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8 October 2026
Orleans Resident Charged with Violating the Federal Firearm and Controlled Substances ActsRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – GIE PRESTON (“PRESTON”), age 51, a resident of Orleans, was charged in a three-count indictment on October 2, 2026, for violations of the Federal Gun Control Act and the Federal Controlled Substances Act, announced United States Attorney David I. Courcelle.
According to court records, on or about June 11, 2026, PRESTON allegedly knowingly and possessed controlled substances with the intent to distribute, possessed firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking crimes and illegally possessed firearms knowing that he had felony convictions.
In Count 1, PRESTON was charged with possession with intent to distribute cocaine, fentanyl, and buprenorphine, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(C), and 841(b)(1)(E). In Count 2, he was charged with possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug crime, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 924(c)(1)(A)(i). In Count 3, PRESTON was charged with felon in possession of firearms and ammunition, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 922(g)(1) and 924(a)(8).
For Count 1, PRESTON faces a maximum penalty of twenty (20) years imprisonment, up to three (3) years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $1,000,000. For Count 2, he faces a mandatory minimum of five (5) years up to life imprisonment (consecutive sentence), at least five (5) years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000. As to Count 3, PRESTON faces a maximum penalty of 15 years imprisonment (under 18 U.S.C. § 924(a)(8)), up to 3 years supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000. He also faces payment of a mandatory $100 special assessment fee.
U.S. Attorney Courcelle reiterated that an indictment is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.
U.S. Attorney Courcelle praised the work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and New Orleans Police Department in investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Leo M. Aaron of the Violent Crimes Unit oversees the prosecution.
Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is the Department of Justice’s nationwide initiative that brings federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement, prosecutors, and other public safety partners together to coordinate efforts to combat violent crime and make communities safe. Coordinated by U.S. Attorneys’ offices in each of the 94 federal districts, PSN is tailored to particular communities to strategically address specific violent crime and public safety challenges. As a key component of Operation Take Back America, PSN serves a central role in the Department’s commitment to make our country safe. PSN emphasizes three core principles: rapid federal response to violent crime and criminal offenders; strong, strategic partnerships among law enforcement at all levels; and accountability and deterrence through the prosecution of the most serious, readily provable offenses and other strategies. These efforts complement and strengthen President Trump’s Homeland Security Task Forces, ensuring a comprehensive federal response to the most pressing public safety issues facing communities.
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Okmulgee Resident Sentenced for Assault with Intent to Commit MurderRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Travon Maurice Lawrence, age 21, of Okmulgee, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 78 months in prison for one count of Assault with Intent to Commit Murder in Indian Country.
The charge arose from an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Okmulgee Police Department.
On November 10, 2025, Lawrence pleaded guilty to the charge. According to investigators, on July 5, 2025, police responding to a call of a shooting at an Okmulgee residence discovered the victim in critical condition with gunshot wounds to the arm and torso. Witnesses reported that Lawrence became belligerent during a gathering, pulled a pistol, and fired shots at the victim before fleeing on foot. Officers located Lawrence at an area residence a short time later and took him into custody without incident.
The crime occurred in Okmulgee County, within the boundaries of the Muscogee (Creek) 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. Lawrence will remain in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Lewis M. Reagan represented the United States.
Oklahoma Resident Sentenced for Felony AssaultRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Drake Ryan Allen, age 22, an Oklahoma resident, was sentenced to 33 months in prison for one count of Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury in Indian Country.
The charge arose from an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Adair County Sheriff’s Office.
On October 7, 2025, Allen pleaded guilty to the charge. According to investigators, on January 15, 2025, Allen repeatedly struck the victim with brass knuckles, causing facial fractures, lacerations, and contusions. Allen also attempted to strangle the victim, then struck the victim with an automobile he was driving as he fled the scene of the crime.
The crime occurred in Adair County, within the boundaries of the Cherokee 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. Allen will remain in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Edith A. Singer represented the United States.
Ohio Man Sentenced to Prison for Fentanyl CrimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Deon Dewayne Grundy, 29, of Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio, was sentenced on Wednesday, October 7, 2026, to two years and nine months in prison, to be followed by four years of supervised release, for possession with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on September 3, 2025, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at a Beckley residence where Grundy was living and seized 86 grams of fentanyl and $1,659. As part of his plea agreement, Grundy admitted that he intended to distribute the seized fentanyl. Grundy further admitted that he sold approximately 5 grams of fentanyl earlier that day to a confidential informant at the Beckley residence in exchange for $300. The cash seized during the search included $40 from the controlled buy.
United States Attorney Moore Capito made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Beckley/Raleigh County Drug and Violent Crime Unit, which consists of officers from the West Virginia State Police, the Raleigh County Sheriff’s Office, and the Beckley Police Department.
Chief United States District Judge Frank W. Volk imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Brian D. Parsons prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:26-cr-8.
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Ohio Man Sentenced to 40 Years for Attempting to Entice Nine-Year-Old for Sexual ActivityRead the Press Release
MIAMI – An Ohio man has been sentenced to federal prison for distributing child sexual abuse material (CSAM) and attempting to entice a nine-year-old to engage in sexual activity.
U.S. District Judge Ed Artau sentenced Shane David Adams, 50, of Columbus, Ohio, to 480 months in prison after he pleaded guilty to distribution of child pornography after a previous conviction and attempted enticement of a minor to engage in criminal sexual activity.
“Shane Adams is a monster who believed he was arranging to sexually abuse a nine-year-old child, repeatedly distributed child sexual abuse material, and possessed a massive collection depicting the exploitation of children,” said U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida. “He was a registered sex offender who had already been convicted of unlawful sexual contact with a minor. This 40-year sentence means he will likely spend the rest of his life in federal prison, and it sends a clear message that we will relentlessly pursue those who prey on children.”
According to court records, between Aug. 7, 2025, and Sept. 5, 2025, Adams communicated online and by phone with an individual he believed was the mother of a nine-year-old girl and discussed arranging a sexual encounter with the child. During those communications, Adams discussed engaging in sexual activity with the child, referenced having previously sexually abused another minor, and repeatedly sent videos containing CSAM.
Following Adams’s arrest, a search of his phone revealed over 1,000 images and hundreds of videos containing sexually explicit material involving children. At the time of the offense, Adams was a registered sex offender based on a prior Ohio conviction for unlawful sexual contact with a minor.
U.S. Attorney Reding Quiñones and Special Agent in Charge José R. Figueroa of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Miami made the announcement.
HSI Miami investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Marton Gyires prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the 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, visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov, under case number 25-cr-80155.
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North Carolina Man Arraigned in Federal Court for Voting More Than Once in a Single ElectionRead the Press Release
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – A North Carolina man appeared in federal court this week following allegations that he voted multiple times in the same election across two states, announced U.S. Attorney Phillip W. Williams Jr.
A one-count indictment returned by a federal grand jury charges Forrest Scott Woody, 68, of Hendersonville, North Carolina, with illegally voting more than once.
According to the indictment, Woody voted twice in the 2024 general election. In particular, he voted in Calhoun County, Alabama, after having already voted in the same election in Henderson County, North Carolina.
“Every election is an important opportunity for eligible voters to make their voices heard, and the integrity of the election depends on voters following the law,” said U.S. Attorney Williams. “As we approach the upcoming election, we will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to ensure that election laws are respected and that every lawful vote is counted.”
“Maintaining the sanctity of our country’s election system is one of the highest callings of federal law enforcement, and this indictment is yet another example of how seriously our office takes that mission,” said Assistant U.S. Attorney and Election Crimes Coordinator Brett A. Janich.
“Ensuring public confidence in our elections is a responsibility we take seriously,” said David R. Fitzgibbons, Special Agent in Charge, FBI Birmingham. “When individuals attempt to undermine that process, the FBI will work with our partners to safeguard the integrity of every vote.”
“I appreciate the U.S. Attorney Phil Williams and his team in the U.S. Attorney’s Office and all other federal agencies who are assisting in the investigation and prosecution of this case,” said Secretary of State Wes Allen. “I want to also thank the team in my office. Election integrity is a top priority of mine.”
FBI investigated the case, with the assistance of the Alabama Secretary of State’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brett A. Janich is prosecuting the case.
An indictment contains only charges. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Non-Citizens Charged with Election CrimesRead the Press Release
MOBILE, AL – Two non-citizens were arrested and charged today with unlawfully voting in federal elections. Staciann Pollion Davis and Silvia Delgado Phelps appeared before a U.S. Magistrate Judge in Mobile following their arrests on federal charges of voting as an alien.
According to the criminal complaints:
- Jamaican national Staciann Pollion Davis, 42, a lawful permanent resident, was charged by criminal complaint with voting as an alien. Davis allegedly voted in the November 2024 general election in Clarke County, Alabama, despite not being a United States citizen.
- Peruvian national Silvia Delgado Phelps, 78, a lawful permanent resident, was charged by criminal complaint with voting as an alien. Phelps allegedly voted in multiple elections in Baldwin County, Alabama, despite not being a United States citizen.
“Federal elections belong to American citizens – period,” said U.S. Attorney Sean P. Costello. “When individuals who are not citizens cast ballots or falsely claim citizenship, they violate federal law, undermine the integrity of our electoral process and erode the public’s confidence in the fairness of our elections. These charges send a clear message: We will enforce the law. We will hold offenders accountable. We will safeguard the voting process for the citizens it is meant to serve.”
“The integrity of our elections is fundamental to the public’s trust in our democratic process,” said FBI Mobile Special Agent in Charge Christopher R. Flowers. “The FBI is committed to investigating allegations of election related crimes, following the evidence wherever it leads, and working alongside our law enforcement partners to ensure those who violate federal law are held accountable.”
If convicted, Davis and Phelps both face up to one year in prison. A federal judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated the case with assistance from the Alabama Secretary of State’s Office.
Assistant U.S. Attorney John Hutchins is prosecuting the case on behalf of the United States.
A federal charging document is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Nigerian national sentenced for role in email scamRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – A 35-year-old Houston resident will serve federal prison time for illegally transmitting proceeds from an email scam.
Edikan Adiakpan pleaded guilty May 12.
U.S. District Judge Andrew Hanen ordered Adiakpan to serve 30 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by three years of supervised release. At the hearing, the court heard evidence that from 2020 to 2022, Adiakpan used “Akama Lifestyle,” a company he controlled and advertised as a luxury car service, to transfer funds for others. He kept a percentage of transferred funds as a fee.
At the time of his arrest, Adiakpan had temporary legal status to be in the United States, but is originally from Nigeria.
The funds Adiakpan received and transmitted originated from fraudsters who carried out a business email compromise scheme targeting more than 10 victims. The fraudsters sent “spoofed” emails that appeared to come from known suppliers and creditors, tricking victims into sending payments to bank accounts the fraudsters controlled instead of the actual suppliers.
One victim, a small utility trailer company in Mississippi, provided a victim impact statement that was read at the sentencing hearing about the effect this fraud had on their company after they were deceived into wiring money they thought was to their trailer supplier, including $927,080 wired to the Houston fraudsters, who then sent portions of those proceeds to Adiakpan. Adiakpan deposited and redeemed several cashier’s checks payable to himself and his exotic car company that contained $359,000 of the victim’s money.
Another Nigerian, Ayobami Omoniyi, 27, was sentenced March 24 to 32 months in federal prison for his role in the scheme.
FBI Houston and its Bryan Resident Agency and IRS Criminal Investigation conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Belinda Beek prosecuted the case.
Nicolás Maduro Moros y Cilia Adela Flores de Maduro, acusados de torturaRead the Press Release
El Fiscal General de los Estados Unidos, Todd Blanche; el Fiscal Federal para el Distrito Sur de Nueva York, Jamie McDonald; el Administrador de la Administración para el Control de Drogas (“DEA”, por sus siglas en inglés), Terrance C. Cole; el Secretario del Departamento de Seguridad Nacional (“DHS”, por sus siglas en inglés), Markwayne Mullin; y el Director del Buró Federal de Investigaciones, Kash Patel, anunciaron que el expresidente de Venezuela NICOLÁS MADURO MOROS y la exprimera dama de Venezuela CILIA ADELA FLORES DE MADURO han sido acusados, en una Acusación Formal Sustitutiva hecha pública hoy, de conspiración para cometer tortura, narcoterrorismo, conspiración para importar cocaína y delitos relacionados con armas.
“Según se alega en la Acusación Formal Sustitutiva presentada hoy, durante más de dos décadas, Nicolás Maduro Moros y Cilia Adela Flores de Maduro participaron en una conspiración para cometer tortura, incluida la tortura de ciudadanos estadounidenses, además de los delitos de narcotráfico y de armas que ya se les habían imputado”, dijo el Fiscal Federal Jamie McDonald. “Tal como se describe en la Acusación Formal Sustitutiva, los Maduro y otros líderes venezolanos abusaron de sus cargos de confianza para enriquecerse mediante el narcoterrorismo, el tráfico de cocaína y otras formas de corrupción, incluso empleando a las fuerzas militares, a las fuerzas del orden y a otras entidades gubernamentales venezolanas bajo su control para inundar los Estados Unidos de narcóticos ilegales. La acusación formal de hoy alega, además, que los Maduro y otros líderes venezolanos conspiraron para reprimir la disidencia mediante graves violaciones de derechos humanos, ordenando y permitiendo violencia, amenazas y tortura física bajo apariencia de autoridad legal. Según se alega, esto incluyó la tortura de varios ciudadanos estadounidenses, quienes fueron sometidos a abusos indescriptibles. Los cargos de hoy son muestra de la incansable labor que nosotros y nuestros socios de las fuerzas del orden emprenderemos para hacer justicia a las víctimas de delitos, en particular a las víctimas estadounidenses sometidas a un trato atroz en el extranjero.”
“Desde la captura y el arresto de Nicolás Maduro y su esposa, Cilia Flores, el Departamento de Justicia ha trabajado para descubrir el alcance de sus presuntos delitos contra el pueblo de Venezuela y de los Estados Unidos”, dijo el Fiscal General Todd Blanche. “Estos cargos adicionales contra los Maduro reflejan la dedicación de esta Administración a hacer justicia a las víctimas de tortura, narcoterrorismo y delincuencia organizada.”“El régimen de Maduro es responsable de incontables víctimas estadounidenses del narcoterrorismo y el narcotráfico”, dijo el Secretario de Seguridad Nacional, Mullin. “Gracias al liderazgo del presidente Trump, de nuestros socios de la Fuerza de Tarea de Seguridad Nacional y de la sólida coordinación entre el DHS, el DOJ, el FBI y la DEA, estamos llevando ante la justicia a Maduro y a su esposa. El presidente Trump está utilizando todas las herramientas a su disposición para hacer que Estados Unidos vuelva a ser un país seguro, tanto en el territorio nacional como en el exterior.”
“Estas acusaciones formales demuestran que nuestro trabajo no terminó con el arresto de Nicolás Maduro, quien aterrorizó al pueblo de Venezuela durante más de dos décadas”, dijo el Administrador de la DEA, Terry Cole. “La DEA seguirá las pruebas y perseguirá a quienes utilizan la corrupción, la violencia y los cargos de poder para facilitar la actividad delictiva y proteger a quienes se lucran de ella. El arresto de Maduro fue un paso importante hacia la rendición de cuentas, pero no fue el último. Seguimos firmemente comprometidos a trabajar con nuestros socios para restablecer la ley y el orden en todo el hemisferio occidental y llevar ante la justicia a cualquier líder corrupto que crea que su posición política lo protege de las consecuencias.”
“Según se alega en la acusación formal, el régimen de Maduro sometió a ciudadanos estadounidenses a torturas mientras estaban bajo la custodia del gobierno venezolano, incluidos drogas, descargas eléctricas, agresión sexual y más”, dijo el Director del FBI, Kash Patel. “Estos cargos siguen a la histórica operación de las fuerzas del orden, apoyada con orgullo por este FBI en enero, en la que se arrestó a Maduro y se ejecutó uno de los Traslados de Custodia en el Extranjero más audaces de la historia de los Estados Unidos, devolviéndolos a él y a su esposa a los Estados Unidos, una operación que requirió meses de coordinación, planificación detallada y una ejecución impecable entre múltiples componentes del gobierno federal, bajo la dirección del Departamento de Guerra. Los cargos de hoy reflejan el compromiso de este FBI y de este Departamento de Justicia con la rendición de cuentas, el estado de derecho y la protección de la seguridad nacional de los Estados Unidos.”
Según la Acusación Formal Sustitutiva, las declaraciones hechas en procedimientos judiciales públicos y los escritos presentados ante el tribunal: 1
Durante más de 25 años, NICOLÁS MADURO MOROS y CILIA ADELA FLORES DE MADURO abusaron de sus cargos de confianza pública, enriqueciéndose mediante la corrupción y manteniéndose en el poder mediante graves violaciones de derechos humanos.Mediante el narcotráfico, el uso corrupto de las fuerzas del orden y de las fuerzas armadas, el abuso del sistema judicial y el saqueo de fondos públicos, MADURO MOROS, FLORES DEMADURO y otros líderes venezolanos se beneficiaron personalmente a expensas del pueblo venezolano. Si bien esta corrupción sistémica resultó inmensamente lucrativa para los acusados y su círculo íntimo, era profundamente impopular entre el pueblo venezolano. Para socavar la democracia venezolana y afianzarse en el poder, estos mismos líderes presuntamente presidieron un sistema de represión que se basaba en la violencia contra la oposición política, la detención arbitraria y la tortura de detenidos, incluidos ciudadanos estadounidenses. Esa tortura incluyó descargas eléctricas, asfixia, violación, desnudez forzada, aislamiento prolongado, inanición, celdas de castigo y tortura psicológica, como amenazas de hacer daño y matar a los familiares de las víctimas.
Se alega que MADURO MOROS y FLORES DE MADURO se encontraban en la cúspide de esa violenta estructura de poder. Desarrollaron y facilitaron los sistemas que ellos y sus coconspiradores utilizaron de manera corrupta para amasar inmensa riqueza y poder, recompensando a sus aliados con fondos mal habidos y aterrorizando a presuntos opositores mediante la persecución y la violencia. Estos sistemas dependían del control que MADURO MOROS y FLORES DE MADURO ejercían sobre las fuerzas armadas, el poder judicial y los organismos encargados de hacer cumplir la ley de Venezuela, y de sus alianzas con grupos criminales organizados, incluidas organizaciones terroristas y grupos de pandillas patrocinadas por el Estado conocidos como colectivos.
Al amasar tal riqueza y poder, se alega que MADURO MOROS, FLORES DE MADURO y otros miembros de su círculo íntimo traficaron drogas bajo la protección de las fuerzas armadas, el poder judicial y los organismos encargados de hacer cumplir la ley de Venezuela. Presuntamente se asociaron con narcotraficantes y narcoterroristas de organizaciones terroristas extranjeras designadas, entre ellas las Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias de Colombia (“FARC”), el Ejército de Liberación Nacional (“ELN”), el Cártel de Sinaloa, los Zetas, posteriormente conocidos como el Cártel del Noreste (“CDN”), y el Tren de Aragua (“TdA”), quienes despacharon cocaína desde Venezuela hacia los Estados Unidos a través de puntos de transbordo en el Caribe y Centroamérica.
Se alega también que MADURO MOROS, FLORES DE MADURO y otros miembros de alto rango de su círculo íntimo crearon y mantuvieron un violento sistema de represión. Desde al menos 1999, miles de venezolanos han sido hostigados, amenazados, arrestados, procesados, agredidos, torturados o asesinados por personas que ejercían la supuesta autoridad del Estado venezolano para asegurar que MADURO MOROS y FLORES DE MADURO permanecieran en el poder. MADURO MOROS y FLORES DE MADURO utilizaron unidades militares, colectivos y grupos narcoterroristas vinculados a su narcotráfico para detener ilegalmente y torturar a sus víctimas. Dicha violencia y represión aumentaban en torno a los períodos de inestabilidad política en los que el poder de MADURO MOROS y FLORES DE MADURO se veía amenazado. Durante esos períodos, MADURO MOROS, FLORES DE MADURO y otros funcionarios venezolanos de alto nivel emprendieron conjuntamente esfuerzos para acallar a quienes se oponían, o simplemente eran sospechosos de oponerse, a MADURO MOROS o a su régimen. Esos esfuerzos incluyeron la tortura física y psicológica, utilizada sistemáticamente para aterrorizar a la población y silenciar la disidencia.
Además de MADURO MOROS y FLORES DE MADURO, se alega que otros funcionarios de alto nivel fueron parte integral de este sistema. Un alto funcionario venezolano, denominado en la Acusación Formal Sustitutiva como CC-1, ordenó el asesinato de ciertas personas que se oponían a MADURO MOROS o a su régimen, supervisó torturas perpetradas por funcionarios bajo su mando y amenazó personalmente con asesinar al hijo de un prisionero como forma de tortura psicológica. Otro alto oficial venezolano que respondía directamente a MADURO MOROS, denominado en la Acusación Formal Sustitutiva como CC-2, desarrolló métodos de tortura que presentó a MADURO MOROS para su aprobación, dirigió un organismo responsable de torturar a decenas de víctimas y autorizó personalmente con su firma el arresto ilegal y la tortura de personas específicas. Un tercer funcionario venezolano, denominado en la Acusación Formal Sustitutiva como CC-3, ordenó personalmente y participó en la tortura de civiles y militares, incluidos ciudadanos estadounidenses, de quienes se creía que representaban una amenaza para el gobierno de MADURO MOROS. Por ejemplo, un ciudadano estadounidense en particular fue detenido en Venezuela y sometido, entre otras cosas, a privación de alimentos y agua, ahogamiento simulado, golpizas repetidas, descargas eléctricas en los testículos e inyecciones forzadas.
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La Acusación Formal Sustitutiva imputa a Maduro Moros, de 63 años, y a FLORES DE MADURO, de 69 años, en el Cargo Uno, participar en una conspiración de narcoterrorismo, delito que conlleva una pena mínima obligatoria de 20 años y una pena máxima de cadena perpetua; en el Cargo Dos, conspirar para cometer tortura, delito que conlleva una pena máxima de 20 años de prisión; en el Cargo Tres, conspirar para importar cocaína a los Estados Unidos, delito que conlleva una pena mínima obligatoria de 10 años y una pena máxima de cadena perpetua; en el Cargo Cuatro, usar y portar ametralladoras y artefactos destructivos durante y en relación con las conspiraciones de narcoterrorismo e importación de cocaína, y poseer ametralladoras y artefactos destructivos en apoyo de dichas conspiraciones, delito que conlleva una pena mínima obligatoria de 30 años y una pena máxima de cadena perpetua; y en el Cargo Cinco, conspirar para usar y portar ametralladoras y artefactos destructivos durante y en relación con las conspiraciones de narcoterrorismo e importación de cocaína, y para poseer ametralladoras y artefactos destructivos en apoyo de dichas conspiraciones, delito que conlleva una pena máxima de cadena perpetua. Las penas máximas posibles en este caso son prescritas por el Congreso y se proporcionan aquí únicamente con fines informativos, ya que la condena de los acusados será determinada por el juez.El Sr. McDonald agradeció su colaboración a la Fuerza de Tarea de Seguridad Nacional; de la DEA, a la División de Operaciones Especiales, la División de Nueva York, la Fuerza de Tarea para el Control de Drogas de Nueva York, la División de Miami, la División de Rocky Mountains, la División Andina y la División de Europa; del FBI, a la Oficina de Campo de Nueva York, la Unidad Internacional de Derechos Humanos, la Agencia Residente de Nashville-Knoxville y la Oficina del Agregado Jurídico en Madrid, España; de las Investigaciones de Seguridad Nacional (HSI), a la Oficina de Campo de Nueva York y la Agregaduría de Madrid; del Departamento de Justicia de los Estados Unidos, a la Fuerza de Tarea Conjunta Vulcan, la Oficina de Asuntos Internacionales, el Distrito Este de Nueva York, el Distrito Sur de Florida y, de la División de Seguridad Nacional, la Sección Antiterrorismo, la Sección Cibernética de Seguridad Nacional y la Oficina de Inteligencia, así como, de la División de lo Penal, la Oficina de Derechos Humanos y Enjuiciamientos Especiales, la Oficina del Agregado Judicial en Bogotá y la Sección de Lavado de Dinero, Narcóticos y Decomiso; al Servicio de Alguaciles de los Estados Unidos para el Distrito Sur de Nueva York; y al Departamento de Policía de la Ciudad de Nueva York, por su asistencia.
Este enjuiciamiento forma parte de la iniciativa de la Fuerza de Tarea de Seguridad Nacional (“HSTF”, por sus siglas en inglés), establecida mediante la Orden Ejecutiva 14159. La HSTF es una alianza de todo el gobierno dedicada a eliminar los cárteles criminales, las pandillas extranjeras, las organizaciones criminales transnacionales y las redes de tráfico ilícito y trata de personas que operan en los Estados Unidos y en el exterior. Mediante una histórica colaboración interinstitucional, la HSTF dirige todo el poderío de las fuerzas del orden de los Estados Unidos a identificar, investigar y enjuiciar todo el espectro de delitos cometidos por estas organizaciones, que durante mucho tiempo han alimentado la violencia y la inestabilidad dentro de nuestras fronteras.
Este caso está a cargo de la Unidad de Seguridad Nacional y Narcóticos Internacionales de la Oficina. Los Fiscales Federales Adjuntos Kaylan E. Lasky, Henry L. Ross, Kevin T. Sullivan y Kyle A. Wirshba están a cargo del enjuiciamiento, con la asistencia del Fiscal Litigante Kevin Nunnally, de la Sección Antiterrorismo de la División de Seguridad Nacional.
Los cargos contenidos en la Acusación Formal Sustitutiva son meras acusaciones, y los acusados se presumen inocentes mientras no se pruebe su culpabilidad.
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s5_indictment_u.s._v._nicolas_maduro_moros_and_cilia_adela_flores_de_maduro.pdfNicolás Maduro Moros and Cilia Adela Flores de Maduro Charged with TortureRead the Press Release
The Justice Department announced that former Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro Moros and former First Lady of Venezuela Cilia Adela Flores de Maduro have been charged in a Superseding Indictment unsealed today with conspiring to commit torture, narcoterrorism, cocaine importation conspiracy, and weapons offenses.
“Since the capture and arrest of Nicolás Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores, the Department of Justice has been working to uncover the extent of their alleged crimes against the people of Venezuela and of the United States,” said Attorney General Todd Blanche. “These additional charges against the Maduros reflect the dedication of this Administration to delivering justice for the victims of torture, narcoterrorism, and organized crime.”
“As alleged in the indictment, the Maduro regime subjected American citizens to torture while held in custody of the Venezuelan government — including drugs, electric shock, sexual assault, and more,” said FBI Director Kash Patel. “These charges follow the historic law enforcement-operation proudly supported by this FBI in January arresting Maduro and executing one of the most daring Foreign Transfers of Custody in United States history, returning him and his wife to the U.S. — an operation which required months of coordination, detailed planning, and seamless execution across multiple components of the federal government led by the Department of War. Today’s charges reflect the commitment from this FBI and this Department of Justice to accountability, the rule of law, and the protection of U.S. national security.”
“As alleged in today’s Superseding Indictment, for more than two decades, Nicolás Maduro Moros and Cilia Adela Flores De Maduro engaged in a conspiracy to commit torture, including the torture of United States citizens, in addition to the narcotics trafficking and weapons offenses already charged,” said U.S. Attorney Jamie McDonald for the Southern District of New York. “As described in the Superseding Indictment, the Maduros and other Venezuelan leaders abused their positions of trust to enrich themselves through narco-terrorism, cocaine trafficking, and other corruption, including by employing Venezuelan military, law enforcement, and other government entities under their control to flood the United States with illegal narcotics. Today’s indictment further alleges that the Maduros and other Venezuelan leaders conspired to repress dissent through grave violations of human rights by ordering and allowing violence, threats, and physical torture under color of law. As alleged, this included the torture of multiple United States citizens, who were subjected to unspeakable abuse. Today’s charges exemplify the tirelessness that we and our law enforcement partners will undertake to vindicate victims of crime, particularly American victims subjected to horrific treatment abroad.”
“Maduro’s regime is responsible for countless American victims of narcoterrorism and drug trafficking,” said DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin. “Thanks to the leadership of President Trump, our Homeland Security Task Force partners, and strong coordination among DHS, DOJ, FBI, and DEA, we’re bringing Maduro and his wife to justice. President Trump is using all tools at his disposal to make America safe again both at home and abroad.”
“These indictments demonstrate that our work did not stop with the arrest of Nicolás Maduro, who terrorized the people of Venezuela for more than two decades,” said DEA Administrator Terry Cole. “DEA will continue to follow the evidence and pursue those who use corruption, violence, and positions of power to facilitate criminal activity and protect those who profit from it. Maduro’s arrest was an important step toward accountability, but it was not the last. We remain steadfast in our commitment to work with our partners to restore law and order across the Western Hemisphere and bring to justice any corrupt leader who thinks their political position shields them from consequences.”
For over 25 years, Nicolás Maduro Moros and Cilia Adela Flores de Maduro abused their positions of public trust, enriching themselves through corruption and remaining in power through grave violations of human rights.
Through drug trafficking, the corrupt use of law enforcement and the military, the abuse of the judicial system, and the pilfering of public funds, Maduro Moros, Flores de Maduro, and other Venezuelan leaders personally benefited at the expense of the Venezuelan people. While this systemic corruption was immensely profitable for the defendants and their inner circle, it was deeply unpopular with the Venezuelan people. To undermine Venezuelan democracy and entrench themselves in power, these same leaders allegedly presided over a system of repression that relied on violence against political opposition, arbitrary detention, and the torture of detainees, including United States citizens. That torture included electric shock, asphyxiation, rape, forced nudity, prolonged isolation, starvation, punishment cells, and psychological torture, such as threats to harm and kill victims’ families.
Maduro Moros and Flores de Maduro allegedly sat atop that violent power structure. They developed and facilitated the systems which they and their co-conspirators used corruptly to amass immense wealth and power, rewarding allies with ill-gotten funds and terrorizing perceived opponents through persecution and violence. These systems relied on Maduro Moros’s and Flores de Maduro’s control over Venezuela’s military, judiciary, and law enforcement agencies, and their partnerships with organized criminal groups, including terrorist organizations and groups of state-sponsored gangs known as colectivos.
In amassing such wealth and power, Maduro Moros, Flores de Maduro, and other members of their inner circle allegedly trafficked drugs under the protection of the Venezuelan military, judiciary, and law enforcement agencies. They allegedly partnered with narcotics traffickers and narco-terrorists from designated foreign terrorist organizations, including the Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias de Colombia (FARC), the Ejército de Liberación Nacional (ELN), the Sinaloa Cartel, the Zetas, later known as the Cártel del Noreste (CDN), and Tren de Aragua (TdA), who dispatched cocaine from Venezuela to the United States via transshipment points in the Caribbean and Central America.
Maduro Moros, Flores de Maduro, and other high-ranking members of their inner circle also allegedly created and maintained a violent system of repression. Since at least 1999, thousands of Venezuelans have been harassed, threatened, arrested, prosecuted, assaulted, tortured, or killed by individuals wielding the purported authority of the Venezuelan state to ensure that Maduro Moros and Flores de Maduro remained in power. Maduro Moros and Flores de Maduro used military units, colectivos, and narco-terrorist groups involved in their drug trafficking to unlawfully detain and torture their victims. Such violence and repression increased around periods of political instability in which Maduro Moros’s and Flores de Maduro’s power was threatened. During these periods, Maduro Moros, Flores de Maduro, and other high-level Venezuelan officials jointly undertook efforts to stifle those who opposed, or were merely suspected of opposing, Maduro Moros or his regime. Those efforts included physical and psychological torture systematically used to terrify the populace and silence dissent.
In addition to Maduro Moros and Flores de Maduro, other high-level officials allegedly were integral to this system. One high-level Venezuelan official, referred to in the Superseding Indictment as CC-1, ordered the murders of certain individuals who opposed Maduro Moros or his regime, oversaw torture undertaken by officials under his command, and personally threatened the murder of a prisoner’s child as a form of psychological torture. Another senior Venezuelan officer who reported directly to Maduro Moros, referred to in the Superseding Indictment as CC-2, developed torture methods that he presented for approval to Maduro Moros, led an agency responsible for torturing scores of victims, and personally signed off on the unlawful arrest and torture of specific individuals. A third Venezuelan official, referred to in the Superseding Indictment as CC-3, personally ordered and participated in the torture of civilians and military members, including United States citizens, who were believed to pose a threat to Maduro Moros’s rule. For example, one particular United States citizen was detained in Venezuela and subjected to, among other things, deprivation of food and water, simulated drowning, repeated beatings, electric shock to his testicles, and forced injections.
The Superseding Indictment charges Maduro Moros, 63, and Flores de Maduro, 69, in Count One, with participating in a narcoterrorism conspiracy, which carries a 20-year mandatory minimum penalty and a maximum penalty of life in prison; in Count Two, with conspiring to commit torture, which carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison; in Count Three, with conspiring to import cocaine into the United States, which carries a 10-year mandatory minimum penalty and a maximum penalty of life in prison; in Count Four, with using and carrying machine guns and destructive devices during and in relation to, and possessing machine guns and destructive devices in furtherance of, the narco-terrorism and cocaine-importation conspiracies, which carries a 30-year mandatory minimum penalty and a maximum penalty of life in prison; and in Count Five, with conspiring to use and carry machine guns and destructive devices during and in relation to, and to possess machine guns and destructive devices in furtherance of, the narco-terrorism and cocaine-importation conspiracies, which carries a maximum penalty of life in prison. The potential maximum penalties in this case are prescribed by Congress and provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendants will be determined by the judge.
This prosecution is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by President Trump in Executive Order 14159. 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 U.S. 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.
This case is being handled by the Office’s National Security and International Narcotics Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kaylan E. Lasky, Henry L. Ross, Kevin T. Sullivan, and Kyle A. Wirshba for the Southern District of New York are in charge of the prosecution, with assistance from Trial Attorney Kevin Nunnally of the Counterterrorism Section of the National Security Division.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Nicolás Maduro Moros and Cilia Adela Flores De Maduro Charged with TortureRead the Press Release
Attorney General of the United States, Todd Blanche, United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Jamie McDonald, Administrator of the Drug Enforcement Administration (“DEA”), Terrance C. Cole, Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security (“DHS”), Markwayne Mullin, and Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Kash Patel, announced that former Venezuelan President NICOLÁS MADURO MOROS and former First Lady of Venezuela CILIA ADELA FLORES DE MADURO have been charged in a Superseding Indictment unsealed today with conspiring to commit torture, narcoterrorism, cocaine importation conspiracy, and weapons offenses.
“As alleged in today’s Superseding Indictment, for more than two decades, Nicolás Maduro Moros and Cilia Adela Flores De Maduro engaged in a conspiracy to commit torture, including the torture of United States citizens, in addition to the narcotics trafficking and weapons offenses already charged,” said U.S. Attorney Jamie McDonald. “As described in the Superseding Indictment, the Maduros and other Venezuelan leaders abused their positions of trust to enrich themselves through narco-terrorism, cocaine trafficking, and other corruption, including by employing Venezuelan military, law enforcement, and other government entities under their control to flood the United States with illegal narcotics. Today’s indictment further alleges that the Maduros and other Venezuelan leaders conspired to repress dissent through grave violations of human rights by ordering and allowing violence, threats, and physical torture under color of law. As alleged, this included the torture of multiple United States citizens, who were subjected to unspeakable abuse. Today’s charges exemplify the tirelessness that we and our law enforcement partners will undertake to vindicate victims of crime, particularly American victims subjected to horrific treatment abroad.”
“Since the capture and arrest of Nicolás Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores, the Department of Justice has been working to uncover the extent of their alleged crimes against the people of Venezuela and of the United States,” said Attorney General Todd Blanche. “These additional charges against the Maduros reflect the dedication of this Administration to delivering justice for the victims of torture, narcoterrorism, and organized crime.”
“Maduro’s regime is responsible for countless American victims of narcoterrorism and drug trafficking,” said DHS Secretary Mullin. “Thanks to the leadership of President Trump, our Homeland Security Task Force partners, and strong coordination among DHS, DOJ, FBI, and DEA, we’re bringing Maduro and his wife to justice. President Trump is using all tools at his disposal to make America safe again both at home and abroad.”
“These indictments demonstrate that our work did not stop with the arrest of Nicolás Maduro, who terrorized the people of Venezuela for more than two decades,” said DEA Administrator Terry Cole. “DEA will continue to follow the evidence and pursue those who use corruption, violence, and positions of power to facilitate criminal activity and protect those who profit from it. Maduro’s arrest was an important step toward accountability, but it was not the last. We remain steadfast in our commitment to work with our partners to restore law and order across the Western Hemisphere and bring to justice any corrupt leader who thinks their political position shields them from consequences.”
“As alleged in the indictment, the Maduro regime subjected American citizens to torture while held in custody of the Venezuelan government - including drugs, electric shock, sexual assault, and more,” said FBI Director Kash Patel. “These charges follow the historic law enforcement-operation proudly supported by this FBI in January arresting Maduro and executing one of the most daring Foreign Transfers of Custody in United States history, returning him and his wife to the U.S. - an operation which required months of coordination, detailed planning, and seamless execution across multiple components of the federal government led by the Department of War. Today’s charges reflect the commitment from this FBI and this Department of Justice to accountability, the rule of law, and the protection of U.S. national security.”
According to the Superseding Indictment, statements made in public court proceedings, and court filings:
For over 25 years, NICOLÁS MADURO MOROS and CILIA ADELA FLORES DE MADURO abused their positions of public trust, enriching themselves through corruption and remaining in power through grave violations of human rights.
Through drug trafficking, the corrupt use of law enforcement and the military, the abuse of the judicial system, and the pilfering of public funds, MADURO MOROS, FLORES DE MADURO, and other Venezuelan leaders personally benefited at the expense of the Venezuelan people. While this systemic corruption was immensely profitable for the defendants and their inner circle, it was deeply unpopular with the Venezuelan people. To undermine Venezuelan democracy and entrench themselves in power, these same leaders allegedly presided over a system of repression that relied on violence against political opposition, arbitrary detention, and the torture of detainees, including United States citizens. That torture included electric shock, asphyxiation, rape, forced nudity, prolonged isolation, starvation, punishment cells, and psychological torture, such as threats to harm and kill victims’ families.
MADURO MOROS and FLORES DE MADURO allegedly sat atop that violent power structure. They developed and facilitated the systems which they and their co-conspirators used corruptly to amass immense wealth and power, rewarding allies with ill-gotten funds and terrorizing perceived opponents through persecution and violence. These systems relied on MADURO MOROS’s and FLORES DE MADURO’s control over Venezuela’s military, judiciary, and law enforcement agencies, and their partnerships with organized criminal groups, including terrorist organizations and groups of state-sponsored gangs known as colectivos.
In amassing such wealth and power, MADURO MOROS, FLORES DE MADURO, and other members of their inner circle allegedly trafficked drugs under the protection of the Venezuelan military, judiciary, and law enforcement agencies. They allegedly partnered with narcotics traffickers and narco-terrorists from designated foreign terrorist organizations, including the Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias de Colombia (“FARC”), the Ejército de Liberación Nacional (“ELN”), the Sinaloa Cartel, the Zetas, later known as the Cártel del Noreste (“CDN”), and Tren de Aragua (“TdA”), who dispatched cocaine from Venezuela to the United States via transshipment points in the Caribbean and Central America.
MADURO MOROS, FLORES DE MADURO, and other high-ranking members of their inner circle also allegedly created and maintained a violent system of repression. Since at least 1999, thousands of Venezuelans have been harassed, threatened, arrested, prosecuted, assaulted, tortured, or killed by individuals wielding the purported authority of the Venezuelan state to ensure that MADURO MOROS and FLORES DE MADURO remained in power. MADURO MOROS and FLORES DE MADURO used military units, colectivos, and narco-terrorist groups involved in their drug trafficking to unlawfully detain and torture their victims. Such violence and repression increased around periods of political instability in which MADURO MOROS’s and FLORES DE MADURO’s power was threatened. During these periods, MADURO MOROS, FLORES DE MADURO, and other high-level Venezuelan officials jointly undertook efforts to stifle those who opposed, or were merely suspected of opposing, MADURO MOROS or his regime. Those efforts included physical and psychological torture systematically used to terrify the populace and silence dissent.
In addition to MADURO MOROS and FLORES DE MADURO, other high-level officials allegedly were integral to this system. One high-level Venezuelan official, referred to in the Superseding Indictment as CC-1, ordered the murders of certain individuals who opposed MADURO MOROS or his regime, oversaw torture undertaken by officials under his command, and personally threatened the murder of a prisoner’s child as a form of psychological torture. Another senior Venezuelan officer who reported directly to MADURO MOROS, referred to in the Superseding Indictment as CC-2, developed torture methods that he presented for approval to MADURO MOROS, led an agency responsible for torturing scores of victims, and personally signed off on the unlawful arrest and torture of specific individuals. A third Venezuelan official, referred to in the Superseding Indictment as CC-3, personally ordered and participated in the torture of civilians and military members, including United States citizens, who were believed to pose a threat to MADURO MOROS’s rule. For example, one particular United States citizen was detained in Venezuela and subjected to, among other things, deprivation of food and water, simulated drowning, repeated beatings, electric shock to his testicles, and forced injections.
* * *
The Superseding Indictment charges Maduro Moros, 63, and FLORES DE MADURO, 69, in Count One, with participating in a narcoterrorism conspiracy, which carries a 20-year mandatory minimum sentence and a maximum sentence of life in prison; in Count Two, with conspiring to commit torture, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison; in Count Three, with conspiring to import cocaine into the United States, which carries a 10-year mandatory minimum sentence and a maximum sentence of life in prison; in Count Four, with using and carrying machine guns and destructive devices during and in relation to, and possessing machine guns and destructive devices in furtherance of, the narco-terrorism and cocaine-importation conspiracies, which carries a 30-year mandatory minimum sentence and a maximum sentence of life in prison; and in Count Five, with conspiring to use and carry machine guns and destructive devices during and in relation to, and to possess machine guns and destructive devices in furtherance of, the narco-terrorism and cocaine-importation conspiracies, which carries a maximum sentence of life in prison. The potential maximum sentences in this case are prescribed by Congress and provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendants will be determined by the judge.
Mr. McDonald thanked the Homeland Security Task Force; DEA’s Special Operations Division, New York Division, New York Drug Enforcement Task Force, Miami Division, Rocky Mountain Division, Andean Division, and Europe Division; FBI’s New York Field Office, International Human Rights Unit, Nashville-Knoxville Resident Agency, and Legal Attaché Office in Madrid, Spain; HSI’s New York Field Office and Attaché Madrid; the U.S. Department of Justice’s Joint Task Force Vulcan, Office of International Affairs, Eastern District of New York, Southern District of Florida, National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section, National Security Cyber Section, and Office of Intelligence, and the Criminal Division’s Office of Human Rights and Special Prosecutions, Office of Judicial Attaché in Bogotá, and Money Laundering, Narcotics and Forfeiture Section; United States Marshals Service for the Southern District of New York; and the New York City Police Department for their assistance.
This prosecution is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (“HSTF”) initiative established by Executive Order 14159. 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 U.S. 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.
This case is being handled by the Office’s National Security and International Narcotics Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kaylan E. Lasky, Henry L. Ross, Kevin T. Sullivan, and Kyle A. Wirshba are in charge of the prosecution, with assistance from Trial Attorney Kevin Nunnally of the Counterterrorism Section of the National Security Division.
The charges contained in the Superseding Indictment are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
^
As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Superseding Indictment and the description of the Superseding Indictment set forth herein constitute only allegations, and every fact described therein should be treated as an allegation.
s5_indictment_u.s._v._nicolas_maduro_moros_and_cilia_adela_flores_de_maduro.pdf
New York Physical Therapist Sentenced to 15 Months in Prison for Role in $11 Million Scheme to Defraud the Amtrak Health Care PlanRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A New York physical therapist was sentenced today for his role in a health care fraud scheme targeting Amtrak’s health care plan, U.S. Attorney Robert Frazer announced.
Jaekwan Lee, 42, of Flushing, New York, pleaded guilty on May 12, 2026, before U.S. District Judge Madeline Cox Arleo in Newark federal court to conspiracy to commit health care fraud. Lee was sentenced today to 15 months’ imprisonment, two years’ supervised release, and ordered to pay $841,666 in restitution.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
From January 2022 through June 2022, Lee and his co-conspirators agreed to engage in a scheme to bill the Amtrak health care plan for fraudulent claims for services that never were provided and were medically unnecessary. Lee, a licensed physical therapist, allowed his license and business bank accounts to be used in the fraudulent billing scheme, in return for a portion of the proceeds. Other members of the conspiracy recruited Amtrak employees to participate in the scheme by paying them cash, in return for allowing the conspirators to use their personal and insurance information to submit false and fraudulent claims.
The overall scheme targeting the Amtrak health care plan involved dozens of Amtrak employees and multiple health care providers, who paid hundreds of thousands of dollars in cash kickbacks to Amtrak employees over the course of the scheme. In total, the Amtrak health care plan paid over $11 million in fraudulent claims associated with providers connected to the scheme. The Amtrak health care plan paid out $841,666 for claims associated with Lee. The investigation has resulted in the prosecution of nineteen individuals, including Lee. All have pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit health care fraud.
U.S. Attorney Frazer credited special agents of the Amtrak Office of Inspector General, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge James Harper, and the Amtrak Police Department, under the direction of Chief of Police James Cook, with the investigation.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Katherine M. Romano, Deputy Chief of the Bank Integrity, Money Laundering, and Recovery Unit in Newark.
On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division (Fraud Division). The Fraud Division is 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.
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Defense counsel: Patrick J. McIlwain, Esq., Megan Rha, Esq.
Nashua Man Arrested for Production of Child Sex Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
CONCORD –Nashua resident Diego Gonzalez, 34, has been arrested by the FBI and charged with one count of Production of Child Sex Abuse Materials (CSAM), commonly known as child pornography, U.S. Attorney Erin Creegan announces. Gonzalez was arrested this morning and made an initial appearance in federal court this afternoon. He was ordered detained pending trial.
According to the charging documents and the public record, in September 2026, the Nashua Police Department responded to Gonzalez’s home in Nashua after a report regarding Gonzalez taking sexual pictures of a minor and sharing them with other individuals online. As part of this investigation the Nashua Police Department searched Gonzalez’s phone. During the search, law enforcement found multiple CSAM images of the minor in question, as well as concerning conversations regarding CSAM.
The charge of production of CSAM carries a minimum prison term of 15 years and a maximum prison term of 30 years. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
The details contained in the complaint are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation is investigating this case with valuable assistance from the Nashua Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher R. Mignanelli and Matthew Vicinanzo are prosecuting the case.
The case is brought as part of Project Safe Childhood. In 2006, the Department of Justice created Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov/.
Muskogee Resident Sentenced for Failing to Register as Sex OffenderRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Steven Ray Quigley, a/k/a Steven Woods, age 39, of Muskogee, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 15 months in prison for one count of Failure to Register as Sex Offender.
The charge arose from an investigation by the U.S. Marshals Service Violent Crimes Fugitive Task Force.
On July 8, 2025, Quigley pleaded guilty to the charge. According to investigators, Quigley was convicted by the State of Oklahoma of Lewd or Indecent Acts to Child Under 16 in Mayes County on October 11, 2012, and was required to register as a sex offender, and that from May 2022 until May 22, 2026, Quigley failed to register and update his registration despite entering, leaving, or residing in Indian Country within 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. Quigley will remain in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Morgan Muzljakovich and Nicole Paladino represented the United States.
Mother and daughter guilty of transporting illegal alien through South TexasRead the Press Release
CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – A federal jury has convicted a Lubbock woman of transporting an illegal alien through South Texas, while her mother previously pleaded guilty to the same offense.
The jury deliberated for approximately two hours before returning the guilty verdict against Charisma Vidal, 22, following a two‑day trial. Her mother, Darlene Vidal, 45, pleaded guilty prior to trial.
On June 30, Darlene Vidal drove a Dodge Caravan to the Falfurrias Border Patrol checkpoint with Charisma Vidal was the passenger.
At trial, the jury heard that during initial inspection, authorities noticed blankets covering the third-row seats and discovered an illegal alien concealed beneath them. Authorities determined he was a Mexican citizen without lawful immigration status in the United States.
Testimony revealed the women picked up the illegal alien from a house near McAllen earlier that day before stopping for gas and continuing toward the checkpoint. Before arriving, he hid beneath blankets in the back seat.
The defense attempted to convince the jury that Charisma Vidal believed her mother had picked up the illegal alien as part of her rideshare work and that she did not know he was unlawfully present in the United States.
However, the jury saw cellphone evidence indicating he had paid Darlene Vidal for the trip and heard that the mother and daughter had traveled from Lubbock, spent the night in their van, and remained in McAllen for less than a day. The jury rejected the defense and found Charisma Vidal guilty as charged.
U.S. District Judge David S. Morales presided over the trial and set sentencing for Jan. 20, 2027. At that time, the Charisma Vidal faces up to 10 years in federal prison as well as a possible $250,000 maximum fine. She was permitted to remain on bond pending sentencing.
Customs and Border Protection conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Young Min Burkett and Joseph Griffith prosecuted the case.
Moroccan Stowaway IndictedRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – EL MAHDI KOUTABI ("KOUTABI"), age 34, a citizen of Morocco, was indicted on October 2, 2026, for being a stowaway on a vessel, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 2199, announced United States Attorney David I. Courcelle.
According to the indictment, on September 27, 2026, KOUTABI entered the jurisdiction of the United States aboard a vessel after boarding, entering, and secreting himself without consent of the owner, charterer, master, or person in command of the vessel, with the intent of obtaining transportation from Morocco.
KOUTABI faces up to five years of imprisonment, a fine of up to $250,000, up to three years of supervised release and the payment of a $100 mandatory special assessment fee.
U.S. Attorney Courcelle reiterated that an indictment is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.
U.S. Attorney Courcelle praised the work of the U.S. Customs & Border Protection Officers in investigating this case. Assistant United States Attorney Christine M. Calogero of the General Crimes Unit is in charge of the prosecution.
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.
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Mississippi Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited PersonRead the Press Release
SIOUX FALLS - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced today that Chief Judge Roberto A. Lange, U.S. District Court, has sentenced a Starkville, Mississippi, man convicted of Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person. The sentencing took place on October 5, 2026.
William Brooks, Jr., 24, was sentenced to one year and three months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Brooks was indicted for possession of a firearm by a prohibited person by a federal grand jury in October 2024. He pleaded guilty on July 13, 2026.
On August 1, 2024, Brooks was stopped by a South Dakota Highway Patrol Trooper while riding a motorcycle on I-90 toward the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally. During the traffic stop, the trooper found a .40 caliber Smith & Wesson pistol on Brooks’ person. Brooks is prohibited from possessing firearms due to a 2019 felony conviction in Mississippi for Possession of Methamphetamine.
This case was investigated by the South Dakota Highway Patrol and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Joyce prosecuted the case.
Brooks was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Minnesota Woman Convicted in $3.6M Scheme to Defraud Medicaid Housing Services ProgramRead the Press Release
ST. PAUL – United States Attorney Daniel N. Rosen announced that a federal jury in St. Paul convicted a Minnesota woman yesterday for executing a scheme to steal $3.6 million from the now-defunct Minnesota Medicaid Housing Stabilization Services (HSS) Program. The federal jury trial was before U.S. District Judge Susan Richard Nelson.
“The Fraud Division has arrived in Minnesota — and we are here to stay,” said Assistant Attorney General Colin M. McDonald of the Justice Department’s National Fraud Enforcement Division. “The jury’s guilty verdict in this case sends a clear message that those who steal from programs meant to help our most vulnerable will be held accountable. As proven at trial, Meadows falsified records to enrich herself while preventing critical services from reaching those in need. Her fraud scheme — and others like it — forced Minnesota’s Housing Stabilization Services Program to shut down entirely after costs of the program outran estimates by four thousand percent. I commend the dedicated prosecutors, agents, and support staff who worked tirelessly to deliver justice in this case.”
“The defendant chose to defraud millions from a program meant to help vulnerable Minnesotans,” said United States Attorney Daniel N. Rosen for the District of Minnesota. “My office is committed to prosecuting those who steal from the American taxpayer.”
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Sharmaine Meadows, 45, of Lake Elmo, Minnesota, orchestrated a scheme to bill the HSS Program for housing services that were meant to transition the unhoused and assist them in sustaining that housing. Instead, these services were not actually provided. The HSS Program permitted providers to bill up to 150 hours for transitional services and 150 hours for sustaining services per eligible Medicaid beneficiary. Meadows routinely emphasized to her employees that they were required to maximize the billings to that 150-hour cap, even if the hours of services were never provided.
Agenda from Meadows’ Company All Hands Meeting in July 2022 at which “Maximizing of Hours”
The evidence presented at trial also proved that Meadows and her company billed the HHS Program for in-person hours supposedly provided by employees who were in other states, like Illinois, and in other countries, like the Philippines, where the defendant paid only $6.00 per hour and explicitly offered no benefits.
Employment Offer Letter from Meadows’ Company to Individual in the Philippines
She also submitted claims for services that could not have been provided because beneficiaries were in the hospital. And through data analysis, evidence showed that Meadows billed as if her employees were working more than 20 hours per day, every day, for weeks.
Summary of billing for “Impossible Days” by Meadows’ company
Summary of billing for “Impossible Days” by Meadows’ company
At the same time, Medicaid beneficiaries testified that they received little to no services from Meadows’ company. These beneficiaries testified that they were routinely told by Meadows’ employees that despite having received no assistance, they had run out of available hours in the HSS Program.
As a result of the fraud scheme, the HSS Program paid Meadows’ company over $3.6 million between 2020 and 2025 into accounts that Meadows exclusively controlled.
The jury convicted Meadows of three counts of health care fraud. She is scheduled to be sentenced at a later date and faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison on each count. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Assistant Attorney General Colin M. McDonald of the Justice Department’s Fraud Division; United States Attorney Daniel N. Rosen for the District of Minnesota; Special Agent in Charge Christopher D. Dotson of the FBI Minneapolis Field Office; Special Agent in Charge Thomas Ethridge of the Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG); and Special Agent in Charge Adam Jobes of the IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), Chicago Field Office, made the announcement
This case was the result of an investigation by the FBI, HHS-OIG, and IRS-CI.
Trial Attorneys Brant Cook and Emily Reeder-Ricchetti of the Fraud Division’s Health Care Fraud Section, with the assistance of Health Care Fraud Section Trial Attorney Jody King and Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Murphy for the District of Minnesota, are prosecuting the case.
On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the 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.
The Department of Justice’s Health Care Fraud Strike Force Program, currently comprised of nine strike forces operating in federal districts across the country, has charged more than 6,200 defendants who collectively billed federal health care programs and private insurers more than $45 billion since 2007. In addition, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, working in conjunction with the Office of the Inspector General for the Department of Health and Human Services, are taking steps to hold providers accountable for their involvement in health care fraud schemes. More information can be found at www.justice.gov/criminal-fraud/health-care-fraud-unit.
Minnesota Woman Convicted in $3.6M Scheme to Defraud Medicaid Housing Services ProgramRead the Press Release
A federal jury in St. Paul convicted a Minnesota woman yesterday for executing a scheme to steal $3.6 million from the now-defunct Minnesota Medicaid Housing Stabilization Services (HSS) Program.
“The Fraud Division has arrived in Minnesota — and we are here to stay,” said Assistant Attorney General Colin M. McDonald of the Justice Department’s National Fraud Enforcement Division. “The jury’s guilty verdict in this case sends a clear message that those who steal from programs meant to help our most vulnerable will be held accountable. As proven at trial, Meadows falsified records to enrich herself while preventing critical services from reaching those in need. Her fraud scheme — and others like it — forced Minnesota’s Housing Stabilization Services Program to shut down entirely after costs of the program outran estimates by four thousand percent. I commend the dedicated prosecutors, agents, and support staff who worked tirelessly to deliver justice in this case.”
“The defendant chose to defraud millions from a program meant to help vulnerable Minnesotans,” said U.S. Attorney Daniel N. Rosen for the District of Minnesota. “My office is committed to prosecuting those who steal from the American taxpayer.”
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Sharmaine Meadows, 45, of Lake Elmo, Minnesota, orchestrated a scheme to bill the HSS Program for housing services that were meant to transition the unhoused and assist them in sustaining that housing. Instead, these services were not actually provided. The HSS Program permitted providers to bill up to 150 hours for transitional services and 150 hours for sustaining services per eligible Medicaid beneficiary. Meadows routinely emphasized to her employees that they were required to maximize the billings to that 150-hour cap, even if the hours of services were never provided.
Agenda from Meadows’ company staff meeting in July 2022 at which “Maximizing of Hours” was discussedThe evidence presented at trial also proved that Meadows and her company billed the HSS Program for in-person hours supposedly provided by employees who were in other states, like Illinois, and in other countries, like the Philippines, where the defendant paid only $6.00 per hour and explicitly offered no benefits.
Employment Offer Letter from Meadows’ Company to Individual in the PhilippinesShe also submitted claims for services that could not have been provided because beneficiaries were in the hospital. And through data analysis, evidence showed that Meadows billed as if her employees were working more than 20 hours per day, every day, for weeks.
Summary of billing for “Impossible Days” by Meadows’ company Summaries of billing for “Impossible Days” by Meadows’ companyAt the same time, Medicaid beneficiaries testified that they received little to no services from Meadows’ company. These beneficiaries testified that they were routinely told by Meadows’ employees that despite having received no assistance, they had run out of available hours in the HSS Program.
As a result of the fraud scheme, the HSS Program paid Meadows’ company over $3.6 million between 2020 and 2025 into accounts that Meadows exclusively controlled.
The jury convicted Meadows of three counts of health care fraud. She is scheduled to be sentenced at a later date and faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison on each count. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Assistant Attorney General Colin M. McDonald of the Justice Department’s Fraud Division; U.S. Attorney Daniel N. Rosen for the District of Minnesota; Special Agent in Charge Christopher D. Dotson of the FBI Minneapolis Field Office; Special Agent in Charge Thomas Ethridge of the Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG); and Special Agent in Charge Adam Jobes of the IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), Chicago Field Office, made the announcement
FBI, HHS-OIG, and IRS-CI investigated the case.
Trial Attorneys Brant Cook and Emily Reeder-Ricchetti of the Fraud Division’s Health Care Fraud Section, with the assistance of Health Care Fraud Section Trial Attorney Jody King and Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Murphy for the District of Minnesota, are prosecuting the case.
On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the 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.
The Department of Justice’s Health Care Fraud Strike Force Program, currently comprised of nine strike forces operating in federal districts across the country, has charged more than 6,200 defendants who collectively billed federal health care programs and private insurers more than $45 billion since 2007. In addition, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, working in conjunction with the Office of the Inspector General for the Department of Health and Human Services, are taking steps to hold providers accountable for their involvement in health care fraud schemes. More information can be found at www.justice.gov/criminal-fraud/health-care-fraud-unit.
Mexican national illegally residing in Stanislaus County charged with federal firearms offense after train heist of firearmsRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned a four-count indictment today against Ricardo Landeros, 39, a citizen of Mexico, illegally residing in Keyes, charging him with being a felon in possession of a firearm, being an illegal alien in possession of a firearm, possessing a machine gun, and possessing an unregistered firearm, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced.
According to court documents, on March 28, 2026, a passing train crew noticed multiple individuals breaking into a container on a moving train that was traveling from Stockton to Bakersfield. A pallet containing 100 AR-style pistols that was being shipped between Nevada and Indiana was stolen. Additional containers were found broken into and ransacked.
During the investigation, agents tracked a vehicle involved in the train burglary to Landeros’ residence in Stanislaus County. After executing a search warrant, agents discovered multiple firearms, including a machine gun, a short-barreled rifle, some of the stolen pistols from the train heist, stolen goods from several other cargo thefts, and almost $350,000 in cash. Agents found additional stolen firearms in an associated storage unit.
Landeros is prohibited from possessing firearms because he is an illegal alien and has a prior felony conviction of possession of a loaded and concealed firearm. He has been deported twice from the United States.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Fresno County Sheriff’s Office, and the Modesto Police Department conducted the investigation with assistance from the San Joaquin County and Stanislaus County Sheriff’s Offices. Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert Veneman-Hughes is prosecuting the case.
If convicted, Landeros faces a maximum statutory penalty of 15 years in prison, as well a $250,000 fine. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is the Department of Justice’s nationwide initiative that brings federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement, prosecutors, and other public safety partners together to coordinate efforts to combat violent crime and make communities safe. Coordinated by U.S. Attorneys’ offices in each of the 94 federal districts, PSN is tailored to particular communities to strategically address specific violent crime and public safety challenges. As a key component of Operation Take Back America, PSN serves a central role in the Department’s commitment to make our country safe. PSN emphasizes three core principles: rapid federal response to violent crime and criminal offenders; strong, strategic partnerships among law enforcement at all levels; and accountability and deterrence through the prosecution of the most serious, readily provable offenses and other strategies. These efforts complement and strengthen President Trump’s Homeland Security Task Forces, ensuring a comprehensive federal response to the most pressing public safety issues facing communities.
Mexican National Pleads Guilty to Eluding Immigration InspectionRead the Press Release
BANGOR, Maine: A Mexican man pleaded guilty and was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Bangor for eluding inspection by immigration officers.
U.S. Magistrate Judge John C. Nivison sentenced Encarnacion Lara Gonzalez,49, to time served (approximately three days).
According to court records, on October 4, 2026, Lara Gonzalez, a Mexican national, traveled into Canada through the Houlton port of entry. After stopping in a parking lot in Canada, he turned his vehicle around and drove back towards the U.S. At the Houlton port of entry, he drove through the inspection lane and entered the U.S. without stopping, despite clearly marked signs instructing motorists to stop. U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers pursued him and he pulled over shortly afterwards.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection and U.S. Border Patrol investigated the case.
Operation Take Back America: This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
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Mental health counselor sentenced to 30 years in prison for exploiting children onlineRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A Herndon mental health counselor was sentenced today to 30 years in prison for engaging in a child exploitation enterprise.
According to court documents, Christopher Neal Mishik, 36, is a Licensed Professional Counselor who offered telehealth counseling to patients online, including to adolescents, young adults, and families. For years, Mishik participated in various online groups that orchestrated the online sexual exploitation of children. In the summer of 2024, Mishik participated in a social media group of adult males who coordinated to produce, distribute, and receive child sexual abuse material (CSAM). The members of the group collectively and individually engaged in various tactics to produce, distribute, and receive CSAM. Mishik and members of the group lurked on young girls' social media accounts and encouraged them to engage in sexually explicit activities on camera and to participate in their larger social media group. Mishik and other group members would sometimes pose as teenage boys or girls to encourage victims to produce CSAM. Among the victims targeted by Mishik were a child with learning disabilities as well as a 10-year-old.
On Nov. 12, 2025, law enforcement searched Mishik’s residence. Mishik’s cellphone contained videos and photos depicting CSAM, including content saved in hidden applications. Some of the CSAM possessed by Mishik included images of toddlers.
Theophani K. Stamos, First Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Jeffrey L. Tyler, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Washington Field Office's Criminal Division, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Patricia Tolliver Giles.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Vanessa K. Strobbe and Lauren Halper prosecuted 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 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.
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-115.
McAlester Resident Pleads Guilty to Assault by StranglingRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Kenneth Glenn McCarroll, age 46, of McAlester, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to one count of Assault of a Spouse, Intimate Partner, and Dating Partner by Strangling and Attempting to Strangle in Indian Country, punishable by up to ten years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
The Indictment alleged that on or about June 22, 2026, McCarroll assaulted the victim, a dating partner, by strangling.
The crime occurred in Pittsburg County, within the boundaries of the Choctaw Nation Reservation, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma.
The charge arose from an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the McAlester Police Department.
The Honorable D. Edward Snow, Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, accepted the plea and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report.
A U.S. District Court Judge will determine the sentence to be imposed after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
McCarroll will remain in the custody of the United States Marshals Service pending sentencing.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan E. Soverly represented the United States.
Massachusetts Doctor Sentenced to 36 Months in Prison for Participation in Multimillion-Dollar Medicare Fraud Scheme and for Violating the Federal Anti-Kickback StatuteRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A Massachusetts doctor was sentenced for her role in telemedicine health care fraud and kickback schemes that resulted in more than $40 million in fraudulent claims to Medicare and TRICARE, U.S. Attorney Robert Frazer announced.
Le Thu, 71, of Boston, Massachusetts, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Susan D. Wigenton in Newark, in May 2025, to one count of an indictment, charging her with conspiracy to violate the Federal Anti-Kickback statute and, in June 2025, to a two-count information, charging her with false statements related to health care matters. Thu was sentenced on October 6, 2026, on all counts to 36 months’ imprisonment with two years’ supervised release, and ordered to pay over $27 million in restitution.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
From May 2014 through April 2017, Thu participated in a conspiracy in which she received kickbacks from a telemedicine company in exchange for approving hundreds of prescriptions for durable medical equipment and compounded medications. Thu agreed to accept kickback payments of approximately $35 from the telemedicine company in exchange for each prescription she approved, knowing that certain of the prescriptions would be used to bill TRICARE, a health care program of the U.S. Department of Defense. TRICARE paid pharmacies hundreds of thousands of dollars for compounded medications that were procured through kickbacks Thu received.
From March 2017 through November 2020, Thu participated in a second telemedicine health care fraud scheme in connection with payments for genetic tests and durable medical equipment for Medicare beneficiaries. On behalf of multiple telemedicine companies, Thu signed, and caused others who had no medical training to sign, false medical documentation and orders for genetic tests and durable medical equipment. The documentation made it appear that Thu had exercised her medical judgment in approving the orders and, in certain instances, that she would use the genetic test results to treat beneficiaries. Thu, however, had not interacted with or provided any medical care to the beneficiaries prior to signing, or having others sign, the doctors’ orders. Thu signed thousands of such orders that contained statements she knew were false and material to Medicare in exchange for payments to her totaling more than $200,000. As a result, Thu caused durable medical equipment suppliers and laboratories to submit more than $40 million in claims to Medicare based on doctors’ orders containing materially false representations, for which Medicare paid more than $27 million.
U.S. Attorney Frazer credited the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Massachusetts, under the direction of U.S. Attorney Leah B. Foley; special agents of the U.S. Department of Defense, Office of Inspector General, Defense Criminal Investigative Service, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Jessica Herrington, Northeastern Field Office; special agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge David R. Fitzgibbons, in Birmingham, Alabama; special agents of the U.S. Department of Labor-Employee Benefits Security Administration, under the direction of Regional Director Crystal Coleman; and special agents of the Tennessee Valley Authority, Office of the Inspector General, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Ryan Wilson, with the investigation.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kathleen P. O’Leary of the Health Care Fraud and Opioids Enforcement Unit.
On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division (Fraud Division). The Fraud Division is 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.
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Defense counsel: Elizabeth L. Mo, Esq.
Mason City Man Sentenced to 22 Years in Prison for Child Exploitation and Gun CrimesRead the Press Release
A man who sexually exploited children, possessed child pornography, and possessed a stolen firearm was sentenced October 2, 2026, to 22 years in federal prison.
Parker Jon Thompson, age 20, from Mason City, Iowa, received the prison term after an April 2, 2026, guilty plea to sexual exploitation of children, possession of child pornography, and possession of a stolen firearm.
Evidence at court hearings showed that in June 2025, Thompson helped his friends plan a burglary at a gun shop in Mason City. His friends stole several guns and gave at least two of the guns to Thompson. Law enforcement officers searched Thompson’s phone while investigating the burglary. Officers found child pornography on the phone. Additional investigation revealed that Thompson recorded multiple children engaged in sexually explicit conduct. Thompson also asked a child to send him depictions of the child engaging in sex acts.
Thompson was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams. Thompson was sentenced to 264 months’ imprisonment and must also serve a ten-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
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. For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab “resources.”
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.
Thompson is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Devra T. Hake and Kyndra Lundquist and investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Mason City Police Department, the Cerro Gordo Sheriff’s Office, the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation, and the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file numbers are 25-CR-2054 and 26-CR-3011.
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Maryland man sentenced for robbing U.S. Postal Service mail carrierRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A Maryland man was sentenced yesterday to three years and one month in prison for assault of a U.S. postal worker and robbery of mail, money, or other property of the United States.
According to court documents, on Sept. 5, 2025, Dason Antonio Robinson, 28, of Bowie, and an unidentified co-conspirator traveled from Maryland to Alexandria and located a U.S. Postal Service (USPS) mail carrier who was engaged in her regular duties of delivering mail. Robinson and his co-conspirator approached the mail carrier with their hands in their waistbands to appear to be carrying firearms. The robbers forcefully grabbed at the mail carrier’s letter satchel while it was slung across her body and also grabbed at her clothing, a personal bag secured by a chain, and her necklace, causing the chain on her personal bag and necklace to break.
Robinson and his co-conspirator obtained the letter satchel, mail inside the satchel, a USPS scanner, and USPS vehicle keys, as well as the carrier’s CashApp card, driver’s license, and cellphone.
Following the robbery, Robinson and his co-conspirator fled in their vehicle. On Oct. 2, 2025, U.S. Postal Inspectors seized the vehicle in Bowie. Agents recovered stolen mail from the letter satchel and the mail carrier’s CashApp card and driver’s license.
Theophani K. Stamos, First Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Damon E. Wood, Inspector in Charge of the Washington Division, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Rossie D. Alston Jr.
Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Jillian Pascua and former Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Allie M. McKnight prosecuted the case.
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-37.
Man Sentenced to One Year Probation and $1,000 Fine for Interfering with Federal Officers Performing Official Duties and Related OffensesRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Today, U.S. District Judge Matthew E. Orso sentenced William Stanley, 26, of Charlotte, to one-year of probation for impeding and disrupting the performance of official duties of government employees; failure to comply with the lawful direction of an authorized individual; and obstructing the entrance on a federal property. In addition to the year of probation, Stanley was ordered to complete 50 hours of community service in the first six months, and the community service should be in conflict resolution or emergency response. Also, Stanley must complete at least eight hours of community service per month for the first five months. Stanley was also ordered to pay a $1,000 fine immediately or $50/month within 60 days. He is also not permitted to enter any Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facility without the prior consent of ICE and his probation officer, and he is prohibited from communicating with his co-defendant, Heather Morrow.
Judge Orso said at the sentencing hearing, “It is very serious to interfere with law enforcement duties on federal property.”
According to court documents, trial evidence, and witness testimony, on November 16, 2025, Stanley and Morrow, aiding and abetting one another, willfully entered federal property, specifically, the grounds of the Immigration and Customs Enforcement/Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE/ERO) building in Charlotte. Trial evidence established that, while there, Stanley and Morrow engaged in disorderly conduct and other actions that unreasonably obstructed the usual use of the building’s entrances and parking lots. For example, according to evidence presented at trial and witness testimony, Stanley, Morrow, and three other individuals placed cones on the entrance driveway to the federal property and formed a human chain, blocking ERO Deportation Officers from entering in their official vehicles. In addition, Morrow’s vehicle was parked in the exit lane, blocking vehicles from exiting the federal property.
Trial evidence further established that Stanley and Morrow’s conduct impeded and disrupted ERO Deportation Officers in the performance of their official duties and the defendants failed to comply with the lawful direction of ERO Deportation Officers. According to trial evidence, Stanley stood in front of the government-issued vehicle of an ERO Deportation Officer, blocking the officer from entering the property. Stanley then placed his hands on the hood of the ERO Deportation Officer’s vehicle to stop the officer from entering.
“There is a difference between peaceful protest – which is permitted under the First Amendment – and interfering with law enforcemnet officers doing their jobs,” said a spokesperson for the U.S. Attorney’s Office. “Here, Mr. Stanley crossed the line, and the Court’s sentence appropriately addresses that conduct by requiring that he give back to the community through court-ordered community service and supervision.”
A sentencing date for Morrow has not been set.
The FBI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kenneth Smith and Caryn Finley prosecuted the case.
Man Sentenced to 87 Months’ Imprisonment for Role in Interfering with Commerce While Stealing MarijuanaRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – United States Attorney Daniel N. Rosen announced that Eric Maurice Holliday was sentenced to 87 months in prison on one count of aiding and abetting interference with commerce by robbery.
Holliday previously pleaded guilty on June 11, 2026. He was sentenced before U.S. District Judge Patrick J. Schiltz on October 8, 2026.
According to court documents, in early April 2024, Holliday learned that a package containing approximately 10 pounds of marijuana would be delivered by a commercial package delivery service to a home in Maplewood, Minnesota. On or about April 19, 2024, the defendant traveled to the home with the intention of taking the package. Holliday traveled to the address with three associates, including Nasir Jones, who was armed with a firearm to aid their efforts in taking the package. Holliday had access to the tracking number of the package and thus knew the time the package would be delivered.
Upon arrival at the home, Holliday and his associates observed the commercial package delivery service employee bring the package to the door and also a man, James Newbill, standing at the doorway of the house. Jones and two others got out of the car, and Jones carried his gun visibly in one hand and ran up to the employee to wrestle the package from the employee’s hands and ran back into the car with Holliday. After Jones took the package, Jones and Newbill discharged their firearms towards each other, while the delivery service employee hid behind a car to avoid the gunfire. Holliday, Jones, and others then drove to a nearby home, where they split the marijuana from the package between them. The defendant intended to sell the marijuana.
During the sentencing hearing, Judge Schiltz noted that the defendant was the “instigator of the plan” and that he participated in a “reckless and dangerous crime that easily could have gotten someone killed.”
“The defendant helped execute a robbery to steal drugs and his associate brought a gun that endangered public safety while they committed the crime. Today’s sentence holds him accountable for his actions,” said United States Attorney Daniel N. Rosen.
“This was not a spontaneous crime, but a coordinated effort to steal drugs using intimidation and firearms all the while putting a hapless delivery driver in a dangerous situation,” said ATF Special Agent in Charge Joseph Persails, of the St. Paul Field Division. “We are glad to see Mr. Holliday taking responsibility for his actions. ATF is committed to holding individuals accountable when firearms and criminal activity intersect. We were proud to work alongside the Maplewood Police Department on this case and will continue to work closely with the U.S. Attorney’s Office and our law‑enforcement partners to address violent criminal activity throughout Minnesota.”
This case was the result of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Maplewood Police Department, with assistance from the St. Paul Police Department, the Ramsey County Sheriff’s Office, and other law enforcement partners.
Assistant United States Attorneys William C. Mattessich and Nathan H. Nelson are prosecuting this case.
Lowell Man Sentenced for Felony Delay of MailRead the Press Release
HAMMOND – Zachary Nelson, 27 years old, of Lowell, Indiana, was sentenced to probation by United States District Court Judge Gretchen Lund after pleading guilty to felony delay of mail, announced United States Attorney Adam L. Mildred.
“Zachary Nelson, a Rural Mail Carrier for the United States Postal Service, on multiple occasions in 2025 intentionally failed to deliver hundreds of mailers to the addresses on his assigned mail route, including mailers for private businesses and for Medicare. He sometimes threw the mailers in the garbage, abusing his position of public trust to conceal his actions. The U.S. Postal Service trusted Nelson to properly deliver the mail that was placed in his custody, and he chose to betray that trust. Government officials are held accountable to the people they serve. This case was investigated by the United States Postal Service Office of Inspector General and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kevin F. Wolff. The US Postal Inspector General's Office and the US Attorney's Office will always work diligently to deter, detect, and prosecute government fraud whenever it occurs,” said U.S. Attorney Adam L. Mildred.
This sentencing represents the hard work and dedication by USPS OIG Special Agents working with the U.S. Attorney’s Office to bring charges on this significant mail theft investigation,” said Special Agent in Charge Dennus Bishop, U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General, Central Area Field Office. The United States Postal Service Office of Inspector General along with our law enforcement partners, remain committed to safeguarding the U.S. Mail and ensuring the accountability and integrity of U.S. Postal Service employees.”
Long Island Tax Preparer Sentenced to 48 Months in Prison for Nearly $12 Million Tax Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
Earlier today, in federal court in Central Islip, Damaris Beltre, a former tax preparer in Freeport, New York, was sentenced by United States District Judge Sanket J. Bulsara to 48 months’ imprisonment following her plea earlier this year to two counts of wire fraud and one count of aiding and assisting in the preparation of false tax returns. At her plea proceeding, Beltre also admitted to defrauding the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) through false COVID aid applications in her capacity as a company owner. In addition to the term of imprisonment, Judge Bulsara ordered Beltre to pay restitution in the amount of $11,629,000.
Joseph Nocella, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York and Harry T. Chavis, Jr., Special Agent in Charge, Internal Revenue Service–Criminal Investigation, New York (IRS-CI New York) announced the sentence.
“Beltre conducted a massive fraud on the government by falsifying documents and brazenly lying in order to line her own pockets with taxpayer money,” stated United States Attorney Nocella. “Today’s sentencing should serve as a warning to corrupt tax preparers that federal programs and the treasury are not ATMs that they can loot with impunity, and also that the price to pay for such brazen conduct is a prison sentence.”
Mr. Nocella also expressed his appreciation to the United States Customs and Border Protection, New York Field Office, the Freeport Police Department, and SBA for their assistance on the case.
“IRS-CI remains committed to investigating and bringing unscrupulous return preparers like Beltre to justice. Beltre’s fraudulent tax filings and claims of bogus credits undermine the integrity of our entire tax system. Beltre’s fraudulent PPP loans which she used to buy a home in the Dominican Republic are the antithesis of what these funds were intended for. These loans were meant to assist honest, hardworking Americans during an unprecedented time of hardship in our country, not to aid those trying to enrich their lives through deception. Today’s sentence sends a clear message to those who try to take advantage of our systems for their own personal gain,” stated IRS-CI New York Special Agent in Charge Chavis.
As set forth in public filings and court proceedings, including at the defendant’s guilty plea proceeding in January 2026 and at today’s sentencing proceeding, Beltre owned and operated multiple corporate entities offering tax preparation and other financial services in Freeport, New York. From approximately January 2021 through April 2024, Beltre personally prepared, and supervised employees in the preparation of, false and fraudulent individual income tax returns for her taxpayer-clients, which were submitted to the IRS.
The tax returns that Beltre prepared and caused to be prepared for her clients listed false dependents and fraudulently claimed tens of millions of dollars in COVID-19-related tax credits and motor fuel income tax credits to directly reduce tax liability and provide substantial refunds to which her clients were not entitled. Beltre’s clients paid more than $1 million in fees for her services preparing these false returns, which included a percentage of any tax refund issued. For example, in April 2023, a federal agent acting in an undercover capacity (the UC) hired Beltre to prepare his individual income tax return. If prepared accurately, the UC would have owed the IRS approximately $205. By contrast, Beltre prepared an income tax return for the UC which contained false and fraudulent statements and baseless tax credits, and which thereby claimed a refund of over $14,243. Beltre charged the UC $2,200 in fees to prepare and submit the fraudulent tax return. As a result of this years’ long scheme, the IRS improperly issued nearly $11 million in tax refunds to Beltre’s clients, and failed to collect several million dollars as a result of fraudulently reduced tax liabilities.
In a separate Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) fraud scheme, from approximately April 2020 through July 2022, Beltre filed and caused to be filed false payroll reports and income tax returns with the IRS on behalf of her corporate clients to fraudulently obtain PPP loans from the SBA, totaling approximately $1 million. Beltre used these proceeds, and those generated from the tax preparer fraud scheme described above, for personal expenses, including paying personal debts, to fund a home in the Caribbean, and to purchase a car and jewelry.
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.
The government’s case is being handled by the Criminal Section of the Office’s Long Island Division. Assistant United States Attorney Charles P. Kelly is in charge of the prosecution, with the assistance of Paralegal Specialist Samantha Schroder, Legal Assistant Danielle Rompel and Victim Witness Coordinator Stephanie Marroquin.
The Defendant:
DAMARIS BELTRE
Age: 59
Freeport, New YorkE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 25-CR-081 (SJB)
Level 3 sex offender going to prison on new child pornography chargeRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, N.Y.- U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that James M. Lajoie, 31, of Niagara Falls, NY, who was convicted of possession of child pornography following a prior conviction under New York law relating to sexual abuse, was sentenced to serve 139 months in prison and 10 years supervised release by U.S. District Judge Richard J. Arcara.
In June 2016, Lajoie was convicted of Attempted Sexual Abuse in the 1st Degree and sentenced to serve three years in prison and 10 years post release supervision. In August 2023, a New York Parole Officer conducted a home inspection at Lajoie’s residence and found an unauthorized cellular telephone in his possession. A review recovered approximately 54 images and four videos of child pornography stored on the device. Lajoie obtained these images and videos of child pornography over the internet. Some of images depicted prepubescent minors and violence against children.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron J. Mango. The sentencing is the result of an investigation by Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Allen D. Davis, II, the Town of Tonawanda Police Department, under the direction of Chief Corey Flatau, and the New York State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision, under the direction of Commissioner Daniel F. Martuscello.
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Leader of Global Violent Extremist Network ‘764’ Pleads Guilty to Conspiracy to Sexually Exploit MinorsRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Prasan Nepal, 21, also known by the online moniker “Trippy,” pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court to Conspiracy to Commit Sexual Exploitation of a Child, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
Nepal, of High Point, North Carolina, entered his plea in the District of Columbia before the Honorable Reggie B. Walton and now faces a mandatory minimum of 15 years and up to 30 years in federal prison. Judge Walton scheduled sentencing for March 5, 2027.
“This case exposes a world where cruelty is currency, violence is entertainment, and children are treated as targets in a game of domination and control,” said U.S. Attorney Pirro. “What Nepal and his co‑conspirators built was not just a criminal operation, it was a deliberate campaign to corrupt the vulnerable and dismantle the guardrails of civilized society. Today’s plea is a victory for every child they sought to harm, and a warning to anyone who believes they can hide behind an encrypted screen: we will find you, and we will stop you.”
Nepal operated as a senior leader within “764,” a nihilistic violent extremist network that, according to court documents, engaged in a wide range of criminal conduct across the United States and abroad — including coordinated efforts to exploit minors, extort vulnerable victims, and inflict psychological harm as part of an organized ideology promoting chaos and societal destabilization.
According to court documents and the statement of offense, Nepal and co‑defendant Leonidas Varagiannis, known as “War,” served as core leaders of 764 and its inner subgroup, 764 Inferno.
From approximately 2021 through 2025, Nepal and others used encrypted platforms to coordinate the exploitation of minors worldwide. They directed members, enforced “rules,” managed recruitment, and oversaw the production and circulation of materials used to manipulate and coerce victims.
Membership in 764 required prospective recruits to produce “content” that furthered the group’s extremist and abusive aims. Individuals who complied gained status; those who did not were excluded. Nepal and Varagiannis maintained strict control over membership, monitored activity, and issued instructions designed to expand the network’s reach and increase the volume of exploitative material.
Court documents detail the involvement of co‑conspirators operating inside the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area. One D.C.-based individual allegedly stored network material on digital devices within the District and participated in conduct aimed at coercing minor victims. Other U.S.-based co‑conspirators engaged in coordinated online extortion schemes that targeted minors in multiple states and foreign jurisdictions.
The stored content included images of the words “764 Kills” written in red on a wall and a video of 15-year-old minor victim standing topless with her breasts exposed, talking to someone on a live chat while she poured bleach on her arm and set her arm on fire.
Federal investigators have identified more than a dozen active co‑conspirators associated with Nepal and Varagiannis, many of whom operated under aliases and interacted regularly in encrypted group channels. Their activities reflected an organized, hierarchical structure designed to recruit vulnerable victims, generate exploitative material, and cultivate notoriety within the network.
764 and 764 Inferno were built on a shared extremist ideology that embraced social collapse and celebrated violence. Members used encrypted applications to:
• Identify vulnerable minors online
• Manipulate victims into compliance
• Coerce individuals using threats and intimidation
• Distribute extremist and exploitative content
• Promote members based on the severity of material they helped generateThe defendants and their co-conspirators around the world used the Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM) and other gore and violent material to create digital “Lorebooks,” which were used as digital currency within the 764 network, traded, archived in encrypted “vaults,” and used as a means to recruit new members or maintain status within the network.
The defendants instructed other members in grooming tactics and set content production expectations for new recruits. In multiple instances, defendants threatened and caused their victims to engage in self-mutilation, online and in-person sexual acts, harm to animals, sexual exploitation of siblings and others, acts of violence, threats of violence, suicide, and murder.
Also, according to court papers, the defendants exploited at least eight minor victims across multiple jurisdictions, with some content traced back to children as young as 13 years old. The network’s activities spanned from late 2020 through early 2025.
Nepal joined 764 in or around early 2021, and worked with others known and unknown, including Individual 1, to establish the group. After Individual 1’s arrest on or about August 25, 2021, Nepal emerged as a leader of 764 and remained in that position through April 2025.
In his capacity as a member and leader of 764, Nepal used several online monikers, including, “Leather Jacket,” “Rebirth,” “Indras Jester,” and “KingKrampus,” but he was most widely known in 764 Inferno as “Trippy.”
Nepal was arrested in 2025 and charged alongside Varagiannis as part of a sweeping international investigation involving the District of Columbia, federal field offices across the United States, and law enforcement authorities abroad. Today’s plea represents one of the most significant developments yet in dismantling 764’s leadership structure.
Variagiannis is currently being held at Grevena Prison in northern Greece and is expected to have a trial in the next six months on charges related to child pornography and participation in a criminal organization.
This case is being investigated by the FBI Washington Field Office with significant assistance from the FBI New York Field Office, FBI Charlotte Field Office, and international partners. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of North Carolina also provided invaluable assistance.
It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Karen Shinskie and Janani Iyengar for the District of Columbia.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
A guide instructed members on “grooming” victims into producing content for 764 and advised members to target particularly vulnerable victims, such as individuals with depression or mental illness.
The guide also provided instructions on “Extortion,” and advised prospective 764 members to manipulate girls and to groom them into providing personal information that could then be used to force them to create “blood content.”
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Last Defendant in Interstate Theft Conspiracy SentencedRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Stephan James Evanovich, 47, of Placerville, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Daniel J. Calabretta to six years and five months in prison for a conspiracy to transport stolen property and for interstate transportation of stolen property, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced.
According to court documents, Evanovich led a multistate conspiracy that endangered cellular communications, including potentially disrupting 911 services. Evanovich’s co-conspirators Trevor Fountain, 38; Jonathan Matthew Curl, 37; and Andrea Carter, 36, all of Sacramento, entered communications towers to steal rectifiers (a power source necessary to maintain power at the towers) and other communications equipment.
Fountain, Carter, and Curl were responsible for stealing equipment and transferring it to Evanovich, who then paid them for the stolen equipment. Evanovich sold the stolen property to unwitting third-party vendors in California, Illinois, Colorado, and Texas. In total, the conspirators stole, sold, and shipped more than 700 rectifiers across state lines.
As part of the scheme, Evanovich instructed others to create invoices using fictitious business names to make it appear as if the rectifiers had been purchased from legitimate sources.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigation with assistance from Weld County Sheriff’s Office in Colorado. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jessica Delaney and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Nchekube Onyima prosecuted the case.
All defendants pleaded guilty. Curl was sentenced on April 23, 2026, to two years in prison and ordered to pay $282,193 in restitution. Carter was sentenced on June 5, 2025, to 29 months in prison. Fountain was sentenced on Aug. 6, 2026, to 20 months in prison and ordered to pay $225,989 in restitution.
Las Vegas Man Sentenced to 70 Months in Prison for Committing Three Armed Bank RobberiesRead the Press Release
LAS VEGAS – Las Vegas man sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Jennifer A. Dorsey to 70 months in prison for committing three separate armed bank robberies. The government recommended a sentence of 70 months in prison.
“Violent crime has no place in our communities, and today’s sentence ensures that individuals who threaten the safety of working citizens will face severe consequences,” said First Assistant United States Attorney Sigal Chattah for the District of Nevada. “Over a span of just 16 days, the defendant subjected innocent bank employees to terrifying ordeals. Our office, alongside the FBI and our local police partners in Henderson and North Las Vegas, remains unwavering in our commitment to removing violent offenders from our streets. We will continue to aggressively prosecute those who disrupt the peace and safety of the Las Vegas valley.”
“By entering these banks and threatening innocent people at gunpoint, the defendant made a reckless choice for which today’s sentence holds him fully accountable,” said Special Agent in Charge Christopher S. Delzotto for the FBI Las Vegas Field Office. “This outcome sends an unmistakable message: the FBI and local law enforcement will not tolerate violent crime. Thanks to the seamless cooperation between our agencies, a callous criminal has been taken off the streets, making our communities safer.”
According to court documents, between January 9, 2025, and January 25, 2025, Denzel Brishard Jones committed a total of three bank robberies in North Las Vegas and Henderson. At each of the robberies, he brandished an XBG BB-gun to make a display of force that reasonably caused the employees to fear bodily harm. In each robbery, Jones threatened to shoot employees and customers as he demanded money. He would then exit with the stolen money and flee the scene in a vehicle driven by co-defendant Tru’Shauna, also known as “Trashauna Outlaw.” Outlaw pleaded guilty to three counts of armed bank robbery and is scheduled to be sentenced December 10, 2026.
Jones pleaded guilty to three counts of armed bank robbery.
The FBI, the Henderson Police Department, and the North Las Vegas Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Melinda Brewer prosecuted the case.
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Knoxville Man Sentenced to over 20 Years for Second Federal Drug ConvictionRead the Press Release
GREENEVILLE Tenn. – On October 7, 2026, Dwayne “DJ” Turner, 38, of Knoxville, was sentenced to 250 months by the Honorable Clifton L. Corker, United States District Judge, in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee at Greeneville. Following his release, Turner will be on supervised release for eight years.
As part of the plea agreement filed with the court, Turner agreed to plead guilty to a Conspiracy to Distribute 5 Grams or More of Methamphetamine, in violation of 21 U.S.C. §§ 846, 841(a)(1), and (b)(1)(B), with an enhanced penalty for a prior conviction of a serious drug felony under 21 U.S.C. § 851. Based upon his prior convictions, Turner was determined to be a career offender.
According to filed court documents, in December of 2024, law enforcement became aware that Turner and his co-defendant, Mark Horton, were distributing methamphetamine, fentanyl, and other substances in Knoxville, Johnson City, and other areas within Northeast Tennessee. Turner had been issued a no trespass notice from Johnson City Housing Authority (JCHA) property in 2009 due to narcotics activity. On June 25, 2025, Turner was located on JCHA property and, when law enforcement approached Turner, he fled on foot and discarded his backpack. Officers recovered the abandoned backpack, which contained methamphetamine, fentanyl, and other drug paraphernalia. Turner also possessed a significant amount of U.S. currency when he was subsequently arrested.
Judge Corker previously sentenced co-defendant Horton, 63, of Johnson City, to a term of 140 months for his involvement in the drug conspiracy.
U. S. Attorney Francis M. Hamilton III, of the Eastern District of Tennessee; Special Agent in Charge Terence G. Reilly of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Nashville Field Office; and Special Agent in Charge Jim Scott of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Louisville Field Office.
The case was investigation by the Johnson City Police Department, the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, the FBI and the DEA.
Assistant United States Attorney AnCharlene Davis represented the United States.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
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Kingston Man Indicted for Threatening Employee of the Social Security AdministrationRead the Press Release
CONCORD – Kingston resident Kenton Juliano, 45, was indicted by a federal grand jury yesterday for seeking to influence a federal official by threat, U.S. Attorney Erin Creegan announces. He will appear in federal court in Concord on a later date.
According to the charging document, on June 26, 2026, Juliano threatened an employee of the Social Security Administration with the intent to impede, intimidate, or interfere with the employee while engaged in the performance of official duties and with intent to retaliate against such employee on account of the performance of official duties.
The charging statute provides a sentence of up to six years’ imprisonment. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
The details contained in the charging document are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
The Federal Protective Service led the investigation with valuable assistance provided by the Social Security Administration’s Office of Inspector General and Kingston Police Department. This case is being prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Heather Anderson.
Kearney Man Sentenced to More Than 26 Years for Child Pornography ChargesRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Lesley A. Woods announced that Paul J. Gray, 51, of Kearney, Nebraska, was sentenced on October 7, 2026, in federal court in Lincoln, Nebraska, for one count of receipt of child pornography and one count of possession of child pornography. United States District Judge Susan M. Bazis sentenced Gray to a total of 300 months’ imprisonment on the two counts. There is no parole in the federal system. After Gray’s release from prison, he will begin a lifetime term of supervised release. Gray was additionally ordered to pay $5,000 which will contribute to funds established for victims of these types of cases. Gray committed these crimes while he was on supervised release for a federal conviction for failure to register as a sex offender. District Judge Bazis sentenced Gray to 21 months’ imprisonment for violating the terms of his supervised release in that case. His sentences on the two cases were ordered to run consecutive for a total of 321 months’ imprisonment.
Gray is a sex offender who has had several prior convictions. Gray was previously convicted in June of 1996 for two counts of third-degree sexual assault without consent in Lincoln County, Nebraska. Both victims in that case were minors. On March 4, 2008, he was convicted for one count of production of child pornography involving a different minor. He was sentenced to 216 months’ imprisonment with five years of supervised release on that case. Lastly, on April 10, 2024, he was convicted for one count of failure to register as a sex offender and was sentenced to 12 months’ imprisonment with ten years of supervised release to follow. He began supervised release for that conviction at the end of December 2025.
On August 4, 2025, Gray’s probation officer conducted a visit and search at his apartment in Kearney. The probation officer located an unauthorized smart phone within Gray’s apartment. During a preview of the phone, the probation officer observed sexually explicit files of children. Gray’s unauthorized and authorized phones were seized and provided to the Kearney Police Department who received a search warrant to further examine the devices.
Investigators reviewed the devices. Device data for the unauthorized phone revealed it had been in Gray’s possession since June of 2025. Investigators found more than 7,300 images and more than 80 videos of child pornography on his unauthorized smart phone. In addition to the files, Gray’s web history on that phone contained more than 700 URLs relating to child pornography.
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 United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Kearney Police Department.
Kansas City Man Sentenced to 28 Years for Hobbs Act Robbery and Firearm ViolationsRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Kansas City, Mo. man was sentenced in federal court today for robbing 14 convenience stores and attempting to rob another convenience store, all at gunpoint.
Marquise L. North, 32, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Greg Kays to 28 years in federal prison without parole.
On March 25, 2026, North pleaded guilty to 14 counts of Hobbs Act robbery, one count of attempted Hobbs Act robbery, and two counts of brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence.
North brandished a firearm each time he entered 15 convenience stores to steal money between July 26, and Sept. 21, 2024. Of those 15 robberies, North pointed the firearm at 21 separate victims while demanding money.
North’s last robbery of the spree was on Sept. 21, 2024. He took the cash drawer from the business, which contained an active cash tracker. Kansas City, Missouri Police Department officers located North’s vehicle and attempted to stop him by activating their emergency lights and sirens. North refused to stop, and officers engaged in a vehicle pursuit. North’s vehicle eventually stopped after officers deployed stop sticks, however, North exited the driver’s door and ran on foot. Officers arrested North after a brief foot chase.
Two days later, investigators responded to the area of the pursuit to attempt to locate items North threw from his vehicle. Investigators discovered the firearm North used during the robberies was recovered by the University of Missouri – Kansas City Police Department the previous day. A citizen discovered the firearm while walking his dogs and turned it in to the police.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica L. Jennings. It was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Kansas City, Missouri Police Department, the Raytown, Missouri Police Department, and the Independence, Missouri Police Department.
Operation Take Back America
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
Justice Department and FBI Seize Vulnerability Scanning and Spear Phishing Tools Operated and Used by China-State Sponsored HackersRead the Press Release
Today the Justice Department and FBI announced court-authorized seizures to deny malicious cyber actors access to two hacking tools, “Microscan” and “FishHub,” used to scan and, in some cases, hack, U.S. and foreign critical infrastructure systems and other networks. As alleged in court documents unsealed in the Western District of Pennsylvania, malicious cyber actors working for Integrity Technology Group (Integrity Tech), a company based in the People’s Republic of China (PRC), operated and used the tools. Integrity Tech has contracts with the PRC government.
“The United States will not allow China or its proxies to operate against United States interests with impunity in cyberspace,” said Assistant Attorney General for National Security John A. Eisenberg. “The National Security Division will continue to respond decisively and use every tool at our disposal to disrupt the Flax Typhoon threats, dismantle the infrastructure sustaining them, and protect the critical networks that power our daily lives and on which our Nation’s security depends.”
“These state-sponsored hackers continue to aggressively target and access networks and systems throughout the world in an effort to identify and steal files and otherwise exploit victims’ vulnerabilities,” said U.S. Attorney Troy Rivetti for the Western District of Pennsylvania. “These seizures, our second disruption of Integrity Tech’s massive operations in as many years, send another clear message to cybercriminals from the PRC and elsewhere of the Department’s dedication to defending and maintaining cybersecurity in the United States and abroad.”
“Integrity Technology Group provided China-linked threat actors with capabilities used to conduct widespread vulnerability scanning and, in some cases, intrusions targeting U.S. and foreign critical infrastructure,” said Assistant Director Brett Leatherman of the FBI’s Cyber Division. “The PRC relies on contractor and enabling companies to expand the reach and scale of its malicious cyber activity. By exposing and disrupting these enablers, we make it harder for the PRC to target American networks and infrastructure.”
“Today’s seizures underscore the FBI’s unwavering commitment in disrupting PRC state-sponsored cyber criminals who threaten our critical infrastructure and national security,” said Special Agent in Charge Mark Remily of the FBI San Diego Field Office. “FBI San Diego and our law enforcement partners around the world will continue to employ the full force of our investigative authority to protect the American people and safeguard our networks from malicious foreign cyber actors.”
According to court documents, Integrity Tech created and used a botnet of internet-of-things devices infected with a variant of Mirai malware. Among other things, this botnet facilitated Integrity Tech’s computer vulnerability scanning using Microscan. Integrity Tech developed Microscan to conduct reconnaissance, via the botnet and otherwise, of victim computer networks for vulnerabilities that its clients would later exploit. Targets of Microscan vulnerability scanning include a U.S. power company based in South Carolina, a multi-national Non-Governmental Organization, Japanese and Polish airports, Taiwanese critical infrastructure companies in the natural gas and power sectors, and two Taiwanese universities. Integrity Tech accessed Microscan through one of the seized domains, c0cc[.]cc.
A second Integrity Tech tool, FishHub, is alleged to have facilitated the exploitation of computer networks through spear phishing. After an initial network compromise, FishHub downloaded additional malware to the victim network. This malware provided Integrity Tech’s clients with unauthorized remote access to the victim network or searched for specific files and sent them to servers controlled by Integrity Tech. Confirmed victims of FishHub activity included approximately 20 Taiwanese universities. Five of the seized domains helped deliver this malware: 98aicai[.]com, 98aicode[.]com, outlook3650[.]com, youtubecard[.]com, and linkedinns[.]net.
Today’s action marks the Department’s second public technical disruption of Integrity Tech’s hacking infrastructure. In September 2024, the Justice Department announced the court-authorized disruption of Integrity Tech’s Mirai malware botnet which consisted of more than 200,000 consumer devices in the United States and worldwide. In conjunction with the seizures announced today, the FBI, along with other U.S. and foreign-partner agencies, published a cyber security advisory. This advisory provides indicators-of-compromise associated with Integrity Tech intrusion activity and is designed to help network defenders identify and respond to Integrity Tech’s malicious activity.
The FBI San Diego and Baltimore Field Offices are investigating the case, in coordination with the FBI’s Cyber Division.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Brendan McKenna for the Western District of Pennsylvania and Trial Attorney Jacques Singer-Emery of the National Security Division’s National Security Cyber Section are prosecuting the case. Substantial assistance was provided by Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas Sullivan for the District of Maryland and the National Police Agency of Japan.
Note: View the affidavit here.
View the seizure warrant here.
Justice Department and FBI Seize Vulnerability Scanning and Spear Phishing Tools Operated and Used by China-State Sponsored HackersRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, the Justice Department and FBI announced court-authorized seizures, including seven domains, to deny access to “Microscan” and “FishHub,” two intrusion tools used by malicious cyber actors to scan and, in some cases, hack U.S. and foreign critical infrastructure systems and other networks. As alleged in court documents unsealed in the Western District of Pennsylvania, cyber actors working for Integrity Technology Group (Integrity Tech), a company based in the People’s Republic of China (PRC), operated and used the tools as part of their hacking activity known to the private sector as “Flax Typhoon.” Integrity Tech has contracts with the PRC government.
“These state-sponsored hackers continue to aggressively target and access networks and systems throughout the world in an effort to identify and steal files and otherwise exploit victims’ vulnerabilities,” said United States Attorney Troy Rivetti of the Western District of Pennsylvania. “These seizures, our second disruption of Integrity Tech’s massive operations in as many years, send another clear message to cybercriminals from the PRC and elsewhere of the Department’s dedication to defending and maintaining cybersecurity in the United States and abroad.”
“The United States will not allow China or its proxies to operate against United States interests with impunity in cyberspace,” said Assistant Attorney General for National Security John A. Eisenberg. “The National Security Division will continue to respond decisively and use every tool at our disposal to disrupt the Flax Typhoon threats, dismantle the infrastructure sustaining them, and protect the critical networks that power our daily lives and on which our Nation’s security depends.”
According to court documents, Integrity Tech created and used a network of internet-connected devices infected with a variant of Mirai malware. Among other things, this botnet employed the Microscan tool to conduct reconnaissance, via the botnet and otherwise, of victim computer networks for vulnerabilities that its clients would later exploit. Integrity Tech was able to access Microscan through one of the seized domains. Targets of Microscan vulnerability scanning included a U.S. power company based in South Carolina, a multi-national Non-Governmental Organization, Japanese and Polish airports, Taiwanese critical infrastructure companies in the natural gas and power sectors, and two Taiwanese universities.
A second Integrity Tech tool, FishHub, is alleged to have facilitated the exploitation of computer networks through spear phishing. After an initial network compromise, FishHub downloaded additional malware to the victim network. This malware, which was delivered through five of the seized domains, provided Integrity Tech’s clients with unauthorized remote access to the victim network or searched for specific files and sent them to servers controlled by Integrity Tech. Confirmed victims of FishHub activity included approximately 20 Taiwanese universities. Additionally, Integrity Tech used an unauthorized remote administration software tied to a seventh seized domain to connect several victims’ networks to an Integrity Tech server.
Today’s action marks the Department’s second public technical disruption of Integrity Tech’s hacking infrastructure. In September 2024, the Justice Department announced the court-authorized disruption of Integrity Tech’s Mirai malware botnet which consisted of more than 200,000 consumer devices in the United States and worldwide. In conjunction with the seizures announced today, the FBI, along with other U.S. and foreign-partner agencies, published a cyber security advisory. This advisory provides indicators-of-compromise associated with Integrity Tech intrusion activity and is designed to help network defenders identify and respond to Integrity Tech’s malicious activity.
“Integrity Technology Group provided China-linked threat actors with capabilities used to conduct widespread vulnerability scanning and, in some cases, intrusions targeting U.S. and foreign critical infrastructure,” said Assistant Director Brett Leatherman of the FBI’s Cyber Division. “The PRC relies on contractor and enabling companies to expand the reach and scale of its malicious cyber activity. By exposing and disrupting these enablers, we make it harder for the PRC to target American networks and infrastructure.”
“Today’s seizures underscore the FBI’s unwavering commitment in disrupting PRC state-sponsored cyber criminals who threaten our critical infrastructure and national security,” said Special Agent in Charge Mark Remily of the FBI San Diego Field Office. “FBI San Diego and our law enforcement partners around the world will continue to employ the full force of our investigative authority to protect the American people and safeguard our networks from malicious foreign cyber actors.”
The FBI San Diego and Baltimore Field Offices are investigating the case, in coordination with the FBI’s Cyber Division.
Assistant United States Attorney Brendan McKenna for the Western District of Pennsylvania and Trial Attorney Jacques Singer-Emery for the National Security Division’s National Security Cyber Section are prosecuting the case. Substantial assistance was provided by Assistant United States Attorney Thomas Sullivan for the District of Maryland and the National Police Agency of Japan.
Note: View the affidavit here.
View the seizure warrant here.
Justice Department Files Motions Defending a Rule Rescinding the Regulatory Definitions of “Harm” as It Relates to the Endangered Species ActRead the Press Release
The Justice Department’s Energy and Natural Resources Division (ENRD) yesterday filed motions for summary judgment in four cases defending challenges to a rule rescinding the regulatory definition of “harm” in U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) and National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) regulations implementing the Endangered Species Act (ESA). These cases, in the Northern District of California and the District of South Carolina, are the first in a series of similar challenges across the country to reach this stage of litigation.
“Regulatory overreach burdens American families and businesses, and these now-rescinded Endangered Species Act regulations are a prime example,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Adam Gustafson of ENRD. “The Department of Justice will continue vigorously defending President Trump’s efforts to uphold the Act as written and protect economic growth.”
According to the filings, what is at issue in all four cases is whether the ESA’s restriction on “take” of listed species requires an intentional, purposeful act directed against a particular animal. In the ESA, Congress defined “take” to include 10 verbs centered on intentional actions against individual animals, like hunt, shoot, wound, kill, and trap. But the FWS and NMFS interpreted one of those verbs, “harm,” in a way that allowed them to regulate actions that modify a species’ habitat.
The filings go on to say that the Supreme Court’s since-overruled Chevron doctrine deferred to certain agency interpretations of statutes, which led to the court’s decision to uphold the prior regulatory definitions of “harm” in the ESA. A dissent to that decision stated how the ESA’s plain language, structure, and history cut against such an overly broad reading. After the Supreme Court’s rejection of Chevron deference in its decision in Loper Bright Enterprises, the FWS and NMFS should interpret the statute according to its plain terms — which adopts the reasoning of that prior dissent — and decide to rescind the regulatory definitions of “harm” to return to the statutory text as written.
Attorneys from ENRD’s Wildlife and Marine Resources Section and Natural Resources Section are handling the matters.
Summary Judgment Motion – NWF v FWS.pdf Summary Judgment Motion – DW v FWS.pdf Summary Judgment Motion – CA v Interior.pdf Summary Judgment Motion - EPIC v NMFS.pdfJustice Department Files Complaint Against the City and County of Denver, Colorado Challenging Mask Ban and Identification Requirements for Federal OfficersRead the Press Release
Today, the Department of Justice filed a lawsuit against the City and County of Denver, Mayor Michael C. Johnston, City Attorney Michiko Ando Brown, and Police Chief Ronald Thomas, challenging their unconstitutional attempt to regulate federal law enforcement officers by prohibiting them from wearing masks and by requiring identification in the manner prescribed by D.R.M.C. §§ 28-300–28-303.
Not only does this law represent an illegal attempt to regulate the Federal Government, but, as alleged in the complaint, the law threatens the safety of federal officers who are already facing an unprecedented wave of harassment, doxxing, and even violence. Threatening officers with prosecution for simply protecting their identities and their families chills the enforcement of federal law and compromises sensitive law enforcement operations.
“Under the U.S. Constitution, the Supremacy Clause makes clear that states and localities do not have the authority to regulate the Federal Government,” said Associate Attorney General Stanley E. Woodward Jr. “And they certainly cannot enact laws that place the safety of federal law enforcement at risk and undermine federal operations. We will never tolerate the doxxing or harassment of federal officers, or any law like those in Denver that enable violent behavior against federal law enforcement officers and their families.”
“The Denver masking and identification ordinance directly regulates federal law enforcement operations and threatens severe consequences for officers and public safety alike,” said Assistant Attorney General Brett A. Shumate of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “The Federal Government gets to decide which equipment federal officers may or may not wear when performing their official duties.”
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 lawsuits brought by the Civil Division targeting illegal policies designed to thwart federal law enforcement across the country, including in Maryland, New York, Virginia, Connecticut, New Jersey, California, Philadelphia, and Milwaukee. Through this filing, the Department reaffirms that federal law enforcement operations cannot be compromised by state or local measures that violate federal law.
Jury finds repeat offender guilty of illegally possessing firearmRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ohio – A federal jury has convicted Davonta T. Flood, 30, of Columbus, of illegally possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. Flood is a repeat offender at both the federal and state levels.
The verdict was announced yesterday afternoon following a trial that began on Oct. 5 before U.S. District Judge Algenon L. Marbley.
According to court documents and trial testimony, in June 2026, deputies with the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office searched a residence used by Flood and recovered a firearm.
The sheriff’s office’s Special Investigations Unit had received a tip regarding narcotics activity at the residence on Wheatland Avenue. Upon executing a search warrant at the residence, officials discovered the firearm in a bedroom used by Flood between the mattress and the platform of the bed.
Flood had been released from the Bureau of Prisons for another conviction just one month prior to law enforcement searching the Hilltop residence he used. He was on federal supervised release at the time of his most recent crime.
As a previously convicted felon, Flood is prohibited from possessing firearms. His prior felony convictions include illegally possessing a firearm as a convicted felon and possessing with the intent to distribute fentanyl near a school. He also has state convictions for aggravated assault, weapon under disability, receiving stolen property and escape.
Flood was indicted by a federal grand jury in June.
Possessing a firearm as a previously convicted felon is a federal crime punishable by up to 15 years in prison. Sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the Court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors.
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); Franklin County Sheriff Dallas Baldwin and Columbus Police Chief Elaine Bryant announced the verdict. Assistant United States Attorneys Jennifer M. Rausch and Elizabeth A. Geraghty are representing the United States in this case.
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Jury Convicts Trio for Conspiracy to Commit Murder-for-HireRead the Press Release
Fort Myers, Florida – A federal jury has found Jesus Pujol Hernandez (Naples, 42), Miguel Marquez Romero (Naples, 30), and Paulo Sabon Montero (Naples, 55) guilty of conspiracy to commit murder-for-hire and use of interstate facilities for murder-for-hire. Each faces up to 20 years in federal prison. The sentencing hearings will be held on January 27, 2027. U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.
According to court records, testimony, and evidence presented at trial, in April 2025, the FBI was investigating Marquez in an unrelated investigation in the Southern District of Florida. On April 16, 2025, agents learned that Marquez had advised Sabon that he had a “sweet play” which involved a millionaire in Marco Island who wanted to kill their brother for $30,000. Marquez made plans to introduce Sabon to Hernandez—the person who put him onto the murder-for-hire—the following day. Sabon agreed and requested they receive payment upfront. As part of the investigation, FBI Miami coordinated with FBI Fort Myers and the Collier County Sheriff’s Office (CCSO) to monitor Marquez’s apartment in Naples. Marquez, Hernandez, Sabon, and another individual were later detained.
Upon arrest, the FBI searched Hernandez’s pockets and located a large printed out photograph of the intended victim. The FBI also located latex gloves, a mask, a bandana, and more than $2,300 in Marquez’s vehicle. Subsequent investigation also revealed that Hernandez was on the phone with the intended victim’s brother when the group had met up in a grocery store parking lot earlier.
This case was investigated by the FBI (Miami Field Office) and FBI (Fort Myers Resident Agency), with assistance from the Collier County Sheriff’s Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Matt Redavid, Jesus M. Casas, and Patrick Darcey.
Illinois Woman Sentenced to 31 Months in Prison for Distributing and Conspiring to Create and Distribute Sexual Torture and Mutilation Videos of Baby MonkeysRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Amanda Leigh Fourez, of Catlin, Illinois, was sentenced today to 31 months in prison and three years of supervised release in connection with her involvement with online groups dedicated to creating and distributing videos depicting acts of extreme violence and sexual abuse against monkeys in violation of the federal Animal Crushing statute.
United States District Judge Christy Criswell Wiegand imposed the sentence on Fourez, who pleaded guilty in April to distributing animal crush videos and conspiring with others to create and distribute the videos.
“Amanda Fourez commissioned mutilation of helpless animals on video, and then disseminated those gruesome videos to an online community of people who were seeking content that portrayed the infliction of severe pain and suffering,” said United States Attorney Troy Rivetti for the Western District of Pennsylvania. “Today’s sentencing demonstrates the ongoing commitment of the Department of Justice and our law enforcement partners to investigating and prosecuting these serious federal crimes involving cruelty to animals.”
According to Court documents and statements made during the sentencing hearing, Fourez paid thousands of dollars to commission bespoke sexual torture videos of monkeys, and later she distributed the obscene crush videos online. She was a member of several chat groups and private payment groups dedicated to the creation, distribution, and discussion of sexual and violent videos depicting monkeys being tortured, including baby and adult monkeys being burned and their genitals mutilated.
During the sentencing hearing, Judge Wiegand denied Fourez’s motion for a downward variance, and observed that the videos that Fourez created and distributed were “shocking and violent” and documented “agonizing torture” of animals. Judge Wiegand further noted that the sentence should deter others from this serious conduct.
Another member of these groups, Joseph Garrett Buckland, of Mount Pleasant, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to create and distribute animal crush videos in April and is set to be sentenced on Jan. 13, 2027, for his role in the conspiracy ring.
“We stand ready to prosecute this depraved conduct,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Adam Gustafson of the Justice Department’s Energy and Natural Resources Division (ENRD). “We appreciate the collaboration of HSI and the U.S. Attorney’s Office in rooting out this conspiracy and prosecuting the case.”
“The conduct in this case was unimaginably cruel and highlights the depraved nature of the online networks HSI is committed to dismantling,” said Special Agent in Charge Matt Wright of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) New Orleans. “HSI will continue to utilize advanced investigative techniques and vital law enforcement partnerships to track those who facilitate these heinous crimes across international borders.”
HSI New Orleans’ Cyber and Human Exploitation Investigations investigated the case.
Assistant United States Attorneys Alyssa R. Angotti and Kelly M. Locher for the Western District of Pennsylvania and Trial Attorney Emily R. Stone of ENRD’s Environmental Crimes Section are prosecuting the case.
Illegal alien from El Salvador sentenced to prison after three previous deportationsRead the Press Release
RICHMOND, Va. – A Salvadoran national was sentenced today to three years in prison for illegally reentering the United States after a felony conviction.
According to court documents, Marvin Alberto Escobar, 44, illegally entering the United States and on July 31, 2006, in Richmond Circuit Court, he was convicted of possession of cocaine. Escobar was sentenced to three years in prison, with all three years suspended. On Jan. 16, 2008, Escobar was convicted again in Richmond Circuit Court of possession of cocaine and sentenced to five years in prison, with four years and 10 months suspended. On Feb. 27, 2009, pursuant to a final order of removal, Escobar was deported to El Salvador.
Escobar has illegally reentered the United States and has been convicted in federal court of illegal reentry after a felony conviction in 2017, 2019, and his latest conviction in the Eastern District of Virginia on June 29. Escobar remains subject to a prior order of removal.
Theophani K. Stamos, First Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Robert Guadian, Field Office Director for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) Washington, D.C., made the announcement after sentencing by Senior U.S. District Judge Robert E. Payne.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Patrick J. McGorman prosecuted the case.
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. 3:25-cr-76.
Illegal Alien Sentenced to over 6 Years in Federal Prison for Assaulting, Resisting a Federal OfficerRead the Press Release
DEL RIO, Texas – An illegal alien from Mexico was sentenced in a federal court in Del Rio to 75 months in prison for assaulting a United States Border Patrol agent in 2024, announced U.S. Attorney Justin R. Simmons for the Western District of Texas.
According to court documents, on Sept. 4, 2024, Anastacio Hernandez-Hernandez, 45, was one of three illegal aliens encountered near Eagle Pass. The aliens ran in an attempt to escape after the agents identified themselves. One of the agents managed to tackle Hernandez-Hernandez but injured his right arm to the point where he was unable to bend it. Hernandez-Hernandez also kicked the agent in the head. An additional agent arrived and assisted in handcuffing Hernandez-Hernandez.
Hernandez-Hernandez was charged with one count of illegal re-entry on Oct. 2, 2024. A superseding indictment on Feb. 5, 2025, added the charge of assaulting, resisting, or impeding a federal officer. He pleaded guilty to the second count on May 19, 2025. Chief U.S. District Judge Alia Moses sentenced Hernandez-Hernandez on Oct. 7, 2026.
“Border Patrol agents, on a daily basis, courageously engage with illegal aliens with no regard for their own health or safety. If you assault one of these brave men and women, we will hold you accountable to the fullest extent of the law,” said U.S. Attorney Simmons. “Had this defendant complied with agents, he likely would have only faced an illegal re-entry charge. Instead, he chose to resist arrest and assault an agent, and now he’ll spend the next six-plus years in federal prison.”
The U.S. Border Patrol investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Warsame Galaydh prosecuted the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brett Miner handled the sentencing.
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.
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Illegal Alien Pleads Guilty to Unlawful ReentryRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Guadalupe Mancera-Cabello, a/k/a Guadalupe Mancera Cabello, a/k/a Guadalupe Mancer-Cabello, a/k/a Guadalupe Cabello Mancera, age 47, a Mexican national unlawfully present in Eufaula, Oklahoma, pleaded guilty to one count of Unlawful Reentry of Removed Alien, punishable by a term of imprisonment of not more than ten years, and a fine of not more than $250,000.00.
The charge arose from an investigation by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Immigration and Customs Enforcement Division and the Oklahoma Highway Patrol.
The Indictment alleged that on September 3, 2026, Mancera-Cabello, an alien, was found in the United States without obtaining the express consent of the Secretary of Homeland Security to reapply for admission to the United States after having been previously removed on October 26, 2020.
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 Honorable D. Edward Snow, Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, accepted the plea and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report.
A U.S. District Court Judge will determine the sentence to be imposed after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Mancera-Cabello will remain in the custody of the United States Marshals Service pending sentencing.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Edith A. Singer represented the United States.
Illegal Alien Pleads Guilty in Federal Court to Possession with Intent to Distribute 361 Pounds of MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
Edenilson Alexander Castaneda-Del Valle, age 19, of El Salvador, who is present in the United States without authorization, pleaded guilty before United States District Judge John W. deGravelles to possession with the intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine.
If convicted, Castaneda-Del Valle faces a sentence of imprisonment which may not be less than 10 years and up to life and a fine of up to $10,000,000.
According to admissions made during his plea, on February 7, 2026, a Livingston Parish Sheriff’s Criminal Patrol K-9 Deputy conducted a traffic stop on Interstate 12 on a 2017 Jaguar Model XE which was occupied by two individuals. The passenger was identified as Castaneda-Del Valle.
The deputy, having been previously informed by other law enforcement agencies that the 2017 Jaguar Model XE contained a hidden compartment or “trap,” which is commonly used to conceal illegal drugs or money, asked for consent to search the vehicle, which the driver granted. A U.S. Department of Homeland Security Task Force Officer (HSI-TFO) arrived to assist. Both officers quickly located the hidden trap under the vehicle’s center console.
In plain view in the back seat of the car were three backpacks, and one large black garbage bag. When the HSI-TFO moved the garbage bag to look for an additional entrance to the trap, he felt cabbage sized bundles through the outside of the plastic garbage bag and also detected a chemical order coming from the contents of the plastic bag. Based upon his training and experience, he immediately suspected the plastic bag contained contraband. After completing the seizure, it was determined that there were approximately 361 pounds of methamphetamine with a street value estimated at just under $4,000,000.
Additionally, officers found two digital scales, several boxes of plastic baggies, a box of plastic garbage bags that matched the plastic bags that contained the bundles in the green plastic film, a bag of rubber bands, and $7,155 in U.S. Currency. Approximately $5,000 of the currency, all $100 bills, was in three stacks, rubber-banded together. At least one of the stacks was in a backpack that also contained the driver’s license and El Salvadorian Passport for Castaneda Del Valle.
U.S. Attorney Kurt Wall praised the work of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security – Homeland Security Investigations, Livingston Parish Sheriff’s Office, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Lyman E. Thornton III.
“These agencies did an excellent job of intercepting those drugs. They quickly got the case to our office, and it was indicted within four days of the arrest,” Wall said. “Our priority is the total elimination of these drug trafficking organizations. We will move quickly and effectively to achieve those goals, and this is an example of what’s to come.”
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 New Orleans comprises agents and officers from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Homeland Security Investigations (HSl), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), and the United States Marshals Service (USMS), Us. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE-ERO), the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), the United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), the U.S. Coast Guard, Investigative Service (CGlS), U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Office of Field Operations (CBP OFO), U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Us. Border Patrol (CBP BP) with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney's Office for Middle District of Louisiana.
Hopkinton Man Indicted for Unlawful Possession of Ghost Guns and Almost 3,000 Rounds of AmmunitionRead the Press Release
CONCORD – Hopkinton resident Joshua Gragg, 39, was indicted yesterday by a federal grand jury as a felon in possession of firearms and ammunition, U.S. Attorney Erin Creegan announces.
According to the charging documents and public record, in September 2026, law enforcement searched Gragg’s residence and found multiple firearms in his bedroom, including at least three “ghost guns,” which are firearms that were manufactured using a 3D printer. Law enforcement also found almost 3,000 rounds of ammunition, 20 firearm suppressors, and 46 pistol frames. The pistol frames were also manufactured using a 3D printer.
The charge of felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition provides a maximum prison term of 15 years, a maximum fine of $250,000, and a term of supervised release of not more than 3 years. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes that govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
The details contained in the indictment are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Homeland Security Investigations led the investigation. The ATF provided valuable assistance. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexander S. Chen is prosecuting the case.