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Thursday 9 July 2026
Moore Resident Sentenced for Burglary in Indian CountryRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Nariah Demournay Jones, age 23, of Moore, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 10 months in prison for one count of Burglary in the Second Degree in Indian Country.
The charge arose from an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Seminole Nation Lighthorse Police, and the Seminole County Sheriff’s Office.
On March 18, 2026, Jones pleaded guilty to the charge in federal district court. According to investigators, on April 2, 2024, Jones and two co-defendants, Demontrae Davion Rogers, 20, of Wewoka, Oklahoma, and Damarion Hiawatha Nichols, 21, of Moore, Oklahoma, forcibly entered a detached residential garage in Wewoka intending to commit a felony. Once inside, Rogers and Nichols held four individuals at gunpoint and proceeded to strike one with their weapons, causing lacerations and abrasions to the victim.
On April 1, 2026, Rogers was sentenced to 21 months in prison for one count of Assault with a Dangerous Weapon with Intent to do Bodily Harm in Indian Country, to be served consecutively to 84 months in prison for one count of Use, Carry, and Brandish of a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence. Rogers was also sentenced to 12 months in prison for Possession of a Firearm with an Obliterated Serial Number, to be served concurrently to the assault charge.
On March 5, 2026, Nichols was sentenced to 46 months in prison for four counts of Assault with a Dangerous Weapon with Intent to do Bodily Harm in Indian Country.
The crime occurred in Seminole County, within the boundaries of the Seminole Nation Reservation, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma.
The Honorable Ronald A. White, Senior Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over the hearing. Jones will self-report on August 10, 2026, to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jonathan E. Soverly and Lewis M. Reagan represented the United States.
Michigan Tax Preparers Indicted for Conspiring to Defraud the United States and Preparing False Tax ReturnsRead the Press Release
A federal grand jury in the Eastern District of Michigan returned an indictment today charging three tax preparers with conspiring to defraud the United States and preparing false tax returns over a three-year period.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Jamar Harten, of Shelby Township, Tabitha Scott, of Davisburg, and Tyree Monroe Jr., of Detroit provided tax preparation services for Michigan-based clients at Harten’s tax preparation business, First Class Tax and Consulting. For the year 2022, Harten, Scott, and Monroe allegedly prepared or assisted in the preparation of fraudulent tax returns for clients.
These tax returns allegedly contained fraudulent tax deductions and tax credits, which reduced the amount of taxable income reported by the clients and generated refunds the clients were not entitled to receive. According to the indictment, the clients did not provide Harten, Scott, and Monroe any information indicating they were eligible to claim the false deductions or credits. Harten and Scott allegedly provided prepared fraudulent tax returns for clients in 2021 and 2023 as well.
Harten, Scott and Monroe are each charged with one count of conspiracy to defraud the United States and multiple counts of assisting in the preparation of a false tax return. If convicted, all three face up to five years in prison for conspiracy to defraud the United States, as well as three years in prison for each count of helping to file false tax returns for clients.
Assistant Attorney General Colin McDonald of the Justice Department’s National Fraud Enforcement Division made the announcement.
IRS Criminal Investigation is investigating the case.
Trial Attorneys Christopher P. O’Donnell and Joseph D. G. Castro of the Criminal Division’s Tax Section are prosecuting the case.
On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division (Fraud Division). The Fraud Division is laser-focused on investigating and prosecuting those who commit fraud against the American people. The Department’s work to combat fraud supports President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Mexican illegal alien charged after smashing into and seriously injuring two motorcyclistsRead the Press Release
DETROIT – A native and citizen of Mexico has been charged for illegally re-entering the United States after having been previously removed, announced United States Attorney Jerome F. Gorgon, Jr. Gorgon was joined in the announcement by Acting Chief Patrol Agent Javier Geronimo, Jr., U.S. Border Patrol, Detroit Sector.
“Illegal aliens continue to break American laws and threaten American lives. The only sure way to prevent these crimes is to keep them out of our country,” said U.S. Attorney Gorgon.
"This case underscores the critical importance of our mission to secure the border and protect our communities," said Acting Chief Patrol Agent Javier Geronimo, Jr., U.S. Border Patrol, Detroit Sector. "The illegal re-entry of this alien, Jose Manuel Cazarez-Pulido, not only violated our laws but also led to a tragic incident where two individuals were critically injured. We are committed to working closely with our law enforcement partners, like the Waterford Police Department and the U.S. Attorney's Office, to ensure that those who illegally re-enter the United States and endanger our citizens are held accountable. This effort is a direct reflection of our dedication to Operation Take Back America, as we strive to repel illegal immigration and safeguard our communities from criminal activity."
The government charged Jose Manuel Cazarez-Pulido, 33. Cazarez-Pulido appeared in federal court in Detroit yesterday where he was temporarily detained pending a detention hearing.
According to court records, on or about July 1, 2026, Cazarez-Pulido was arrested by Border Patrol Agents near Waterford, Michigan, after a call for assistance from Waterford Police Department to help identifying a subject in their custody.
According to police reports, Cazarez-Pulido ran a red light smashing into a motorcycle carrying a female, age 71 and a male, age 64. Cazarez-Pulido was the sole driver of the Chrysler Town and Country van that struck the motorcycle at the intersection of N. Hospital Road and Pontiac Lake Road in Waterford. The two victims were critically injured. Following the accident, Waterford Police searched Cazarez-Pulido’s vehicle and found an open Budweiser beer bottle on the passenger floorboard. According to the officers on the scene, Cazarez-Pulido did not appear intoxicated. Cazarez-Pulido was issued a citation for Open Alcohol in a Motor Vehicle, Leaving the Scene of a Personal Injury Accident and Disobey Red Traffic Signal.
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.
A complaint is only a charge and not evidence of guilt. A defendant is presumed innocent. It is the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
Mexican National Extradited from Canada Sentenced to 14 Years in Federal Prison for Drug Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Ore.—A Mexican national was sentenced to federal prison yesterday for conspiring to distribute methamphetamine in the Portland area, the Oregon coast, and Olympia, Washington, leading to the murder of a victim who owed a drug debt.
Fernando Adolip Cruz-Lerma, 25, was sentenced to 168 months in federal prison and five years of supervised release. He was also ordered to pay over $3,000 in restitution.
According to court documents, in April and May 2019, Cruz-Lerma conspired with others to engage in drug trafficking. In April, Cruz-Lerma transported a victim from the state of Washington to Clackamas County due to a drug debt that the victim owed to members of the drug trafficking conspiracy. The victim was killed by members of the drug trafficking conspiracy in furtherance of the conspiracy. Cruz-Lerma assisted with leaving the victim’s body along a rural road in Clackamas County after the victim had been killed.
In May 2019, Cruz-Lerma distributed approximately two pounds of methamphetamine. He returned to Mexico the following month.
In May 2023, Cruz-Lerma’s co-conspirator, Marcos Alonso Castillo-Bernal, was sentenced to 26 years of imprisonment. A few days after that sentencing hearing, Cruz-Lerma flew from Mexico to Calgary, Canada, and was arrested by Canadian authorities on the arrest warrant issued in the District of Oregon.
On June 6, 2023, a federal grand jury in Portland returned a superseding indictment charging Cruz-Lerma with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and distribute controlled substances and distribution of methamphetamine. On April 7, 2026, Cruz-Lerma pleaded guilty to conspiring to distribute and distributing controlled substances.
U.S. Attorney Scott E. Bradford for the District of Oregon made the announcement.
This case was investigated by the DEA, the FBI, the Portland Police Bureau, the Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office, the Clackamas County Interagency Task Force (CCITF) and the Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office Homicide and Violent Crimes Unit. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Oregon is prosecuting the case. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs worked with Canadian authorities to secure the arrest and July 2024 extradition of Cruz-Lerma from Canada.
CCITF, led by the Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office, works to disrupt and dismantle drug trafficking organizations operating in and around Clackamas County, and reduce illegal drugs and related crimes throughout the community. The task force is comprised of members from the Canby Police Department, Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office, Oregon State Police, the FBI, and the Oregon National Guard Counterdrug Task Force. CCITF is supported by our community with the passage of the Public Safety Levy and grant funding from the Oregon-Idaho High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) program.
This case is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF Portland comprises agents and officers from FBI, HSI, DEA, USMS, IRS-CI, ATF, USPIS, CBP, TSA, U.S. Coast Guard, Oregon Air, Army National Guard Counterdrug program, and Oregon-Idaho HIDTA with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Oregon.
Mexican National DACA Recipient Charged with Receipt and Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
OKLAHOMA CITY – A federal grand jury has returned an indictment charging SILVIO RAMIREZ-LOPEZ, 38, a Mexican national living in Oklahoma City through the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, with receipt and possession of child pornography, announced U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester.
According to public records, agents with Homeland Security Investigations identified a user profile on an online chat application that had obtained images and videos containing child sexual abuse material (CSAM). Court records allege that the user, later identified as Ramirez-Lopez, was a member of at least six group chats on the application through which CSAM was exchanged. Ramirez-Lopez was arrested on May 28, 2026, and charged by criminal complaint in federal court.
On July 7, 2026, a federal grand jury returned a two-count indictment charging Ramirez-Lopez with receipt of child pornography and possession of material containing child pornography. If convicted, Ramirez-Lopez faces no less than five and up to 40 years in federal prison and fines of up to $500,000.
The public is reminded that these charges are merely allegations, and that Ramirez-Lopez is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This case is the result of an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Tiffany Edgmon is prosecuting the case.
Reference is made to public filings for additional information.
Meadville Resident Indicted on Sexual Exploitation of Minor ChargesRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, Pa. – A resident of Meadville, Pennsylvania, has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh on charges of violating federal child sexual exploitation laws, United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.
The four-count Indictment named Jason Michael Dekaye, 50, as the sole defendant.
According to the Indictment, on or about January 19 and January 20, 2026, Dekaye received and attempted to receive material depicting the sexual exploitation of a minor. The Indictment also alleges that, in January of 2026, Dekaye possessed and accessed with intent to view material depicting the sexual exploitation of a minor, and possessed obscene visual representations of the sexual abuse of children.
As to the receipt and attempted receipt charge, the law provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, or both. As to each of the charges of possession of and accessing with intent to view material depicting the sexual exploitation of a minor and possession of obscene visual representations of the sexual abuse of children, the law provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, or both. Under the federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorney Christian A. Trabold is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
Homeland Security Investigations and the Stuart, Florida, Police Department conducted the investigation leading to the Indictment.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
An indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Massachusetts Man Pleaded Guilty to Attempted Enticement, Interstate Travel, Child Pornography ChargesRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE – A Massachusetts man pleaded guilty in federal court in Rhode Island today to attempted enticement, interstate travel, and child pornography charges contained in a superseding indictment.
Robert Consorti, 64, of Wilmington, MA, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Court Chief Judge John J. McConnell, Jr., to two counts of attempted coercion and enticement of a minor to engage in illicit sexual activity, interstate travel for the purpose of illicit sexual activity, transportation of child pornography, and possession of child pornography. He is scheduled to be sentenced on October 13, 2026. The sentence will be determined by a federal district court judge based on the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors, including applicable mandatory minimum sentences.
Consorti was charged in a superseding indictment following an extended investigation that followed his arrest in October 2024 when he arrived at a Warwick hotel expecting to meet with and engage in illicit sexual contact with a fourteen-year-old girl. Unbeknownst to him at the time, Consorti was communicating with a law enforcement officer posing as the girl when he made the arrangements.
According to court documents, a review of Consorti’s electronic devices uncovered evidence supporting the offenses charged in the superseding indictment.
Consorti admitted that he began communicating online with a 13-year-old, travelled interstate to meet the child for unlawful sexual activity, and took substantial steps toward carrying out that plan before his arrest prevented that meeting from occurring.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney John P. McAdams.
The matter was investigated by the Rhode Island State Police ICAC Task Force and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) with assistance from the East Providence Police Department, the Wilmington, MA Police Department and the Massachusetts State Police ICAC Task Force.
The ICAC Task Force is comprised of members of the Rhode Island State Police Computer Crimes Unit along with detectives from the Warwick Police Department, Cranston Police Department, East Providence Police Department, Pawtucket Police Department, Portsmouth Police Department, Bristol Police Department, Middletown Police Department, and Special Agents from Homeland Security Investigations.
This case has been brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
Man Serving Federal Prison Sentence Charged with Theft of Forfeited CryptocurrencyRead the Press Release
LEXINGTON, Ky. — Rossen G. Iossifov, 53, a former Bulgarian national, made an initial appearance in federal court in the Eastern District of Kentucky yesterday on charges of the destruction or removal of property to prevent seizure, aiding and abetting, and conspiracy to commit money laundering. The charges stem from Iossifov’s alleged role in the unauthorized withdrawal and transfer of approximately $290,000 in cryptocurrency that had been seized and forfeited by the United States.
“Having been convicted of a widespread online auction fraud scheme targeting U.S. victims, Iossifov is now charged with moving cryptocurrency that he obtained from that crime, in violation of a court’s forfeiture order,” said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Defendants who flout lawfully entered orders and portions of their criminal sentences in prior federal cases will be charged with such obstructive conduct. The Department of Justice will take all steps to ensure that justice is served for victims of complex financial crimes.”
“Iossifov’s alleged efforts to evade a lawful forfeiture order and obscure the movement of criminal proceeds represent a direct affront to the authority of the federal courts,” said Jason Parman, First Assistant United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky. “Such conduct, if proven, reflects a calculated attempt to undermine the rule of law and to compromise the rights of victims who have already suffered significant financial harm. Our office remains steadfast in its commitment to protecting the integrity of judicial orders and ensuring that individuals who engage in sophisticated schemes to obstruct justice are held fully accountable.”
“Iossifov’s deliberate attempt to remove and launder lawfully seized funds is a direct challenge to our justice system and a blatant disregard to his victims’ rights,” said Robert Holman, the Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Secret Service’s Louisville Field Office. “We are committed to ensuring that victims of online fraud receive justice, and that individuals who attempt to circumvent lawful court orders are held accountable.”
At the time of the alleged offenses, Iossifov was serving a sentence of 111 months in prison after being convicted of conspiracy to commit a Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO) offense and conspiracy to commit money laundering. According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Iossifov and his co-conspirators participated in a criminal conspiracy involving online auction fraud that victimized at least 900 Americans. Romania-based members of the conspiracy posted false advertisements to popular online auction and sales websites — such as craigslist and eBay — for high-cost goods (typically vehicles) that did not actually exist. Once victims were convinced to send payment, the defendants engaged in a complicated money laundering scheme wherein domestic associates would accept victim funds, convert these funds to cryptocurrency, and transfer the funds to foreign-based money launderers, including Iossifov. Evidence submitted during trial and his sentencing hearing revealed that Iossifov laundered nearly $5 million in cryptocurrency in a period of less than three years. As part of Iossifov’s sentence, the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Kentucky imposed a forfeiture money judgment against Iossifov as part of his sentence and then ordered Iossifov to forfeit cryptocurrency held in an account registered to Iossifov at the Kraken cryptocurrency exchange, worth approximately $290,000, which had been restrained as part of the criminal investigation.
According to the indictment related to the post-conviction activity, between approximately January and December 2024, Iossifov allegedly conspired with others to conduct interstate and foreign financial transactions in order to remove the $290,000 in cryptocurrency from the Kraken account and prevent and impair the United States’ lawful authority to take the contents of the Kraken account into its custody and control. Iossifov then allegedly conspired with others to transfer the illegal proceeds through multiple cryptocurrency exchanges and illicit mixing services, ultimately converting it to fiat currency at a foreign bank account.
The investigation was conducted by the U.S. Secret Service. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs provided significant support.
CCIPS investigates and prosecutes cybercrime and intellectual property (IP) crime in coordination with domestic and international law enforcement agencies, often with assistance from the private sector. Since 2020, CCIPS has secured the conviction of over 180 cyber and IP criminals, and court orders for the return of over $350 million in victim funds.
This case is being prosecuted by Senior Counsel Vasantha Rao of the Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Kathryn M. Dieruf of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Kentucky.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Man Serving Federal Prison Sentence Charged with Theft of Forfeited CryptocurrencyRead the Press Release
Rossen G. Iossifov, 53, a Bulgarian national, made an initial appearance in federal court in the Eastern District of Kentucky yesterday on charges of the destruction or removal of property to prevent seizure, aiding and abetting, and conspiracy to commit money laundering. The charges stem from Iossifov’s alleged role in the unauthorized withdrawal and transfer of approximately $290,000 in cryptocurrency that had been seized and forfeited by the United States.
“Having been convicted of a widespread online auction fraud scheme targeting U.S. victims, Iossifov is now charged with moving cryptocurrency that he obtained from that crime, in violation of a court’s forfeiture order,” said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Defendants who flout lawfully entered orders and portions of their criminal sentences in prior federal cases will be charged with such obstructive conduct. The Department of Justice will take all steps to ensure that justice is served for victims of complex financial crimes.”
“Iossifov’s alleged efforts to evade a lawful forfeiture order and obscure the movement of criminal proceeds represent a direct affront to the authority of the federal courts,” said First Assistant U.S. Attorney Jason Parman for the Eastern District of Kentucky. “Such conduct, if proven, reflects a calculated attempt to undermine the rule of law and to compromise the rights of victims who have already suffered significant financial harm. Our office remains steadfast in its commitment to protecting the integrity of judicial orders and ensuring that individuals who engage in sophisticated schemes to obstruct justice are held fully accountable.”
“Iossifov’s deliberate attempt to remove and launder lawfully seized funds is a direct challenge to our justice system and a blatant disregard to his victims’ rights,” said the Special Agent in Charge Robert Holman of the U.S. Secret Service (USSS) Louisville Field Office. “We are committed to ensuring that victims of online fraud receive justice, and that individuals who attempt to circumvent lawful court orders are held accountable.”
According to court documents, in January 2024, Iossifov allegedly conspired to remove $290,000 in cryptocurrency that had been ordered forfeited to the United States after Iossifov’s 2021 conviction in the Eastern District of Kentucky. In the instant case, Iossifov is alleged to have conspired to transfer the forfeited cryptocurrency through multiple cryptocurrency exchanges and illicit mixing services, avoiding the United States obtaining possession of the funds.
At the time of the alleged offenses, Iossifov was serving a sentence of 111 months in prison for his 2021 conviction, during which he participated in a fraud scheme that victimized Americans. Evidence submitted at trial and his sentencing in the previous case revealed that Iossifov had laundered nearly $5 million in cryptocurrency in a period of less than three years. Iossifov had been ordered to pay $2,642,297.43 in restitution to victims of the earlier scheme and to forfeit the cryptocurrency that is the subject of the instant offense.
Iossifov is charged with removal of property to prevent seizure and conspiracy to commit money laundering. If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 25 years in prison.
The investigation was conducted by the USSS. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs provided significant support.
CCIPS investigates and prosecutes cybercrime and intellectual property (IP) crime in coordination with domestic and international law enforcement agencies, often with assistance from the private sector. Since 2020, CCIPS has secured the conviction of over 180 cyber and IP criminals, and court orders for the return of over $350 million in victim funds.
This case is being prosecuted by Senior Counsel Vasantha Rao of the Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Kathryn M. Dieruf for the Eastern District of Kentucky.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Macy Man Sentenced to One Year and One Day for Assaulting a Federal OfficerRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Lesley A. Woods announced that Britain Snyder, 23, of Macy, Nebraska, was sentenced on July 2, 2026, in federal court in Omaha, Nebraska, for assaulting a federal officer. Chief United States District Court Judge Robert F. Rossiter, Jr. sentenced Snyder to one year and one day imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After his release from prison, Snyder will begin a 3-year term of supervised release.
On or about October 26, 2024, Victim I was a police officer with the Omaha Nation Law Enforcement Services who was in the performance of her official duties. Victim l's contract with the Omaha Nation Law Enforcement Services was federally funded. Victim 1 was called to assist with removing Snyder from a residence on the Omaha Nation Indian Reservation in Macy, Nebraska. Snyder fled and hid. Victim 1 located Snyder and in the process of taking him into custody, Snyder resisted arrest and assaulted Victim 1 by headbutting Victim l in the head.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Media AdvisoryRead the Press Release
Law enforcement leaders and the U.S. Attorney's Office are joining forces to disrupt drug trafficking, reduce substance abuse, and hold offenders accountable. Hear the latest data and trends on Wyoming's drug landscape, the growing threat posed by cartels and traffickers, and the coordinated efforts underway to protect Wyoming communities.
WHO:
- Darin Smith, United States Attorney for the District of Wyoming
- Dave Olesky, Special Agent in Charge, Drug Enforcement Administration
- Sheriff Brian Kozak, Laramie County Sheriff’s Office
- Jeremy Wicht, Training Manager, Rocky Mountain High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA)
WHAT:
The press conference will take place in front of multiple law enforcement and drug awareness vehicles.
WHERE:
George Cox Parking Facility (Top floor)
20th and Pioneer
Cheyenne, WY 82001WHEN:
10:30 a.m., Monday, July 13, 2025
A press release will follow with still images.
Leader of Multi-State Auto Theft Ring Sentenced More Than Eight Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – The fifth member and leader of an organized auto theft ring that stole more than 100 high-end vehicles worth millions of dollars from dealerships located across the United States was sentenced to 97 months in federal prison yesterday, announced Russ Ferguson, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. Hosea Fernandez Hampton, 27, of Charlotte, was also ordered to serve three years of supervised release after completing his prison term.
Hampton previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy to transport, possess, and sell stolen vehicles in interstate commerce and possession of a stolen motor vehicle.
“This was a sophisticated car-stealing operation by professional criminals across multiple states,” said U.S. Attorney Russ Ferguson. “Hampton now has years behind bars to contemplate whether a life of crime is worth the loss of his freedom.”
Hampton’s four co-defendants also pleaded guilty to conspiracy to transport, possess, and sell stolen vehicles in interstate commerce and were previously sentenced as follows:
- Dewanne Lamar White was sentenced to 108 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release. White also pleaded guilty to possession of a stolen motor vehicle.
- Kevin Ja’Coryen James Fields was sentenced to 96 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release. Fields also pleaded guilty to interstate transportation of a stolen vehicle.
- Reginald Eugene Hill was sentenced to 60 months in prison, followed by two years of supervised release.
- Garyka Vaughn Bost was sentenced to 12 months and a day in prison followed by two years of supervised release.
According to court documents and court proceedings, from 2021 to 2023, Hampton and his co-defendants engaged in a conspiracy to steal luxury vehicles worth millions of dollars from dealerships in North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Tennessee, Kentucky, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York, and Arizona. To maximize profits from the thefts, Hampton and his co-defendants targeted luxury vehicles made by Bentley, BMW, Cadillac, Land Rover, Porsche, and Mercedes-Benz, as well as other expensive models from Chevrolet, Dodge, Ford, and other manufacturers.
Court documents show that Hampton was one of the leaders of the auto theft scheme, frequently organizing the thefts, identifying target dealerships, recruiting drivers to transport the stolen vehicles and later paying the drivers for their services. According to court records, during Hampton’s time in the conspiracy, conspirators stole at least 82 vehicles worth nearly $5.9 million.
Generally, Hampton and the co-defendants visited dealerships posing as customers interested in purchasing vehicles. After pretending to test drive or inspect the vehicles, the defendants would swap the vehicles’ key fobs with similar ones and later use the stolen key fobs to steal the vehicles. Other times, they employed methods like “smash-and-grab” thefts, where they would break into dealerships and locate keys to the high-end models, or break open lockboxes containing keys to luxury vehicles and then drive the vehicles off the lot. On several occasions, the defendants and other co-conspirators stole multiple vehicles simultaneously, resulting in hundreds of thousands of dollars in losses.
U.S. v. White et al.: Hampton (right) with co-defendants Reginald Hill (left) and DeWanne White (bottom) at a car dealership in Panama City, Florida, where multiple thefts occurred as part of the auto theft scheme.
According to court documents and the sentencing hearings, once the stolen vehicles were taken off the dealership lots, the defendants avoided law enforcement detection by removing the GPS navigation and tracking systems from the stolen vehicles, attaching fictitious dealer tags or stolen license plates on the vehicles, and replacing the vehicles’ authentic Vehicle Identification Numbers, among other things. The stolen vehicles were then transported back to Charlotte where they were sold locally at prices well below market value.
Hampton also frequently possessed and later sold many of the vehicles stolen in the scheme. Adding to the seriousness of the offense, Hampton and his coconspirators drove vehicles recklessly, including by fleeing from law enforcement at high speeds, and possessed firearms. During the scheme, Hampton was stopped in Flagler, Florida, driving a blue 2018 BMW M5 that was stolen from a car dealership in Wilmington, North Carolina. During a search of the vehicle, law enforcement located various key fobs and a Glock 19X firearm under the driver’s seat.
U.S. v. White et al. – Picture of the Glock firearm and various vehicle key fobs located in the stolen BMW that Hampton was driving in Florida.
Hampton is in federal custody and will be transferred to the custody of the Federal Bureau of Prison upon designation to a federal facility.
In making today’s announcement, U.S. Attorney Ferguson thanked Homeland Security Investigations, the FBI, and the Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Department for their investigation of the case and recognized the contributions of the York County in South Carolina Sheriff’s Office and many other state and local law enforcement partners that assisted with the investigation.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys William Bozin and Daniel Ryan of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte are prosecuting the case.
Las Cruces Woman Pleads Guilty to Cyberstalking Co-WorkersRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – A Las Cruces woman pleaded guilty in federal court to anonymously sending threatening messages to co-workers through a health clinic’s online scheduling platform.
According to court documents, between September 11 and September 23, 2025, Jovanni Celeste Ortega, 33, anonymously sent multiple harassing and threatening messages to co-workers at Millennium Health and Wellness through the clinic’s online scheduling platform, an interstate electronic communication service. The messages threatened physical harm to employees and their family members and included references to victims’ children, vehicles, home addresses, and other personal information. Among the messages were threats of fatal car crashes, shootings, and other acts of violence, causing substantial emotional distress to the victims.
After the clinic reported receiving numerous threatening messages, the FBI traced the communications to an IP address associated with Ortega’s residence. During a subsequent interview, Ortega admitted sending the messages.
Ortega pleaded guilty to cyberstalking and faces up to five years in prison at sentencing.
First Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison and Justin A. Garris, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today.
The Las Cruces Resident Agency of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney James A. Dickens is prosecuting the case.
Land O’Lakes Ransomware Negotiator Who Extorted and Attacked Multiple U.S. Victims Sentenced to PrisonRead the Press Release
MIAMI – Angelo Martino, 41, of Land O’Lakes, formerly employed as a ransomware negotiator, was sentenced today to 70 months for his role in conspiring with Blackcat/ALPHV (BlackCat) actors to extort multiple victims, as well as conspiring with other former cybersecurity professionals to attack additional victims in 2023.
“Angelo Martino’s victims shared heartbreaking accounts of how their businesses were nearly destroyed, while the people they hired to help them instead betrayed them to ransomware gangs,” said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Today’s sentence accounts for the harm Martino caused and demonstrates that the Department of Justice can and will identify and prosecute cybercriminals to the fullest extent of the law.”
“He was hired to help victims in a moment of crisis. Instead, Martino betrayed them, fed their confidential negotiating positions to ransomware criminals, and helped squeeze them for more money,” said U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida. “This case sends a clear message: we will pursue the hackers who deploy ransomware, the insiders who enable them, and the money they steal from American victims. Thanks to the outstanding work of our prosecutors and law enforcement partners, Martino is going to federal prison, and more than $10 million in criminal proceeds has been seized.”
“Angelo Martino sold out the very victims he was hired to represent, handing their confidential negotiating positions to BlackCat actors to drive up ransoms and enrich himself,” said Assistant Director Brett Leatherman of the FBI’s Cyber Division. “Today’s sentence demonstrates that the FBI will pursue not just the criminals who deploy ransomware, but the insiders who enable them. Working with our partners, the FBI will find those who betray that trust and hold them accountable.”
According to court documents, Martino abused his role at a U.S.-based cyber incident response company and conspired with the operators of the BlackCat ransomware variant beginning in April 2023 to extort five different ransomware victims. Specifically, Martino was paid by BlackCat attackers to provide confidential information about the negotiating position and strategy of his employer’s clients and enable the ransomware actors to maximize the ransoms paid by the victims.
Additionally, Martino conspired with former cybersecurity professionals Kevin Martin, 36, of Texas, who was hired as Martino’s coworker after the conspiracy began, and Ryan Goldberg, 41, of Georgia, who was employed by a separate incident response company, to successfully deploy BlackCat ransomware against additional victims located throughout the United States between April 2023 and November 2023. After successfully extorting one victim for approximately $1.2 million in Bitcoin, the men split their share of the ransom three ways and laundered the funds through various means.
Martino pleaded guilty on April 14 to a one-count information charging him with conspiring to interfere with interstate commerce through extortion. On May 1 Martin and Goldberg were sentenced to 48 months in prison by U.S. District Judge K. Michael Moore.
To date, law enforcement has seized $10 million of assets from Martino, including digital currency, vehicles, a food truck, and a luxury fishing boat that Martino obtained through the scheme. A hearing to determine the amount of restitution to be ordered against Martino is set for Sept. 17.
Today’s announcement follows the Justice Department’s prior actions in December 2023 to disrupt BlackCat ransomware, during which the FBI developed a decryption tool that allowed FBI field offices across the country and law enforcement partners around the world to offer hundreds of victims the capability of restoring their systems, saving victims approximately $99 million in ransom payments. At that time, the FBI also seized several websites operated by the BlackCat ransomware actors.
The FBI’s Miami Field Office is leading the investigation, with assistance provided by the U.S. Secret Service.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Thomas Haggerty and Quinshawna Landon for the Southern District of Florida and Trial Attorneys Christen Gallagher and Jorge Gonzalez of the Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section (CCIPS) are prosecuting the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Mitchell Hyman and Assistant U.S. Attorney Denielle N. Croke for the Southern District of Florida are handling asset forfeiture and restitution.
Significant assistance in this investigation was provided by Assistant U.S. Attorney Merrilyn Hoenemeyer for the Middle District of Florida and former Assistant U.S. Attorney Marx P. Calderón of the Southern District of Florida.
CCIPS investigates and prosecutes cybercrime and intellectual property (IP) crime in coordination with domestic and international law enforcement agencies, often with assistance from the private sector. Since 2020, CCIPS has secured the conviction of over 180 cyber and IP criminals and court orders for the return of over $350 million in victim funds.
This action is part of Operation Riptide, an ongoing FBI campaign targeting the criminal actors, infrastructure, and financial networks behind cybercrime, cyber-enabled crime, and fraud against the American people. Last year, Americans reported over $20 billion in losses to cybercrime, a 26 percent single-year increase. Operation Riptide is the FBI's sustained enforcement response to that threat.
If you are a victim of ransomware, contact your local FBI field office or file a report at ic3.gov.
If you have information about ALPHV/BlackCat, their affiliates or activities, you may be eligible for a reward through Department of State’s Transnational Organized Crime Rewards program or Rewards for Justice program. Information can also be submitted through the following Tor-based tip line (Tor browser required):
he5dybnt7sr6cm32xt77pazmtm65flqy6irivtflruqfc5ep7eiodiad.onion.
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 numbers 26-cr-20065.
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Justice Department Sues Maryland over Sanctuary PoliciesRead the Press Release
Today, the Department of Justice filed a lawsuit against Maryland and Maryland Attorney General Anthony Brown over the State’s sanctuary policies that interfere with the federal government’s enforcement of its immigration laws.
“Federal immigration officers merely enforce the laws that our Nation’s elected representatives in Congress passed, reflecting the will of We the People,” said Associate Attorney General Stanley Woodward. “When sanctuary jurisdictions enact laws to shield illegal aliens from federal law enforcement, it is not merely federal law that is violated, but the voices of everyday American voters silenced. Today’s suit proves that this Department will never stand for such lawless action from blue state leaders.”
“The American people are ultimately the ones who suffer when states pass these irresponsible sanctuary policies,” said Assistant Attorney General Brett A. Shumate of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “The Department of Justice will always defend the Constitution and the rule of law, and it does so today by challenging Maryland’s efforts to thwart federal immigration enforcement.”
Not only are the sanctuary policies illegal under federal law, but, as alleged in the complaint, Maryland’s refusal to cooperate with federal immigration authorities has already had negative operational consequences for federal immigration law enforcement, with facilities refusing to facilitate transferring illegal aliens to federal custody even when presented with a routine detainer. The State’s and City’s intentional efforts to obstruct federal law enforcement put citizens at risk and are preempted under the Supremacy Clause of the U.S. Constitution.
Acting Attorney General Blanche has instructed the Department’s Civil Division to identify state and local laws, policies, and practices that facilitate violations of federal laws or impede lawful federal operations. Today’s lawsuit is the latest in a series of 20 other lawsuits brought by the Civil Division targeting illegal policies designed to thwart federal law enforcement across the country, including in Colorado, Connecticut, Illinois, and New York.
Justice Department Announces End to Illegal DEI Admissions Practices at Jersey City College Prep SchoolRead the Press Release
This week the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division and the Jersey City Board of Education (the “District”) entered a voluntary settlement agreement to end race and national origin discrimination in student admissions at Dr. Ronald E. McNair Academic High School, a college prep magnet school with a competitive admissions process. The settlement agreement resolves the Department’s investigation under Title IV of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, or national origin.
“Quota systems that define students by their race or national origin have been illegal since the 1970s,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Department’s Civil Rights Division. “Federal law requires that all students, regardless of their race or national origin, be allowed to compete for admission to the best schools in their district — and this Department of Justice will ensure they have equal opportunity to do so.”
The Department’s investigation determined that McNair admitted students under a quota system that set aside a certain number of seats in four categories: “Black,” “White,” “Hispanic,” or “Other.” Applicants were divided into these categories based on their self-identification. After offering admission to an equal number of students in each category, McNair filled the remaining class seats without regard to race or national origin.
Under the settlement agreement, the District will overhaul its admissions process to end the practice of reserving a certain number of seats for students based on race or national origin. The District will no longer provide any preference or benefit to a McNair applicant based on his or her race or national origin. Before the next admissions cycle — which will be for the 2027-2028 school year — the District will adopt an admissions policy that complies with these prohibitions and train staff on nondiscriminatory admissions. In addition, the District will submit status reports to the Department on McNair’s admissions process. The settlement agreement will be in effect until Aug. 15, 2029, unless the Department and the District agree otherwise.
Additional information about the Civil Rights Division is available at www.justice.gov/crt, and more information about the Civil Rights Division’s Educational Opportunities Section’s work to combat discrimination is available at www.justice.gov/crt/educational-opportunities-section.
Members of the public may report possible civil rights violations at www.civilrights.justice.gov.
July Federal Grand Jury 2026-A Indictments AnnouncedRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Clint Johnson today announced the results of the July Federal Grand Jury 2026-A Indictments.
The following individuals have been charged with violations of United States law in indictments returned by the Grand Jury. The return of an indictment is a method of informing a defendant of alleged violations of federal law, which must be proven in a court of law beyond a reasonable doubt to overcome a defendant’s presumption of innocence.
Craig Thornton Bissell. Receipt and Distribution of Child Pornography; Possession of Child Pornography. Bissell, 64, a Canadian national, is charged with knowingly receiving and distributing visual images and videos depicting the sexual abuse of children. Additionally, Bissell is charged with possessing visual images and videos depicting the sexual abuse of children under 12 years old. Homeland Security Investigations and the Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica Wright is prosecuting the case. 26-CR-258
Marco Antonio Cordova Morales. Drug Conspiracy. Cordova Morales, 19, a Guatemalan national, is charged with conspiring with others to possess and distribute methamphetamine. The Drug Enforcement Administration Tulsa Resident Office is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Niko Boulieris is prosecuting the case. 26-CR-262
Jacob Koran Dake. First Degree Murder in Indian Country (Counts 1 & 3); Maintaining a Drug-Involved Premises (Count 2); Assault with Intent to Commit Murder in Indian Country (Count 4) (superseding). Dake, 25, of Tulsa and a member of the Cherokee Nation, is charged with deliberately killing McKaylah Cunningham in Dec. 2025 and Steve Norman in Mar. 2026. He is charged with maintaining a residence for the purpose of storing, distributing, and using controlled substances. Lastly, Dake allegedly strangled a victim in Jul. 2022 with intent to commit murder. The FBI, Drug Enforcement Administration Tulsa Resident Office, and the Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorneys David Nasar and Valeria Luster are prosecuting the case. 26-CR-119
Rafael Diaz Blett; Raul Manuel Almarales Rodriguez; Raudelis Columbie Ferrer. Conspiracy to Commit Access Device Fraud (Count 1); Possession of Fifteen or More Counterfeit Access Devices (Counts 2 & 5); Possession of Device Making Equipment (Counts 3 & 6); Illegal Transportation of Hazardous Material (Counts 4 & 9); Alien Unlawfully in the United States in Possession of Firearms and Ammunition (Count 7); Use of Counterfeit Access Device (Count 8). Diaz Blett, 31, Almarales Rodriguez, 40, and Columbie Ferrer, 24, all Cuban nationals, are charged with conspiring together to install and use skimming devices to purchase fuel. Diaz Blett and Almarales Rodriguez are charged with possessing more than 15 counterfeit credit cards. Diaz Blett and Columbie Ferrer willfully transported a hazardous material in violation of the Department of Transportation rules and regulations. Almarales Rodriguez is additionally charged with possessing a firearm and ammunition, knowing he was unlawfully residing in the United States. Lastly, Columbie Ferrer is charged with knowingly possessing a cloned credit card. Homeland Security Investigations, the Department of Transportation, and IRS Criminal Investigations are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kenneth Elmore and John Brasher are prosecuting the case. 26-CR-251
Luis Garcia Ambriz. Unlawful Reentry of a Removed Alien. Garcia Ambriz, 52, a Mexican national, is charged with unlawfully reentering the United States after having been previously removed twice in 2009 and once in 2010. Homeland Security Investigations is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jack Osborn is prosecuting the case. 26-CR-257
Efren Garcia. Unlawful Reentry of a Removed Alien. Garcia, 26, a Mexican national, is charged with unlawfully reentering the United States after having been previously removed in 2010 and 2012. Homeland Security Investigations is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jack Osborn is prosecuting the case. 26-CR-259
Jose Luis Hernandez Lopez. Unlawful Reentry of a Removed Alien. Hernandez Lopez, 29, a Mexican national, is charged with unlawfully reentering the United States after having been previously removed twice in 2024. Homeland Security Investigations is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Augustus Forster is prosecuting the case. 26-CR-260
Jose Miguel Malerva Herver. Alien Unlawfully in the United States in Possession of a Firearm. Malerva Herver, 25, a Mexican national, is charged with possessing a firearm, knowing he was unlawfully residing in the United States. Homeland Security Investigations and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Stephen Flynn and Mike Flesher are prosecuting the case. 26-CR-252
Arturo Oliva Moreno. Unlawful Reentry of a Removed Alien. Oliva Moreno, 36, a Mexican national, is charged with unlawfully reentering the United States after having been previously removed twice in 2009, once in 2011, and in 2023. Homeland Security Investigations is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kate Brandon is prosecuting the case. 26-CR-265
Lucio Perez Mendias. Unlawful Reentry of a Removed Alien. Perez Mendias, 39, a Mexican national, is charged with unlawfully reentering the United States after having been previously removed in 2009, 2017, and 2020. Homeland Security Investigations is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michele Hulgaard is prosecuting the case. 26-CR-253
Cesar Uriel Rodriguez Martinez. Alien Unlawfully in the United States in Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition. Rodriguez Martinez, 32, a Mexican national, is charged with possessing a firearm and ammunition, knowing he was unlawfully residing in the United States. Homeland Security Investigations, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mike Flesher is prosecuting the case. 26-CR-261
Ryan Thomas Salisbury. Attempted Coercion and Enticement of a Minor. Salisbury, 46, of Norman, is charged with attempting to entice an individual he believed was under 18 years old to engage in sexual activity. Homeland Security Investigations and the Broken Arrow Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron Jolly is prosecuting the case.
26-CR-264Indian National Illegally in U.S. Sentenced to 23 Months in Prison for Gun PossessionRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that Harshpreet Singh, 25, an Indian national illegally in the U.S., was sentenced today to 23 months’ imprisonment by United States District Judge Catherine Henry for possession of a firearm by an alien illegally or unlawfully in the United States.
The defendant was charged by indictment in October of last year and pleaded guilty in March.
As detailed in court filings, on August 28, 2024, at approximately 1:17 a.m., Pennsylvania State Police troopers and Bethel Township Police Department officers responded to a Bethel, Pennsylvania, residence for a report of a shooting incident relating to a home invasion. At the same time, Berks County police dispatch advised officers of a call for a gunshot victim at a gas station less than half a mile away from the residence.
Officers found A.S., charged elsewhere, inside of a vehicle at the gas pumps with a gunshot wound to the torso, with the defendant and a co-defendant also in the vehicle.
After A.S. was transported to the hospital for treatment, police officers canvassed the area around the gas station and discovered two firearms in a gravel lot across the street: a Taurus 9mm semi-automatic pistol, loaded with 12 live rounds of ammunition; and a privately manufactured firearm bearing no serial number, loaded with 17 live rounds of 9mm ammunition.
Another firearm, a Glock .40 caliber semi-automatic pistol, loaded with 13 live rounds of ammunition, was located in the yard of the residence that had reported the home invasion.
Forensic testing on the three guns subsequently found a DNA profile consistent with a mixture of four contributors, with Harshpreet Singh included as a potential contributor to this mixture profile.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Drug Enforcement Administration, Pennsylvania State Police, and the Bethel Township (Berks County) Police Department and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Rosalynda M. Michetti.
Illegal alien sentenced for gun possession in the Eastern District of TexasRead the Press Release
BEAUMONT, Texas –An illegal alien has been sentenced to federal prison for firearms possession in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs.
Freddie Castillo, 36, pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm by a prohibited person and was sentenced to 24 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Marcia A. Crone on July 9, 2026.
According to information presented in court, on August 2, 2025, Castillo, a national of Belize illegally living in Houston was stopped by law enforcement in Trinity County. During the stop, Castillo provided the officer with a Belize passport, Belize driver’s license, and Belize consular identification card and informed the officer that he was in the United States on an expired visa. Castillo admitted to possessing a shotgun and rifle which were in the vehicle. Further investigation revealed Castillo was issued a visa in 2000, which expired in 2010, and he had not applied for permission to extend the visa or remain in the United States.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Forest Service; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives; and the Department of Homeland Security. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Lauren Gaston.
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Illegal alien indicted in the Eastern District of Texas and charged with the kidnapping of a child from LouisianaRead the Press Release
PLANO, Texas – A Honduran national illegally living in Princeton has been charged with federal violations in the Eastern District of Texas related to the kidnapping of a child, announced U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs.
Osman Daniel Vasquez-Mejia, 18, was named in a three-count indictment returned by a federal grand jury this week in the Eastern District of Texas charging him with kidnapping, transportation of a minor, and improper entry by an alien.
If convicted, Vasquez-Mejia faces life in federal prison.
This case is part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
This case is being investigated by the Allen Police Department, FBI, and the Collin County Sheriff’s Office. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Anderson.
A federal indictment is not evidence of guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Illegal alien from Mexico sentenced to over two years in prison after using a stolen identity to vote in U.S. electionsRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – An illegal alien from Mexico was sentenced yesterday to two years and nine months in prison for aggravated identity theft and making false statements in a passport application.
According to court documents, Jose Maria Hernandez Bautista, 43, previously was deported from the United States in 2007 and twice in 2011. Following his most recent removal, Hernandez Bautista unlawfully re-entered the United States and by March 2013 began using the identity of a U.S. citizen. Hernandez Bautista used the victim’s identity to obtain driver licenses in Alabama in 2013 and North Carolina in 2015. In 2013 and again in 2015 Hernandez Bautista used the victim’s identity to obtain replacement Social Security cards. On April 14, 2016, Hernandez Bautista used the victim’s personal identifying information along with a photo of himself to apply for and obtain a United States passport.
In 2016, 2017, 2018, and 2024, Hernandez Bautista used the victim’s identity to apply for and receive Virginia identification cards or driver’s licenses. In an application dated May 16, 2016, Hernandez Bautista registered to vote in the victim’s name. Hernandez Bautista then used that fraudulent voter registration to vote in the 2016 and 2020 federal elections.
In 2019, Hernandez Bautista took out a line of credit in the victim’s name to purchase a vehicle. Between 2016 and 2021, he received at least seven traffic tickets in Virginia and Maryland, all under the victim’s name.
Homeland Security Investigations - Washington, D.C., and the Social Security Administration - Office of Inspector General investigated this case.
Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicholas Bolzman prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations, and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:26-cr-27.
Illegal alien convicted felon handed federal prison sentence for unlawful presence in the countryRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – A 37-year-old illegal alien from Mexico with a felony criminal history has been sentenced for illegally entering the country without authorization, announced Acting U.S. Attorney John G.E. Marck.
Ivan Garcia-Lopez pleaded guilty April 10.
U.S. District Judge Alfred Bennett has now ordered Garcia-Lopez to serve 60 months in federal prison. Not a U.S. citizen and with a current removal order, he will be immediately removed from the country following his imprisonment. In handing down the sentence, the court considered the dangerousness of his other crimes and lack of respect for the law.
Garcia-Lopez has previous convictions for illegal reentry, engaging in organized crime and aggravated assault with a deadly weapon.
He was first removed from the country in 2012. However, authorities discovered him again in Houston Sept. 8, 2025, following his arrest for felony evading arrest with a motor vehicle.
Garcia-Lopez will remain in custody pending transfer to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
Immigration Customs Enforcement - Enforcement Removal Operations conducted the investigation. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Carrie Law prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations, and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
Illegal Alien Indicted for Transportation of Minor with Intent to Engage in Criminal Sexual ActivityRead the Press Release
LAFAYETTE – On Wednesday, June 17, 2026, a federal grand jury returned an indictment charging Kevin Renan Vargas Aguilera, 20, of Honduras, with Transportation of a Minor with Intent to Engage in Criminal Sexual Activity. He faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years and up to life in prison for the charge.
According to court documents, Vargas Aguilera is accused of transporting a 13-year-old girl from Amelia, Louisiana, to Texas in November 2025. The day of the abduction, the victim’s mother discovered the child missing and reported the matter to law enforcement who issued an endangered/missing child advisory. The indictment alleges Vargas Aguilera intended for the minor victim to engage in criminal sexual activity. Texas authorities arrested Vargas Aguilera and were also able to safely recover the minor child. Law enforcement was alerted to the whereabouts of the child by a member of the public who had seen the missing child advisory.
U.S. Attorney Zachary A. Keller for the Western District of Louisiana made the announcement.
The St. Mary Parish Sheriff’s Office, the Lufkin Police Department, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated this case. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Elliott Cassidy with assistance from Paralegal Specialist Denise Duhon.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
You may find a copy of this press release (and any updates) on the website of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Louisiana at www.justice.gov/usao-wdla.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Western District of Louisiana at www.lawd.uscourts.gov or at https://www.lawd.uscourts.gov/cmecf-pacer. The case number for this matter is 6:26-cr-00247-01.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims.
For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit Justice.gov/PSC.
###Public Affairs
United States Attorney’s Office
Western District of Louisiana
[email protected]
www.justice.gov/usao-wdla
Twitter @USAO_WDLA
Héctor Ramírez-Carbó Serves as Acting United States Attorney for the District of Puerto RicoRead the Press Release
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – Héctor Ramírez-Carbó serves as Acting United States Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico pursuant to the Federal Vacancies Reform Act, 5 U.S.C. § 3345 et seq., subject to the time limitations set forth in 5 U.S.C. § 3346.
Mr. Ramírez-Carbó has served in the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Puerto Rico for more than 17 years as a civil and criminal litigator, Chief of the Civil Division, and, since 2020, as the First Assistant United States Attorney.
As Acting United States Attorney, Mr. Ramírez-Carbó serves as the chief federal law enforcement officer for the District of Puerto Rico and is responsible for overseeing the prosecution of federal criminal cases and the litigation of civil matters on behalf of the United States. He also works closely with federal, Commonwealth, and local law enforcement agencies to protect the public, uphold the rule of law, and advance the priorities of the Administration and the Department of Justice.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Puerto Rico is committed to enforcing federal law, safeguarding the rights and safety of the public, and ensuring the fair and impartial administration of justice throughout the District.
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Hope Hull Woman Sentenced for False Testimony During Federal Court ProceedingRead the Press Release
Today, United States Attorney Thomas Govan announced the sentencing of Cindy Coffman Jacques, 59, of Hope Hull, Alabama, following her conviction for perjury.
According to court records and her plea agreement, the case stems from a domestic disturbance reported on July 13, 2025, at a residence in Tallassee, Alabama. When law enforcement officers responded to a 911 call, the victim reported that Jacques’s son, Raymond David Jacques III, who was serving a term of federal probation, had assaulted her. Raymond Jacques was arrested at the scene. His arrest and new criminal conduct triggered federal probation‑revocation proceedings.
On July 28, 2025, during those proceedings, Cindy Jacques testified under oath. Evidence later established that she knowingly made materially false statements when she denied instructing a witness on what to say in an effort to have the charges against her son dismissed. A recorded conversation between Jacques and the victim on July 16, 2025, directly contradicted her sworn testimony.
“Our justice system depends upon truthful testimony under oath,” said United States Attorney Govan. “Those who deliberately lie in federal court to influence the outcome of a case must be held accountable. A felony conviction carries significant and lasting consequences and affirms our commitment to protecting the integrity of judicial proceedings.”
On July 8, 2026, a United States District Judge sentenced Cindy Jacques to two years of probation. As special conditions of her probation, the court ordered Jacques to serve four consecutive weekends in jail, followed by five months of home detention with location monitoring at her own expense.
Previously, on September 14, 2025, Raymond Jacques received a 48-month prison sentence, followed by five years of supervised release, for violating the conditions of his previous terms of supervised release.
The Tallassee Police Department and the United States Probation Office for the Middle District of Alabama investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney John J. Geer, III prosecuted the case.
Honduran Man Illegally in the United States Sentenced to 18 months for Unlawfully Possessing a Firearm and Illegal ReentryRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Lesley A. Woods announced that Marlon Leiva-Orellana, of Honduras, was sentenced on June 30, 2026, in federal court in Omaha, Nebraska, for illegal reentry and unlawfully possessing a firearm. Chief United States District Judge Robert F. Rossiter, Jr. sentenced Leiva-Orellana to concurrent terms of 18 months’ imprisonment on both charges. There is no parole in the federal system. After his release from prison, he faces deportation to Honduras. It is unlawful under federal law for an alien unlawfully in the United States, such as Leiva-Orellana, to possess a firearm.
On January 13, 2026, the Omaha Police Department responded to a location near Camden Avenue in Omaha concerning gun shots. Officers arrived and located a Nissan truck with North Carolina license plates. Leiva-Orellana, also known as Marlon Leiva-Orellaha, was the only occupant of the truck. Officers observed a .22 caliber pistol inside the truck. Leiva-Orellana admitted that he had discharged the pistol. The officers arrested him.
In addition to being convicted of unlawfully possessing a firearm, Leiva-Orellana was convicted for illegally reentering the United States. Despite being previously removed from the United States in November of 2023, Leiva-Orellana returned without lawful authority.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Omaha Police Department, and United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
Hometown Hero Detective Edgar Salazar Recognized by the Department of JusticeRead the Press Release
Spokane, Washington — First Assistant United States Attorney Pete Serrano announced that on July 9, 2026, the Department of Justice and United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Washington recognized Detective Edgar Salazar as its 2026 Hometown Hero.
Detective Salazar has been a law enforcement officer with the Moses Lake Police Department for 11 years, where he has served with distinction. For the last approximately 5 years, he has performed exceptional work on the MLPD Street Crimes Unit with an emphasis on community safety investigations, to include very significant drug trafficking and firearms offenses. He also served as a Task Force Officer with the Drug Enforcement Administration and MLPD’s lead firearms instructor. Detective Salazar also takes pride in his role as a peer support counselor for his fellow police officers.
Prior to joining MLPD, Detective Salazar was a Police Officer for the Western Shoshone Department of Safety in Elko, Nevada. Prior to his domestic law enforcement experience, he was a Marine for 6 years, honorably serving the United States in 2 combat tours in Iraq as part of Operation Iraqi Freedom.
During the first day of Beyond Wonderful, a three-day EDM musical festival at the Gorge Amphitheater in George, Washington on June 17, 2023, five officers, working undercover at the concert, found themselves in the midst of a terrifying scenario. A gunman, 26-year-old James Kelly, was assaulting his girlfriend in the campground area of the event space. When two bystanders attempted in to intervene (Brandy Escamilla, age 29, and Josilyn Ruiz, age 26), Kelly indiscriminately opened fire in the campground, killing the two good Samaritans and wounding at least three others. Kelly then took his girlfriend hostage, dragging her into a nearby field where he continued to violently assault her.
Despite being in undercover assignments without ballistic vests, standard police equipment, or their usual firearms, and armed only with small backup pistols, the officers exhibited unmatched bravery amid the chaos and panic that ensued from the very large crowd. They navigated approximately 150 yards of open grassy terrain, advancing towards the gunman who was actively firing in their direction. Their swift and decisive action allowed them to close in on the suspect to about 65 yards. Detective Salazar then took a crucial shot with his pistol, successfully incapacitating the gunman. Thanks to the fearless and skilled response of these officers and the exceptional shot by Detective Salazar, the threat was ended, Kelly was apprehended, and immediate aid was provided to the victims. There is no question that without Detective Salazar’s heroic actions, more lives would have been lost.
First Assistant United States Attorney Pete Serrano said, “Our office is honored to recognize Detective Salazar as the 2026 Hometown Hero for his bravery, sacrifice and exemplary service to our community on behalf of the Department of Justice.”
"The Moses Lake Police Department is extremely proud of the professionalism and dedication to service displayed by Officer Salazar and all the officers that responded to this horrific event, something they will remember for the rest of their lives. As we celebrate Officer Salazar today, we also remember there are families that are missing their loved ones and will surely grieve for the rest of their lives as well. I would like to thank the United States Attorney’s Office for recognizing Officer Salazar today."
Homeland Security Task Force Charges Dozens in South Florida with Federal Firearms and Drug Trafficking Crimes, 94 Firearms SeizedRead the Press Release
MIAMI – U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida, joined by federal and local law enforcement partners, announced today the results of a two-month, multi-agency enforcement initiative targeting repeat violent offenders in Palm Beach County.
In May, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) Miami Field Division launched “Operation Hurricane,” an enhanced enforcement initiative focused on combating violent crime and disrupting the illegal possession and trafficking of firearms throughout South Florida. As part of the operation, ATF deployed personnel from across the country to work alongside federal and local law enforcement agencies, providing specialized expertise in tactical operations, technical support, and undercover investigations.
To date, the ATF-led initiative has resulted in federal charges against and the arrest of 38 federal defendants and 8 state defendants, most of whom are Palm Beach County residents facing firearms and narcotics trafficking offenses. Law enforcement also seized 94 firearms, including semiautomatic rifles and handguns, along with more than 600 rounds of ammunition. Additionally, investigators seized approximately 9.4 kilograms of illegal narcotics, including fentanyl, methamphetamine, cocaine, crack, and other controlled substances.
“As we’ve seen in Memphis, Washington, D.C., and now South Florida, targeted law enforcement surges drive down crime,” said Assistant Attorney General Colin M. McDonald. “Operation Hurricane is the latest success: over two months of focused enforcement by ATF and its partners removed nearly 100 illegal firearms from communities, along with significant quantities of illegal drugs and controlled substances. We commend ATF and all our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners for their relentless efforts to hold violent repeat offenders accountable and make our neighborhoods safer.”
“Operation Hurricane shows the Homeland Security Task Force model at work: federal, state, and local law enforcement moving as one team to identify the drivers of violence and remove illegal guns and drugs from our streets,” said U.S. Attorney Reding Quiñones. “This was dangerous, difficult work. Our agents and officers went into harm’s way to save lives in Palm Beach County and across South Florida. Because of their courage and professionalism, 46 defendants, 94 firearms, and kilograms of deadly narcotics are now off the street.”
“This enforcement initiative demonstrates ATF’s unwavering commitment to reducing violent crime by identifying and targeting the individuals who pose the greatest threat to our communities,” said ATF Director Rob Cekada. “ATF-led surge operations such as Operation Hurricane in south Florida supports the White House’s violent crime strategy and the Homeland Security Task Force – by focusing our investigative resources on known members of violent gangs, transnational criminal organizations, cartels and other prolific offenders. Our ATF Miami Field Division personnel removed 38 dangerous criminals from our streets, disrupted criminal groups, armed robbery crews, firearms trafficking cells, drug trafficking networks, and thus, made our neighborhoods significantly safer. These results will have a lasting impact and are a testament to the dedication of our special agents, and law enforcement partners who work every day to protect the public through strategic, intelligence-driven enforcement.”
“These criminals posed a serious threat to the well-being of Palm Beach County residents and the actions of our dedicated law enforcement partners in getting these weapons and drugs off the streets will lead to safer communities,” said Special Agent in Charge Miles Aley of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Miami Field Division.
“This case demonstrates what is possible when law enforcement agencies work together with a shared commitment to protecting our community,” said Police Chief Tony Araujo of the West Palm Beach Police Department. Strong partnerships, open communication, and coordinated efforts were essential to advancing this investigation and bringing those responsible to justice.”
The charges were brought via federal indictments and criminal complaints over the past few weeks.
Operation Hurricane Defendants:
NameAgeCity of ResidenceChargesAntwuan Alexander23Lake ParkFelon in possession of a firearmSarne Barfield38West Palm BeachConspiracy to distribute 28 grams of crack cocaineHenry Bennett Jr.50West Palm BeachConspiracy to distribute a controlled substance (500 grams or more of cocaine)Simon Black24Lake WorthConspiracy to possess and distribute a controlled substanceNevara Brown32Port Saint LucieFelon in possession of a firearm
Conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine
Use, carry, and possess a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime
Woodley David35West Palm BeachConspiracy to distribute a controlled substance (500 grams or more of cocaine)Carlos Dennard55West Palm BeachConspiracy to distribute 28 grams of crack cocaineChris Duncan Jr.56Riviera BeachDistribution of a controlled substanceLiosbel Guillermo Ferrer Ortiz29Palm BayConspiracy to possess with intent to distribute a controlled substance
Attempt to possess with intent to distribute a controlled substance
Conspiracy to use, carry, and possess a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime
Use, carry, and possess a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime
Conspiracy to commit Hobbs Act robbery
Attempt to commit Hobbs Act robbery
Felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition
Dequan Fleming30Riviera BeachConspiracy to possess with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine
Use, carry, and possess a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime
Camaron Furlow26Fort MyersPossession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime
Conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance
Taron Furlow28Fort MyersPossession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime
Conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance
Dametria Alexandria Gibson29Belle GladeFederal possession of unregistered firearms
Felon in possession of a firearms
Shon Lashard Grimsley33West Palm BeachDistribution of a controlled substance
Distribution of a controlled substance
Conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute a controlled substance
Attempt to possess with intent to distribute a controlled substance
Conspiracy to use, carry, and possess a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime
Use, carry, and possess a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime
Conspiracy to commit Hobbs Act robbery
Attempt to commit Hobbs Act robbery
Felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition
Edward Lamar Hamilton III26Riviera BeachFederal possession of unregistered firearms
Felon in possession of a firearm
Deonte Harry28Daytona BeachFelon in possession of a firearmGavlyn Renard Hooks42West Palm BeachConspiracy to distribute 280 grams or more of a cocaine base
Possession with intent to distribute a Schedule II controlled substance
Possession with intent to distribute 28 grams or more of a cocaine base
Stephanie Hugee42Fort PierceDistribution of a controlled substanceMichael Jean24Lake WorthFelon in possession of a firearmJoseph Jerome, Jr.39West Palm BeachPossession with intent to distribute controlled substances
Possession of a firearm in furtherance of a federal drug trafficking crime
Possession of firearms by a convicted felon
Derick Julien35West Palm BeachConspiracy to traffic firearms and trafficking firearmsJohn Phillip King38West Palm BeachConspiracy to distribute a controlled substance to include 28 grams or more of a mixture and substance
Possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon
Raleigh Markale Lewis47Riviera BeachConspiracy to distribute 280 grams or more of a cocaine base
Possession with intent to distribute a Schedule II controlled substance
Possession with intent to distribute 28 grams or more of a cocaine base
Carlos Lorenzo Linder, Jr.20Riviera BeachConspiracy to possess with intent to distribute a controlled substance
Attempt to possess with intent to distribute a controlled substance
Conspiracy to use, carry, and possess a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime
Use, carry, and possess a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime
Conspiracy to commit Hobbs Act robbery
Attempt to commit Hobbs Act robbery
Alonzo Little29Fort MyersConspiracy to transfer firearms to another person in or otherwise affecting interstate or foreign commerce
Possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime
Conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance
Dallas Little29Fort MyersFelon in possession of a firearm
Conspiracy to transfer firearms to another person in or otherwise affecting interstate or foreign commerce
Possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime
Conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance
Larry Little31Lehigh AcresPossession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime
Conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance
Possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime
Conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance
Rayan Masamvu26West Palm BeachConspiracy to possess and distribute a controlled substanceTyran McNeal24Riviera BeachFelon in possession of a firearm
Distribution of a controlled substance
Possession of a firearm during and in relation to a Drug Trafficking Crime
Milton Andrew Richardson40West Palm BeachConspiracy to distribute a controlled substance to include 28 grams or more of a mixture and substance
Possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon
Sagon Mickaletoe Steward38West Palm BeachConspiracy to possess with intent to distribute a controlled substance
Attempt to possess with intent to distribute a controlled substance
Conspiracy to use, carry, and possess a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime
Use, carry, and possess a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime
Conspiracy to commit Hobbs Act robbery
Attempt to commit Hobbs Act robbery
Felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition
Antony Stokes23Riviera BeachConspiracy to traffic firearms and trafficking firearms
Possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon
Robert Lee Turner, Jr.31Riviera BeachDistribution of a Schedule II controlled substance
Distribution of 28 grams or more of a Schedule II controlled substance
Kevin Walker34PahokeeFelon in possession of a firearmJarvis Williams31West Palm BeachFelon in possession of a firearmDavid Woodley35West Palm BeachConspiracy to distribute a controlled substance (500 grams or more of cocaine)Marcus Young30Lake ParkDistribution of a controlled substance over 50 grams of a mixture
Distribution of a controlled substance over 40 grams or more
Distribution of a controlled substance
U.S. Attorney Reding Quiñones acknowledged and commended the investigative efforts of ATF, DEA, the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS), Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the South Florida High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) Task Force, the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office, and the West Palm Beach Police Department.
The federal prosecutions are being coordinated by West Palm Beach Managing Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam McMichael and West Palm Beach Narcotics Chief Daniel Funk.
These prosecutions are part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF Miami comprises of agents and officers from ATF, DEA, USMS, HSI, and HIDTA with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida.
The charges contained in indictments and complaints are not evidence of guilt. Charges are only allegations, and each defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
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Guilty Plea Unsealed for Former DC Public Schools Administrator Involved in Bribery SchemeRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Tracy Hatton, 60, of the District of Columbia, a former administrative officer at McKinley Technology High School, pleaded guilty to bribery in connection with a scheme that caused a loss to the District of Columbia government of more than $40,000, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro. The plea was unsealed today in U.S. District Court.
According to court documents, Hatton was an administrative officer for McKinley, a unit of the District of Columbia Public Schools, and was responsible for managing the school's supply budget, selecting and awarding vendor contracts, and approving invoices for payment.
Beginning in or about October 2020 and continuing until about September 2023, Hatton accepted cash bribes from a contractor identified in court papers as Contractor 1, the owner of an approved D.C. Supply Schedule vendor, in exchange for using her official position to benefit that vendor.
In exchange for the bribes, Hatton issued purchase orders to the contractor and approved payment for goods that were never delivered to McKinley, including fraudulent invoices for inflated and under-delivered orders. Hatton also directed the contractor to fraudulently charge her government-issued purchase card for supplies that were never provided. On some occasions, Hatton accepted additional cash payments from the contractor that did not derive from fraudulently obtained DCPS funds, in exchange for steering additional business to the contractor.
In total, Hatton personally profited by at least $30,000. Because the payments to Hatton were made in cash, the total loss to D.C. Public Schools is difficult to identify. Hatton pleaded guilty to bribery on Nov. 10, 2025. Sentencing is set for Nov. 5, 2026.
The matter was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher R. Howland of the Fraud, Public Corruption, and Civil Rights Section. The matter was investigated by the FBI Washington Field Office and the D.C. Office of the Inspector General.
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Guilford County Woman Pleads Guilty to Health Care Fraud in Connection with Million Dollar Urine Drug Testing SchemeRead the Press Release
GREENSBORO, N.C. – Gwendolyn Singleton pled guilty today to health care fraud in connection with a scheme to fraudulently bill the North Carolina Medicaid program for over $1.7 million of urine drug tests that were not performed, announced Dan Bishop, United States Attorney for the Middle District of North Carolina and North Carolina Attorney General Jeff Jackson.
According to court documents, Singleton, age 55, owned and operated a business called Joelle’s Center of Hope located in Greensboro, North Carolina. Joelle’s Center of Hope purported to provide substance abuse treatment, including urine drug tests. Between June 2021 and March of 2023, Joelle’s submitted approximately $1,735,865 worth of fraudulent urine drug testing claims directly to Medicaid. A nurse practitioner and a doctor were listed as the ordering providers on the claims. Both providers reported that they never ordered any urine drug tests for Joelle’s Center of Hope.
Over the course of the scheme, Medicaid reimbursed Joelle’s Center of Hope over $1.7 million.
Sentencing is scheduled to take place on October 22, 2026, at 9:30 a.m. in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, before United States District Judge Thomas D. Schroeder. At sentencing, Singleton faces a maximum sentence of ten years in prison, a period of supervised release of up to three years, and monetary penalties.
The Department of Health and Human Services–Office of Inspector General, North Carolina Attorney General’s Office-Medicaid Investigations Division, and the United States Postal Inspection Service are investigating. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Ashley Waid and Eric Iverson and Special Assistant United States Attorney Daniel Spillman.
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Four Months of Operation Take Back America Yield 23 Felons Sentenced for Unlawful Possession of FirearmsRead the Press Release
INDIANAPOLIS- The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Indiana has secured prison sentences for 23 convicted felons who illegally possessed firearms, removing 37 unlawfully held guns and four extended magazines from the streets of Indianapolis and Evansville.
Each defendant pleaded guilty to unlawful possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Additionally, Andy Manuel Seda-Colon was convicted of unlawful possession of a firearm by a domestic batterer. Each prosecution stemmed from a separate investigation and was individually resolved between March and June of 2026.
DEFENDANTSENTENCEPRIOR CONVICTIONSDennis Birts. 29, Indianapolis7 years, 5 months’ imprisonment; 3 years of supervised releaseCriminal recklessness; Receiving stolen property; Unlawful possession of a firearm; Carrying a handgun without a license; Unlawful carrying of a handgun x2Travis Brown, 20, Indianapolis3 years, 5 months’ imprisonment; 3 years of supervised releaseArmed robberyKyle Castner, 24, Indianapolis5 years’ imprisonment
3 years of supervised release
Attempted armed robbery; Armed robbery; Burglary; EscapeMichael Durant, 44, Indianapolis9 years’ imprisonment; 3 years of supervised releaseDealing in cocaine; Possession of a narcotic drug; Dealing in a narcotic drugJoshua Eldridge, 42, Indianapolis3.5 years’ imprisonment; 3 years of supervised releasePossession of methamphetamine; Robbery; Unlawful possession of a firearm by a serious violent felonJeffery Hill, 48, Indianapolis3 years, 2 months’ imprisonment; 3 years of supervised releaseAggravated batteryJamar Johnson, 22, Indianapolis8 years, 1 month imprisonment; 3 years of supervised releaseRobberySteven Lane, 46, Anderson8 years, 4 months’ imprisonment; 3 years of supervised releaseDealing in methamphetamine x2; Burglary resulting in bodily injury; BurglaryMarcos Guillermo Leon Murrieta, 26, Muncie3 years, 2 months’ imprisonment; 3 years of supervised releaseConspiracy to possess with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamineDayquion Marlin, 27, Indianapolis3 years’ imprisonment; 3 years of supervised releaseArmed robbery; Auto theft; Carrying a handgun without a licenseKishawn Morris, 23, Indianapolis3.5 years’ imprisonment; 3 years of supervised releaseArmed robbery and resisting law enforcementAndy Manuel Seda-Colon, 28, Indianapolis2 years, 9 months’ imprisonment; 3 years of supervised releaseInvasion of privacy & domestic batteryKylan Oliver, 29, Indianapolis3 years, 10 months’ imprisonment; 3 years of supervised releaseBurglary; Unlawful possession of a firearm by a convicted felonRobert Reed, 51, Indianapolis4.5 years’ imprisonment; 2 years of supervised releaseConspiracy to possess with intent to distribute heroin; Kidnapping; Possession of cocaine or a narcotic drug; Theft; Receiving stolen propertyCody Brodrick Schmitt, 34, Mt. Vernon11 years, 5 months’ imprisonment; 3 years of supervised releaseRobbery & dealing in methamphetamineEdward Cortez Sharp, 45, Evansville8 years, 4 months’ imprisonment; 3 years of supervised releaseDealing in methamphetamine (2 counts) & forgeryDavid Sneed, 31, Indianapolis3 years, 1 month’ imprisonment; 3 years of supervised releaseArmed robbery & felon in possession of ammunitionDaron Torrence, 46, Indianapolis3 years, 10 months’ imprisonment; 3 years of supervised releaseDealing in methamphetamine; Dealing in cocaine; Possession of a narcotic drugJason Vredenburg, 39, Indianapolis3 years, 4 months’ imprisonment; 3 years of supervised releaseIndecent liberties with a child; Possession of a weapon by a prisoner; Possession of a firearm by a felon; Obtaining property by false pretensesJeffery Ware, 39, Indianapolis5 years’ imprisonment; 3 years of supervised releaseDealing in cocaine & dealing in marijuanaTyron Whitson Jr., 30, Indianapolis7 years’ imprisonment; 3 years of supervised releaseDealing in a narcotic drug and attempted robberyErnest Williamson Jr., 34, Louisville 10 years’ imprisonment; 3 years of supervised releaseFelon in possession of a handgun; Trafficking a controlled substance; Complicity to trafficking a controlled substanceSean Wright, 29, Indianapolis3 years, 4 months’ imprisonment; 3 years of supervised releaseFelon in possession of ammunition; Battery by means of a deadly weapon; Dealing methamphetamineAccording to federal law, individuals with prior felony convictions are prohibited from legally possessing a firearm. As part of these investigations, the following firearms were seized and forfeited by law enforcement:
- Accu-Tek .380 semiautomatic handgun
- Anderson AR‑15 rifle
- Davis Industries .380 caliber handgun
- Diamondback Arms 8mm handgun
- Gem pistol
- Glock .45 handgun
- Glock 17 handgun
- Glock 19 9mm handgun (x2)
- Glock 21 .45 semiautomatic pistol
- Glock 22 handgun
- Glock 22 .40 semiautomatic w/ extended magazine
- Glock 27 handgun w/ extended magazine
- Glock 32 handgun w/ extended magazine
- Glock 32 GEN4 semiautomatic pistol
- Glock 47
- Glock semiautomatic pistol (unspecified) (x2)
- Hi‑Point 9mm pistol
- Hi‑Point C9 pistol
- Hi‑Point JHP .45 semiautomatic pistol
- Maverick Arms 88 shotgun
- Molot VEPR shotgun
- Mossberg 500 shotgun
- Regent pistol
- Rough Rider revolver
- SCCY handgun w/ extended magazine
- Smith & Wesson 9mm handgun (stolen)
- Smith & Wesson 9mm pistol
- Smith & Wesson .357 Magnum
- Springfield XD40 .40 semiautomatic handgun
- Taurus .38 Special revolver
- Taurus G2C 9mm
- Taurus The Judge revolver
- Taurus Ultra‑Lite .38 Special revolver
- Western Long‑Range shotgun
- Zastava semiautomatic pistol
The following agencies investigated or assisted in investigating these cases:
- Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives
- Federal Bureau of Investigation- Indianapolis
- U.S. Marshals Service
- U.S. Marshals Fugitive Task Force
- Great Lakes Task Force
- Indiana State Police
- Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office
- Hancock County Sheriff’s Office
- Posey County Sheriff’s Office
- Beech Grove Police Department
- Evansville Police Department
- Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department
- New Albany Police Department
- Whitestown Metropolitan Police Department
U.S. Attorney Wheeler thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Barry Glickman, Kelsey Massa, Nate Walter, Jayson McGrath, Jeremy Kemper, Matt Barloh, Michelle Brady, Zachary Yauger, Pamela Domash, Peter Blackett, Patrick Gibson, and Todd Shellenbarger who prosecuted these cases.
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).
The prosecution of Andy Manuel Seda-Colon was brought as part of the LEATH Initiative (Law Enforcement Action to Halt Domestic Violence), named in honor of Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department (IMPD) Officer Breann Leath, who was killed in the line of duty while responding to a domestic disturbance call. A partnership among the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), the IMPD, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Indiana, the LEATH Initiative focuses federal, state, and local law enforcement resources on domestic violence offenders who illegally possess firearms.
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Former Private Equity Fund Manager Indicted and Arrested for Embezzling Millions of Dollars from a Private Equity FundRead the Press Release
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – On July 2, 2026, a federal grand jury in the District of Puerto Rico returned an indictment charging Gian C. Piovanetti with embezzlement of bank funds, conspiracy to commit money laundering, and money laundering.
According to court documents, Gian C. Piovanetti, a certified public accountant, embezzled, and aided and abetted in the embezzlement of approximately 11 million dollars from a private equity fund he managed as part of his employment and connection with a local Financial Institution. The defendant carried out this embezzlement through a series of unauthorized transfers of fund assets under the custody and control of the Financial Institution. Piovanetti secretly, and in contravention of his fiduciary duty, used the proceeds of the fraud to purchase luxury items for himself and others, including his family members, as well as to pay balances owed on credit cards, and for the purchase of real estate.
Between May 6, 2024, and July 1, 2024, the defendant embezzled, and aided and abetted in the embezzlement, of approximately $11,266,493.00 of the funds from the equity fund’s deposit account. These transactions were unrelated to the allowable investments under the fund, were not approved by the fund’s Investment Committee, and lacked a valid purpose for a private equity fund. Some of the illegal transactions that the defendant executed were thousands, and on occasions more than one million dollars. Other transactions were in favor of companies that the defendant and family members were in control of, including the purchase of a 2024 Porsche Cayenne Coupe registered in the name of the defendant’s wife, and the acquisition of options to purchase apartments outside of Puerto Rico.
“As alleged in the indictment, this defendant enriched himself and family members by spending millions of dollars that did not belong to him. The defendant did not fulfill his fiduciary duties and betrayed the trust that his employer and clients had in him,” said Héctor Ramírez-Carbó, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico. “The U.S. Attorney’s Office will prosecute and seek just punishment against anyone who victimizes their clients for their own personal gain.”
“This arrest underscores the FBI’s commitment to pursuing complex financial crime and safeguarding the integrity of our financial institutions," said Carlos R. Goris, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI's San Juan Field Office. "Embezzlement and money laundering are not victimless crimes — they erode public trust and harm our economy. We will continue working closely with our partners at the U.S. Attorney’s Office to ensure accountability and uphold the rule of law.”
Piovanetti is charged with one count of embezzlement of bank funds, one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering, and five counts of money laundering. The defendant is scheduled to have his initial court appearance today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Héctor Ramos-Vega of the U.S. District Court for the District of Puerto Rico. If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The FBI is investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Julian Radzinschi is 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.
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Foley Methamphetamine Dealer Who Led Deputies on a High-Speed Chase Sentenced to 27 Years in Prison in Homeland Security Task Force CaseRead the Press Release
MOBILE, AL – A Foley man was sentenced to 324 months in prison dealing bulk methamphetamine.
According to court documents, Corinthius Shatuel Woodard, 30, pleaded guilty to participating in a vast drug-trafficking organization (“DTO”) responsible for distributing bulk methamphetamine and fentanyl between August 2022 and July 2024. Woodard supplied multiple pounds of pure methamphetamine to various customers in the Baldwin County area.
On May 9, 2024, police in Robertsdale seized crack cocaine and cocaine from a vehicle being driven by one of Woodard’s conspirators, which Woodard admitted was his rental car. Agents searched a phone seized from Woodard’s conspirator and found numerous text messages between Woodard and the conspirator about setting up drug deals.
Four days later, on May 13, 2024, Baldwin County Sheriff’s Office deputies conducted a traffic stop of two of Woodard’s drug conspirators in Foley. Deputies seized more than 200 grams of pure methamphetamine and more than 50 grams of fentanyl pills from the car, which was occupied by three children. Deputies seized phones belonging to Woodard’s conspirators and again found numerous messages from Woodard about setting up drug deals.
On May 17, 2024, two of Woodard’s drug conspirators led deputies on a high-speed chase in Foley. Deputies eventually arrested the conspirators and seized nearly a kilogram of pure methamphetamine from them. Deputies also seized a cell phone belonging to one of the conspirators and again located messages from Woodard about setting up drug deals.
On June 15, 2024, Baldwin County deputies attempted to stop Woodard’s rental vehicle in Foley. Woodard took off on a high-speed chase with three young children in the back seat of the car. During the chase, dash and body-worn camera videos depicted Woodard throwing a large plastic bag into the roadway. The bag contained more than 300 grams of pure methamphetamine. Deputies caught up with Woodard and arrested him, finding small amounts of cocaine and marijuana in the car. Deputies seized Woodard’s cell phone and found dozens of messages he sent about setting up drug deals and having associates “wash dirty money” for him.
On July 9, 2024, federal agents searched the apartment of one of the DTO’s methamphetamine suppliers in Pensacola, Florida. During that search, agents seized more than three kilograms of pure methamphetamine, more than 220 grams of fentanyl, several loaded firearms, and more than $56,000 in cash.
At the time Woodard committed his drug-trafficking crimes, he had several prior felony convictions, including a serious violent felony conviction in 2018 for shooting into an occupied vehicle.
In addition to the 324-month prison sentence, U.S. District Judge Terry F. Moorer ordered Woodard to serve a ten-year term of supervised release upon his release from prison, during which time Woodard will be subject to drug testing and treatment. The court did not impose a fine, but Judge Moorer ordered Woodard to pay $100 in special assessments.
U.S. Attorney Sean P. Costello of the Southern District of Alabama made the announcement.
The Drug Enforcement Administration, the Baldwin County Sheriff’s Office, the Foley Police Department, and the Robertsdale Police Department investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin Roller prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.
This prosecution was part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF Mobile comprises agents and officers from, among others, Homeland Security Investigations, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Alabama.
Florida Ransomware Negotiator Who Extorted and Attacked Multiple U.S. Victims Sentenced to PrisonRead the Press Release
Angelo Martino, 41, of Land O’Lakes, Florida, formerly employed as a ransomware negotiator, was sentenced today to 70 months for his role in conspiring with Blackcat/ALPHV (BlackCat) actors to extort multiple victims, as well as conspiring with other former cybersecurity professionals to attack additional victims in 2023.
“Angelo Martino’s victims shared heartbreaking accounts of how their businesses were nearly destroyed, while the people they hired to help them instead betrayed them to ransomware gangs,” said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Today’s sentence accounts for the harm Martino caused and demonstrates that the Department of Justice can and will identify and prosecute cybercriminals to the fullest extent of the law.”
“He was hired to help victims in a moment of crisis,” said U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida. “Instead, Martino betrayed them, fed their confidential negotiating positions to ransomware criminals, and helped squeeze them for more money. This case sends a clear message: we will pursue the hackers who deploy ransomware, the insiders who enable them, and the money they steal from American victims. Thanks to the outstanding work of our prosecutors and law enforcement partners, Martino is going to federal prison, and more than $10 million in criminal proceeds has been seized.”
“Angelo Martino sold out the very victims he was hired to represent, handing their confidential negotiating positions to BlackCat actors to drive up ransoms and enrich himself,” said Assistant Director Brett Leatherman of the FBI Cyber Division. “Today's sentence demonstrates that the FBI will pursue not just the criminals who deploy ransomware, but the insiders who enable them. Working with our partners, the FBI will find those who betray that trust and hold them accountable.”
According to court documents, Martino abused his role at a U.S.-based cyber incident response company and conspired with the operators of the BlackCat ransomware variant beginning in April 2023 to extort five different ransomware victims. Specifically, Martino was paid by BlackCat attackers to provide confidential information about the negotiating position and strategy of his employer’s clients and enable the ransomware actors to maximize the ransoms paid by the victims.
Additionally, Martino conspired with former cybersecurity professionals Kevin Martin, age 36, of Texas, who was hired as Martino’s coworker after the conspiracy began, and Ryan Goldberg, age 41, of Georgia, who was employed by a separate incident response company, to successfully deploy BlackCat ransomware against additional victims located throughout the United States between April 2023 and November 2023. After successfully extorting one victim for approximately $1.2 million in Bitcoin, the men split their share of the ransom three ways and laundered the funds through various means.
Martino plead guilty on April 14 to a one-count information charging him with conspiring to interfere with interstate commerce through extortion. On May 1 Martin and Goldberg were sentenced to 48 months in prison by Judge K. Michael Moore in the Southern District of Florida.
To date, law enforcement has seized $10 million of assets from Martino, including digital currency, vehicles, a food truck, and a luxury fishing boat that Martino obtained through the scheme. A hearing to determine the amount of restitution to be ordered against Martino is set for Sept. 17.
Today’s announcement follows the Justice Department’s prior actions in December 2023 to disrupt BlackCat ransomware, during which the FBI developed a decryption tool that allowed FBI field offices across the country and law enforcement partners around the world to offer hundreds of victims the capability of restoring their systems, saving victims approximately $99 million in ransom payments. At that time, the FBI also seized several websites operated by the BlackCat ransomware actors.
The FBI’s Miami field office is leading the investigation, with assistance provided by the U.S. Secret Service.
Trial Attorneys Christen Gallagher and Jorge Gonzalez of the Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section (CCIPS) and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Thomas Haggerty and Quinshawna Landon for the Southern District of Florida are prosecuting the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Mitchell Hyman and Assistant U.S. Attorney Danielle N. Croke for the Southern District of Florida are handling asset forfeiture and restitution.
Significant assistance in this investigation was provided by Assistant U.S. Attorney Merrilyn Hoenemeyer for the Middle District of Florida and former Assistant U.S. Attorney Marx P. Calderón of the Southern District of Florida.
CCIPS investigates and prosecutes cybercrime and intellectual property (IP) crime in coordination with domestic and international law enforcement agencies, often with assistance from the private sector. Since 2020, CCIPS has secured the conviction of over 180 cyber and IP criminals and court orders for the return of over $350 million in victim funds.
This action is part of Operation Riptide, an ongoing FBI campaign targeting the criminal actors, infrastructure, and financial networks behind cybercrime, cyber-enabled crime, and fraud against the American people. Last year, Americans reported over $20 billion in losses to cybercrime, a 26 percent single-year increase. Operation Riptide is the FBI's sustained enforcement response to that threat.
If you are a victim of ransomware, contact your local FBI field office or file a report at ic3.gov.
If you have information about ALPHV/BlackCat, their affiliates or activities, you may be eligible for a reward through Department of State’s Transnational Organized Crime Rewards program or Rewards for Justice program. Information can also be submitted through the following Tor-based tip line (Tor browser required): he5dybnt7sr6cm32xt77pazmtm65flqy6irivtflruqfc5ep7eiodiad.onion.
Federal grand jury indicts 8 men in conspiracies related to plot to attack UFC Freedom 250 event at White House, kill government officialsRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ohio – A total of eight defendants now face federal charges related to the alleged plot to carry out an attack to kill government officials and others attending the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Freedom 250 event held at the White House on June 14. All eight men were charged together in a two-count indictment returned in Columbus today.
The indictment stems from an initial investigation and criminal complaint filed in the Southern District of Ohio against Tycen C. Proper 19, of Danville, Ohio. Proper and four others charged federally by criminal complaint in Missouri, Nebraska and California were arrested the weekend of the UFC event. Two more defendants were charged by criminal complaint and arrested by the FBI approximately one week later in Washington and Missouri.
This week, an eighth defendant, Chandler D. Scaggs, 21, of Chapmanville, West Virginia, was taken into custody in West Virginia. Scaggs was allegedly assigned to be one of the snipers in the plotted attack. An affidavit details that Scaggs was to be picked up by Proper to travel to Washington, D.C. Scaggs and others lost contact with Proper upon Proper’s arrest, but Scaggs allegedly indicated to the group that he was still willing to participate in the attack and made new plans for another coconspirator to pick him up to travel to the UFC Freedom 250 event.
A full list of those charged in the indictment includes:
NameAlso Known AsAgeCity of ResidenceAbraham H. AlvarezShepherd31Omaha, NebraskaDaniel K. EskridgeFulcrum32Hamilton, MissouriWilliam L. S. FalknerPepsi21Belfair, WashingtonTycen J. ProperProx19Danville, OhioJordan W. RinckerShriveled Shlong28St. Joseph, MissouriBryan O. RoaNoble25Calimesa, CaliforniaChandler D. ScaggsViper of the S.O.G.21Chapmanville, West VirginiaMichael A. ThomasWhiskey Six32Pinon Hills, CaliforniaThe indictment charges all eight men in two conspiracies: conspiracy to provide material support to terrorists and conspiracy to commit murder on federal government territory and to murder a federal government official. The indictment replaces the initial charges filed in criminal complaints in various Districts across the country.
According to the indictment, starting in May 2026, the defendants conspired to provide material support and resources to terrorists in the form of money, firearms, ammunition, body armor, explosives, drones, medical equipment, communication equipment, personnel and other services.
The eight men allegedly participated in online chat groups and forums on Signal, SimpleX, Discord, TikTok and Instagram. Throughout these communications, they allegedly developed plans for attacks, recruited members and encouraged each other to prepare for attacks, including the attack on UFC Freedom 250.
The indictment details that, as part of their conspiracy, the defendants created a tier system to classify participants. Tier one conspirators allegedly committed to put themselves “in harms [sic] way, break the law, and potentially go into hiding.”
Besides amassing weapons, ammunition, tactical gear and other supplies, the defendants also allegedly engaged in marksmanship and combat training, agreed on targets for the UFC Freedom 250 event and created operational plans to commit the attack and escape after the attack.
Count two of the indictment charges a second conspiracy, namely, conspiracy to commit murder on federal government territory and to murder a federal government official.
As part of this conspiracy, the defendants allegedly planned to murder the President of the United States, Vice President of the United States, other federal officials, the Prime Minister of Israel, Elon Musk and “other high value targets” at UFC Freedom 250.
Conspiring to provide material support to terrorists is punishable by up to 15 years of imprisonment. Conspiring to commit murder carries a potential penalty of up to life in prison.
U.S. Attorney Dominick S. Gerace II for the Southern District of Ohio, Assistant Attorney General for the Department of Justice National Security Division John A. Eisenberg, FBI Cincinnati Division Special Agent in Charge Jason Cromartie, U.S. Secret Service Special Agent in Charge Jason Rees, Knox County Sheriff Daniel J. Weckesser, Danville Police Chief Monte L. Vance and Columbus Police Chief Elaine Bryant announced the indictment. The U.S. Attorney’s Offices for the District of Nebraska, Western District of Missouri, Central District of California and Western District of Washington, as well as law enforcement partners in those jurisdictions, investigated and charged the previous related criminal complaints.
Assistant United States Attorneys Damoun Delaviz and David J. Twombly and Department of Justice National Security Trial Attorney James Donnelly are representing the United States in this case.
An indictment merely contains allegations. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Federal Grand Jury Indicts 8 Men in Conspiracies Related to Plot to Attack UFC Freedom 250 Event at White House, Kill Government OfficialsRead the Press Release
A total of eight defendants now face federal charges related to the alleged plot to carry out an attack to kill government officials and others attending the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Freedom 250 event held at the White House on June 14. All eight men were charged together in a two-count indictment returned in Columbus today.
The indictment stems from an initial investigation and criminal complaint filed in the Southern District of Ohio against Tycen C. Proper 19, of Danville, Ohio. Proper and four others charged federally by criminal complaint in Missouri, Nebraska and California were arrested the weekend of the UFC event. Two more defendants were charged by criminal complaint and arrested by the FBI approximately one week later in Washington and Missouri.
This week, an eighth defendant, Chandler D. Scaggs, 21, of Chapmanville, West Virginia, was taken into custody in West Virginia. Scaggs was allegedly assigned to be one of the snipers in the plotted attack. An affidavit details that Scaggs was to be picked up by Proper to travel to Washington, D.C. Scaggs and others lost contact with Proper upon Proper’s arrest, but Scaggs allegedly indicated to the group that he was still willing to participate in the attack and made new plans for another coconspirator to pick him up to travel to the UFC Freedom 250 event.
A full list of those charged in the indictment includes:
NameAlso Known AsAgeCity of ResidenceAbraham H. AlvarezShepherd31Omaha, NebraskaDaniel K. EskridgeFulcrum32Hamilton, MissouriWilliam L. S. FalknerPepsi21Belfair, WashingtonTycen J. ProperProx19Danville, OhioJordan W. RinckerShriveled Shlong28St. Joseph, MissouriBryan O. RoaNoble25Calimesa, CaliforniaChandler D. ScaggsViper of the S.O.G.21Chapmanville, West VirginiaMichael A. ThomasWhiskey Six32Pinon Hills, CaliforniaThe indictment charges all eight men in two conspiracies: conspiracy to provide material support to terrorists and conspiracy to commit murder on federal government territory and to murder a federal government official. The indictment replaces the initial charges filed in criminal complaints in various Districts across the country.
According to the indictment, starting in May 2026, the defendants conspired to provide material support and resources to terrorists in the form of money, firearms, ammunition, body armor, explosives, drones, medical equipment, communication equipment, personnel and other services.
The eight men allegedly participated in online chat groups and forums on Signal, SimpleX, Discord, TikTok and Instagram. Throughout these communications, they allegedly developed plans for attacks, recruited members and encouraged each other to prepare for attacks, including the attack on UFC Freedom 250.
The indictment details that, as part of their conspiracy, the defendants created a tier system to classify participants. Tier one conspirators allegedly committed to put themselves “in harms [sic] way, break the law, and potentially go into hiding.”
Besides amassing weapons, ammunition, tactical gear and other supplies, the defendants also allegedly engaged in marksmanship and combat training, agreed on targets for the UFC Freedom 250 event and created operational plans to commit the attack and escape after the attack.
Count two of the indictment charges a second conspiracy, namely, conspiracy to commit murder on federal government territory and to murder a federal government official.
As part of this conspiracy, the defendants allegedly planned to murder the President of the United States, Vice President of the United States, other federal officials, the Prime Minister of Israel, Elon Musk and “other high value targets” at UFC Freedom 250.
Conspiring to provide material support to terrorists is punishable by up to 15 years of imprisonment. Conspiring to commit murder carries a potential penalty of up to life in prison.
U.S. Attorney Dominick S. Gerace II for the Southern District of Ohio, Assistant Attorney General for the Department of Justice National Security Division John A. Eisenberg, Acting Assistant Director Coult Markovsky of the FBI’s Counterterrorism Division, FBI Cincinnati Division Special Agent in Charge Jason Cromartie, U.S. Secret Service Special Agent in Charge Jason Rees, Knox County Sheriff Daniel J. Weckesser, Danville Police Chief Monte L. Vance and Columbus Police Chief Elaine Bryant announced the indictment. The U.S. Attorney’s Offices for the District of Nebraska, Western District of Missouri, Central District of California and Western District of Washington, as well as law enforcement partners in those jurisdictions, investigated and charged the previous related criminal complaints.
Assistant United States Attorneys Damoun Delaviz and David J. Twombly and Department of Justice National Security Trial Attorney James Donnelly are representing the United States in this case.
An indictment merely contains allegations. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Fayette County Woman Sentenced for Federal Fraud CrimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Crystal Renee Severson, 45, of Dixie, was sentenced today to one year of federal probation and ordered to pay $1,855 in restitution for fraud and related activity in connection with identification documents, features, and information.
According to court documents and statements made in court, from March 28, 2016, to March 16, 2022, Severson was employed an administrative assistant at the West Virginia Board of Barbers and Cosmetologists with duties that included receiving applications and application fees from individuals seeking to be licensed as nail technicians.
On or about January 10, 2022, Severson altered a $100 money order submitted by a licensure applicant by removing the payee’s name and address. As part of her plea agreement, Severson admitted that she replaced that information with the name and address of her mother and deposited the money order in her own personal bank account. Severson further admitted that her mother was unaware that she had altered the money order and had not given her permission to use her name on it.
Severson also admitted that she fraudulently deposited 19 other money orders submitted by licensure applicants between August 21, 2019, and November 23, 2021. The 20 money orders fraudulently deposited by Severson totaled $1,855.00.
United States Attorney Moore Capito made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigations (IRS-CI) and the West Virginia Commission on Special Investigations.
United States District Judge Thomas E. Johnston imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Jonathan T. Storage prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:26-cr-26.
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Farmington Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for Supplying Fatal Fentanyl DoseRead the Press Release
CAPE GIRARDEAU – U.S. District Judge Stephen N. Limbaugh Jr. on Thursday sentenced a Farmington, Missouri man to 10 years in prison for supplying fentanyl to a friend shortly before the man’s overdose death.
Judge Limbaugh also ordered James B. Link’s sentence to run consecutive to any sentence he receives for 10 pending cases in state court.
On June 14, 2025, Link exchanged messages with the victim about fentanyl pills. Link’s vehicle was spotted leaving the victim’s home shortly before the death. The next day, investigators interviewed Link, who admitted delivering blue and yellow pills containing fentanyl to the victim shortly before he died. Investigators found those same blue and yellow pills in Link’s house.
Link, now 32, pleaded guilty in April in U.S. District Court in Cape Girardeau to one count of distribution of fentanyl.
The Ste. Genevieve County Sheriff’s Office, the Mineral Area Drug Task Force and the Missouri State Highway Patrol investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Chris Shelton prosecuted the case.
Dublin man who sexually abused minors in Ohio & Utah pleads guilty, faces up to life in prisonRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ohio – A Dublin, Ohio, man arrested in Utah in November 2025 pleaded guilty in federal court here today to coercion and enticement of a minor, an offense that carries a mandatory-minimum sentence of 10 years and up to life in prison.
Wade S. Christofferson, 73, admitted to coercing and enticing minors under the age of 10.
In November 2025, Christofferson was overheard on a sexually explicit FaceTime call with a minor victim. He had sent coded letters to the victim’s Utah home that referenced sexual activity for approximately six months.
A few weeks after the FaceTime call occurred, the Dublin Police Department received a report regarding the alleged sexual abuse of an Ohio minor by Christofferson that occurred when the victim was approximately 7 and 8 years old.
The defendant committed hands-on sexual abuse of the child in Utah and the second victim in Ohio approximately 20 times.
In his letters and calls, Christofferson taught the 7-year-old Utah victim code words like “snow” for vagina, “friends” for nipples, “asterisk (*)” for naked, a drawn “smiley face” for rubs and “SS” for “Secret Spanks.” He was overheard on a FaceTime call asking the victim if he could see her “snow” and “friends.” Christofferson wrote the victim “Top Secret” hand-written messages and advised they were only for the victim to read.
Dublin police officers executed a search warrant at Christofferson’s home in mid-November and seized his electronic devices. The FBI completed a forensic examination of Christofferson’s phone and discovered search history for “criminal defense attorneys sex crimes columbus ohio” and “In Ohio do clergy have to report child abuse confessions” as well as information about leaving the country.
Dominick S. Gerace II, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Jason Cromartie, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division; Dublin Police Chief Justin Paez and other members of the FBI’s Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force announced the guilty plea entered today before U.S. District Judge Edmund A. Sargus, Jr.
U.S. Attorney Gerace commended the significant contributions to this case by the FBI Salt Lake City Division, the Payson, Utah Police Department and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah.
Assistant United States Attorney Emily Czerniejewski is representing the United States in this case.
This case is part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims.
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Dover Man Sentenced to 147 Months for Gun, Drug ChargesRead the Press Release
WILMINGTON, Del. – A Dover man was sentenced to 147 months in prison for drug dealing and possessing a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking. U.S. District Judge Jennifer L. Hall imposed the sentence.
According to court documents, Kyle Scott, 38, was released from state prison on a prior drug conviction in early 2021. Two years later, law enforcement received information that Scott was again dealing drugs. Law enforcement began an investigation that included multiple drug purchases from Scott at the Dover home that he shared with his parents and minor daughter. In January 2024, law enforcement executed a warrant to search the home and discovered 307 grams of fentanyl and 757 grams of methamphetamine, as well as three loaded firearms, in Scott’s basement bedroom. Scott ultimately pleaded guilty to Possession with Intent to Distribute 40 grams or more of Fentanyl and Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of Drug Trafficking. This is Scott’s fourth conviction for drug dealing.
“Fentanyl kills,” stated U.S. Attorney Benjamin L. Wallace. “But Kyle Scott did not let that stop him from peddling the deadly substance to people in the throes of addiction. This armed, career drug dealer will now be spending more than ten years in federal prison. That is a just sentence, and we thank our dedicated law enforcement partners at the DEA and DSP for taking yet another dangerous drug dealer off the streets.”
“Scott’s sentence sends a powerful message; justice will prevail against those who threaten our communities,” stated DEA Philadelphia Field Division Special Agent in Charge Thomas Hodnett. “This victory is a testament to the commitment and collaboration between DEA and the Delaware State Police.”
The Drug Enforcement Administration and Delaware State Police investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michelle Thurstlic-O’Neill 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 are located on the website of the District Court for the District of Delaware or on PACER by searching for Case No. 24-cr-00036.
DOJ Awards More Than $72,000 to Support Residential Substance Use Treatment in Rhode IslandRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE- The U.S. Department of Justice’s Office of Justice Programs has awarded the Rhode Island Department of Public Safety a $72,173 grant through the Bureau of Justice Assistance’s FY25 Residential Substance Abuse Treatment for State Prisoners Formula Grant Program.
This funding will support evidence-based substance use disorder treatment, recovery services, and re-entry planning within the Rhode Island Department of Corrections, helping prepare participants for successful reintegration into the community.
The Residential Substance Abuse Treatment for State Prisoners Formula Grant Program helps state correctional agencies provide treatment programs that reduce substance abuse, support rehabilitation, and improve public safety. The program includes substance use disorder treatment, recovery planning, and transitional services that address housing, employment, family reunification, and continued treatment following incarceration.
“Recovery and public safety are closely connected,” said First Assistant United States Attorney Charles C. Calenda. “This funding strengthens evidence-based treatment and recovery services that help individuals build healthier futures and contribute to safer communities.”
“Substance use treatment is an important part of reducing recidivism and improving public safety,” said Colonel Darnell S. Weaver, Superintendent of the Rhode Island State Police and Director of the Department of Public Safety. “This grant will help ensure that individuals leaving incarceration have access to the recovery resources they need to successfully reenter our communities.”
The grant was awarded through the U.S. Department of Justice’s Office of Justice Programs by the Bureau of Justice Assistance.
D.C. Resident Sentenced for Possessing a Machine GunRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Kelvin Leon, 27, a resident of the District of Columbia, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court to 22 months in prison in connection with possessing a machine gun that he fired out the window of his Southeast Washington apartment, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
Leon pleaded guilty on March 26, 2026, before Judge Amir H. Ali to one count of possession of a machine gun and one count of endangerment with a firearm. After serving his 22-month prison sentence, Leon will be deported to Venezuela.
According to court papers, on July 24, 2025, members of the Metropolitan Police Department’s Violent Crime Suppression Division responded to a residence at 2400 Marion Barry Ave. in Southeast Washington after an anonymous tipster reported that a man had fired a gun out of an apartment window. Officers executed a search warrant and recovered a privately manufactured pistol, bearing no serial number and untraceable by law enforcement. The semiautomatic firearm was fitted with a device that allowed it to fire continuously with a single pull of the trigger, converting it into a machine gun.
Leon later told investigators that he fired the weapon out of the window after an argument with two men over scooters in front of the apartment building. Leon stated that he had purchased the firearm about three weeks earlier and the conversion device about a week after that, and that he learned to install the device from online videos.
The investigation was conducted by the Metropolitan Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Washington Field Office.
The matter was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Emory V. Cole.
Officers recovered a privately manufactured pistol fitted with a device that allowed it to fire continuously with a single pull of the trigger, converting it into a machine gun.
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Council Bluffs Man Sentenced to 14 years’ Imprisonment for Methamphetamine ConspiracyRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Lesley A. Woods announced that Steven Potter, 54, of Council Bluffs, Iowa, was sentenced on June 26, 2026, in federal court in Omaha, Nebraska, for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine. Chief United States District Court Judge Robert F. Rossiter, Jr. sentenced Potter to 168 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After Potter’s release from prison, he will serve a five-year term of supervised release. Potter also forfeited any claim to more than $30,000 and a vehicle seized during the investigation.
Potter was charged as a result of his involvement with a Mexico source of supply of methamphetamine known to supply the Omaha and Council Bluffs areas with methamphetamine via a local network of drug couriers. Potter was a local courier operating in Nebraska and Iowa who distributed the Mexican source’s drugs. On March 7, 2024, law enforcement observed Potter meet with suspected drug couriers at an Omaha location while conducting surveillance. Directly following the meetup, law enforcement conducted a traffic stop on the vehicle occupied by Potter. A search of the vehicle revealed more than 900 grams of methamphetamine. During a post-arrest interview, Potter admitted to delivering pound quantities of methamphetamine for the Mexican source for the past 8 months.
This prosecution is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF Omaha comprises agents and officers from HSI, FBI, DEA, ATF, U.S. Marshals Service, USPIS, the IRS-Criminal Investigation Division, and assistance of the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Nebraska.
Co-Conspirators Sentenced to 3 Years and over 11 Years in Prison for Defrauding Thousands of InvestorsRead the Press Release
A Nevada man and a Canadian and British national were sentenced today to 36 months in prison and three years of supervised release, and 136 months in prison and three years of supervised release, respectively, for participating in a scheme to defraud thousands of investors of tens of millions of dollars between 2018 and 2022.
According to court documents, Neil Suresh Chandran, 54, a foreign national residing in Nevada and California, created companies that he falsely claimed were about to be purchased by a consortium of billionaires at extraordinary valuations. Chandran and others solicited more than $45 million from over 10,000 investors based on these false representations.
Bryan Lee, 60, of Las Vegas, was the nominee owner and sole officer of ViMarket, a company controlled by Chandran, which received millions in investor funds. Lee knew the funds came from individual investors and knew that the representations made to those investors were false. Nonetheless, Chandran and Lee used investor funds for their own personal benefit, purchasing luxury cars and real estate.
“Neil Chandran and Bryan Lee deceived thousands of investors, exploited their trust, and stole their money,” said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Those who deceive investors, lie, and steal will be investigated and prosecuted. These two fraudsters deserve the sentence imposed. Their victims suffered because of their greed.”
“Schemes to defraud individual investors like the one carried out by Bryan Lee and Neil Suresh Chandran are personal crimes that have devastating consequences to the victims’ lives that last long after the crime is committed, and the money is spent,” said U.S. Attorney Lesley A. Woods for the District of Nebraska. “It takes a particularly cold and calculating criminal to perpetrate these schemes and to continue to lie to victims to keep the scheme alive. Individuals who defraud victims in Nebraska and elsewhere will be held accountable under federal law.”
“Chandran and Lee treated investor funds as their own personal piggy bank, using the money to purchase multiple houses and dozens of luxury vehicles,” said Assistant Director in Charge Darren Cox of the FBI Washington Field Office. “Their sentences reflect the commitment of the agents and prosecutors who fought for justice for the thousands of investors whom the defendants swindled out of millions.”
In April 2026, Chandran pleaded guilty to mail fraud and Lee pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit mail fraud and wire fraud.
The FBI investigated the case.
Trial Attorneys Adam L.D. Stempel, Anna Forgie, and Tian Huang of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section; Chelsea Rooney and Adrienne Rosen of the Criminal Division’s Money Laundering, Narcotics and Forfeiture Section; and Assistant U.S. Attorney Don Kleine for the District of Nebraska prosecuted the case.
Cincinnati man allegedly involved in Northside shooting indicted by federal grand juryRead the Press Release
CINCINNATI – A federal grand jury has indicted a Cincinnati man who was allegedly involved in the May 26 shooting at the Northside transit center for illegally possessing a firearm.
Yecowniyah Beal, 26, is a previously convicted felon and is prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition. He allegedly possessed a rifle.
According to police reports of the May 26 incident, Beal was present at the shootings and was seen on surveillance videos brandishing his weapon. He was one of four individuals injured.
Beal’s prior criminal history includes attempted felonious assault with a weapon resulting from an incident in which Beal shot a victim in the leg outside of a nightclub and then shot into the air. He also has two other previous firearms or weapons convictions.
“We continue to track all shootings in Cincinnati and will bring federal charges against those involved whenever we can,” said U.S. Attorney Dominick S. Gerace II. “Our determination to reduce violent crime in this city remains steadfast.”
Illegally possessing a firearm as a convicted felon is a federal crime punishable by up to 15 years in prison.
Dominick S. Gerace II, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Jorge Rosendo, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives (ATF); and Cincinnati Interim Police Chief Adam Hennie announced the charges. Special Assistant United States Attorney Allison B. Oswall from Ohio Attorney General Andy Wilson’s office is representing the United States in this case.
An indictment merely contains allegations, and defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.
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Carlisle Man Indicted for Failure to Register as a Sex OffenderRead the Press Release
HARRISBURG – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Caleb McRoberts, age 33, of Carlisle, Pennsylvania, was indicted yesterday by a federal grand jury for failing to register as a sex offender after relocating to Ohio.
According to United States Attorney Brian D. Miller, the indictment alleges that from December of 2023 and continuing to the present, despite being required to register under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (“SORNA”), McRoberts failed to register his new address upon relocating to Ohio, as required by SORNA.
The United States Marshals Service (USMS) investigated the case. Assistant United States Attorney Michael Scalera is prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc.
The maximum penalty under federal law for this offense is 10 years of imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
Indictments are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.
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Canadian Man Sentenced to 20 Years in Federal Prison for Trafficking More Than 850 Kilograms of Cocaine and Meth from U.S. into CanadaRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – A Canadian national was sentenced today to 240 months in federal prison for leading a criminal organization that – during a roughly one-month span – trafficked from the United States into Canada hundreds of kilograms of methamphetamine and cocaine worth up to $17 million.
Guramrit Sidhu, 63, of Brampton, Ontario, Canada, was sentenced by United States District Judge John A. Kronstadt.
Sidhu pleaded guilty on March 26 to one count of engaging in a continuing criminal enterprise. He has been in federal custody since October 2024.
According to his plea agreement, from September 2020 to February 2023, Sidhu led an organization responsible for trafficking drugs from the U.S. into Canada for distribution.
From September 13, 2022, to October 24, 2022, Sidhu orchestrated the distribution of eight separate drug loads, totaling approximately 523 kilograms (1,153 pounds) of methamphetamine and 347 kilograms (765 pounds) of cocaine, which law enforcement seized. These drug loads had an estimated wholesale value of approximately $15 million to $17 million.
After buying the bulk quantities of cocaine and methamphetamine in the U.S., Sidhu arranged for the narcotics’ transportation into Canada via long-haul semi-trucks for further distribution. Sidhu provided telephone numbers and serial numbers on bills of currency for couriers to use as a “token” for identification purposes during the delivery and transportation of the cocaine and methamphetamine.
Sidhu and co-conspirators then retrieved the cocaine and methamphetamine from locations within Canada for further distribution.
Sidhu is the eighth defendant to plead guilty in this matter. Several other defendants have pleaded guilty to criminal charges in this case and have been sentenced to federal prison terms ranging from 27 months to 108 months.
The FBI, the Los Angeles Police Department and the Los Angeles Interagency Metropolitan Police Apprehension Crime Task Force (LA IMPACT), the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, United States Customs and Border Protection, and law enforcement authorities in Mexico investigated this matter. Significant assistance was provided by Homeland Security Investigations and the Drug Enforcement Administration. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs worked with the Canadian authorities to secure the arrest and October 2024 extradition of Sidhu.
This case is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders.
Assistant United States Attorney Kelly Larocque of the Transnational Organized Crime Section prosecuted this case.
Buffalo man going to prison for his role in cocaine and fentanyl conspiracyRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, N.Y.–U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that David Washington, 46, of Buffalo, NY, who was convicted of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine and fentanyl, was sentenced to serve 252 months in prison by U.S. District Judge Richard J. Arcara.
Beginning in February 2019, Washington conspired with others to sell cocaine and fentanyl. Washington resided at and maintained control over a residence on Bennett Village Terrace. In February 2020, investigators executed a search warrant at Washington’s Bennett Village Terrace residence and recovered over $77,000 in cash. Further investigation determined that Washington was associated with and controlled other residences on Rogers Street and Bailey Avenue in Buffalo. On February 21, 2020, a search warrant was executed at the Rogers Street residence, during which law enforcement recovered approximately three kilograms of fentanyl, 329 grams of a fentanyl mixture, 223 grams of crack cocaine, 1,002 grams of cocaine, 893 grams of heroin, $246,775 in cash. Also on February 21, 2020, law enforcement executed a search warrant at the Bailey Avenue residence, during which they seized $151,350 in cash. The total amount of cash seized was $1,133,505, which represents the proceeds of drug trafficking. The investigation also included controlled purchases of fentanyl from Washington, who was arrested for selling fentanyl while on pre-trial release awaiting trial in this matter.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Timothy C. Lynch and Evan K. Glaberson. The sentencing are the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Allen D. Davis II, the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Farhana Islam, New York Field Division, Homeland Security investigations, under the direction of Acting Special Agent-in-Charge Anthony Patrone, the New York State Police, under the direction of Major Amie Feroleto, the Erie County Sheriff’s Office, under the direction of Sheriff John Garcia, the Buffalo Police Department, under the direction of Commissioner Erika Shields, and the California Highway Patrol.
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Brothers Charged with AssaultRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – Two brothers from Cuba, New Mexico have been indicted on federal charges stemming from a violent assault that allegedly left a man seriously injured.
According to court documents, on March 3, 2026, Troy Barbone Jr., 43, and his brother Tyren Barbone, 40, enrolled members of the Navajo Nation, assaulted John Doe with a metal bar and shovel and the assault resulted in serious bodily injury.
The defendants are charged with assault with a dangerous weapon and assault resulting in serious bodily injury and will remain on conditions of release pending trial, which has not yet been scheduled. If convicted, they face up to 10 years in prison.
First Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison and Justin A. Garris, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today.
The Gallup Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Navajo Nation Police Department and Navajo Department of Criminal Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Amy Mondragon is prosecuting the case.
An indictment or criminal complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Blue Ash man who placed hidden cameras in minor victims’ home pleads guilty to sexual exploitationRead the Press Release
CINCINNATI – A Blue Ash man pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court today to sexual exploitation of children for hiding spy cameras in the home of minor victims.
David Mitsnefes, 32, faces a term of imprisonment of 15 to 30 years. Mitsnefes admitted to surreptitiously capturing videos of a minor in their bedroom in various states of undress without their knowledge and attempting to capture videos of another minor.
According to court documents, between 2021 and 2025, on multiple occasions, the family of the teenaged victims found hidden cameras in the minors’ bedrooms. Mitsnefes used wifi to save videos of the minors to his iPhone. He also took the victims’ underwear and kept them in his bedroom.
In November 2025, the family’s Ring security camera caught an image of the suspect wearing a dark hoodie and pants entering the home while the family was out of town. A subsequent search of Mitsnefes’s electronic devices revealed videos of the victims as well as numerous images and videos depicting child sexual abuse material obtained over the internet. He possessed more than 5,000 images and 3,000 videos of child pornography on his electronic devices.
Mistnefes was charged federally and arrested in December 2025.
Dominick S. Gerace II, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Jason Cromartie, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division; Blue Ash Police Chief Roger Pohlman and other members of the FBI’s Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force announced the guilty plea entered today before Senior U.S. District Judge Michael R. Barrett. Assistant United States Attorney Kyle J. Healey is representing the United States in this case.
This case is part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims.
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