange for the business’s outstanding invoices. The invoice factoring company, which has bought the outstanding invoices, then has the right to collect the money owed by the debtors on those invoices.
To execute the scheme, the brothers created corporate entities posing as businesses seeking to sell fabricated debt in the form of fraudulent invoices. The defendants then sold these fraudulent invoices to at least four different factoring companies. As a result of this deception, the victim factoring companies transferred money to bank accounts held under the control of one or both of the defendants. The victim factoring companies would either never get paid on the fake invoices that they had purchased or if they did, would get paid much less than they were due. If they were paid, the money generally came from the defendants, most often via bank accounts held in the names of fictitious Debtors. These payments were designed to disguise the fraud so that the defendants could avoid detection and continue the fraudulent enterprise. From May 2018 through September 2020, the overall loss to the victims totaled more than $1.8 million.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Denise N. Yasinow and Matthew Thuesen are prosecuting the case.
If convicted, Hector Perez faces a maximum statutory penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for the wire fraud and conspiracy counts, and a mandatory consecutive two-years in prison for the aggravated identity theft count. Flavio Perez faces a maximum statutory penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for the conspiracy count. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Southern District of Texas charges 215 people in third week of June in relation to border enforcement effortsRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – A total of 204 new cases have been filed in the last week related to immigration, border security and related offenses from June 13-19, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
Among those are 65 people who face charges of illegally reentering the country. The majority have prior felony convictions for narcotics, violent crime, prior immigration crimes and more. A total of 125 people are charged with illegally entering the country, while five cases allege various instances of human smuggling with the remainder involving other immigration crimes and more, including assault on officers.
Two such charged include Adrian Alberto Castillo-Contador and Lorenzo Ramirez. Castillo-Contador, a Mexican national, allegedly attempted to make entry into the United States through the Hidalgo port of entry. The charges allege he failed to comply with commands and attempted to evade a Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officer. Castillo-Contador allegedly pushed the officer and caused injury but was apprehended before able to exit.
In another case, authorities allegedly found Lorenzo Ramirez near an abandoned vehicle after a failed smuggling event near Weslaco. The criminal complaint alleges that as a Border Patrol (BP) agent approached him, Ramirez fled, and a foot chase ensued. Law enforcement caught him, but during the struggle, Ramirez punched and elbowed the agent in the thigh and head, respectively, according to the charges. Ramirez also allegedly kicked another agent in the leg. The charges further allege authorities had to taser him. Both men face up to eight years in federal prison if convicted for assaulting an officer.
Also part of the new cases are several complaints alleging previous felons had illegally reentered the United States. Mexican nationals Ivan Edgar Martinez, Carlos Bartolo Santiago-Hernandez and Hugo Jimenez-Castillo had all been previously removed from the country on various dates between 2017-2014, acceding to their respective charges. However, all were allegedly found in the Rio Grande Valley area this week. Martinez and Santiago-Hernandez have convictions for illegal reentry, while Jimenez-Castillo had been sentenced to two years in prison for his driving while intoxicated conviction, according to the allegations. If convicted, all face up to 20 years in prison.
Throughout the district, law enforcement partners made multiple arrests, including nearly two dozen charged in large drug and money laundering operation. Grand juries in Houston and McAllen returned the five separate, but related indictments in May. The charges allegedly involve cocaine, heroin and methamphetamine trafficking, firearms-related offenses and money laundering. The arrests are the culmination of multiple months-long Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigations dubbed Operation Red Ranger, Borrowed Time and Resurrection. During the investigation and operations, law enforcement also seized over 170 kilograms of cocaine and heroin, over two thousand kilograms methamphetamine, more than 100 firearms and nearly $3 million as well as four properties valued at $1.2 million.
In Laredo, two cartel firearms traffickers have now been sent to federal prison. Mexican national Jorge Alberto Morales-Calvo received a 41-month-term, while Homero Arteaga Jr. previously received 57 months. At the hearing, the court heard additional evidence that the firearms were going to be smuggled across the border and delivered to the Jalisco New Generation Cartel. On Sept. 18, 2024, they planned to purchase a Barrett .50 caliber rifle for $15,000 and a FN Herstal Belgium, 5.7 x 28 caliber pistol with a large capacity magazine for $850. They were both arrested as they tried to complete the transaction.
“The Department of Justice is looking to hit the cartels from every angle and at every opportunity, which includes vigorously prosecuting not just the members of these terror groups, but those that enable them as well,” said Ganjei. “Those that arm or otherwise empower the cartels are going to the meet the full force of the federal criminal justice system.”
In Corpus Christi, an Arkansas man was ordered to prison for 36 months for transporting illegal aliens in wheel well and fuel tank. The jury deliberated for less than 30 minutes following a less than two-day trial before finding Noel Mercado guilty on two counts of alien smuggling March 11. At the sentencing hearing, the court noted the egregious crime and said the smuggled individuals had been “treated like trash.” All the illegal aliens were from the countries of Honduras, El Salvador and Guatemala with no authority to be in the United States.
“As we continue our successful campaign to secure the border, human smugglers are going to get increasingly desperate,” said Ganjei. “No matter how creative they think they are in their methods, our law enforcement partners are always one step ahead.”
A Laredo felon was also sentenced for transporting illegal aliens. Braulio Ivan Rueda was ordered to serve 21 months after he had engaged in a high-speed chase. Rueda picked up several people running from the Rio Grande River into his SUV. When authorities tried to block the vehicle, four Guatemalan nationals fled towards the river. Rueda sped away and led authorities on a three-mile chase before stopping in a commercial parking lot and attempted to escape on foot. He admitted he needed money and agreed to smuggle the aliens for “easy money.”
Also in Laredo, Anthony Jacob Garza was suspiciously driving a Ford Expedition about 20 miles north of the U.S.-Mexico border in April. He admitted he stopped at a gas station, where authorities ultimately found three illegal aliens hiding under a blanket in the SUV’s cargo area. He had picked them up near a county road. He faces up to 10 years in prison.
Two Mexican nationals and convicted felons, one who had previously assaulted public servant, are on their way back to prison for illegal reentry into the country. Abelino Hernandez-Torres was ordered to serve 60 months. He has prior convictions for illegal reentry as well as evading arrest with a motor vehicle and assault on a public servant. He was first ordered removed from the United States in 2015 and again in 2019 and 2020, and returned illegally.
Authorities had encountered Hector Ruben Cardenas-Morales in jail following charges of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and unlawful restraint. He has other convictions, including burglary, evading arrest with a motor vehicle and illegal reentry and was last removed in 2023. At the sentencing hearing, the court noted how this was his fifth time coming back and was not serving himself by returning to the country or learning from his mistakes, stating “Sir, you have no future in the United States.” He was sentenced to 63 months in federal prison.
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, CBP, 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 OCDTF 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.
South Florida Medical Providers Agree to Pay $810,301 to Resolve Allegations of Fraudulently Billing MedicareRead the Press Release
MIAMI - Vascular and Interventional Specialists, LLC (VIS); Vascular and Spine Institute, Inc. (VSI); Oscar Sosa, M.D.; and Osmany DeAngelo, D.O. have agreed to pay $810,301 to resolve allegations that they violated the False Claims Act by submitting claims for medically unnecessary percutaneous transluminal angioplasties (PTA)—a procedure that is performed to increase blood flow through a diseased or abnormally narrowed vessel.
The United States alleged that from 2015 to 2024, VIS, VSI, Sosa, and DeAngelo performed hundreds of PTAs without conducting any diagnostic inquiry or making a clinical diagnosis to support the medical necessity of the PTAs they performed. VIS, VSI, Sosa, and DeAngelo subsequently submitted claims to federal healthcare programs, including Medicare, for the PTAs that were not reasonable or medically necessary.
VIS is an endovascular surgery center in Miami, which provides vascular and interventional radiology services with a specialty in the diagnosis and treatment of vascular disease as well as the management and maintenance of dialysis access. VSI submitted bills to federal healthcare programs for services provided by VIS and its individual practitioners. DeAngelo and Sosa are individual practitioners who provided medical services, including PTAs, on behalf of VIS.
The allegations arose from a lawsuit filed by a whistleblower, Emilio Lopez, M.D., under the qui tam provisions of the False Claims Act. Under the False Claims Act, private citizens can bring suit on behalf of the government for false claims and share in any recovery. Dr. Lopez will receive approximately $186,369 from the recovery announced today.
U.S. Attorney Hayden P. O’Byrne for the Southern District of Florida and acting Special Agent in Charge Jesus Barranco of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG), Miami Regional Office announced the settlement.
HHS-OIG investigated the matter.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew J. Feeley handled the litigation.
Note: See the settlement agreement here.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov, under case number 20-cv-22046.
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Six Defendants Charge with Assaulting Federal Offices, Other Offenses During Protests Near Local ICE OfficeRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Ore.—Six defendants made their first appearances in federal court today after committing various offenses—including assaulting federal officers and creating a hazard on federal property—during ongoing protest gatherings near a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) office in South Portland.
Samuel Tate Berry, 29, who has recently resided in Gearhart and Seaside, Oregon, as well as Kelso, Washington, has been charged by criminal complaint with the misdemeanor offenses of assaulting a federal officer and failure to comply with official signs and directions.
Juniper Perry Weed, 21, of Jackson, Michigan, has been charged by criminal complaint with the misdemeanor offenses of assaulting a federal officer and failure to comply with official signs and directions.
Edwardo Diaz Guardado, 22, of Vancouver, Washington, has been charged by criminal complaint with the misdemeanor offense of assaulting a federal officer.
Andrew James Beason, 53, of Beaverton, Oregon, has been charged by information with the misdemeanor offense of failing to obey a lawful order.
Nokomis Lee, 22, of Grand Ronde, Oregon, has been charged by information with the misdemeanor offense of failing to obey a lawful order.
Liam Harry Houpis, 22, also of Vancouver, has been charged by information with the misdemeanor offense of creating a hazard on federal property.
According to court documents and information shared in court, on June 18, 2025, several hundred people gathered near an ICE office in South Portland where, for more than week, individuals have repeatedly targeted the building and various federal law enforcement officers with mortar fireworks, rocks, bricks, glass bottles, signs, and makeshift shields. At approximately 6:38pm, federal officers on site were informed that six official vehicles were en route and needed to enter the property via a vehicle gate blocked by the crowd.
After issuing warnings and asking the group to move, federal officers opened the vehicle gate and advanced on the crowd to clear the driveway for the arriving vehicles. Defendants Berry and Weed failed to comply with the officers’ directions and, while being placed under arrest, assaulted officers. Later the same evening, a crowd again blocked the building’s vehicle gate and, after being warned a second time, were cleared to allow law enforcement vehicles to exit the property. During this second clearing, at approximately 10:55pm, defendants Beason and Lee failed to obey lawful orders issued by law enforcement. A fifth defendant, Guardado, was observed possessing a high-powered laser pointer that he pointed at a federal officer, striking the officer in the eye and temporarily blinding him.
The following evening, on June 19, 2025, several dozen individuals again gathered at the South Portland ICE office, when, at approximately 10:20pm, defendant Houpis was observed using a drill and screws on plywood doors affixed to the building’s exterior in an attempt to prevent federal officers from exiting the building.
All six defendants made their first appearances in federal court today before a U.S. Magistrate Judge and were released on conditions pending future court proceedings.
Misdemeanor assault of a federal officer is punishable by up to one year in federal prison. Failure to obey a lawful order, failure to comply with official signs and directions, and creating a hazard on federal property are all Class C misdemeanors and carry a maximum penalty of 30 days in prison.
These cases are being investigated by the FBI and Federal Protective Service (FPS), and are being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Oregon.
Criminal informations and complaints are only accusations of a crime, and defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Sioux Falls-Based Federal Prosecutor Awarded Attorney of the Year by the State Bar of South Dakota’s Women in Law CommitteeRead the Press Release
SIOUX FALLS - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that Diana Ryan, Assistant U.S. Attorney and Chief of the Civil Division at the United States Attorney’s Office in South Dakota, has been awarded Attorney of the Year by the State Bar of South Dakota’s Women in Law Committee. Ms. Ryan was honored at the State Bar’s Annual Convention on Thursday, June 19, 2025, in Rapid City, SD.
The State Bar of South Dakota Women in Law Committee Attorney of the Year award seeks to annually recognize one South Dakota attorney who exemplifies leadership, mentorship, and professionalism while positively inspiring others.“Diana Ryan has played a critical role at the U.S. Attorney’s Office for more than 35 years, first as a criminal prosecutor handling violent crime in Indian country and then as a civil litigator representing the United States in federal court,” said U.S. Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell. “She is a fierce advocate whose depth of knowledge and practical experience as it relates to federal litigation is truly unmatched in South Dakota. In addition to zealously representing the interests of the United States, Diana has mentored countless attorneys over the course of her career, selflessly giving of her time and energy to invest in the professional development and promote the success of those fortunate enough to call her a colleague. We are thrilled that the Women in Law Committee has honored Diana by naming her Attorney of the Year for 2025.”
Ms. Ryan joined the U.S. Attorney’s Office in 1989 as a criminal prosecutor handling violent crime in the Rapid City area. She became Civil Division Chief in 2004 and has since supervised all affirmative and defensive litigation as well as the Financial Litigation Unit, which collects federal civil debts and enforces court orders for criminal restitution, fines, and penalties. Ms. Ryan has been lead counsel on more than 150 criminal cases, 750 civil cases, and 89 appeals. She has been widely recognized for both her work as an outstanding litigator and her tremendous mentorship and leadership.Seven Georgians Indicted for Operating Online Fentanyl, Meth MarketplaceRead the Press Release
ATHENS, Ga. – Seven Georgia residents are charged by federal indictment with allegedly conspiring to ship thousands of parcels containing fentanyl and methamphetamine across the United States and in the Middle District of Georgia utilizing the dark web vendor account “WallStreetBets.” The final defendants were arraigned in federal court this week following arrests and seizures resulting from the ongoing investigation.
The following defendants are charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute fentanyl and methamphetamine and face a maximum of life in prison: Steven Ehizojie Oboite, 32, of Conyers, Georgia; Eric Xavier Bechet, 31, of Dunwoody, Georgia; Jabari Ayinde Cooper, 29, of Atlanta, Georgia; Rashad Cortese Kinloch, 28, of Dunwoody; Myron Ned Stodghill, 31, of Fairburn, Georgia; Reginald Tyrone Douglas, 31, of Dunwoody; and Joshua Jamal Charles, 25, of Atlanta.
Stodghill and Cooper were arraigned before U.S. Magistrate Judge Charles Weigle on June 18; the remaining defendants had arraignment hearings between May 22 and June 12. The indictment was returned by a federal grand jury on May 14 and was unsealed on May 19. All defendants were remanded to federal custody except Cooper and Kinloch, who were released on bond.
Search warrants were executed on May 19 at locations in the metro Atlanta area, with federal agents seizing the following: approximately five kilograms of fentanyl-based powder; approximately one kilogram of cocaine; a pill press with multiple die casts and molds; six firearms; several pounds of marijuana; approximately 200 pills; two cold cryptocurrency wallets; a Jeep Wrangler; and a Tesla Model S.
The indictment alleges that a dark web vendor controlled by Oboite and Bechet called WallStreetBets—first operating on the White House Market on the dark web as WallStreetBets and later operating on the Darkode Market on the dark web as WallStreetBet—began distributing large quantities of fentanyl, methamphetamine and other controlled substances sometime before March 2021 by shipping parcels of the illegal drugs from Georgia to many other locations within the United States, including in the Middle District of Georgia. The "Previous Vendor Feedback" section on the Darkode Market reported 2,777 previous sales with a 95% vendor rating for WallStreetBets/WallStreetBet.
The WallStreetBets packages shared common characteristics like padded or bubble-wrap lined mailing envelopes of varying colors; prepaid shipping labels generated by a third-party postage provider that accepts cryptocurrency as a form of payment; the sender's name was a business name that did not exist; the return address was the address of seemingly random single-family residences or apartment complexes in Georgia; and the packages typically contained pieces of candy in addition to the controlled substances. The WallStreetBets/WallStreetBet vendor page offered pills for sale that were purported to be oxycodone, Adderall and Percocet, in addition to crystal methamphetamine and fentanyl-based powders.
The indictment alleges that Oboite and Bechet controlled the WallStreetBets/WallStreetBet vendor accounts across several dark web markets, including Darkode, Bohemia and Dark Matter. It is alleged that Oboite and Bechet obtained illegal drugs on behalf of WallStreetBets from several sources, including Stodghill. Oboite and Bechet directed co-conspirators Cooper, Kinloch, Douglas and Charles to package the orders, print shipping labels and ship the parcels via the United States Postal Service to customer addresses throughout the United States, including addresses in the Middle District of Georgia. The indictment alleges that the seven co-conspirators shipped thousands of packages containing illegal drugs.
If anyone has information about this case, including potential overdoses related to purchases made from WallStreetBets, they are urged to contact the FBI Atlanta Field Office at 770-216-3000.
The FBI and the United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) are investigating the case, with assistance from the IRS, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) and the Athens-Clarke County Police. This case is being investigated as part of an FBI-led interagency Joint Criminal Opioid and Darknet Enforcement (J-CODE) operation. J-CODE brings together experts from the DEA, the Postal Inspection Service, the Homeland Security Investigations, as well as the Department of Defense and the Customs and Border Protection, along with the FBI.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel Peach is prosecuting the case for the Government.
An indictment is only an allegation of criminal conduct, and all defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty in a court of law beyond a reasonable doubt.
Repeat Felon, a PCP Dealer, Sentenced to 110 Months in Prison for Drug Trafficking and Illegal Firearms PossessionRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Francisco Roche, 35, of the District of Columbia, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court to 110 months in prison for trafficking distribution-level quantities of liquid PCP – packaged in baby bottles – in the District’s Petworth neighborhood. Roche also was sentenced for possessing a loaded firearm in public, despite being on probation for four separate felony convictions.
The sentence was announced by U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro, Special Agent in Charge Ibrar A. Mian of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Washington Division, and Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department.
Roche, aka “Roach,” pleaded guilty on Feb. 14, 2025, to conspiracy to distribute phencyclidine (PCP) and to unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon. In addition to the prison term, Judge Beryl A. Howell ordered Roche to serve five years of supervised release.
According to court documents, Roche and a co-conspirator made several PCP sales to confidential police informants and others.
On Dec. 4, 2023, Roche sold about eight ounces of liquid PCP, packaged in a baby bottle, to an informant. On Dec. 13, 2023, Roche sold an informant about five ounces of PCP, packaged again in a baby bottle, four zips of a powder containing fentanyl, and a twist bag of crack cocaine.
On Dec. 22, 2023, law enforcement arrested Roche at his residence Northwest and executed a search warrant. Officer found drugs and a bag containing numerous liquid drippers—a tool that may be used to transfer liquids such as PCP from one container to another, a juice bottle containing two ounces of liquid PCP, and a pack of cigarettes.
In addition to the PCP distribution conspiracy, on Dec. 7, 2023, MPD officers on patrol near 12th Street NW and H Street NW observed a black handgun located in the center cupholder of a parked car. A short time later, Roche and another person began to enter the car before being stopped by police. The officers recovered a black Ruger LC9 pistol, loaded with eight rounds of ammunition.
Roche was arrested on Dec. 22, 2023, and was detained at the Department of Corrections Central Detention Center. Despite his incarceration, he actively coordinated with his co-conspirator to continue to distribute PCP.
This case was investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department and the DEA Washington Division. It was prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Tiffany V. Wynn and Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas Strong.
Precious Metals Depository Owner Sentenced to 65 Years in Federal Prison for $76 Million Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
WILMINGTON, Del. – Following an eight-day jury trial resulting in his conviction on mail fraud, wire fraud, and income tax evasion charges, the Honorable U.S. District Judge Maryellen Noreika sentenced Robert L. Higgins on June 17, 2025, to the statutory maximum term of 65 years in federal prison, announced Dylan J. Steinberg, Acting U.S. Attorney for the District of Delaware.
Court documents and evidence presented at trial and sentencing revealed that Higgins, age 69, owned and operated First State Depository, a precious metals depository located in Wilmington, Delaware. First State Depository held over $100 million in customer assets, primarily in the form of gold and silver bars and coins. Over the course of at least a decade, Higgins misappropriated his customers’ assets to pay his debts and finance his personal life, including two timeshares in Hawaii and vacations to foreign countries. He did all of this while underreporting his income on his federal income tax returns.
Evidence presented at trial and in sentencing proceedings revealed that Higgins stole at least $76 million from his customers and that over 1,000 customer accounts were missing precious metals. Industry sources have characterized Higgins’ fraudulent scheme as the largest theft from a precious metals depository in U.S. history.
Acting U.S. Attorney Steinberg stated, “Higgins lied to, cheated, and stole from customers who placed their trust in him and his businesses during a 10-year fraud scheme. He took his customers’ metals without their permission and used them to finance his personal life and keep his scheme going, all while failing to report and pay his fair share of income taxes. By robbing his many victims of their hard-earned life savings and retirement funds, Higgins irreparably hurt hundreds of people and their families. I applaud the FBI and the IRS-Criminal Investigation Division for their hard work to hold Higgins accountable.”
"Honest and law-abiding citizens are fed up with the likes of those who use deceit and fraud to line their pockets with other people’s money as well as skirt their tax obligations,” stated Yury Kruty, Special Agent in Charge, IRS-Criminal Investigation, Philadelphia Field Office.
“The more his greed grew, so did his shameful and selfish scheme. This sentence reflects how egregious Higgins’ crimes truly are. Let this be a lesson to other criminals that the FBI and our partners will not tolerate corruption or those seeking to take advantage of hardworking Americans,” said FBI Baltimore Acting Special Agent in Charge Amanda Koldjeski.
This case was investigated by the FBI and IRS-Criminal Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Alexander P. Ibrahim and Bryan C. Williamson, as well as former Assistant U.S. Attorney Edmond Falgowski, prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Delaware. Related court documents and information is located on the website of the District Court for the District of Delaware or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:22-cr-44.
Ohio Man Sentenced to 12 Years in Prison for Receiving and Distributing Thousands of Child Pornography FilesRead the Press Release
TOLEDO, Ohio – Brent Bennett, 55, of Norwalk, Ohio, was sentenced to 12 years in prison by U.S. District Judge James G. Carr for receipt and distribution of child sexual abuse materials (CSAM), also known as child pornography. The judge imposed the sentence June 10, 2025, with Bennett previously pleading guilty to the charges in January. Additionally, the defendant was ordered to serve five years of supervised release after imprisonment and register as a sex offender, per the Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act. He has also been ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $126,500 to victims and $35,000 to the Amy, Vicky, and Andy Child Pornography Assistance Act. The Act was established in 2018 to provide monetary assistance for victims of child sexual abuse.
According to court documents, from Jan. 19 to March 13, 2023, Bennett used peer-to-peer file sharing programs to download and distribute sexually explicit photos and videos of children, including prepubescent females as well as sadistic depictions. During a federal search warrant execution in April 2023, investigators seized two cellphones, two laptops and several digital storage devices from his apartment. Forensic analysis of Bennett’s electronic devices revealed that they contained more than 10,000 images and nearly 1,800 videos of child exploitation. Of those, 6,845 images and 1,282 videos were found to be sexually graphic and were confirmed to be designated as CSAM. The visuals were submitted to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children for further review and to identify victimized children. In total, 22 victims were identified and submitted impact statements to the court.
The investigation also identified Bennett’s IP address as one of the top 10 in the state of Ohio for CSAM downloads at the time.
The investigation preceding the indictment was conducted by the United States Secret Service.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Frank H. Spryszak for the Northern District of Ohio.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. The initiative is led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices throughout the country and marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims.
For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit Justice.gov/PSC.
To report child exploitation, please visit cybertipline.org, or call 1-800-843-5678, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Newton County Man Indicted for Illegally Possessing FirearmRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Diamond, Mo., man was indicted by a federal grand jury this week for illegally possessing firearms after a prior felony conviction.
Jason A. Duncan, 40, was charged with three counts of being a felon in possession of firearms, by a federal grand jury in Springfield, Mo. The indictment, which replaces a complaint filed on June 3, 2025, alleges that Duncan possessed a Palmetto State Armory rifle and a Taurus pistol on Aug. 19, 2024, a Hi-Point pistol on Oct. 3, 2024, and Glock pistol on Jan. 23, 2025. Duncan has prior felony convictions and is prohibited from possessing a firearm under federal law.
The charges contained in this indictment are simply accusations, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charges must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephanie L. Wan. It was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the Federal Bureau of Investigation; and the Joplin, Seneca, and Springfield, Mo., Police Departments.
Operation Take Back America
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
New Orleans Woman Sentenced for Federal Controlled Substances Act ViolationRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – KIANNA SCOTT (“SCOTT”), age 24, a resident of New Orleans, was sentenced on June 10, 2025, after previously pleading guilty to use of a communication facility in causing, and, the distribution, and possession with intent to distribute, fentanyl, heroin, and cocaine, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Section 843(b). SCOTT was sentenced to five years probation and a $100 mandatory special assessment fee.
According to court documents, SCOTT used a telephone to assist another known individual in the distribution, and possession with intent to distribute, narcotics within the Eastern District of Louisiana.
This investigation was led by the Drug Enforcement Administration – New Orleans Field Division Office, and assisted by the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office, the Saint Charles Parish Sheriff’s Office, the Saint John the Baptist Parish Sheriff’s Office, the Lafourche Parish Sheriff’s Office, and the Harahan Police Department. The prosecution is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney Lynn E. Schiffman of the Narcotics Unit.
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Narcotics Trafficker Who Brokered Cross-Country Fentanyl Sales Sentenced to 75 Months in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Melvin Edward Allen, Jr., 39, of the District of Columbia, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court to 75 months in federal prison for his role in a fentanyl trafficking conspiracy which distributed hundreds of thousands of lethal fentanyl-laced pills from Southern California to destinations throughout the United States, including Washington D.C. Allen was one of 24 co-defendants arrested over the course of 2023 in D.C., Virginia, Maryland, San Diego, and Los Angeles and charged in the conspiracy.
The sentence was announced by U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro, Special Agent in Charge Ibrar A. Mian of the Drug Enforcement Administration Washington Division, Inspector in Charge Damon Wood of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service Washington Division, and Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department.
Allen, aka “21,” pleaded guilty on December 18, 2024, to conspiracy to distribute and possession with intent to distribute 40 grams of fentanyl. In addition to the 75-month prison term, Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly ordered Allen to serve five years of supervised release.
According to court documents, Allen entered into the conspiracy after he was introduced to a Los Angeles-based drug trafficker, co-defendant Hector David Valdez, who was a distributor of fentanyl-laced counterfeit oxycodone pills. Allen was introduced to Valdez by D.C.-based fentanyl traffickers who were co-conspirators of Allen.
Allen’s role was to travel to Southern California in order to facilitate the sale of fentanyl-laced counterfeit oxycodone pills from the wholesaler to D.C.-based fentanyl redistributors. Allen most frequently brokered the purchase of the pills in person, taking approximately 65 flights from the DMV to Los Angeles International Airport (LAX). Allen used his commissions from the sales he brokered to fund a lavish lifestyle and routinely boasted of his spending habits and wealth on social media.
The impetus for the investigation was the overdose death of Diamond Lynch, a young mother in Southeast D.C. In addition to investigating and prosecuting the death resulting case, law enforcement followed the evidence and uncovered a vast network of traffickers who transported fentanyl from Mexico to Los Angeles to the District of Columbia. Since then, investigators have seized more than 450,000 fentanyl pills, 1.5 kilograms of fentanyl powder, and 30 firearms.
This investigation is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (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.
The prosecutions followed a joint investigation by the DEA Washington Division and the USPIS Washington Division in partnership with the Metropolitan Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), with additional support from the DEA Los Angeles, San Diego, and Riverside Field Offices, the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Washington Field Office, and the Charles County, Maryland Sheriff’s Office. Valuable assistance was provided by the U.S. Attorney’s Offices in the Central and Southern Districts of California, the Eastern District of Virginia, and the District of Maryland.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matthew W. Kinskey, Solomon S. Eppel, and Iris McCranie, of the Violent Crimes and Narcotics Trafficking Division.
DEFENDANT
AGE
LOCATION
CHARGES/SENTENCE
Hector David Valdez,
aka “Curl”
27
Santa Fe Springs, CaliforniaConspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl;
conspiracy to commit international money laundering.
Craig Eastman
21
Washington, D.C.Sentenced Feb. 6, 2025, to 165 months for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute more than 40 grams of fentanyl.Charles Jeffrey Taylor21
Washington, D.C.Pleaded guilty Feb. 28, 2025, to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl.Raymond Nava, Jr.21
Bell Gardens,
California
Sentenced Sept. 17, 2024, to 14 years for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl.Ulises Aldaz28
Bell Gardens,
California
Sentenced June 28, 2024, to 95 months in prison for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl.Max Alexander Carias Torres27
Bell Gardens,
California
Conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl; conspiracy to commit international money laundering.Teron Deandre McNeil, aka “Wild Boy”35
Washington, D.C.Conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl; Conspiracy to commit wire fraud.Marvin Anthony Bussie,
aka “Money Marr”
22
Washington, D.C.Sentenced June 28, 2024, to 120 months in prison for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl.Marcus Orlando Brown29
Washington, D.C.Sentenced Oct. 3, 2024, to 108 months in prison for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl.Columbian Thomas, aka "Cruddy Murda”27
Washington, D.C.Sentenced Oct. 22, 2024, to 160 months in prison for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl.Wayne Rodell Carr-Maiden35
Washington, D.C.Sentenced April 29, 2024, to 45 months in prison for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl.Andre Malik Edmond,
aka “Draco”
23
Temple Hills, MarylandSentenced July 22, 2024, to 130 months in prison for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl.Treyveon James Johnson,
aka “Treyski”
21
Alexandria, VirginiaSentenced Sept. 5, 2024, to 108 months in prison for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl.Karon Olufemi Blalock,
aka “Fat Bags”
30
Alexandria, VirginiaConspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl; conspiracy to commit wire fraud; conspiracy to commit money laundering.Ronte Ricardo Greene,
aka “Cardiddy”
29
Washington, D.C.Pleaded guilty Feb. 27, 2025, to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl.Melvin Edward Allen, Jr., aka “21”39
Washington, D.C.Sentenced June 20, 2025, to 75 months for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl.Darius Quincy Hodges,
aka “Brick”
34
Glen Allen, VirginiaConspiracy to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl.Lamin Sesay,
aka “Rock Star”
28
Alexandria, VirginiaSentenced May 30, 2025, to 110 months in prison for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl.Paul Alejandro Felix26
Glendale,
California
Sentenced Nov. 12, 2024, to 164 months in prison for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl.Omar Arana,
aka “Frogs”
27
Cudahy,
California
Sentenced May 2, 2025, to 93 months, for conspiracy to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl.Edgar Balderas, Jr., aka “Nano”27
San Diego,
California
Sentenced May 8, 2025, to 148 months in prison for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl.Raul Pacheco Ramirez31
Long Beach,
California
Sentenced Nov. 26, 2024, to 95 months for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl.Giovani Alejandro Briones31
Victorville, CaliforniaSentenced Feb. 20, 2025, to 90 months for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl.Alfredo Rodriguez Gonzalez26
Rosarito, MexicoConspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl;
conspiracy to commit international money laundering.
Mexican National with Three Prior Deportations and Two Prior Felony Convictions Charged for Illegally Reentering the United StatesRead the Press Release
LAS VEGAS – A Mexican national made his initial court appearance today to face charges of illegally reentering the United States after previously being removed from the country.
Jaime Eduardo Gonzalez-Camacho, 29, is charged with one-count of deported alien found in the United States. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for July 3, 2025, before United States Magistrate Judge Daniel J. Albregts.
According to allegations contained in the criminal complaint and statements made during court proceedings, Gonzalez-Camacho is a citizen and national of Mexico who was previously deported and removed from the United States on November 2, 2017, November 10, 2017, and June 9, 2020, and reentered the United States illegally.
On April 23, 2023, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) learned that Gonzalez-Camacho had been arrested by officers with the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department for three-counts drug trafficking, three-counts sell transport-controlled substance, one-count possess to sell controlled substance, and one-count conspiracy to violate uniform controlled substances act. On June 17, 2025, after serving a 26-to-72-month sentence in State prison, Gonzalez-Camacho was remanded to ICE custody from the Nevada Department of Corrections, based on an immigration detainer. Gonzalez-Camacho has two prior felony convictions for drug trafficking.
If convicted, Gonzalez-Camacho faces the maximum statutory penalty of two years in prison, a one-year term of supervised release, a $250,000 fine, and a $100 special assessment.
United States Attorney Sigal Chattah for the District of Nevada and Salt Lake City Field Office Director Jason Knight made the announcement.
The ICE Salt Lake City, Las Vegas Sub-Office investigated the case; and the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Nevada is prosecuting the case.
Members of the public can report crimes and suspicious activity by dialing 866-DHS-2-ICE (866-347-2423) or completing the online tip form.
A complaint is merely an accusation, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
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Mexican National Sentenced for Illegal Re-EntryRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – LAURENCIO OLVERA-TERRAZAS (“OLVERA-TERRAZAS”)age 54, a native of Mexico, was sentenced on June 10, 2025, by United States District Judge Greg G. Guidry, after previously pleading guilty to illegal re-entry of a removed alien, in violation of Title 8, United States Code, Section 1326(a), announced Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M.Simpson.
OLVERA-TERRAZAS was sentenced a term of time served and to 2 years of supervised release. Judge Guidry also ordered that OLVERA-TERRAZAS pay a $100 mandatory special assessment fee.
According to court documents, on or about August 22, 2024, OLVERA-TERRAZAS re-entered the United States after being previously deported on September 20, 1997 and March 12, 2007.
Acting U.S. Attorney Simpson praised the work of the United States Border Patrol in investigating this matter. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Mary Katherine Kaufman of the General Crimes Unit.
Mason City Man Sentenced for Possession with Intent to Distribute MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
A man who possessed methamphetamine with the intent to distribute was sentenced June 18, 2025, to more than 7 years in federal prison.
Todd Aaron Howard Hamilton Sutton, Jr., age 34, from Mason City, Iowa, received the prison term after a February 12, 2025, guilty plea.
In a plea agreement, Sutton admitted that on July 27, 2024, he was the driver of a vehicle pulled over for a traffic violation in Cerro Gordo County. He was arrested for driving while barred and taken to the Cerro Gordo County Jail. While being booked into the jail, law enforcement found a plastic baggie containing approximately 45 grams of methamphetamine Sutton had discretely hidden on his person. Previously, Sutton had attempted to conceal drugs on his person on two prior occasions when being processed at the Cerro Gordo County Jail for other offenses. Sutton has an extensive criminal history involving, amongst others, violence and drug convictions.
Sutton was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand. Sutton was sentenced to 90 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a 4-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system. Sutton is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Patrick Greenwood and investigated by the Cerro Gordo County Sheriff’s Department.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 24-CR03037.
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Maryland Man Pleads Guilty to Murdering His Girlfriend’s HusbandRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Keyon Slaughter, 28, of Waldorf, Maryland, pleaded guilty today to the December 2022 murder of Dana Bailey, Jr., announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro and Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
Slaughter pleaded guilty to second-degree murder while armed. His guilty plea, which is contingent on the Court’s approval, calls for an agreed-upon 16-year prison sentence, to be followed by five years of supervised release. The Honorable Danya Dayson scheduled sentencing for August 29, 2025.
According to a proffer of facts submitted at the plea hearing, on December 5, 2022, at approximately 10:15 a.m., Slaughter entered Apartment 3 at 3224 E Street Southeast, Washington, D.C., the residence of Dana Bailey, Jr. Once inside the apartment, Slaughter confronted Mr. Bailey and shot him once in the chest with a .40 caliber handgun, causing his death. Slaughter then fled the apartment and soon thereafter fled the District of Columbia to North Carolina.
At the time of the murder, Slaughter was engaged in a relationship with the wife of Mr. Bailey, who was indicted with Slaughter and pleaded guilty to obstructing justice. At the time of the offense, Slaughter was on supervised probation for a 2019 conviction for armed robbery in Charles County, Maryland. Slaughter was arrested in this case in July 2023 and has been detained since.
This case was investigated by members of MPD’s Homicide Branch. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles R. Jones.
Man Charged for Stabbing Visitor at the Wounded Knee Memorial Site in the Pine Ridge ReservationRead the Press Release
RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced that the United States Attorney’s Office has charged 18-year-old Raymond Eagle Hawk, Jr., of Wounded Knee, South Dakota, with Assault with Intent to Commit Murder.
On June 12, 2025, Eagle Hawk was intoxicated and panhandling at the Wounded Knee cemetery parking lot. The victim, a 71-year-old man, and his wife had traveled to the Pine Ridge Reservation from their home in Texas to visit the Wounded Knee Memorial site, near Wounded Knee village, within the Pine Ridge Reservation.
At the memorial site, Eagle Hawk asked the victim for money. The victim gave Eagle Hawk a small sum of cash, but Eagle Hawk continued to demand money. When the victim did not give Eagle Hawk more money, Eagle Hawk stabbed him in the throat with a knife. The victim sustained a grievous injury to his neck and attempted to return to his vehicle. Eagle Hawk continued to advance on the victim, but then fled the cemetery. The victim was transported to the Pine Ridge hospital and later flown by air ambulance to Monument Health Hospital in Rapid City, where he underwent emergency surgery to repair the wound to his neck.
Eagle Hawk appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Daneta Wollmann on June 18, 2025, and pleaded not guilty to the criminal complaint. Eagle Hawk was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending a preliminary hearing and a detention hearing, scheduled for June 27, 2025.
The maximum penalty upon conviction is 20 years in custody in a federal prison.
The charge is merely an accusation and Eagle Hawk is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
This matter is being 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.
The investigation is being conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Oglala Sioux Tribe Department of Public Safety Criminal Investigations Division. Assistant United States Attorney Heather Knox is prosecuting the case.
Laurel County Company Pleads Guilty to Obtaining Misbranded Injectable DrugsRead the Press Release
LONDON, Ky. – A Laurel County, Kentucky company, Facial Expressions, pleaded guilty to the receipt of misbranded drugs in interstate commerce. Separately, its owner, Dr. Paula Gill, pleaded guilty to providing false information on an application to the DEA.
Dr. Gill owned and operated Facial Expressions, which was a business that provided treatments to customers involving injectable drugs, primarily derived from botulinum toxins to remedy or mitigate skin wrinkles. Dr. Gill administered these drugs to Facial Expressions’ customers. The manufacturing, labeling and distribution of these prescription drugs are regulated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and they can only be legally acquired from an authorized and licensed distributor in the United States. Botulin toxin drugs available from unlicensed foreign suppliers are not authorized for use in the United States.
According to the company’s plea agreement, between August 2019 and August 2023, Facial Expressions purchased botulinum toxin type A drugs that were manufactured, packaged, and labeled for sale in Korea and/or Turkey, and thus were not authorized for use inside the United States by the FDA. Multiple customers experienced side effects linked to the botulinum injections that they received at Facial Expressions during this period. In total, these customers incurred additional medical expenses of at least $24,369 to fix these side effects.
In addition to Facial Expressions’ guilty plea, Dr. Gill pleaded guilty to providing false information to the DEA. On August 4, 2021, she knowingly lied on a DEA form to renew her DEA registration number by stating that her license to practice dentistry had never been suspended, when in fact the Kentucky Board of Dentistry did suspend her license in October 2010.
“Patients should be able to trust that the clinics they go to for care are operating by the book, which includes the purchase of prescription drugs through safe, FDA-approved channels,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Paul McCaffrey. “When medical providers breach that trust, we will hold them accountable.”
“Medical professionals who obtain prescription drugs outside the legitimate supply chain put their unsuspecting patients at significant risk,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Ronald Dawkins, FDA Office of Criminal Investigations Metro Washington Field Office. “We will continue to pursue and bring to justice those who put profit over patient safety and jeopardize the public’s health.”
Acting U.S. Attorney McCaffrey, FDA Acting Special Agent in Charge Dawkins, and Phillip J. Burnett, Jr., Commissioner of the Kentucky State Police (KSP), jointly announced the guilty plea.
The investigation was conducted by the FDA- Office of Criminal Investigations and KSP. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brittany Dunn-Pirio is prosecuting the case on behalf of the United States.
Dr. Gill is scheduled to be sentenced on October 16. She faces up to four years in prison and a maximum fine of $250,000. However, any sentence will be imposed by the Court, after its consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal sentencing statutes.
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Justice Department Secures Denaturalization of Convicted Distributor of Child Sexual Abuse Material Who Fraudulently Obtained U.S. CitizenshipRead the Press Release
On June 13, 2025, the Justice Department secured the denaturalization of a convicted collector and distributor of child sexual abuse material.
While still a citizen of the United Kingdom, Elliott Duke enlisted in the U.S. Army. In 2012, while serving in Germany, Duke began receiving and distributing child sexual abuse material via email and the internet.
In November 13, 2012, Duke applied for citizenship under a provision that permits U.S. servicemembers to obtain U.S. citizenship. When asked on his naturalization application if he had “ever committed a crime or offense for which you were not arrested,” Duke listed only a speeding ticket. On January 18, 2013, a U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services officer interviewed Duke, and Duke, once more, orally testified that he had never committed a crime or offense for which he had not been arrested. On January 18, 2013, Duke took the Oath of Allegiance and was granted U.S. citizenship.
On May 14, 2013, police officers in Louisiana arrested Duke and charged him with receipt and distribution of child pornography. During a police interview and in his plea agreement, Duke confessed to downloading, possessing, and distributing child pornography via his email account and the internet on dates both before and after his naturalization. Law enforcement officers from Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations (“HSI”) later found 168 videos and 187 still images on Duke’s computer depicting minor boys and girls engaged in the lascivious display of sexual activity and bestiality. On January 23, 2014, Duke was convicted of receipt and possession of child pornography.
On February 19, 2025, the Justice Department filed a complaint in the United States District Court for the Western District of Louisiana seeking Duke’s denaturalization based on his crimes and his failure to disclose them during his naturalization process. On June 13, 2025, the Honorable James D. Cain, Jr, United States District Judge, entered an order revoking Duke’s U.S. citizenship.
“The laws intended to facilitate citizenship for brave men and women who join our nation’s armed forces will not shield individuals who have fraudulently obtained U.S. citizenship by concealing their crimes,” said Assistant Attorney General Brett A. Shumate. “If you commit serious crimes before you become a U.S. citizen and then lie about them during your naturalization process, the Justice Department will discover the truth and come after you.”
The case was investigated as part of Operation Prison Lookout, an ongoing national initiative involving the Justice Department and ICE to identify and prosecute sex offenders who have fraudulently obtained United States citizenship. This case was prosecuted by Deputy Chief Hans H. Chen of the Justice Department’s Office of Immigration Litigation, General Litigation and Appeals Section, Affirmative Litigation Unit, with assistance from HSI, ICE’s Office of the Principal Legal Advisor, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Shannon Smitherman of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Louisiana.
Justice Department Ramps up Community Outreach and Prosecution of Fraudsters Targeting Elderly VictimsRead the Press Release
ATLANTA - In recognition of World Elder Abuse Awareness Day, U.S. Attorney General Pamela Bondi and U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg announced that the Justice Department has increased efforts to protect American seniors from schemes that cost victims billions of dollars, often depleting their life savings. In the past few months, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia has prosecuted several fraudsters who targeted the elderly as well as conducted outreach to educate law enforcement about these schemes.
“Prosecutors across the country are stepping up the fight against malicious schemes that target older Americans,” said Attorney General Bondi. “We are working with domestic law enforcement and foreign counterparts every day to hold criminals accountable and ensure that justice is done for our seniors both here at home and abroad.”
“Our Office is committed to identifying and prosecuting fraudsters who target elderly citizens,” said U.S. Attorney Hertzberg. “We will continue to work closely with our law enforcement partners to bring opportunistic scammers to justice and ensure they get the punishment they deserve.”
The U.S. Attorney’s Office utilizes a two-pronged approach to addressing the threat of elder abuse by: (i) identifying and prosecuting domestic and foreign criminals involved in perpetrating elder fraud schemes and laundering the proceeds of their crimes; and (ii) engaging with law enforcement partners and community groups to educate them about elder fraud offenses and preventive measures to avoid such scams.
Elder Fraud Schemes
Although elder fraud may occur in a variety of ways, the most common schemes involve romance fraud, lottery fraud, tech support fraud, and grandparent scams.
- Romance fraud involves perpetrators who feign romantic interest in victims in order to later extract money or property under false pretenses.
- Lottery fraud schemes trick victims into believing they have won a non-existent lottery or sweepstakes prize to extract fake fees, taxes, or other fabricated charges from the victim.
- Tech support fraud scams involve perpetrators deceiving victims into believing that a computer or phone is faulty, often through fake pop-up messages, followed by demands for payment to repair the problem.
- Grandparent scams involve scammers impersonating a grandchild or other close relative experiencing a fictitious emergency who needs money from the victim as soon as possible.
Recent Prosecutions
The U.S. Attorney’s Office has achieved significant results in prosecuting recent elder fraud matters.
- U.S. v. Parikh, et al. On June 18, 2025, Pradip Parikh and Alpesh Patel were convicted following a jury trial for their roles in receiving and laundering fraud proceeds arising from an Indian call center scam. The scam callers—posing as government officials—scared victims into believing that they faced serious financial or legal problems because their social security numbers had been compromised. To avoid the perceived consequences, these victims, many of whom were elderly, were instructed to deposit cashier’s checks in or wire money to bank accounts identified by the scammers. Parikh and Patel each controlled and operated a bank account that received the victims’ funds. Parikh was convicted of conspiracy to commit money laundering and two counts of money laundering. Patel was convicted of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, conspiracy to commit money laundering, and two counts of money laundering. While Parikh and Patel are awaiting sentencing, on April 14, 2025, co-defendants Robert Starling and Sarah Starling received sentences of 27 months and 20 months imprisonment, respectively, after pleading guilty. The court also ordered restitution to the victims.
- U.S. v. Young, et al. and U.S. v. Grey. In April 2025, Rederic Young and Randolph Leggs pleaded guilty to bank fraud and conspiracy to commit money laundering for their roles in a retirement account takeover scheme. According to court documents, from July 2022 through January 2023, scammers involved in the scheme tricked an investment management company into authorizing a distribution to an imposter posing as the true accountholder. The conspirators created phony identification documents for the victim accountholder to open bank accounts in the victim’s name, which were used to receive and launder the stolen funds. In a related case, on June 10, 2025, Kendall Grey, a former community relations business associate, pleaded guilty to one count of bank fraud. Grey abused his position as a bank employee to open the fraudulent bank accounts used by Young and Leggs, knowing the accounts would be utilized to receive and launder proceeds of the identity theft crime. Sentencing hearings for Young, Leggs, and Grey are pending.
Outreach Efforts
World Elder Abuse Awareness Day (WEAAD) Outreach Program. On June 11, 2025, the U.S. Attorney’s Office participated in an Elder Abuse Training for law enforcement presented in partnership with the Prosecuting Attorneys’ Council of Georgia, the Fulton County District Attorney’s Office, and the Georgia Department of Human Services. The event hosted more than 125 attendees from approximately 45 agencies and service organizations across the district.
National Elder Fraud Hotline 2025 WEAAD Campaign. The National Elder Fraud Hotline is a free, national resource for older adults and their loved ones experiencing financial fraud. Supported by the Office for Victims of Crime, the National Elder Fraud Hotline is staffed by professionals experienced in working with older adults. Staff are continuously updated on the latest scams, are trained to make referrals concerning resources and services in the older adult’s local area and to assist older adults in placing a report with the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center, a report which has the potential to freeze funds.
If you or someone you know is age 60 or older and has been a victim of financial fraud, help is standing by at the National Elder Fraud Hotline: (833) FRAUD-11 (833-372-8311). This Department of Justice hotline, managed by the Office for Victims of Crime, is staffed by experienced professionals who provide personalized support to callers by assessing the needs of the victim and identifying relevant next steps. Case managers will identify appropriate reporting agencies, provide information to callers to assist them in reporting, connect callers directly to appropriate agencies, and provide resources and referrals, on a case-by-case basis. Reporting is the first step, enabling authorities to identify those who commit fraud and to report certain financial losses due to fraud as soon as possible to increase the likelihood of recovering losses. The hotline is open Monday through Friday from 10:00 am to 6:00 pm Eastern Time. English, Spanish, and other languages are available.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office is part of the Department of Justice’s Transnational Elder Fraud Strike Force. The Strike Force focuses on investigating and prosecuting defendants associated with foreign-based fraud schemes that disproportionately affect American seniors. These include romance scams, phone scams, mass-mailing fraud schemes, and tech-support fraud schemes. For further information on these scams, see https://www.justice.gov/elderjustice/senior-scam-alert.
More information about the Department of Justice’s efforts to help American seniors is available at its Elder Justice Initiative webpage. For more information about the Consumer Protection Branch and its enforcement efforts, visit its website at www.justice.gov/civil/consumer-protection-branch. Elder fraud complaints may be filed with the FTC at https://reportfraud.ftc.gov or at (877) FTC-HELP (877-382-4357). The Department of Justice provides a variety of resources relating to elder fraud victimization through its Office for Victims of Crime, which can be reached at www.ovc.gov.
For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at [email protected] or (404) 581-6280. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.
Justice Department Files Statement of Interest in Alabama Redistricting Case Opposing Request for Preclearance under the Voting Rights ActRead the Press Release
The Justice Department announced today that it has filed a Statement of Interest in the Alabama redistricting case, Milligan v. Allen, 2:21-cv-1530 (N.D. Ala.), opposing Plaintiffs’ request to have Alabama submit its future redistricting plans for preclearance by the U.S. Attorney General under Section 3(c) of the Voting Rights Act.
Three sets of plaintiffs filed lawsuits arguing that two Congressional Districts in Alabama should be majority Black. The Court found that Alabama’s attempt to create a second majority-Black district was insufficient. Alabama has agreed to use the Special Master’s Remedial Map going forward and has explained to the Court that it will not seek to redistrict again until after the 2030 Census. One plaintiff argues that it is insufficient and seeks Section 3(c) relief.
In its Statement of Interest, the Justice Department explains that it would not be appropriate to require Alabama to submit future redistricting plans for preapproval by the Court or the federal government. “Section 3(c) preclearance is a drastic departure from basic principles of federalism, and nothing presented to the court justifies the extraordinary requirement of forcing Alabama to have redistricting plans pre-approved by the federal government,” said Deputy Assistant Attorney General Michael E. Gates of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division.
“The issues raised by the plaintiffs in this case have been remedied by the State of Alabama’s agreement to use the Remedial Map and pledge to not seek to redistrict again until after the next Census—over five years from now,” said United States Attorney Prim Escalona for the Northern District of Alabama. “The plaintiffs’ request to impose preclearance would unnecessarily tax principles of equal sovereignty that afford Alabama the Constitutional right to manage its own elections.”
The Civil Rights Division’s Voting Section enforces federal statutes that protect the integrity of the vote, including the Voting Rights Act, National Voter Registration Act, Help America Vote Act, and the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act.
More information about voting and elections is available on the Justice Department’s website at www.justice.gov/voting. Complaints about possible violations of federal voting rights laws can be submitted through the Civil Rights Division’s website at civilrights.justice.gov or by telephone at 1-800-253-3931.
Human smuggler heads to federal prison for fatal smuggling eventRead the Press Release
McALLEN, Texas – A 23-year-old Mexican national has been sentenced for alien smuggling resulting in death, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
Jose Guadalupe Antonio-Arredondo pleaded guilty April 3.
Chief U.S. District Judge Randy Crane has now ordered Antonio-Arredondo to serve 30 months in federal prison. Not a U.S. citizen, he is expected to face removal proceedings following his imprisonment.
Antonio-Arredondo admitted to assisting in the smuggling of an illegal alien July 12, 2024, by acting as a river guide. He led the illegal alien and a brush guide across the river to the border wall, then returned to Mexico.
After crossing, the illegal alien had trouble breathing and collapsed. The brush guide fled to a nearby house to hide from law enforcement. Authorities found the alien and took him to a hospital, where he later succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced deceased July 17, 2024.
He will remain in custody pending transfer to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
Border Patrol conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Devin V. Walker is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations 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.
Honduran National Sentenced to Six Months in Prison for Illegal ReentryRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Honduran national was sentenced June 18, 2025, in federal court in Boston for unlawfully reentering the United States after deportation.
Manuel A. Padilla, 36, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Nathaniel M. Gorton to six months in prison, to be followed by one year of supervised release. In April 2025, Padilla pleaded guilty to one count of unlawful reentry of a deported alien. In February 2025, Padilla was indicted by a federal grand jury.
Padilla first entered the United States unlawfully in 2003. On March 4, 2003, Padilla was voluntarily removed to Mexico.
At an unknown date, Padilla returned to the United States and in 2007 was charged and convicted of disorderly conduct, resisting arrest and intimidation of a witness. On March 15, 2010, Padilla was removed to Honduras pursuant to a court order.
After his 2010 removal, Padilla once again entered the United States unlawfully. In January 2013, Padilla was charged with multiple counts of assault and battery. On June 28, 2013, Padilla was once again removed to Honduras.
Sometime after his 2013 removal, Padilla unlawfully reentered the United States for a fourth time. Since his return, Padilla was charged with assault with a dangerous weapon and operation under the influence of alcohol. On Aug. 2, 2024, Padilla received a continuation without a finding on one count of operation under the influence of liquor. In January 2025, Padilla was arrested by immigration authorities.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Patricia H. Hyde, Field Office Director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations in Boston made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sandra Gonzalez Sanchez and David G. Tobin of the Major Crimes Unit prosecuted the case.
High-Ranking Member of Violent Mexican Drug Cartel Sentenced to 35 Years in Prison for His Role in an International Drug Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
A Mexican national and violent member of Los Zetas cartel was sentenced today to 35 years in prison and ordered to forfeit $792 million for conspiring to manufacture and distribute large quantities of cocaine and marijuana knowing that the drugs would be unlawfully imported into the United States. The United States Department of State designated Los Zetas, now known as Cartel del Noreste, as a foreign terrorist organization on Feb. 20, 2025.
According to court documents, Jaime Gonzalez-Duran, also known as Hummer, 49, was personally responsible for importing into the United States more than 450 kilograms of cocaine and 90,000 kilograms of marijuana, engaging in acts of violence against rival drug trafficking groups for control over drug plazas and trafficking routes, storing and transporting weapons, explosives, and ammunition, and bribing law enforcement officers to ensure drug loads would not be disturbed.
Gonzalez-Duran was an original member of Los Zetas, a drug trafficking organization comprised of former Mexican military officers that began as an armed militaristic wing for the Gulf Cartel. Gonzalez-Duran later served as a regional commander in the Mexican cities of Matamoros, Reynosa, and Miguel Aleman, after Los Zetas formed an alliance with the Gulf Cartel known as “The Company.” Gonzalez-Duran personally maintained a warehouse in Reynosa from which, in November 2008, authorities seized 540 rifles, 165 grenades, 500,000 rounds of ammunition, and 14 sticks of TNT that were used to secure drug territory and shipments. Gonzalez-Duran also was intercepted in a phone call in May 2007 coordinating the transportation of almost $1.5 million in cash from McAllen, Texas, into Mexico.
“Jaime Gonzalez-Duran employed violence and intimidation tactics to maintain Los Zetas’ reign over key drug trafficking routes, especially on the U.S.-Mexico border, used to send vast quantities of narcotics into the United States,” said Matthew R. Galeotti, Head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Today’s sentence is a forceful reminder to Mexican terrorist organizations that the Department of Justice is committed to bringing to justice those who threaten the wellbeing and safety of the American people for their own personal gain.”
“For decades, DEA agents have tirelessly pursued justice to bring down one of Los Zetas’ most violent leaders, Jaime Gonzalez-Duran,” Said Acting Special Agent in Charge William Kimbell of the DEA Houston Division. “Today, those relentless efforts by our agents have paid off, and Duran will now be held accountable for years of bringing deadly drugs into American communities and killing those who stood in his way. No matter the distance of a violent drug trafficking organization or the rank of its leader, DEA will track down anyone who threatens our national safety and security.”
On Feb. 28, Gonzalez-Duran pleaded guilty to conspiracy to manufacture and distribute cocaine and marijuana for unlawful importation into the United States from Mexico.
The DEA Houston Division investigated the case.
Deputy Chief Melanie Alsworth and Trial Attorneys Kirk Handrich and Jayce Born of the Criminal Division’s Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section prosecuted the case. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs worked with law enforcement partners in Mexico to secure the arrest and October 2022 extradition of Gonzalez-Duran.
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 Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces and Project Safe Neighborhoods.
Human Trafficking Conspiracy Spanning Florida Panhandle and Southern Alabama DismantledRead the Press Release
TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA – Kimberly Robinson Gandy, 47, of Gulfport, Mississippi, was found guilty on Wednesday afternoon, June 18, 2025, by a federal jury, of: Conspiracy to Commit Sex Trafficking by Force, Fraud, or Coercion; Sex Trafficking by Force, Fraud, or Coercion; and Money Laundering. Her codefendant, Chad Cornelius Seymore, 49, of Dothan, Alabama, pled as charged, on Monday, June 9, 2025, immediately prior to the scheduled trial, to: Conspiracy to Commit Sex Trafficking by Force, Fraud, or Coercion; Sex Trafficking by Force, Fraud, or Coercion; Receiving Benefits From Sex Trafficking; Interstate Travel In Aid of Racketeering; and Money Laundering. The guilty plea and verdict were announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “Thanks to the tireless efforts of our local, state, and federal law enforcement partners who investigated this case, and the tenacious work of the federal prosecutors and support staff in my office, we have dismantled this sex trafficking conspiracy and obtained justice on behalf of its victims. My office is committed to fulfilling the promise of President Donald J. Trump and Attorney General Pam Bondi to aggressively prosecute those who prey upon and profit from human trafficking victims. This outcome is a testament to the outstanding collaborative work of the Capital City Human Trafficking Task Force.”
Court documents reflect that over a four-year period Seymore conspired with others to bond adult women out of county jail and then force them to commit commercial sex acts in Alabama and North Florida. Seymore recruited women suffering from drug addictions at hotels and through online advertisements. He threatened and physically abused his sex trafficking victims. Gandy conspired with Seymore to traffic women in Panama City Beach and Destin. They used online money exchange platforms to transfer funds received from commercial sex acts.
Sentencing for Chad Seymore is scheduled for August 15, 2025, at 2:00 p.m. Kim Gandy will be sentenced on September 15, 2025, at 1:30 p.m. The defendants will be sentenced at the United States Courthouse in Tallahassee before Chief United States District Judge Alan C. Winsor.
The convictions were the result of a joint investigation by the Leon County Sheriff’s Office, Homeland Security Investigations, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Dothan, Alabama Police Department, the Panama City Beach Police Department, the Panama City Police Department, with assistance from the United States Marshal’s Service, the Bay County Sheriff’s Office, the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office, the Wakulla County Sheriff’s Office, the Walton County Sheriff’s Office, and the United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Alabama. The case is being prosecuted by First Assistant United States Attorney Michelle Spaven.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America (https://www.justice.gov/dag/media/1393746/dl?inline ) a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.
Former Mayor of Les Irois, Haiti Sentenced to Nine Years in Prison for Immigration FraudRead the Press Release
BOSTON – The former Mayor of Les Irois, Haiti was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for illegally obtaining a Permanent Resident Card (commonly referred to as a Green Card) by means of a false statement, specifically, that he ordered and carried out or materially assisted in extrajudicial and political killings, and other acts of violence, against the Haitian people.
Jean Morose Viliena, 53, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Chief Judge F. Dennis Saylor IV to nine years in prison and three years of supervised release. The defendant is subject to deportation proceedings upon completion of the sentence imposed. On March 28, 2025, Viliena was convicted of three counts of visa fraud following a two-week jury trial.
“Jean Morose Viliena built a life in the United States by burying the truth about his violent past – a past marked by political persecution, bloodshed and the silencing of dissent in Haiti,” said United States Attorney Leah B. Foley. “For more than a decade, he lived freely and comfortably in this country while the victims of his brutality lived in fear, exile and pain. Today’s sentence brings a measure of justice for the lives he shattered and sends a clear message: the United States will not be a safe haven for human rights abusers. Lying to gain entry into this country and then lying again under oath to avoid accountability, strikes at the heart of our immigration and legal systems. I commend the tremendous courage of the victims and witnesses who stood up and spoke the truth, despite the risks, and made this outcome possible.”
“In Haiti, Jean Morose Viliena was involved in the violent killings, beatings, and assaults of whomever he believed threatened his power as mayor,” said Matthew R. Galeotti, Head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “His lies to U.S. immigration authorities allowed him to unlawfully enter this country and obtain lawful permanent resident status. Individuals who commit violent crimes in their home countries should take note: we do not tolerate human rights abusers who lie to take refuge here. We will find you, investigate you, and prosecute you to ensure that you are held accountable to the maximum extent of U.S. law for your heinous criminal conduct.”
“Today's sentencing underscores the commitment of Homeland Security Investigations to ensuring that individuals who commit heinous acts of violence and fraud are held accountable, regardless of where those crimes were committed” said Special Agent in Charge Michael J. Krol for Homeland Security Investigations, New England. “Jean Morose Viliena's actions were not only a gross violation of human rights but also a betrayal of the trust placed in him by his community. HSI will continue to work tirelessly with our partners to bring justice to victims and protect the American people from foreign criminals seeking to escape justice in their home countries.”
“The men and women of CBP work diligently alongside our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners to ensure the safety of the people in our communities. Emigrating to the United States is a privilege and if you conceal your criminal conduct to deceive your way into this country, you will ultimately be detected, held accountable and brought to justice,” said Jennifer De La O, Director of Field Operations, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Boston Field Office.
Viliena was the Mayor of Les Irois, Haiti from December 2006 until at least February 2010. As a candidate and as Mayor, Viliena was backed by a political machine called Korega, which exerts power throughout the southwestern region of Haiti through armed violence. Viliena personally supervised his mayoral staff and security detail and led an armed group in Les Irois aligned with Korega. Under Viliena’s direct supervision, the Korega militia enforced Viliena’s policies by various means, including by targeting political opponents in Les Irois through armed violence.
As Mayor, Viliena was involved in several instances of violence. The first occurred in or around July 27, 2007 when a witness spoke at a judicial proceeding in Les Irois on behalf of a neighbor who had been assaulted by Viliena. In reprisal for that testimony, that evening, Viliena led an armed group to that witness’ home, where Viliena and his associates shot and killed the witness’ younger brother, and then smashed his skull with a large rock before a crowd of bystanders.
The second incident occurred in or around April 2008, when a group of local journalists and activists founded a community radio station. According to court documents, Viliena opposed establishment of the radio station and, on April 8, 2008, mobilized members of his staff and the Korega militia to forcibly shut down the radio station and seize its broadcasting equipment. At that time, Viliena distributed firearms to the Korega militia members, some of whom also carried machetes and picks.
On the day of the attack on the radio station, Viliena pistol-whipped an individual with his gun and struck him with his fists. When the individual tried to flee, Viliena ordered one of his associates to shoot and kill him. Shots were fired which hit the individual in the leg. The individual spent several months in various hospitals and his leg was later amputated above his knee. Another individual, also a citizen of Haiti, became a target of Viliena because of his association with the radio station. On the day of the attack of the radio station, that individual was present and when he tried to flee, he was hit by a bullet in the face. He required months of intensive medical treatment, including two surgeries to extract shotgun pellets from his face, which left him permanently blind in one eye. According to court documents, pieces of shotgun pellets remain in the individual’s scalp and arms.
On June 3, 2008, Viliena presented himself at the United States Embassy Consular Office in Port au Prince, Haiti where he submitted an Application for Immigrant Visa and Alien Registration, Form DS-230, Part II in order to gain entry to the United States. The form specifically requires that each applicant state whether or not they are a member of any class of individuals that are excluded from admission into the United States, including those who have “ordered, carried out or materially assisted in extrajudicial and political killings and other acts of violence against the Haitian people.” Viliena falsely responded that he was not. Viliena thereafter swore to, or affirmed, before a U.S. Consular Officer that the contents of the application were true and signed the application. According to court documents, thereafter, on or about June 4, 2008 and based upon Viliena’s false representations in the Application for Immigrant Visa and Alien Registration Form DS-230, the U.S. Department of State approved Viliena’s DS-230 application.
On or about July 14, 2008 – as the result of the approval of his DS-230 application – Viliena gained entry into the United States and was thereafter granted lawful permanent residence status in the United States. As a further result, Viliena received a Permanent Resident Card. Viliena has continued to possess a Permanent Resident Card and has used such card on numerous occasions to enter the United States, including after visiting his family in Les Irois. Since unlawfully gaining entry into the United States, Viliena has received sufficient income through employment and raised a child who is now a U.S. citizen by birth.
On March 22, 2017, a civil lawsuit was filed against the defendant alleging various violations under the Torture Victim Protection Act and Alien Tort Statute. On March 21, 2023, a jury found the defendant liable for the extrajudicial killing of Ecclesiaste Boniface, and the attempted extrajudicial killing and torture of Juders Yseme and Nissage Martyr. The plaintiffs were awarded $11 million in punitive damages.
U.S. Attorney Foley; DOJ Head Galeotti; HSI SAC Krol; CBP Director De La O; Matthew O’Brien, Special Agent in Charge of U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service, Boston Field Office; and Denis C. Riordan, District Director of the Fraud Detection and National Security Division of United States Citizenship and Immigration Services, Boston Field Division made the announcement today. This matter was investigated with the assistance of the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs, the United States Interagency Human Rights Violators & War Crimes Center and the United States Citizen and Immigration Service. Valuable assistance was provided by the Malden Police Department and HRSP historian Christopher Hayden. Assistant U.S. Attorney Laura J. Kaplan of the National Security Unit prosecuted the case along with Alexandra Skinnion of the Justice Department’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Unit Section (HRSP).
Former Haitian Mayor and Human Rights Violator Sentenced to Nine Years in Prison for Lying about Past Involvement in Political ViolenceRead the Press Release
Note: See indictment here.
Jean Morose Viliena, the former Mayor of Les Irois, Haiti, was sentenced today to nine years in prison followed by three years of supervised release by Chief Judge F. Dennis Saylor IV for the District of Massachusetts for possessing and using a Permanent Resident Card he had fraudulently obtained by falsely stating that he had not ordered, carried out, or materially assisted in extrajudicial and political killings and other acts of violence against the Haitian people. A federal jury convicted Viliena in March 2025 of three counts of visa fraud.
“In Haiti, Jean Morose Viliena was involved in the violent killings, beatings, and assaults of whomever he believed threatened his power as mayor,” said Matthew R. Galeotti, Head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “His lies to U.S. immigration authorities allowed him to unlawfully enter this country and obtain lawful permanent resident status. Individuals who commit violent crimes in their home countries should take note: we do not tolerate human rights abusers who lie to take refuge here. We will find you, investigate you, and prosecute you to ensure that you are held accountable to the maximum extent of U.S. law for your heinous criminal conduct.”
“Jean Morose Viliena built a life in the United States by burying the truth about his violent past – a past marked by political persecution, bloodshed and the silencing of dissent in Haiti,” said U.S. Attorney Leah B. Foley for the District of Massachusetts. “For more than a decade, he lived freely and comfortably in this country while the victims of his brutality lived in fear, exile and pain. Today’s sentence brings a measure of justice for the lives he shattered and sends a clear message: the United States will not be a safe haven for human rights abusers. Lying to gain entry into this country and then lying again under oath to avoid accountability strikes at the heart of our immigration and legal systems. I commend the tremendous courage of the victims and witnesses who stood up and spoke the truth despite the risks and made this outcome possible.”
“Today's sentencing underscores the commitment of Homeland Security Investigations to ensuring that individuals who commit heinous acts of violence and fraud are held accountable, regardless of where those crimes were committed,” said Special Agent in Charge Michael J. Krol of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) New England. “Jean Morose Viliena's actions were not only a gross violation of human rights but also a betrayal of the trust placed in him by his community. HSI will continue to work tirelessly with our partners to bring justice to victims and protect the American people from foreign criminals seeking to escape justice in their home countries.”
Viliena, 53, was the Mayor of Les Irois, Haiti, from December 2006 until February 2010. As a candidate and as mayor, Viliena was backed by Korega, a political machine that used armed violence to exert power throughout the southwestern region of Haiti. Viliena personally supervised his mayoral staff and other armed supporters aligned with Korega and directed them to engage in armed violence to quash opposition to his authority.
According to evidence presented at trial, on July 27, 2007, Viliena violently retaliated against an activist who had previously spoken at a judicial proceeding on behalf of a neighbor whom Viliena had assaulted. In a brutal act of reprisal, that evening, Viliena led an armed group to the activist’s home, where Viliena and his associates shot and killed the activist’s younger brother and then smashed the brother’s skull with a large rock before a crowd of bystanders.
Viliena committed another act of violent retribution in April 2008, when he and his associates attacked community members who had founded a radio station that Viliena opposed. According to multiple witnesses’ testimony, Viliena mobilized armed members of his staff and supporters to forcibly shut down the radio station and seize its broadcasting equipment. Viliena distributed firearms to his men, some of whom also carried machetes and picks. According to the evidence presented at trial, during this incident, Viliena beat one man and ordered an associate to shoot him when he tried to flee. As a result, the man’s leg was later amputated above the knee. Viliena also beat a student who was at the radio station; when the student tried to flee, a bullet struck his face, leaving him permanently blind in one eye.
Less than two months after the radio station attack, Viliena presented himself at the U.S. Embassy Consular Office in Port au Prince, Haiti, where he applied for a visa to enter the United States. The visa application specifically requires an applicant to state whether they are a member of any class of individuals excluded from admission into the United States, including those who have “ordered, carried out or materially assisted in extrajudicial and political killings and other acts of violence against the Haitian people.” Viliena falsely responded “no,” indicating that this category did not apply to him. Viliena thereafter swore to and affirmed before a U.S. Consular Officer that the contents of the application were true and signed the application.
Based on Viliena’s false representations, the United States approved his visa application and permitted him to enter the country. The United States later granted Viliena lawful permanent resident status and a Permanent Resident Card, also known as a “Green Card.” For years, through the use of his fraudulently obtained Green Card, Viliena enjoyed a job; sufficient income; a comfortable home; a safe community; the ability to visit his family in Les Irois at any time; and the privilege of raising and educating a son who is now a U.S. citizen by birth.
The HSI Boston Field Office investigated the case, with coordination provided by the Human Rights Violators and War Crimes Center (HRVWCC). Established in 2009, the HRVWCC furthers the government’s efforts to identify, locate, and prosecute human rights abusers in the United States, including those who are known or suspected to have participated in persecution, war crimes, genocide, torture, extrajudicial killings, female mutilation, and the use or recruitment of child soldiers. Invaluable assistance was also provided by U.S. Customs and Border Protection from Boston Logan Airport.
Trial Attorney Alexandra Skinnion of the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section (HRSP) and Assistant U.S. Attorney Laura J. Kaplan for the District of Massachusetts prosecuted the case, with assistance from HRSP Historian/Analyst Dr. Christopher Hayden.
Members of the public who have information about former human rights violators in the United States are urged to contact U.S. law enforcement through the HSI tip line at 1-866-DHS-2-ICE or its online tip form at www.ice.gov/exec/forms/hsi-tips/tips.asp.
Former Federal Officer Charged with Possession and Distribution of Child Sexual Abuse Material Appears in CourtRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – U.S. Attorney Russ Ferguson announced today that Philip Andrew Douglass, 42, of Pineville, N.C., and a former federal officer, appeared in court this morning to face charges of possession and distribution of child sexual abuse material (CSAM). Chip Hawley, Director of the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation (SBI), joins U.S. Attorney Ferguson in making today’s announcement.
According to allegations in the criminal indictment that was unsealed in federal court today, from July 24 to August 20, 2024, Douglass knowingly distributed CSAM and possessed and accessed with intent to view CSAM. During the time of the alleged offense, Douglass was an Enforcement and Removal Operations Officer with U.S Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
“The U.S. Attorney’s Office is committed to holding accountable those who commit crimes involving vulnerable children, especially those serving in positions of public trust,” said U.S. Attorney Ferguson. “I commend the SBI for their investigative work on this case and I thank Homeland Security Investigations for their assistance throughout the investigation.”
“The SBI is dedicated to protecting children from predators and exploitation. I take great pride in the work of our Computer Crimes Unit and our collaboration with federal partners to ensure that those who prey on our children are brought to justice. The SBI will continue its relentless efforts to hold those who exploit our youth accountable. The SBI would like to thank the office of the Inspector General at the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and the United States Attorney's Office, Western District, for their partnership in this case,” said Director Hawley.
Douglass made his initial appearance before Magistrate Judge David C. Keesler. He was released on bond and subject to electronic monitoring and warrantless searches pursuant to the U.S. Probation Office.
The SBI is in charge of the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel Cervantes of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte is prosecuting the case. The charges in the indictment are allegations and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
First Sentencing in Burglary of Dozens of Firearms from Maryland Pawn ShopRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Juwon Markel Anderson, 22, of the District of Columbia, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court to 84 months in federal prison for his role in the December 2023 burglary of a Maryland pawn shop that netted dozens of firearms and for his subsequent attempt to sell several of the stolen guns.
The sentencing was announced by U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro, Special Agent in Charge Anthony Spotswood of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) Washington Field Division, and Chief Pamela A. Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department.
Anderson, aka “Peezy,” pleaded guilty on March 4, 2025, to one count of conspiracy to commit firearms trafficking. In addition to the prison term, Judge Amy Berman Jackson ordered Anderson to serve three years of supervised release.
According to the court documents, on Dec. 13, 2023, Anderson and at least four co-conspirators drove in two vehicles from the District to the A&D Pawn Shop, a Federal Firearms Licensee, in Glen Burnie, Maryland.
At the pawn shop, one of the co-conspirators used a portable saw to cut the locks on a pull-down security gate. Another co-conspirator then used a crowbar-type tool to pry open the main door. Once inside, the quintet grabbed an array of rifles, shotguns, and pistols from the shelves and display racks. They fled with at least 34 guns. Two days after the burglary, on December 15, 2023, Anderson was arrested with two of the stolen firearms. He has been detained ever since.
Co-defendant Tyjuan McNeal, 27, is scheduled to be sentenced July 1 for conspiracy to commit firearms trafficking. Vincent Lee Alston, 23, and Niquan Odum, 23, pleaded guilty March 6, 2025. Alston, aka “Vedo,” pleaded to one count of conspiracy to commit firearms trafficking. Cy'juan Hemsley, who pleaded guilty on May 7, 2025, and Odumn, aka “Stickz,” pleaded to conspiracy to commit theft from a firearms licensee and to possession of stolen firearms.
This case is being investigated by the ATF Washington Field Division and the Metropolitan Police Department, with assistance from the ATF Baltimore Field Division. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Shehzad Akhtar with valuable assistance from former Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Lipes.
Erie Coke Corporation Pleads Guilty to Air Emissions ViolationsRead the Press Release
ERIE, Pa. – Erie Coke Corporation, which is no longer in operation, pleaded guilty earlier this week in federal court to two counts related to criminal air emissions violations and agreed to pay a $700,000 fine for those violations, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.
On June 17, 2025, Erie Coke pleaded guilty before United States District Judge Susan Paradise Baxter to conspiracy to violate the Clean Air Act and knowingly emitting unburned or raw coke oven gas, a hazardous air pollutant, in violation of Erie Coke’s environmental permit.
In connection with the guilty plea, the Court was advised that Erie Coke, which owned and operated a now-shuttered coke manufacturing plant in Erie, Pennsylvania, conspired with its employees to violate the Clean Air Act by, among other things, removing caps on heating flues atop the coke oven batteries in order to allow combustion gases to vent directly into the air and avoid the plant’s environmental monitoring system. In doing so, Erie Coke emitted pollutants in violation of specific provisions of the Title V permit governing opacity limits and discharge of raw coke oven gas. The corporation then knowingly submitted emissions monitoring data to regulators each quarter that did not reflect the actual amount of emissions. The Court was also advised that Erie Coke fostered a culture of noncompliance with the relevant regulations and permit conditions, and that the amount of the fine called for under the plea agreement was determined in part based on the funds currently available to the corporation, which ceased business in 2019. The Court may accept or reject the fine as agreed to by the parties in the plea agreement.
Judge Baxter scheduled sentencing for October 7, 2025. The law provides for a fine of up to $1 million.
Assistant United States Attorneys Nicole Vasquez Schmitt and Michael L. Ivory are prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Environmental Protection Agency conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Erie Coke.
Eight Defendants Indicted in Connection with Drug Trafficking Conspiracies and One Defendant Indicted for Unlawful Reentry into the United StatesRead the Press Release
CONCORD – Eight defendants have been indicted in connection with drug trafficking organizations operating out of Massachusetts and distributing illegal narcotics in Manchester. One defendant was also in the United States following a previous deportation, Acting U.S. Attorney Jay McCormack announces.
On June 18, 2025, law enforcement arrested six of these defendants each on one count of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances, including fentanyl, and one defendant was also charged with one count of unlawful reentry of a deported alien.
The following defendants have been indicted and arrested in connection with these charges:
- Ariel Lara Aguasviva, age 35, of South Attleboro, MA; and is in federal custody.
- Victor Manuel Mejia Guzman, age 49, of Methuen, MA; and is in federal custody.
- Jarlin Soto Jimenez, age 29, of Lynn, MA; and is in federal custody.
- Robert Alexis Pena Lara, age 25, of Providence, RI; and is in federal custody.
- Edwin Manuel Mejia Mejia, age 43, of Dorchester, MA; and is in federal custody.
- Carlo De Los Santos Ruiz, age 28, of Dorchester, MA; and is in federal custody.
According to the charging documents, between November 20, 2023 and May 7, 2025, the defendants knowingly and intentionally conspired to distribute controlled substances, including fentanyl.
Additionally, according to the charging documents, Victor Manuel Mejia Guzman, a Dominican Republic national unlawfully residing in Methuen, was previously deported on November 19, 2007. Mejia-Guzman was charged with one count of unlawful reentry of a deported alien.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Major Offender Task Force and the Manchester Police Department led the investigation. DEA New England, HSI New England, and the Boston, Attleboro, Methuen, Lynn, and Providence Police Departments provided valuable assistance. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael Shannon and Heather Cherniske are prosecuting the case.
This effort is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Drug Trafficker Sentenced to More Than Eight Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
RALEIGH, N.C. – An Elizabeth City man was sentenced on Tuesday to 8.5 years in prison for possessing with intent to distribute 189 grams of fentanyl. Al Esteban Ortiz, age 49, pled guilty to the charges on January 17, 2025.
According to court documents and other information presented in court, law enforcement received information that Ortiz, aka “Floyd Lee Riddick, Jr.”, had driven to New York to purchase narcotics. On May 4, 2024, Pasquotank County Sheriff’s Office investigators stopped Ortiz’s car once he entered Pasquotank County. After initiating the stop, law enforcement saw the driver throw a white bag out of the passenger side window onto the shoulder of the road. Investigators arrested Ortiz, the driver and sole occupant of the car, and recovered the bag from the shoulder of the road. The bag contained 189 grams of fentanyl. Law enforcement then obtained a search warrant for Ortiz’s house, where they recovered 25 grams of cocaine. Ortiz confessed to travelling to New York and purchasing what he believed to be heroin for $11,000, to bring back to Elizabeth City, North Carolina for distribution.
Daniel P. Bubar, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge James C. Dever III. The Pasquotank County Sherriff’s Office investigated the case and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ashley Avera and Phil Aubart prosecuted the case.
Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:24-cr-00021.
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District of Arizona Charges 177 Individuals for Immigration-Related Criminal Conduct this WeekRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – During the week of enforcement operations from June 14, 2025, through June 20, 2025, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona brought immigration-related criminal charges against 177 individuals. Specifically, the United States filed 80 cases in which aliens illegally re-entered the United States, and the United States also charged 87 aliens for illegally entering the United States. In its ongoing effort to deter unlawful immigration, the United States filed 9 cases against 10 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. Heriberto Medina: On June 16, 2025, Heriberto Medina drove a Toyota Camry from Mexico into the United States through the Douglas Port of Entry. At the port, Customs and Border Protection Officers asked Medina to open his trunk. As officers were inspecting the trunk, they noticed a speaker box that seemed out of place. When officers moved the speaker box, they found an individual hiding behind it who was a Mexican citizen, illegally present in the United States. Medina was charged by criminal complaint with Transportation of an Illegal Alien for Profit. [Case Number: 25-MJ-08110]
United States v. Carlos Barrera-Aguilar: On June 17, 2025, Border Patrol Agents arrested Carlos Barrera-Aguilar near Wellton, Arizona. At the time of his arrest, Barrera-Aguilar was illegally present in the United States, and had previously been removed from the United States on three occasions. He also has a prior felony conviction for burglary. Barrera-Aguilar was charged by criminal complaint with Illegal Re-entry. [Case Number: 25-MJ-1674]
United States v. Juan Carlos Morales-Chavez: On June 18, 2025, law enforcement officers were arresting Juan Carlos Morales-Chavez for an administrative immigration violation when they found him in possession of a handgun. Morales-Chavez was charged by criminal complaint with Alien in Possession of a Firearm. [Case Number: 25-MJ-9270]
A criminal complaint is simply a method by which a person is charged with criminal activity and raises no inference of guilt. An individual is presumed innocent until evidence is presented to a jury that establishes guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
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).
RELEASE NUMBER: 2025-097_June 20 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.Co-Founder of Los Cuinis Drug Cartel Sentenced to 30 Years in Prison; High-Ranking Cartel de Jalisco Nueva Generación (CJNG) Operative Pleads GuiltyRead the Press Release
Today, a Mexican national and the co-founder of the armed, violent, and prolific Los Cuinis drug cartel was sentenced to 30 years in prison for his role in a major drug trafficking conspiracy.
According to court documents, Jose Gonzalez-Valencia, 49, of Michoacan, Mexico, was one of the top leaders — alongside his brothers, Gerardo Gonzalez-Valencia and Abigael Gonzalez-Valencia — of Los Cuinis, a major Mexican drug cartel responsible for trafficking multiple tons of cocaine from South America, through Mexico, into the United States. Los Cuinis financed the founding and growth of the Cartel de Jalisco Nueva Generación (CJNG), which traffics hundreds of tons of cocaine, methamphetamine, and fentanyl into the United States and other countries, and is known for extreme violence, murders, torture, and corruption.
In February 2025, President Trump designated CJNG a foreign terrorist organization. According to court documents, the top leader of CJNG, Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes, also known as “El Mencho,” is the brother-in-law of the Gonzalez-Valencia brothers. Closely allied, Los Cuinis and CJNG form one of the most violent and prolific transnational criminal organizations in the world, responsible for sending staggering amounts of drugs into the United States and inflicting extreme violence to further that objective.
Also today, as part of the Department of Justice’s focus on dismantling CJNG, another Mexican national, Cristian Fernando Gutierrez-Ochoa, also known as “El Guacho,” a high-ranking CJNG member and El Mencho’s son-in-law, pleaded guilty to one count of international money laundering conspiracy.
“Today, the Criminal Division dealt two more devastating blows to CJNG and Los Cuinis through the sentencing of Jose Gonzalez-Valencia and the conviction of Cristian Fernando Gutierrez-Ochoa,” said Matthew R. Galeotti, Head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “These men and the cartels they led are responsible for immeasurable death and destruction in the United States and Mexico. The Justice Department will continue to dismantle CJNG, Los Cuinis and all other transnational criminal organizations that flood our streets with dangerous drugs and engage in extreme violence to control their operations.”
“CJNG is one of the most powerful, influential, and ruthless criminal organizations to threaten our public safety and national security. Each leader and associate of CJNG who faces justice within the United States brings us one step closer to dismantling this terrorist organization,” said Acting Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Administrator Robert Murphy. “DEA will continue to use all available resources to disrupt CJNG’s drug trafficking and money laundering operations and systematically destroy their network.”
From at least 2006 to 2016, according to court documents, Jose Gonzalez-Valencia directed and coordinated numerous multi-ton shipments of cocaine destined for the United States using air, land, sea, and underwater methods. In 2007 the U.S. Coast Guard seized one shipment from a semi-submersible vessel that was transporting at least 4,000 kilograms of cocaine from Colombia to Mexico for further distribution into the United States.
As one of Los Cuinis’ top leaders, Jose Gonzalez-Valencia directed acts of extreme violence in furtherance of drug trafficking activities, including the murder of an individual who allegedly stole a shipment of approximately 1,000 kilograms of cocaine from Los Cuinis, according to court documents. Jose Gonzalez-Valencia personally carried firearms in furtherance of his drug trafficking activities and supplied weapons and ammunition to the CJNG.
In 2015, Jose Gonzalez-Valencia went into hiding in Bolivia — a country that did not extradite anyone to the United States from 2001 to 2023, despite an existing extradition treaty — and resided there for over two years under a fictitious identity. In 2017, Jose Gonzalez-Valencia was arrested in Brazil while on vacation and was subsequently extradited to the United States. Brazil’s extradition treaty required that the U.S. Government not recommend more than a 30-year sentence.
Pursuant to his plea agreement, Gutierrez-Ochoa admitted that he was a member of CJNG who was connected to CJNG’s top leadership. He also admitted that from at least 2023 until his arrest in 2024, he and other CJNG operatives used sophisticated money laundering methods involving real estate transactions, shell companies, and international money transfers to launder CJNG’s drug trafficking proceeds. For example, Gutierrez-Ochoa and others completed two wire transfers totaling $1.2 million of CJNG’s drug proceeds to purchase a luxury residence in Riverside, California, titled in the name of a Mexican entity owned and controlled by CJNG. When Gutierrez-Ochoa was arrested in November 2024, he was living at that property under a fictitious identity and possessed two untraceable and illegal firearms, approximately $2.2 million of CJNG’s drug proceeds, and numerous luxury items purchased with CJNG’s drug proceeds, including jewelry, watches, and vehicles.
Gutierrez-Ochoa is scheduled to be sentenced on Nov. 7 and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine his sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Today’s sentencing of Gonzalez-Valencia and conviction of Gutierrez-Ochoa follow several recent strikes into CJNG’s most inner circle.
El Mencho’s older brother, Antonio Oseguera Cervantes, and Erick Valencia Salazar, an alleged co-founder of CJNG and El Mencho’s close advisor, were among the 29 wanted cartel leaders taken into U.S. custody on Feb. 27, 2025.
Shortly after, on March 7, 2025, El Mencho’s son, Ruben Oseguera-Gonzalez, known as El Menchito, was sentenced to a term of life in prison plus 30 years to run consecutively and ordered to forfeit over $6 billion in drug trafficking proceeds. Before his arrest, Oseguera-Gonzalez was CJNG’s second-in-command and led CJNG for nearly seven years. He is responsible for trafficking more than 50 metric tons of cocaine and supervising drug labs that produced more than 1,000 metric tons of methamphetamine in Mexico. In 2013, he was one of the first contributors to the fentanyl epidemic in the United States, pledging to “do it big” and build an empire from counterfeit oxycontin pills laced with fentanyl. As the evidence at trial showed, he also committed heinous acts of violence. According to statements made in court and trial testimony, Oseguera-Gonzalez ordered the murder of more than 100 people, some of whom he murdered himself.
The DEA and the Criminal Division’s Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section have been systematically dismantling the leadership of the CJNG and Los Cuinis at the highest level. To date, the ongoing investigation has led to indictments of approximately 30 high-value CJNG and Los Cuinis command-and-control targets, including seven Consolidated Priority Organization Targets (CPOTs), the top drug trafficking command-and-control leaders. As of June 2025, 12 defendants have been convicted, including two at trial.
A number of indicted leaders of CJNG and Los Cuinis remain fugitives, including El Mencho, whose capture reward was recently increased to $15 million under the State Department’s Narcotic Rewards Program. Abigael Gonzalez-Valencia, another top leader of Los Cuinis and El Mencho’s brother-in-law, was arrested in 2015 by Mexican authorities pursuant to the U.S. indictment but since then has been fighting extradition to the United States.
The DEA Los Angeles Field Division investigated the cases. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs provided critical assistance with obtaining foreign evidence and securing Jose Gonzalez-Valencia’s extradition to the United States.
Trial Attorneys Lernik Begian and Douglas Meisel of the Criminal Division’s Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section are prosecuting the cases.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces and Project Safe Neighborhood.
Chesterfield Doctor Sentenced to 5 Years in Prison for Healthcare FraudRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge Henry E. Autrey on Friday sentenced a doctor who committed healthcare fraud to five years in prison and ordered him to repay $2.87 million.
Dr. Stanley L. Librach, now 64, of Chesterfield, pleaded guilty in August in U.S. District Court in St. Louis to one count of conspiracy, one count of illegally prescribing controlled substances, one count of paying illegal kickbacks for referrals and one count of health care fraud. He admitted participating in healthcare fraud schemes involving both kickbacks and the illegal prescribing of controlled substances.
In one scheme, Dr. Librach, Dr. Asim Muhammad Ali, and chiropractor Jerry Dale Leech agreed to send urine samples for testing to Central Diagnostic Laboratory (CDL) in exchange for illegal kickbacks that went to business entities owned by Leech and Denis J. Mikhlin. CDL then sought reimbursement from Medicare and Medicaid for the testing. Dr. Librach also sent urine samples directly from his own separate private practice clinic to CDL. In exchange, Dr. Ali paid the wages of Dr. Librach’s employees.
In another scheme, Dr. Librach, Dr. Ali and Leech wrote prescriptions for the powerful pain medication oxycodone and other controlled substances when there was no legitimate medical purpose and while acting outside the usual course of professional conduct. Drs. Librach and Ali had not examined the patients at the pain clinics with which they were associated. They did not determine that the patients whose names appeared on prescriptions had a medical need for the controlled substances. Instead, they spent several hours one day a week pre-signing prescriptions that would be used for patients at upcoming visits. The doctors did not examine or evaluate the patients and rarely looked at patient charts before signing prescriptions. The doctors signed prescriptions for patients whose test results indicated that they were selling or otherwise diverting the controlled substances and did not address that obvious drug diversion. The conspirators knew that pharmacies would seek reimbursement for the medications from Medicare and Medicaid.
“This provider was involved in multiple elaborate healthcare fraud schemes that involved accepting kickbacks and illegally prescribing dangerous and addictive opioids for financial gain,” said Linda T. Hanley, Special Agent in Charge with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of the Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “HHS-OIG remains committed to working closely with our law enforcement partners to protect patients and protect the integrity of federal healthcare programs.”
Special Agent in Charge Michael A. Davis heads the Drug Enforcement Administration division that leads DEA investigations in Kansas and Missouri. "Because opioids are highly addictive, doctors have a duty to ensure they are prescribing controlled medications according to law to protect their patients’ health and safety,” said Davis.
Eleven defendants were indicted in 2020, including three doctors, their staff and purported patients. A twelfth was added in 2022. All have pleaded guilty.
Dr. Ali, 54, of Creve Coeur, pleaded guilty in May of 2024 to charges similar to the ones to which Dr. Librach pleaded. He is scheduled to be sentenced in August. Leech, 52, of Creve Coeur, pleaded guilty in 2021 to one count of conspiracy, one count of obtaining a controlled substance by fraud, one count of paying illegal kickbacks for referrals and one count of health care fraud. He is scheduled to be sentenced in September. Mikhlin, 46, of Chesterfield, was sentenced in 2021 to nine years in prison and ordered to repay $181,265.
The HHS-OIG, the DEA, the Missouri Attorney General’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Defense Criminal Investigative Service investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Amy Sestric, Derek Wiseman and Jonathan Clow are prosecuting the case.
Buffalo man convicted by a federal jury of murdering a federal informantRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that a federal jury has found Alphonso Payne, a/k/a Ajay, 29, of Buffalo, NY, guilty of conspiracy to murder a federal informant, murdering a federal informant, conspiring to possess with intent to distribute and distributing cocaine, possessing with intent to distribute and distributing cocaine, conspiring to retaliate against a federal informant, retaliating against a federal informant, discharge of a firearm in furtherance of crimes of violence and a drug trafficking crime, and discharge of a firearm causing death in furtherance of crimes of violence and a drug trafficking crime. The charges carry a mandatory minimum sentence of life in prison.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Timothy C. Lynch, Michael J. Adler, and Stacey Jacovetti, who handled the prosecution of the case, stated that between approximately 2016 and August 20, 2019, Payne, co-defendant Gregory Hay and others conspired to sell cocaine, crack cocaine, and heroin. The conspiracy began with Hay selling drugs in the Salamanca, NY, area, before moving his operation to the Olean area, where Payne assisted him with selling drugs. After Gregory Hay’s house was searched on May 7, 2019, by members of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Buffalo Police Department, and illegal firearms were seized, Hay and Payne suspected Joshua Jalovick was a police informant. In the early evening of July 1, 2019, Payne and Hay lured Jalovick into the backyard of 87 Freund, where Payne used to live. Once Jalovick was in the backyard, Payne shot him multiple times with a semi-automatic pistol, in front of multiple witnesses. Hay then stood over Jalovick and shot him an additional five times with a revolver. Payne and Hay murdered Joshua Jalovick to prevent him from testifying about their alleged drug trafficking crimes and Hay’s firearm crimes.
Gregory Hay was previously convicted of narcotics conspiracy, possession of firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking, and discharge of firearm causing death in furtherance of crimes of violence and a drug trafficking crime and is awaiting sentencing. In addition to defendants Payne and Hay, defendants Daeshawn Stevenson, Raejah Blackwell, Eric Brooks, and Roland Eady were also convicted for their roles in obstructing a grand jury’s investigation into Joshua Jalovick’s murder.
The verdict is the result of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Bryan Miller, New York Field Division, and the Buffalo Police Department, under the direction of Commissioner Alphonso Wright. Additional assistance was provided by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Acting Special Agent-in-Charge Mark Grimm, the U.S. Secret Service, under the direction of Acting Special Agent-in-Charge Charles Perras, and the Cattaraugus County Sheriff’s Office, under the direction of Sheriff Eric Butler.
Sentencing is scheduled for October 27, 2025, at 11:30 a.m. before U.S. District Judge Richard J. Arcara who presided over the trial.
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Bristow Man Sentenced to Life After Violently Killing His 5-Year-Old Daughter and Setting Her on FireRead the Press Release
TULSA, Okla. – A Bristow man was sentenced today for the murder of his 5-year-old daughter, announced U.S. Attorney
Clint Johnson.U.S. District Judge John D. Russell sentenced Adam Raymond Mason, 34, for Second Degree Murder in Indian Country.
Judge Russell ordered Mason to serve life imprisonment.“What Mason did to this 5-year-old little girl was inhumane. There will be no first dances for her. She will not have the opportunity to attend college or become a mother herself,” said U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. “This was a hard-fought case for prosecutors and law enforcement. Life imprisonment shows the seriousness of this crime and ensures public safety.”
“The suffering this innocent child endured at the hands of her own father is completely incomprehensible. The defendant deserves every second of the sentence imposed, and more,” said FBI Oklahoma City Special Agent in Charge Doug Goodwater. “The FBI and our law enforcement partners will use every tool and authority to pursue this kind of evil in our community. I commend the efforts of the investigators and prosecutors who handled this case with unwavering dedication. Our thoughts remain with all who loved this child.”
On August 26, 2020, the Creek County Sheriff’s Office was dispatched to check on the well-being of a 5-year-old child. The mother of the child told law enforcement that their daughter was staying the night with her father, Mason, and that he would not let her speak with the child. Upon arrival, deputies located the burned body of a child, which they believed to be the 5-year-old.
Deputies found Mason hiding in the woods nearby and took him into custody. Mason told law enforcement that he believed the 5-year-old was controlled by witchcraft. Court records show that Mason punched the child in the head multiple times. Mason took her to a nearby creek where he placed a tire on top of her, set her on fire, and fled the scene.
Mason is a citizen of the Muscogee Creek Nation and will remain in custody pending transfer to the U.S. Bureau of Prisons.
The FBI, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, the Creek County Sheriff’s Office, and the Muscogee Creek Nation Lighthorse Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew P. Cyran prosecuted the case.
Baton Rouge Man Guilty of Federal Drug and Firearms ChargesRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LA – Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson announced today that ROY ROBINSON (“ROBINSON”), age 35, a resident of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, pled guilty on June 10, 2025, before U.S. District Judge Brandon Long to Title 27, U.S.C. Sections 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(A), and 846, by conspiring to distribute, and possessing with the intent to distribute, five hundred (500) grams or more of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine, as well as to violating Title 18, U.S.C. Section 92a(c)(1)(A) by possessing a firearm to further this drug trafficking conspiracy. Judge Long scheduled sentencing for September 16, 2025.
At sentencing, ROBINSON faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years and up to life imprisonment, up to a $10,000,000 fine, and at least 5 years of supervised release as to Count 1, and a mandatory minimum sentence of 5 years and up to life imprisonment, which must run consecutive to Count 1, up to a $250,000 fine, and up to 5 years of supervised release, as to Count 2. There is also a $100 mandatory special assessment fee for each count.
According to court records, law enforcement in Thibodaux, Louisiana observed ROBINSON conduct what they believed was a drug transaction in a parking lot. Specifically, law enforcement observed ROBINSON place two bags inside the vehicle of the individual he met while receiving a shoe box in return. After leaving the parking lot, law enforcement observed that the vehicle ROBINSON drove did not have a license plate. After a traffic stop, officers located a firearm, a Smith & Wesson 9-millimeter semiautomatic handgun, along with a large amount of cash in ROBINSON’S vehicle. Officers also followed the vehicle into which ROBINSON placed the bags, and after the execution of a search warrant, they located over 6,000 grams of methamphetamine within the bags.
Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson praised the work of the Drug Enforcement Administration, Louisiana State Police, Thibodaux Police Department, Lafourche Parish Sheriff’s Office, and Terrebonne Parish Sheriff’s Office. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Stuart Theriot of the Narcotics Unit.
This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at http://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
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.
Arkansas Men Plead Guilty in Illegal Paddlefish Snagging Investigation; More Than $14,000 in Fines, Restitution LeviedRead the Press Release
LITTLE ROCK—As summer fast approaches, many will be heading to the beautiful lakes and rivers across the Natural State to enjoy time with family and friends.
While taking advantage of these outdoor opportunities, it’s important to remember to be safe, responsible, and mindful of federal laws that govern our public lands and waters. Failure to do so can lead to serious consequences, as evidenced by the recent conduct of four Arkansans now facing serious penalties for the illegal snagging of paddlefish.
In March 2025, four Arkansans pleaded guilty after being charged with multiple federal violations stemming from a three-year, multi-agency investigation led by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service into the illegal snagging of paddlefish (Polyodon spathula) from the Little Red River in the Bald Knob National Wildlife Refuge located in White County.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Joe J. Volpe imposed the sentences on Matthew “Cole” Harken of Conway, Andrew Jennings of Searcy, Dakota Wilson of Russellville, and Steven Lawrence of Jacksonville, who all pleaded guilty to federal violations concerning the illegal taking and transport of 29 paddlefish over an approximate three-year period, resulting in fines and restitution totaling $14,190.00.
The investigation revealed that the men were illegally snagging the paddlefish to collect their eggs, which are commonly referred to as “roe.” Not unlike salmon, paddlefish are migratory in nature, traveling many miles to reach their spawning grounds every year. Paddlefish are also prehistoric, growing at slower rates, and a 40-pound paddlefish may be up to 50 years old. Paddlefish feed on plankton located in the water which makes them unable to be caught using conventional methods of fishing, such as bait and lures, requiring them to be snagged or netted. The Bald Knob National Wildlife Refuge contains areas where paddlefish migrate to spawn annually. During spawning season paddlefish are full of roe which is highly sought after and valuable as caviar both domestically and internationally.
“We are extremely proud of the Officers of Unites States Fish and Wildlife Service Division of Refuge Law Enforcement and Arkansas Game and Fish Commission whose devotion to the protection of our natural resources made this investigation successful,” said Patrol Captain Brandon Bland, who supervises U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Division of Refuge Law Enforcement operations in Arkansas.
The investigation was conducted by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Division of Refuge Law Enforcement with assistance from the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Katie Hinojosa.
Let this serve as a reminder: enjoy Arkansas’s natural beauty, but do so with respect for the law, the environment, and one another.
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Additional information about the office of the
United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas, is available online at
https://www.justice.gov/edar
X (formerly known as Twitter):
@USAO_EDAR
251 New Immigration Cases Filed in Western District of Texas, Fewest Since MarchRead the Press Release
SAN ANTONIO –United States Attorney Justin R. Simmons for the Western District of Texas announced today, that federal prosecutors in the district filed 251 new immigration and immigration-related criminal cases from June 13 through 19.
Among the new cases, U.S. citizens Derrick Eugene Huntington, 39, and Michael Jerear Smith Jr., 39, of Arlington, along with Christina Elena Duggan-Rankin, 42, of Huffman, were arrested at an immigration checkpoint near Carrizo Springs after they were allegedly discovered conspiring to transport four illegal aliens concealed in two separate vehicles. A criminal complaint alleges that Huntington and Smith occupied a sedan carrying an illegal alien in the trunk, while Duggan-Rankin drove an SUV with one illegal alien hidden on the floorboard in the passenger compartment and two others in the rear of the vehicle. The complaint further alleges that the three Americans admitted to conspiring with a facilitator to transport the aliens to a location near San Antonio for monetary gain, and that cell phone evidence revealed photos of the smuggled aliens and communications with the facilitator, along with a pin-drop of the pick-up location. Huntington, Smith and Duggan-Rankin are each charged with bringing in and harboring aliens.
In a separate case, U.S. citizens Raul Hilario Alvarado, 24, and Timothey Nathan Easterling, 40, were arrested during a vehicle stop on Highway 85 near Big Wells for allegedly transporting two illegal aliens. During an immigration inspection, a criminal complaint alleges, one backseat passenger was determined to be illegally present in the U.S., while a second illegal alien was found in the trunk of the vehicle. According to the criminal complaint, both defendants admitted to conspiring with a facilitator and that they were going to be paid up to $2,500 for transporting the illegal aliens.
Mexican nationals Israel Moreno-Salgado, 38, and Jose Hector Ramirez Roman, 43, were arrested near Maverick and charged with illegal re-entry felonies. Moreno-Salgado has been previously removed from the U.S. eight times, the most recent being April 1. Ramirez Roman has been removed from the U.S. five times, the latest being Jan. 22. Honduran national Delmar Sanchez-Zuniga, 42, was also arrested near Maverick for illegal re-entry. The three-time felon, with convictions for possession of a controlled substance, possession of a firearm by a felon, and a previous illegal re-entry conviction, has been deported twice before, the last being Dec. 13, 2024.
Mexican national Jose Rodolfo Cruz-Lopez was arrested and charged with illegal re-entry in El Paso. Court documents reveal that, in May 2023, Cruz-Lopez was convicted of three felonies related to child abduction in Elizabethtown, North Carolina. He was removed from the U.S. to Mexico in October 2023. Also a Mexican national, Edwin Enrique Carpio-Lopez was arrested for illegal re-entry, having been removed from the U.S. five times, the last being on Feb. 11. Additionally, immigration records show Carpio-Lopez has been granted four voluntary returns and has been expelled 17 times under Title 42.
On June 14, U.S. Border Patrol agents in El Paso attempted a traffic stop after they allegedly observed multiple individuals enter a pick-up truck near the border. A criminal complaint alleges that the driver of the truck, identified as Mexican national Ruben Alfredo Carrillo-Castruita¸ fled at a high rate of speed in a reckless manner, running several red lights before exiting the vehicle at an intersection and fleeing on foot. An assisting Texas Department of Public Safety trooper was able to apprehend Carrillo-Castruita, while the two passengers who fled from the pick-up were located by Border Patrol agents. The complaint alleges that Carrillo-Castruita admitted to being hired by a smuggler and was going to be paid $300 per illegal alien. The defendant was previously convicted for transporting illegal aliens in New Mexico in May 2023.
Heriberto Betancourt-Morales, a Mexican national, was charged in a criminal complaint for conspiracy to bring in aliens as the result of a U.S. Border Patrol investigation that identified him as a person involved in human smuggling. The complaint alleges that Betancourt-Morales was previously removed from El Paso to Ciudad Juarez on Sept. 21, 2024, and had transported multiple illegal aliens in May 2025. In one victim account, Betancourt-Morales allegedly carried a makeshift ladder for an alien to climb the border fence and pushed them over the fence causing the alien to fall and sustain injuries. Another victim cited in the complaint alleged that Betancourt-Morales and other smugglers transported her to multiple stash houses in Mexico prior to making illegal entry using a makeshift ladder to climb the fence. A third victim also identified Betancourt-Morales as an individual who conducted random checkups and gave orders at a stash house in Ciudad Juarez, where she was harbored with more than 10 other subjects.
These cases were referred or supported by federal law enforcement partners, including Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE ERO), 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), with additional assistance from state and local law enforcement partners.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Texas comprises 68 counties located in the central and western areas of Texas, encompasses nearly 93,000 square miles and an estimated population of 7.6 million people. The district includes three of the five largest cities in Texas—San Antonio, Austin and El Paso—and shares 660 miles of common border with the Republic of Mexico.
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).
Indictments and criminal complaints are merely allegations and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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13 Indicted for Conspiracy to Distribute Methamphetamine and Cocaine as well as Illegal Possession of Machine GunsRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Ten Mexican nationals, one Guatemalan national, and two United States citizens have been indicted by a federal grand jury for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and cocaine as well as numerous counts of distribution of those controlled substances, illegal possession of machine guns, alien in possession of firearms, felon in possession of firearms, and illegal reentry of removed aliens.
The investigation began in January of 2024 and continued through June of 2025, during which time investigators seized approximately 40 kilograms of methamphetamine, two kilograms of cocaine, and 11 firearms, three of which had been equipped with machine gun conversion devices and functioned as fully automatic weapons.
A law enforcement operation conducted on June 18, 2025, resulted in nine arrests. Three defendants were already in custody, and one defendant remains at large. More than a dozen law enforcement agencies were involved in the operation which also resulted in the seizure of nine additional firearms.
Uriel Lopez-Farias, 31, a Mexican national; Jesus Adrian Meza-Meza, 42, a Mexican national; Walter Fernandez, 34, of Kansas City, Mo.; Carlos R. Lepe-Virgen, 52, a Mexico national; Pedro Ivan Roldan-Minjares, 44, a Mexican national; Joel Armando Guillen-Rodriguez, 31, a Mexican national; Jose Rodriguez-Vasquez, 44, a Mexican national; Jose Aroldo Troches-Reyes, 33, a Guatemalan national; Adalberto Meza-Meza, 37, a Mexican national; Maximiliano Oliva-Verdin, 30, a Mexican national; Osvaldo Chiapas-Aguilar, 38, a Mexican national; Jesus Alvarez-Giron, 23, a Mexican national; and Kenneth Baez, 25, of Kansas City, Mo., were charged in a forty-count indictment returned under seal by a federal grand jury in Kansas City, Mo., on June 11, 2025. The federal indictment was unsealed and made public today following the initial appearances of those in custody.
Lopez-Farias is charged with conspiracy to distribute controlled substances, distribution of methamphetamine, alien in possession of a firearm, illegal possession of a machine gun, distribution and attempted distribution of cocaine. Under federal statutes, the defendant is subject to a sentence of up to life imprisonment for these charges.
J. Meza-Meza is charged with conspiracy to distribute controlled substances, distribution of methamphetamine, alien in possession of a firearm and reentry of a removed alien. Under federal statutes, the defendant is subject to a sentence of up to life imprisonment for these charges.
Fernandez is charged with conspiracy to distribute controlled substances and distribution of methamphetamine. Under federal statutes, the defendant is subject to a sentence of up to life imprisonment for these charges.
Lepe-Virgen is charged with conspiracy to distribute controlled substances and distribution of methamphetamine and cocaine. Under federal statutes, the defendant is subject to a sentence of up to life imprisonment for these charges.
Roldan-Minjares is charged with conspiracy to distribute controlled substances, distribution of methamphetamine and cocaine and reentry of a removed alien. Under federal statutes, the defendant is subject to a sentence of up to life imprisonment for these charges.
Guillen-Rodriguez is charged with conspiracy to distribute controlled substances and distribution of methamphetamine. Under federal statutes, the defendant is subject to a sentence of up to life imprisonment for these charges.
Rodriguez-Vasquez is charged with conspiracy to distribute controlled substances, distribution of methamphetamine and reentry of a removed alien. Under federal statutes, the defendant is subject to a sentence of up to life imprisonment for these charges.
Troches-Reyes is charged with conspiracy to distribute controlled substances and attempted distribution of cocaine. Under federal statutes, the defendant is subject to a sentence of up to life imprisonment for these charges.
A. Meza-Meza is charged with conspiracy to distribute controlled substances and distribution of methamphetamine. Under federal statutes, the defendant is subject to a sentence of up to life imprisonment for these charges.
Oliva-Verdin is charged with conspiracy to distribute controlled substances and distribution of methamphetamine. Under federal statutes, the defendant is subject to a sentence of up to life imprisonment for these charges.
Chiapas-Aguilar is charged with conspiracy to distribute controlled substances and distribution of methamphetamine. Under federal statutes, the defendant is subject to a sentence of up to life imprisonment for these charges.
Alvarez-Giron is charged with conspiracy to distribute controlled substances and distribution of methamphetamine. Under federal statutes, the defendant is subject to a sentence of up to life imprisonment for these charges.
Baez is charged with illegal possession of a machine gun and felon in possession of a firearm. Under federal statutes, the defendant is subject to a sentence of up to 15 years in federal prison without parole for this charge.
The maximum statutory sentences are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendants will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors.
The charges contained in this indictment are simply accusations, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charges must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Megan A. Baker and Heather Siegele. It was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), and the Jackson County Drug Task Force in conjunction with other federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies.
Wednesday’s law enforcement operation included the FBI, DEA, ATF, HSI, U.S. Marshals Service, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, U.S. Postal Service, the Internal Revenue Service, Jackson County (MO) Drug Task Force, Johnson County (KS) Drug Task Force, Kansas City Missouri Police Department, Kansas City Kansas Police Department, the Kansas Bureau of Investigation, Lee’s Summit Police Department, Sugar Creek Police Department, Wyandotte County (KS) Sheriff’s Department, St. Joseph (MO) Police Department, Buchanan County (MO) Drug Strike Force, and the U.S. Attorney’s Offices for the Western District of Missouri and the District of Kansas.
The investigation and arrest operation were part of the Kansas City Regional Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) which is dedicated to identifying and prosecuting criminal cartels, foreign gangs, and transnational criminal organizations.
Operation Take Back America
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
19 June 2025
U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison Announces First National Defense Area Convictions in New MexicoRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of New Mexico today announced the first two convictions under Title 50 U.S.C. § 797, Violation of Defense Property Security Regulations, and Title 18 U.S.C. § 1382, Military Trespass, following the recent designation of a military-controlled National Defense Area (NDA) along the U.S.-Mexico border.
Title 50 U.S.C § 797 and Title 18 U.S.C. § 1382 are among the federal statutes that establish criminal penalties for unlawful intrusions into areas designated as National Defense Areas. Title 50 USC § 797 refers to the willful violation of a defense property security regulation, which, pursuant to lawful authority, was approved by the Secretary of Defense—or a military commander designated by the Secretary of Defense—for the protection or security of Department of Defense property. Title 18 USC § 1382 subjects anyone to criminal penalties who, within the jurisdiction of the U.S., entered upon a military post, fort, or yard—in these cases, the New Mexico National Defense Area—for a purpose prohibit by law or lawful regulation, that is, illegal entry into the United States. These laws allow for prosecution of unauthorized entry into the NDA as a federal misdemeanor, carrying penalties of up to one year in prison and/or a fine.
In the first case, Andres De Los Santos-Martinez, a citizen of Mexico, pled guilty to re-entry after deportation, willfully violating a defense property security regulation, and military trespass by entering the New Mexico National Defense Area (NMNDA), a restricted military zone established in April 2025. De Los Santos-Martinez was apprehended by U.S. Border Patrol agents on June 1, 2025, in Doña Ana County, New Mexico, after crossing the border at a location not designated as a lawful port of entry. De Los Santos-Martinez had previously been apprehended in the NMNDA on May 7, 2025, and was advised in Spanish that unauthorized entry into the restricted military area was prohibited and subject to federal prosecution.
In the second case, Eduardo Herrera-Juvencio, also a Mexican national, pled guilty to re-entry after deportation, willfully violating a defense property security regulation, and military trespass by entering the New Mexico National Defense Area (NMNDA), a restricted military zone established in April 2025. Herrera-Juvencio was apprehended by U.S. Border Patrol agents on June 1, 2025, in Doña Ana County, New Mexico, after crossing the border at a location not designated as a lawful port of entry. Herrera-Juvencio had previously been apprehended in the NMNDA on May 7, 2025, and was advised in Spanish that unauthorized entry into the restricted military area was prohibited and subject to federal prosecution.
These are the first convictions in the District of New Mexico under the new federal enforcement strategy, which grants the military expanded authority over an approximately 60-foot-wide, 170-mile-long strip of land along the New Mexico border, now managed by the U.S. Army as a National Defense Area. The NDA is marked with signs in English and Spanish warning that unauthorized entry is prohibited and subject to federal prosecution.
“These first convictions reflect the resolve of the United States Attorney’s Office to do its part in securing our nation’s southern border,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison. “I am tremendously proud of our staff in the Las Cruces Branch Office, the U.S. Border Patrol, and the U.S. military for their relentless efforts to secure our southern border. This partnership is a prime example of what can be accomplished through coordinated enforcement of existing federal laws. New Mexico—and the entire country—is more secure because of these efforts.”
“Let this send the message that entering the United States illegally is a crime; and if you do so in an area marked as a National Defense Area, you will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law and removed far from the border,” said Chief Patrol Agent Walter N. Slosar.
The Court has ordered both defendants to remain in custody pending sentencing. Upon completion of their sentences, they will be subject to deportation proceedings.
U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison and Chief Patrol Agent Walter N. Slosar of the U.S. Border Patrol El Paso Sector made the announcement.
The U.S. Border Patrol El Paso Sector investigated the cases. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Mark Saltman and Alyson Hehr are prosecuting the cases.
USA Ellison speaks during a news conference on the southern border
18 June 2025
“Operation Showdown” Targeting Violent Crime in Fort Worth Results in 76 Defendants Arrested for Firearms and Drug OffensesRead the Press Release
June 18, 2025
FORT WORTH – Following a two-month targeted initiative called “Operation Showdown” to reduce violent crime in Fort Worth, Texas, 76 individuals have been arrested for federal and state firearms and drug offenses.
Wednesday's announcement was made by Nancy E. Larson, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Texas, and Bennie Mims, Special Agent in Charge of the Dallas Field Office of the Bureau of Alcohol, Firearms, Tobacco, and Explosives (ATF), who led the investigation. Other critical partners in this operation include:
• Eduardo Chavez, Special Agent in Charge, Drug Enforcement Administration
• Keith Brown, Executive Director, Texoma High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area
• Chief of Police Robert Alldredge, Fort Worth Police Department
• Phil Sorrells, Tarrant County District Attorney
• Bill Waybourn, Tarrant County Sheriff
• Marco Villarreal, United States Marshals Service for the Northern District of Texas, represented by Chief Deputy U.S. Marshal Toby Reed
• Texas Department of Public Safety
• U.S. Customs and Immigration Enforcement – Enforcement and Removal OperationsFederal Defendants: Fifty-six defendants have been arrested on federal charges. Offenses with which individuals have been charged include illegal firearms trafficking, unlawful possession and transfer of machineguns, unlawful possession of firearms, using a firearm during and in relation to a drug-trafficking crime, and conspiracy to distribute cocaine, methamphetamine, and fentanyl. The potential sentences of these federal defendants, if convicted, range from 10 years to up to life in prison. Reference is made to public records, including related, recently unsealed federal complaints, for additional information.
State Defendants: Twenty defendants have been charged in Tarrant County District Court with possession of controlled substances, including methamphetamine and fentanyl. Reference is made to public records for additional information.
Seizures: In addition to charging 76 defendants, law enforcement recovered the following items: • 287 firearms, including: o 91 Pistols o 6 Revolvers o 17 Rifles o 1 Shotgun o 25 Machineguns, and o 147 Machinegun conversion devices (MCDs)
• 14.8 kilograms of cocaine
• 7.5 kilograms of methamphetamine
• 480 grams of fentanyl
• 13 grams of heroin
• 1.4 kilograms of marijuanaPlease note these numbers are the collective recoveries over the course of Operation Showdown and are not attributable to each individual defendant.
Machinegun conversion devices (MCDs), commonly known as “switches” or “auto sears,” unlawfully convert semi-automatic handguns into fully automatic weapons (i.e., machineguns). The possession, manufacturing, and sale of MCDs violates federal law as illegal possession of a machinegun. Those charged with MCD-related offenses face up to ten years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
Examples of those arrested, as discussed during today’s announcement, include:
• A complaint charged Darrick Carter, Maya Bradshaw, D’Morion Holleman, Charles Blackshire, and Raul Penalver. All five are convicted felons. All are alleged to have participated in trafficking methamphetamine. Charles Blackshire is also charged with possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Criminal histories of these individuals include: o Blackshire has four felony convictions: 3 family violence assaults, the last one in 2019, and unlawfully possessing a firearm. The complaint charges him with selling a pistol for $850 in May, with his promise of future firearms sales. o Carter mentioned during one of his drug sales that he was likely going to jail soon for a narcotics offense and that he was currently on parole. In this case, he is alleged to have brokered methamphetamine transactions and helped facilitate Blackshire’s firearm sale. o Bradshaw has three felony convictions in Texas; two for possession of a controlled substance, and a robbery in 2016. She is charged in this case with supplying methamphetamine. o Holleman has two felony convictions. One is a state conviction for aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, and the other is a federal conviction for unlawfully possessing a firearm as a convicted felon in 2018. o Penalver has a prior state felony conviction for manufacturing and delivering a controlled substance. Bradshaw identified him as her source of supply.
• Another complaint charged Anthony Wilson, a convicted felon on probation as of January 2025 for second-degree robbery in California. He is charged with possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. The complaint alleges that Wilson sold a pistol and ammunition for $850 in May. He had a child in the backseat of his car during this gun sale.
• A third complaint charged eight illegal aliens from Venezuela. They are: Edixon Urdaneta-Colina, Rodrigo Riquel Cardozo, Carlos Moreno Olivero, Luis Garcia-Zamora, Darwin Ayala-Ochoa, Benito Castro Marrufo, Elwin Manama Rodriguez, and Kenny Manama Perez. These defendants are charged with trafficking mixtures of powder cocaine, methamphetamine, ketamine, and MDMA (commonly known as Ecstasy). They referred to the narcotics they sold as Tusi, which had a distinct pink color, usually indicative of drugs tied to Venezuela. Four of these defendants are also alleged to have sold numerous 9-millimeter and .380 caliber handguns at the same time or in the surrounding dates of the controlled drug buys. On May 21, 2025, all eight defendants showed up that day to provide armed protection for what they believed to be a 50-kilogram methamphetamine transaction, which was actually a ruse arranged by agents. They were charged with firearm possession in furtherance of drug trafficking.
Moreover, at arrest, agents saw and photographed crown and star tattoos on three of the defendants, Manama Rodriguez, Castro Marrufo, and Urdeneta-Colina. Members of Tren de Aragua, a Venezuelan transnational criminal organization (TCO) known for violence, often bear these types of tattoos.
“This operation highlights the tremendous work of our law enforcement partners in dismantling criminal networks—located within and outside our borders—that flood our communities with deadly drugs and tools for violence,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Nancy Larson. “We are committed to returning safety and order to our neighborhoods through rigorous prosecutions of these types of crimes. I thank each and every law enforcement officer and agent involved that contributed to the success of this mission.”
“Every day, someone living throughout the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex is affected by gun violence. And the effects of it are spread throughout the victims’ families and the community,” said ATF Special Agent in Charge Bennie Mims. “The tremendous effect that violent crime has on our communities is why coordinated efforts like this Operation Showdown are so important. ATF is committed to disrupting the violent crime in our communities. With the help of our partners here today, we were successful.”
“There is no debate that guns and drugs in the hands of criminals is everybody’s problem,” said Eduardo A. Chavez, DEA Special Agent in Charge over operations in Fort Worth. “Since April, through a strategic and targeted approach by our DEA Fort Worth and ATF partners, we have successfully taken kilos of illicit drugs and hundreds of weapons off of Fort Worth neighborhoods while arresting dozens of those victimizing our Tarrant County residents. We want children to play safely at community parks and ride bikes around neighborhood streets. This joint operation was a giant, positive step toward that goal this summer.”
“This is about protecting our families and making sure drug dealers know: Tarrant County is not open for business. We are sending a simple message today: if you choose to poison our streets, you will be met with the full force of the law — no exceptions, no excuses,” said Tarrant County District Attorney Phil Sorrells. “We will continue to work hand-in-hand with our federal partners, with law enforcement at every level, and we will keep doing the job the people entrusted us to do. My office is firm in our resolve, if you bring this poison into our communities, we will find you, we will prosecute you, and we will put you in prison.”
“The Texoma High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) program has two primary, yet simple objectives: facilitate cooperation among law enforcement at all levels and to apply taxpayer funding to law enforcement operations that increase public safety, combat violent crime and saves lives nationwide. When approached by ATF, DEA, and all of our law enforcement partners to support this initiative last year, I jumped at the opportunity. As the saying goes, this wasn't our first rodeo together. Law enforcement has a track record of cooperation and success working together in the North Texas, and this operation is not a finale, it is just the beginning. As these results show, if you want to live as a gangster, I wouldn’t get too comfortable,” stated Texoma HIDTA Director Keith Brown.
This Operation is the result of collaboration and partnership between ATF, DEA, Fort Worth Police Department, ICE-ERO, Tarrant County District Attorney’s Office, Tarrant County Sheriff’s Office, Texas Department of Public Safety, the Texoma HIDTA, and U.S. Marshal’s Service.
This investigation is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department's OCDETs and Project Safe Neighborhoods.
The public is reminded these charges are merely allegations, and that each defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Williston Man Charged with Tax EvasionRead the Press Release
Burlington, Vermont – The Office of the United States Attorney for the District of Vermont announced that on June 12, 2025, a federal grand jury returned an indictment charging John Caleb Wright, 43, of Williston, Vermont, with attempting to evade payment of over $1 million of tax. Wright’s arraignment before United States Magistrate Judge Kevin J. Doyle is scheduled for July 22, at 11:00 A.M. in Burlington.
According to court records, after the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) notified Wright that it would begin enforced collection of his assets to satisfy a tax debt of over $1 million, Wright moved his cryptocurrency assets on two occasions in 2021 from a cryptocurrency exchange where they were accessible to the IRS via legal process, to an off-exchange, unhosted wallet beyond the reach of the IRS.
The United States Attorney’s Office emphasizes that an indictment contains allegations only and that Wright is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty. Wright faces up to 5 years’ imprisonment if convicted. The actual sentence, however, would be determined by the District Court with guidance from the advisory United States Sentencing Guidelines and the statutory sentencing factors.
Acting United States Attorney Michael P. Drescher commended the investigatory efforts of the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation.
The prosecutor is Assistant United States Attorney Corinne Smith. Wright is represented by Brooks McArthur, Esq.
Washington, DC Man and Felon Pleads Guilty to Defrauding COVID-19 Loan Program and Identity Theft While on Federal Supervised ReleaseRead the Press Release
Greenbelt, Maryland – Jemel Lyles, 43, of Washington, DC, has pleaded guilty to wire fraud and aggravated identity theft charges in federal court. In his guilty plea, Lyles admitted to submitting applications for and receiving funds from six fraudulent CARES Act loans.
Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the guilty plea with Acting Special Agent in Charge Amanda M. Koldjeski, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) – Baltimore Field Office.
The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act — a federal law enacted in March 2020 — provided emergency financial assistance to Americans suffering from the economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. It gives financial assistance including forgivable loans to small businesses for job retention and other expenses. Established by the CARES Act, the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) — administered through the Small Business Administration (SBA) — along with the Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL), helped businesses meet their financial obligations.
According to the guilty plea, between April 2020 through February 2021, while on supervised release for a prior federal felony fraud conviction, Lyles defrauded the SBA and PPP by obtaining six fraudulent PPP loans. In the relevant applications, Lyles inflated the applicant businesses’ number of employees and monthly payroll amounts to fraudulently increase the amount of PPP funds he received. Lyles also knowingly submitted both false payroll documentation and false tax documents to support the false assertions.
Under PPP regulations, Lyles’s prior felony fraud conviction made any business in which he had a reportable ownership interest ineligible to receive PPP funds. Lyles fraudulently obscured either his ownership interest in the applicant businesses or the fact that he would be the immediate recipient and have primary control over the PPP funds to evade this legal restriction. When Lyles submitted one set of applications, he omitted his reportable interest in the applicant companies Green Capital Construction and Landscape, LLC (Green Capital) and JSL, Investments LLC. In another set of applications, Lyles used the identity of his then friend and employee, Individual-3, to apply for PPP loans in the individual’s name. These loans were then deposited into bank accounts that Lyles was a signatory.
Then Lyles proceeded to use PPP funds in impermissible ways, some of which included expenditures involving a home gym, jewelry, child-support payments, personal retail credit accounts, food, and personal financial investments. In total, Lyles defrauded approximately $281,900 in PPP funds from the United States and PPP lenders.
Lyles faces a maximum of 20 years in prison, followed by up to five years of supervised release, for his wire fraud conviction. He also faces a minimum mandatory sentence of two years in prison for his aggravated identity theft conviction, consecutive to any other sentence. Lyles also faces up to an additional two years in prison for violating the terms of his supervised release. U.S. District Judge Deborah L. Boardman scheduled sentencing for Wednesday, September 10, at 2 p.m.
The District of Maryland Strike Force is one of five strike forces established throughout the United States by the U.S. Department of Justice to investigate and prosecute COVID-19 fraud, including fraud relating to the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. The CARES Act was designed to provide emergency financial assistance to Americans suffering the economic effects caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. The strike forces focus on large-scale, multi-state pandemic relief fraud perpetrated by criminal organizations and transnational actors. The strike forces are interagency law enforcement efforts, using prosecutor-led and data analyst-driven teams designed to identify and bring to justice those who stole pandemic relief funds.
For more information on the Department’s response to the pandemic, please visit justice.gov/coronavirus. Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the FBI for its work in the investigation. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph L. Wenner who is prosecuting the federal case. She also recognized the Maryland COVID-19 Strike Force and Paralegal Specialist Joanna B.N. Huber for their valuable assistance.
For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to report fraud, visit www.justice.gov/usao-md and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.
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