Latest Records
Newest first across public DOJ and U.S. Attorney press releases.
20 August 2026
Grand Jury for the District of Nebraska - August 2026Read the Press Release
United States Attorney Lesley A. Woods announced the federal Grand Jury for the District of Nebraska has returned 15 unsealed Indictments charging 16 defendants. Indictments are charging documents that contain one or more individual counts that are merely accusations, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
David Barrera Jr., age 48, of Omaha, Nebraska, is charged in a two-count Indictment. Count I charges Barrera Jr. with distribution of 50 grams or more of methamphetamine on or about September 16, 2025. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is not less than 10 years and up to life imprisonment, a $10,000,000 fine, a term of supervised release of not less than 5 years and up to life, and a $100 special assessment. Count II charges Barrera Jr. with distribution of 50 grams or more of methamphetamine on or about October 1, 2025. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is not less than 10 years and up to life imprisonment, a $10,000,000 fine, a term of supervised release of not less than 5 years and up to life, and a $100 special assessment. Count III charges Barrera Jr. with distribution of 50 grams or more of methamphetamine on or about December 10, 2025. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is not less than 10 years and up to life imprisonment, a $10,000,000 fine, a term of supervised release of not less than 5 years and up to life, and a $100 special assessment. Count IV charges Barrera Jr. with possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine on or about December 10, 2025. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is not less than 10 years and up to life imprisonment, a $10,000,000 fine, a term of supervised release of not less than 5 years and up to life, and a $100 special assessment.
Gurarppan Singh Gill, age 23, of Seward, Nebraska, is charged with possession with intent to distribute 5 kilograms or more of cocaine on or about May 27, 2026. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is not less than 10 years and up to life of imprisonment, a $10,000,000 fine, a term of supervised release of not less than 5 years and up to life, and a $100 special assessment.
John M. Dubray, III, age 40, and Jill C. Dubray, age 40, of Columbus, Nebraska, are charged in a six-count Indictment. Count I charges John Dubray and Jill Dubray with conspiracy to commit bank fraud beginning on October 1, 2015, through on or about August 31, 2022. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is up to 30 years of imprisonment, a $1,000,000 fine, a 5-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment. Count II charges John Dubray and Jill Dubray with bank fraud on or about October 1, 2015, through on or about December 31, 2017. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is up to 30 years of imprisonment, a $1,000,000 fine, a 5-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment. Count III charges John Dubray and Jill Dubray with bank fraud on or about January 1, 2019, through on or about December 31, 2020. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is up to 30 years of imprisonment, a $1,000,000 fine, a 5-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment. Count IV charges John Dubray and Jill Dubray with credit union fraud on or about February 1, 2020, through on or about September 30, 2020. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is up to 30 years of imprisonment, a $1,000,000 fine, a 5-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment. Count V charges John Dubray with theft, embezzlement and misapplication by a bank officer on October 1, 2015, through on or about May 30, 2022. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is up to 30 years of imprisonment, a $1,000,000 fine, a 5-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment. Count VI charges John Dubray with bank bribery on or about October 1, 2015, through on or about May 30, 2022. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is up to 30 years of imprisonment, a $1,000,000 fine, a 5-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.
Jennifer Marie Harlow, age 48, of Council Bluffs, Iowa, is charged with possession with intent to distribute 5 grams or more of methamphetamine on or about July 8, 2026. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is not less than 5 years and up to 40 years’ imprisonment, a $5,000,000 fine, a term of supervised release of not less than 4 years and up to life, and a $100 special assessment.
Jose Gerardo Ruiz Alonso, age 37, of Omaha, Nebraska, is charged in a two-count Indictment. Count I charges Ruiz Alonso with being an alien in possession of a firearm on or about July 10, 2026. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is up to 15 years of imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a 3-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment. Count II charges Ruiz Alonso with being an alien in possession of a firearm on or about July 21, 2026. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is up to 15 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a 3-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.
The following individuals were charged with being an alien, who previously had been excluded, deported and removed from the United States and were found in the United States, without the Attorney General of the United States or his designated successor having expressly consented to the defendant’s reapplication for admission into the United States:
Josue Isaac Ayala Melgar, age 40
Oscar Aguilar-Pablo, age 41
Luis Antonio Chavez Portillo, age 40
Abraham Gonzalez-Garcia, age 48
Migel Silvas-Ledesma, age 40
Jairo Garcia Murillo, age 44
Andres Ambrocio Perez, age 30
The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 2 years of imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a one-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.
The following individuals were charged with being an alien, who previously had been excluded, deported and removed from the United States following a felony conviction and were found in the United States, without the Attorney General of the United States or his designated successor having expressly consented to the defendant’s reapplication for admission into the United States:
Salvador Mora Cisneros, age 45
Antonio Manuel Lucero Reyes, age 63
The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 10 years of imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a 3-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment
The following individuals were charged with being an alien, who previously had been excluded, deported and removed from the United States following an aggravated felony conviction and were found in the United States, without the Attorney General of the United States or his designated successor having expressly consented to the defendant’s reapplication for admission into the United States:
Francisco Javier Ledesma Santa Cruz, age 36
The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 20 years of imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a 3-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.
Gainesville Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Unlawful Possession of FirearmsRead the Press Release
Gainesville, Florida – Kenneth Ellis Wetherington, 60, of Gainesville, Florida, was sentenced to 14 months in federal prison for one count of possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon. The sentence was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “Keeping firearms out of the hands of dangerous criminals, like this serial felon, is necessary to ensure the safety of our communities, and my office will continue to aggressively prosecute cases like these to ensure our citizens can enjoy the safe streets they deserve.”
Court documents reflect that on the evening of November 21, 2025, law enforcement was dispatched to an apartment complex in reference to multiple reports of shots fired. Upon further investigation, law enforcement learned that the defendant had discharged several “warning shots” from a firearm during a confrontation with other individuals on the property. Law enforcement detained the defendant and obtained a search warrant for his apartment, where they located a handgun, a shotgun, and multiple types of ammunition. The defendant is not permitted to have any firearms or ammunition because he has eleven felony convictions, including a prior conviction for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
“This sentence is a reminder that there are consequences for violating the law,” said Gainesville Police Chief Nelson Moya. “We will continue to work with our federal partners to hold those who illegally possess firearms accountable and help keep our community safe.”
The case involved an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Gainesville Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Adam Hapner prosecuted the case.
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.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndfl.
Four Members of the “War Room” Charged in Connection with $12M Medicaid Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
The Justice Department announced today the unsealing of a nine-count Indictment charging Louis Trejo, also known as “Machete;” Kenneth Garner, also known as “KG;” Harold Stevenson, also known as “Bazz;” and Erihk Belis, also known as “Eddie” with racketeering, violence in aid of racketeering, firearms, fraud, narcotics, and money laundering offenses for their roles in a wide ranging racketeering conspiracy involving the fabrication of transportation data used to support over at least $12 million of fraudulent Medicaid claims.
The defendants, members of a Bronx-based racketeering organization known as the “War Room,” logged fake rides for Medicaid patients to and from methadone clinics in the Bronx, paid recurring kickbacks to Medicaid patients in cash and drugs, and laundered millions of dollars in fraud proceeds obtained from the scheme. To protect and expand their racketeering conspiracy, Trejo, Garner, and other members of the War Room also engaged in violence against their rivals, including a Jan. 12, 2024, armed home invasion robbery of the leader of a rival fraud ring in Teaneck, New Jersey. Trejo, Garner, and Belis were arrested this morning and are expected to be arraigned today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Robert W. Lehrburger in Manhattan federal court. Stevenson remains at large. The case is assigned to District Judge John G. Koeltl.
“Today’s allegations underscore the troubling connection between benefits fraud and violent criminal networks,” said Assistant Attorney General Colin M. McDonald of the Justice Department’s National Fraud Enforcement Division. “As charged, the defendants are accused of targeting vulnerable patients, defrauding a critical healthcare program, and turning to violence to protect their fraudulent scheme. I commend the prosecutors and agents of the Southern District of New York for their dedicated work in bringing these serious allegations forward.”
“As alleged, members of the War Room perpetrated a massive fraud scheme that preyed upon the addiction of vulnerable Medicaid patients, defrauded a vital federal healthcare program, and caused over $12 million in losses to American taxpayers,” said U.S. Attorney Jamie McDonald for the Southern District of New York. “To protect and grow their scheme, War Room members allegedly peddled deadly drugs, committed an armed robbery against a rival fraud ring, and laundered their profits. Today’s arrests dismantled the War Room’s racketeering operation and demonstrate that we will relentlessly pursue those who defraud federal benefit programs and endanger our communities through drugs and violence.”
“These defendants are accused of masterminding a brazen scheme built on greed and exploitation, turning Medicaid-funded addiction treatment transportation into a multimillion-dollar criminal pipeline through fake ride data, GPS spoofing, kickbacks, narcotics, and money laundering,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Pete Gizas of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), New York Field Office. “Far from a victimless fraud, this alleged racketeering operation exploited vulnerable patients seeking treatment, stole from a taxpayer-funded healthcare program, and injected narcotics and violence into the criminal enterprise. When their profits were threatened, members of the ‘War Room’ allegedly escalated to armed violence, including with a home invasion during which victims were restrained, assaulted, cut, and held at gunpoint. As a co-leader of the Homeland Security Task Force, HSI New York will continue working relentlessly with our partners to expose violent fraud enterprises, disrupt their financial networks, and hold alleged perpetrators accountable.”
“The alleged scheme exploited individuals seeking addiction treatment and diverted millions in federal health care funds,” said Special Agent in Charge Naomi D. Gruchacz of the New York Regional Office of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “This investigation highlights our commitment to working with Homeland Security Investigations and other law enforcement partners to pursue fraudsters who undermine the Medicaid program and the needs of its enrollees.”
“Today’s arrests send a clear message: exploiting Medicaid for personal gain will not be tolerated,” said Inspector in Charge Ketty Larco-Ward of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), New York Division. “These individuals allegedly stole millions from a program designed to protect some of our most vulnerable citizens, and in doing so, betrayed the trust of the public. Postal Inspectors will defend against all types of fraudsters, and I commend the hard work and partnership of our federal and state partners to ensure all are held fully accountable under the law.”
“These defendants allegedly engaged in a systematic fabrication of data and kickbacks to steal over $12 million at the expense of New Yorkers in need,” said New York State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli. “Medicaid is a vital program, and my office will continue to work with law enforcement to hold people who try to defraud it accountable. I thank the United States Attorney and federal law enforcement for their work with my office to bring these defendants to justice.”
As alleged in the Indictment, from at least in or about 2023 through at least in or about 2025, the defendants, led by Trejo and Garner, operated the War Room, a criminal enterprise responsible for generating fake ride data used to support millions of dollars in fraudulent reimbursement claims to Medicaid for methadone clinic transportation services. The defendants operated out of an office in Trejo’s residence they referred to as the “War Room,” and engaged in, among other things, criminal acts involving wire fraud, healthcare fraud, violations of the Anti-Kickback Statute, narcotics distribution, robbery, firearms use, and money laundering.
To obfuscate their criminal activity, the defendants operated the War Room under the guise of a legitimate charity they called the “Forward Foundation.” In reality, the Forward Foundation was a front for the criminal activities of the War Room. An organizational chart drawn on a white board located inside Trejo’s residence, depicted below, identified each defendant’s nominal role. Trejo, identified as “Lou,” is the “CEO.” Garner, identified as “KG,” is the “COO.” Stevenson, identified as “Bazz,” is an “outreach member m[ana]g[e]r.” Belis, identified as “Erihk,” is “Vice President.”
Organizational chart drawn on a white board located inside Trejo’s residenceTo generate fake ride data to support fraudulent Medicaid claims, the defendants recruited Medicaid-eligible patients from methadone clinics located in the Bronx and Manhattan to sign up for medical transportation rides that are reimbursable by Medicaid, but which were not actually provided to the patients. The defendants entered the patients’ names and information into cellphones equipped with a ride-tracking application meant to be used by drivers to log actual rides. Members of the War Room then used the cellphones to log rides for the patients without providing any actual transportation services. To cover up the fact that the ride data was fabricated, the defendants used a GPS “spoofing” application to falsify the GPS coordinates associated with the pickup and drop-off locations, to make the location data appear as if the rides had been provided. In exchange for the use of the Medicaid patients’ enrollment information, the defendants paid the patients, who were meant to be receiving taxpayer-funded addiction treatment, weekly kickbacks in cash and drugs, including fentanyl and heroin.
Using these methods, the War Room’s fraud scheme generated data for hundreds of fake rides per week, which were provided to various collusive New York-area transportation companies, which in turn submitted the fake data to Medicaid to justify the fraudulent claims. The defendants were compensated by the transportation companies for whom they generated fake ride data and then laundered the proceeds to conceal their source and nature. The War Room’s fake rides scheme generated millions of dollars in fraudulent Medicaid claims for the transportation companies. For example, from in or about 2023 through in or about 2025, three transportation companies that made direct payments to the War Room collectively submitted over $12 million in “unmatched” Medicaid claims — that is, claims for medical transportation services for which no medical provider submitted corresponding claims reflecting actual medical services provided.
Multiple fraud rings competed for the same patients at the same methadone clinics. To protect the War Room’s profits and expand their reach, Trejo and Garner directed other members of the War Room to commit a home invasion robbery against the leader of a rival Medicaid fraud ring (Victim-1) at Victim-1’s home in Teaneck, New Jersey, believing that Victim‑1 kept millions of dollars in cash fraud proceeds and drugs inside his home. On or about Jan. 12, 2024, at the direction of Trejo and Garner, members of the War Room committed the violent home robbery. Masked and armed with a gun, members and associates of the War Room entered Victim-1’s residence while others waited outside as lookouts. Inside, the robbers used zip ties to tie up the occupants of the residence, including Victim‑1, pistol-whipped one of the occupants, intentionally cut Victim-1’s hands, and held the victims at gunpoint for multiple hours. The robbery crew did not find the large stash of cash or drugs that Garner and Trejo expected but fled with approximately $25,000 in cash and other assorted items.
A chart identifying the names, ages, charges, and maximum penalties for the defendants, each of whom resides in the Bronx, is set forth below.
The statutory minimum and maximum potential sentences in this case are prescribed by Congress and provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendants will be determined by a judge.
This case is being handled by the Office’s Narcotics Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys William C. Kinder, Mostafa Khairy, and Patrick J. Gallagher for the Southern District of New York are in charge of the prosecution.
CountDefendantsMinium & Maximum Penalties1. Racketeering ConspiracyLouis Trejo (43)
Kenneth Garner (48)
Harold Stevenson (59)
Erihk Belis (50)
Maximum sentence of life in prison2. Assault with a Deadly Weapon in Aid of RacketeeringLouis Trejo (43)
Kenneth Garner (48)
Maximum sentence of 20 years in prison3. Firearms UseLouis Trejo (43)
Kenneth Garner (48)
Mandatory minimum of seven years in prison
Maximum sentence of life in prison
4. Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud & Health Care FraudLouis Trejo (43)
Kenneth Garner (48)
Harold Stevenson (59)
Erihk Belis (50)
Maximum sentence of 20 years in prison5. Wire FraudLouis Trejo (43)
Kenneth Garner (48)
Harold Stevenson (59)
Erihk Belis (50)
Maximum sentence of 20 years in prison6. Health Care FraudLouis Trejo (43)
Kenneth Garner (48)
Harold Stevenson (59)
Erihk Belis (50)
Maximum sentence of 10 years in prison7. Conspiracy to Violate the Anti-Kickback StatuteLouis Trejo (43)
Kenneth Garner (48)
Harold Stevenson (59)
Erihk Belis (50)
Maximum sentence of five years in prison8. Narcotics ConspiracyLouis Trejo (43)
Kenneth Garner (48)
Maximum sentence of 20 years in prison9. Money Laundering ConspiracyLouis Trejo (43)
Kenneth Garner (48)
Harold Stevenson (59)
Maximum sentence of 20 years in prisonAn indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Four Members of the “War Room” Charged in Connection with $12 Million Medicaid Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Jamie McDonald, Assistant Attorney General of the Justice Department’s National Fraud Enforcement Division, Colin M. McDonald, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the New York Field Office of Homeland Security Investigations (“HSI”), Pete Gizas, Special Agent in Charge of the New York Regional Office of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (“HHS-OIG”), Naomi D. Gruchacz, Inspector in Charge of the New York Division of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service (“USPIS”), Ketty Larco-Ward, and Comptroller for the Office of the New York State Comptroller, Thomas P. DiNapoli, announced today the unsealing of a nine-count Indictment charging LOUIS TREJO, a/k/a “Machete,” KENNETH GARNER, a/k/a “KG,” HAROLD STEVENSON, a/k/a “Bazz,” and ERIHK BELIS, a/k/a “Eddie,” with racketeering, violence in aid of racketeering, firearms, fraud, narcotics, and money laundering offenses for their roles in a wide ranging racketeering conspiracy involving the fabrication of transportation data used to support over at least $12 million of fraudulent Medicaid claims. The defendants, members of a Bronx-based racketeering organization known as the “War Room,” logged fake rides for Medicaid patients to and from methadone clinics in the Bronx, paid recurring kickbacks to Medicaid patients in cash and drugs, and laundered millions of dollars in fraud proceeds obtained from the scheme. To protect and expand their racketeering conspiracy, TREJO, GARNER, and other members of the War Room also engaged in violence against their rivals, including a January 12, 2024, armed home invasion robbery of the leader of a rival fraud ring in Teaneck, New Jersey. TREJO, GARNER, AND BELIS were arrested this morning and are expected to be arraigned today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Robert W. Lehrburger in Manhattan federal court. STEVENSON remains at large. The case is assigned to District Judge John G. Koeltl.
“As alleged, members of the War Room perpetrated a massive fraud scheme that preyed upon the addiction of vulnerable Medicaid patients, defrauded a vital federal healthcare program, and caused over $12 million in losses to American taxpayers,” said U.S. Attorney Jamie McDonald. “To protect and grow their scheme, War Room members allegedly peddled deadly drugs, committed an armed robbery against a rival fraud ring, and laundered their profits. Today’s arrests dismantled the War Room’s racketeering operation and demonstrate that we will relentlessly pursue those who defraud federal benefit programs and endanger our communities through drugs and violence.”
“Today’s allegations underscore the troubling connection between benefits fraud and violent criminal networks,” said Assistant Attorney General Colin M. McDonald. “As charged, the defendants are accused of targeting vulnerable patients, defrauding a critical healthcare program, and turning to violence to protect their fraudulent scheme. I commend the prosecutors and agents of the Southern District of New York for their dedicated work in bringing these serious allegations forward.”
“These defendants are accused of masterminding a brazen scheme built on greed and exploitation, turning Medicaid-funded addiction treatment transportation into a multimillion-dollar criminal pipeline through fake ride data, GPS spoofing, kickbacks, narcotics, and money laundering,” said HSI Acting Special Agent in Charge Pete Gizas. “Far from a victimless fraud, this alleged racketeering operation exploited vulnerable patients seeking treatment, stole from a taxpayer-funded healthcare program, and injected narcotics and violence into the criminal enterprise. When their profits were threatened, members of the ‘War Room’ allegedly escalated to armed violence, including with a home invasion during which victims were restrained, assaulted, cut, and held at gunpoint. As a co-leader of the Homeland Security Task Force, HSI New York will continue working relentlessly with our partners to expose violent fraud enterprises, disrupt their financial networks, and hold alleged perpetrators accountable.”
“The alleged scheme exploited individuals seeking addiction treatment and diverted millions in federal health care funds,” said HHS-OIG Special Agent in Charge Naomi D. Gruchacz. “This investigation highlights our commitment to working with Homeland Security Investigations and other law enforcement partners to pursue fraudsters who undermine the Medicaid program and the needs of its enrollees.”
“Today’s arrests send a clear message: exploiting Medicaid for personal gain will not be tolerated,” said USPIS Inspector in Charge Ketty Larco-Ward. “These individuals allegedly stole millions from a program designed to protect some of our most vulnerable citizens, and in doing so, betrayed the trust of the public. Postal Inspectors will defend against all types of fraudsters, and I commend the hard work and partnership of our federal and state partners to ensure all are held fully accountable under the law.”
“These defendants allegedly engaged in a systematic fabrication of data and kickbacks to steal over $12 million at the expense of New Yorkers in need,” said New York State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli. “Medicaid is a vital program, and my office will continue to work with law enforcement to hold people who try to defraud it accountable. I thank the United States Attorney and federal law enforcement for their work with my office to bring these defendants to justice.”
As alleged in the Indictment:(1)
From at least in or about 2023 through at least in or about 2025, the defendants, led by TREJO and GARNER, operated the War Room, a criminal enterprise responsible for generating fake ride data used to support millions of dollars in fraudulent reimbursement claims to Medicaid for methadone clinic transportation services. The defendants operated out of an office in TREJO’s residence they referred to as the “War Room,” and engaged in, among other things, criminal acts involving wire fraud, healthcare fraud, violations of the Anti-Kickback Statute, narcotics distribution, robbery, firearms use, and money laundering.
To obfuscate their criminal activity, the defendants operated the War Room under the guise of a legitimate charity they called the “Forward Foundation.” In reality, the Forward Foundation was a front for the criminal activities of the War Room. An organizational chart drawn on a white board located inside TREJO’s residence, depicted below, identified each defendant’s nominal role. TREJO, identified as “Lou,” is the “CEO.” GARNER, identified as “KG,” is the “COO.” STEVENSON, identified as “Bazz,” is an “outreach member m[ana]g[e]r.” BELIS, identified as “Erihk,” is “Vice President.”
To generate fake ride data to support fraudulent Medicaid claims, the defendants recruited Medicaid-eligible patients from methadone clinics located in the Bronx and Manhattan to sign up for medical transportation rides that are reimbursable by Medicaid, but which were not actually provided to the patients. The defendants entered the patients’ names and information into cellphones equipped with a ride-tracking application meant to be used by drivers to log actual rides. Members of the War Room then used the cellphones to log rides for the patients without providing any actual transportation services. To cover up the fact that the ride data was fabricated, the defendants used a GPS “spoofing” application to falsify the GPS coordinates associated with the pickup and drop-off locations, to make the location data appear as if the rides had been provided. In exchange for the use of the Medicaid patients’ enrollment information, the defendants paid the patients, who were meant to be receiving taxpayer-funded addiction treatment, weekly kickbacks in cash and drugs, including fentanyl and heroin.
Using these methods, the War Room’s fraud scheme generated data for hundreds of fake rides per week, which were provided to various collusive New York-area transportation companies, which in turn submitted the fake data to Medicaid to justify the fraudulent claims. The defendants were compensated by the transportation companies for whom they generated fake ride data and then laundered the proceeds to conceal their source and nature. The War Room’s fake rides scheme generated millions of dollars in fraudulent Medicaid claims for the transportation companies. For example, from in or about 2023 through in or about 2025, three transportation companies that made direct payments to the War Room collectively submitted over $12 million in “unmatched” Medicaid claims—that is, claims for medical transportation services for which no medical provider submitted corresponding claims reflecting actual medical services provided.
Multiple fraud rings competed for the same patients at the same methadone clinics. To protect the War Room’s profits and expand their reach, TREJO and GARNER directed other members of the War Room to commit a home invasion robbery against the leader of a rival Medicaid fraud ring (“Victim-1”) at Victim-1’s home in Teaneck, New Jersey, believing that Victim‑1 kept millions of dollars in cash fraud proceeds and drugs inside his home. On or about January 12, 2024, at the direction of TREJO and GARNER, members of the War Room committed the violent home robbery. Masked and armed with a gun, members and associates of the War Room entered Victim-1’s residence while others waited outside as lookouts. Inside, the robbers used zip ties to tie up the occupants of the residence, including Victim‑1, pistol-whipped one of the occupants, intentionally cut Victim-1’s hands, and held the victims at gunpoint for multiple hours. The robbery crew did not find the large stash of cash or drugs that GARNER and TREJO expected but fled with approximately $25,000 in cash and other assorted items.
* * *
A chart identifying the names, ages, charges, and maximum penalties for the defendants, each of whom resides in the Bronx, is set forth below.
The statutory minimum and maximum potential sentences in this case are prescribed by Congress and provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendants will be determined by a judge.
Mr. McDonald praised the outstanding investigative work of Homeland Security Investigations, the Office of the Inspector General of the Department of Health and Human Services, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the New York City Police Department, the Office of the New York State Comptroller, and the Bergen County, New Jersey Prosecutor’s Office (“BCPO”), the BCPO Special Investigations Squad, the Teaneck, New Jersey Police Department, as well as the Special Agents and Task Force Officers assigned to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York.
This case is being handled by the Office’s Narcotics Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys William C. Kinder, Mostafa Khairy, and Patrick J. Gallagher are in charge of the prosecution.
The charges contained in the Indictment are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
CountDefendantsMinium & Maximum PenaltiesLOUIS TREJO (43)
KENNETH GARNER (48)
HAROLD STEVENSON (59)
ERIHK BELIS (50)
Maximum sentence of life in prisonLOUIS TREJO (43)
KENNETH GARNER (48)
Maximum sentence of 20 years in prisonLOUIS TREJO (43)
KENNETH GARNER (48)
Mandatory minimum of seven years in prison
Maximum sentence of life in prison
LOUIS TREJO (43)
KENNETH GARNER (48)
HAROLD STEVENSON (59)
ERIHK BELIS (50)
Maximum sentence of 20 years in prisonLOUIS TREJO (43)
KENNETH GARNER (48)
HAROLD STEVENSON (59)
ERIHK BELIS (50)
Maximum sentence of 20 years in prisonLOUIS TREJO (43)
KENNETH GARNER (48)
HAROLD STEVENSON (59)
ERIHK BELIS (50)
Maximum sentence of 10 years in prisonLOUIS TREJO (43)
KENNETH GARNER (48)
HAROLD STEVENSON (59)
ERIHK BELIS (50)
Maximum sentence of five years in prisonLOUIS TREJO (43)
KENNETH GARNER (48)
Maximum sentence of 20 years in prisonLOUIS TREJO (43)
KENNETH GARNER (48)
HAROLD STEVENSON (59)
Maximum sentence of 20 years in prison^
As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Indictment and the description of the Indictment set forth herein constitute only allegations, and every fact described should be treated as an allegation.
Founder of Fashion Tech Company CaaStle Sentenced to Five Years in Prison for $300 Million Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Jamie McDonald, announced today that CHRISTINE HUNSICKER was sentenced to five years in prison for securities fraud. HUNSICKER previously pled guilty to one count of securities fraud in connection with a scheme to defraud hundreds of investors in CaaStle, a retail-technology business before U.S. District Judge J. Paul Oetken, who imposed today’s sentence.
“Christine Hunsicker perpetrated a large-scale fraud at CaaStle, falsely promoting her fashion-tech startup as a billion-dollar success when it was a counterfeit,” said U.S. Attorney Jamie McDonald. “Using forged documents and fabricated audits, Hunsicker stole $300 million from unwitting investors who believed her falsehoods. Besides harming investors in private markets, fraud in the startup space stunts growth and dims innovation. The women and men of this Office will work tirelessly to protect those investors and ensure integrity in those markets, so that innovation can thrive, and those who seek to undermine the integrity of those markets will face justice.”
According to the Indictment and other information in the public record:
Between 2019 and 2025, HUNSICKER, a well-known entrepreneur and businessperson in the fashion-tech industry, orchestrated a massive fraud scheme in which she duped investors into giving her nearly $300 million for CaaStle, a retail technology company she founded and led as CEO. While promoting CaaStle as a rapidly growing business valued at more than $1.4 billion, HUNSICKER knew that CaaStle was in financial distress with dwindling cash and significant expenses. To raise capital for CaaStle’s operations, HUNSICKER provided investors with falsified income statements, fake audited financial statements, fictitious bank records, and sham corporate documents that grossly overstated CaaStle’s operating profit, revenue, and available cash. She also misrepresented to investors that their funds would be used to purchase discounted shares from existing shareholders who needed liquidity, when in fact she fabricated the existence of those shareholders and used the money as new capital for CaaStle while concealing the company’s cash needs.
When confronted by an audit firm in October 2023 about transmitting a fake audit to an investor, HUNSICKER lied, falsely claiming that she had created the fake audit in connection with a lecture she gave at Princeton University, and that sending the audit to the investor had been a one-time error. She later repaid that investor to prevent the public disclosure of her fraud and continued furnishing fake financials to investors. In 2024, HUNSICKER also falsified the signatures of two prominent Board directors to make it appear that the Board had authorized the grant of stock options to another investor, raising more than $20 million for CaaStle.
In October 2024, HUNSICKER provided yet another investor with a fake draft audit. HUNSICKER tried to pay off that investor, but he refused. In December 2024, the CaaStle Board removed HUNSICKER as Chair and prohibited her from soliciting investments. Undeterred, HUNSICKER continued her fraudulent activities. She raised, and attempted to raise, new capital for CaaStle and P180, a related business venture. In February 2025, HUNSICKER attempted to sell an additional $19 million of her CaaStle shares to another investor. HUNSICKER persisted in her deceptive practices even after law enforcement agents seized her electronic devices in March 2025, continuing to meet with the investor about a fake audit without revealing its fraudulent nature, her removal from the Board, or the prohibition against her selling shares. CaaStle filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy on June 20, 2025.
* * *
In addition to the prison term, HUNSCIKER, 49, of Lafayette, New Jersey, was sentenced to three years of supervised release. HUNSICKER was ordered to pay forfeiture and restitution to her victims, each in the amount of $283,291,940.
Mr. McDonald praised the outstanding work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Mr. McDonald also thanked the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission for its assistance in the investigation.
The case is being handled by the Office’s Securities and Commodities Fraud Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Marguerite B. Colson and Alexandra N. Rothman are in charge of the prosecution
Former Owner of Telemedicine Companies Sentenced to Two Years in Prison for $110 Million Medicare Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
BOSTON – The former owner of Expansion Media (Expansion) and Hybrid Management Group (Hybrid) was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for a $110 million telemedicine fraud scheme involving medically unnecessary durable medical equipment (DME), including orthotics such as back and knee braces.
Steven Richardson, 42, of Port St. Lucie, Fla., was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Nathaniel M. Gorton to two years in prison, to be followed by two years of supervised release. In April 2024, Richardson pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit health care fraud. Richardson was charged in February 2024.
Between March 2016 and January 2023, Richardson, through his companies Expansion and Hybrid, entered into business relationships with telemarketing companies that generated leads by targeting Medicare beneficiaries. The telemarketers then paid Expansion and Hybrid on a per-order basis to generate orders for DME for these beneficiaries. To arrange for these orders to be signed, Richardson worked with medical staffing companies—including one in Massachusetts—to find doctors and nurses who were willing to review and sign prepopulated orders, typically without any contact with the beneficiaries. The records falsely portrayed the medical providers as having performed a legitimate examination of the beneficiary. Richardson then provided the signed orders to the telemarketing companies, which sold the orders to DME suppliers. Richardson knew that these DME suppliers would use the signed orders to submit claims to Medicare for DME that was medically unnecessary, based on false documentation and tainted by kickbacks.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Roberto Coviello, Special Agent in Charge at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General; Ted E. Docks, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigations, Boston Division; Justin Page, Acting Inspector in Charge, United States Postal Inspection Service, Boston Division; Kelly M. Lawson, Acting Regional Director, U.S. Department of Labor, Employee Benefits Security Administration, Boston Regional Office; and Jessica Herrington, Special Agent in Charge, Defense Criminal Investigation Service, Northeast Field Office made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Alexandra Brazier and Lindsey Ross of the Affirmative Civil Enforcement Unit prosecuted the case.
Former Massachusetts National Guardsman Sentenced to over Six Years in Prison for Possession and Distribution of Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A former Master Sergeant of the 102 Security Forces of the Massachusetts National Guard stationed in Sandwich, Mass., was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Boston for possession and distribution of child sexual abuse material (CSAM).
Nicholas Wells, 45, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Indira Talwani to 78 months in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release. In September 2025, Wells pleaded guilty to possession and distribution of child pornography. He was indicted by a federal grand jury in September 2024.
Wells engaged in chats on a messaging application, in which he discussed his interest in minors and distributed videos depicting child pornography. Over 300 images and 100 videos depicting child pornography were located on his phone. It was also determined that Wells distributed over 70 videos depicting child pornography, some of which involved infants.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Ted E. Docks, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division made the announcement. Valuable assistance was provided by the Massachusetts State Police and the Barnstable and Sandwich Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian J. Sullivan of the Criminal Division prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
Former Immigration Services Officer Charged with Defrauding UnionRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A former Immigration Services Officer was charged and has agreed to plead guilty to stealing more than $60,000 from a labor union over the course of five years.
Carol A. Aguja, 55, of Reading, Mass., was charged with wire fraud. A plea hearing has not yet been scheduled by the Court.
According to court documents, Aguja was an Immigration Services Officer employed by the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). Between approximately 2015 and August 2024, Aguja also served as Treasurer of the American Federation of Government Employees Local 38 (AFGE Local 38), a labor organization that represented USCIS employees who lived in Massachusetts, Rhode Island and New Hampshire.
The charging document alleges that, between 2019 and 2024, Aguja defrauded AFGE Local 38 by siphoning funds from the union bank account to pay for her own personal and non-union related expenses. As part of her fraud scheme, Aguja is also alleged to have paid union expenses out of her personal accounts and commingled union and personal funds to conceal her embezzlement. Specifically, Aguja is alleged to have used the AFGE Local 38 credit card to pay approximately $12,508 for personal expenses such as restaurant meals, bills, clothing and dance lessons. She is further alleged to have made 128 cash withdrawals totaling over $23,700 from the AFGE Local 38 account, and to have transferred over $25,000 from the AFGE Local 38 account to her personal accounts. Aguja is alleged to have falsified annual forms regarding the union finances that AFGE Local 38 was required to submit to the United States Department of Labor-Management Standards, in order to conceal her fraud.
The charge of wire fraud provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss, whichever is greater, restitution, and forfeiture. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Jonathan Russo, District Director, U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Labor-Management Standards; and Inspector General Joseph V. Cuffari, Ph.D., U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Office of Inspector General made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kristina E. Barclay of the Public Corruption & Special Prosecutions Unit is prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the charging document are allegations. The defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in the court of law.
Former Georgia Correctional Officer Cadet Sentenced for Meth SmugglingRead the Press Release
MACON, Ga. – A former Georgia correctional officer cadet who attempted to bring more than a half kilogram of unadulterated methamphetamine into Dooly State Prison for an inmate was sentenced to serve 10 years in prison for his crime.
"The penalties are steep when trusted members of the prison system smuggle contraband behind bars, as this exponentially increases the danger for everyone both inside and outside the prison walls," said U.S. Attorney William R. "Will" Keyes. "We are grateful to the dedicated correctional officers who protect the safety and security of our prisons each day, often under challenging circumstances. Their commitment and professionalism are essential to maintaining order and upholding justice.”
“The GDC does not tolerate actions of individuals who choose to bring discredit to the values of our agency and jeopardize our non-negotiable mission of public safety,” said GDC Commissioner Tyrone Oliver. “We appreciate the support of our federal partners in ensuring that justice will be served on this former cadet, and we are proud of those officers involved who were diligent in stopping the introduction of dangerous contraband into one of our facilities.”
“This case is a clear example of why accountability matters. A person entrusted with becoming a correctional officer chose instead to participate in the smuggling of methamphetamine into a prison,” said Jae W. Chung, Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Atlanta Field Division. “That conduct threatens the safety and security of the entire correctional system. Working together with our law enforcement partners, we will continue to identify those who attempt to bring dangerous drugs behind prison walls and ensure they face the consequences of their actions.”
Julius Deshawn Williams Jr., 29, of Bonaire, Georgia, was sentenced to serve 120 months in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release by U.S. District Judge C. Ashley Royal on Aug. 19, after he pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine on Dec.1, 2025. There is no parole in the federal system.
According to statements referenced in court, Williams was a cadet undergoing training to become a correctional officer at Dooly State Prison. On June 24, 2024, when Georgia Department of Corrections (GDC) officers conducted the security check and shake-down required of every person attempting to enter the facility, they found four packages containing methamphetamine wrapped in black tape and hidden in the defendant’s pants. Next, his vehicle was searched, and GDC officers found four more packages of methamphetamine wrapped in black electrical tape and a pistol. Williams admitted he was attempting to bring the drugs into the prison to give to an inmate. The packages contained 640 grams of methamphetamine with 100% purity.
The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the Georgia Department of Corrections (GDC) investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Travis Lynes prosecuted the case for the Government.
Former Chicago School Principal and Two Others Sentenced to Federal Prison in Connection with Million-Dollar Procurement Fraud SchemesRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — A former Chicago school principal and two others have been sentenced to federal prison for their roles in procurement fraud schemes that defrauded a pair of school systems and a non-profit organization out of more than $1 million.
BRIAN METCALF, KIMBERLY MADDOX, and JAMES DARNELL CAMPBELL schemed to illegally profit from various roles Metcalf held in school systems in Chicago and Indianapolis, as well as a non-profit corporation. Over the course of nearly ten years, Metcalf and Maddox falsely claimed that Maddox or her spouse were providing services to the schools and the non-profit corporation, when in reality, no such services were provided. As a result of Metcalf’s and Maddox’s fraud, the school systems and the non-profit organization paid Maddox nearly $700,000, which she split with Metcalf.
While Metcalf and Maddox were engaging in their fraud, Campbell, who worked as a consultant, approached Metcalf and said he wanted to join the scheme. At that time Metcalf was serving as the superintendent of a school system in Indianapolis. Metcalf caused the Indianapolis school system to pay Campbell nearly $400,000 based on bogus invoices for consulting work that was never performed. Campbell split those fraud proceeds with Metcalf.
Metcalf, 52, of Baltimore, Md., Maddox, 55, of Matteson, Ill., and Campbell, 59, of Frankfort, Ill., pleaded guilty to federal wire fraud charges. On Wednesday, U.S. District Judge Lindsay C. Jenkins sentenced Metcalf to a year and a day in federal prison. Last month, Judge Jenkins sentenced Maddox to two years in prison and Campbell to a year and a day. All three defendants were ordered to pay restitution totaling $1,099,200.
The sentences were announced by Andrew S. Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois; Michael Pritchard, the Official Performing the Duty of Inspector General for AmeriCorps; Scott Wingle, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Education Office of Inspector General’s Central Regional Office; and Philip Wagenknecht, Inspector General for Chicago Public Schools. The U.S. Small Business Administration participated in the investigation. The government was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer Chang.
“When officials defraud school systems, they are eroding trust and stealing from the very futures they are meant to protect,” said U.S. Attorney Boutros. “Holding individuals accountable when they exploit their positions for personal gain sends a strong message that such betrayal will not be tolerated and even more, that the Chicago U.S. Attorney’s Office and federal law enforcement will work hard to protect the integrity of our education system and to ensure that taxpayer funds are properly safeguarded.”
“The outcome of this case serves as a strong deterrent to anyone considering similar criminal acts,” said AmeriCorps OIG Official Pritchard. “Those who steal from organizations funded by federal support will face serious consequences. AmeriCorps OIG is committed to working closely with our law enforcement partners to uncover and address such misconduct. We extend our sincere gratitude to the U.S. Department of Education OIG, the Small Business Administration OIG, and the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Illinois for their unwavering cooperation and dedication to the pursuit of justice.”
“I am proud of the work of OIG Special Agents and our law enforcement partners in holding these individuals accountable for their criminal actions,” said DOE-OIG Acting SAC Wingle. “And rest assured that we will continue to aggressively pursue those who misappropriate education funds or try to game the system for their own selfish purposes. Our nation’s students and taxpayers deserve nothing less.”
“Administrators who use their position to enrich themselves and deprive CPS families of critical resources will not be tolerated, and neither will vendors who steal from CPS,” said Inspector General Wagenknecht. “CPS OIG investigators are committed to rooting out fraud and corruption in the school district, and we greatly appreciate the work of our law enforcement partners in holding these individuals accountable.”
Finance Director Charged with Insider TradingRead the Press Release
United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Jamie McDonald, and Assistant Director in Charge of the New York Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), James C. Barnacle, Jr., announced today the unsealing of an Indictment charging JESSE MITCHELL with securities fraud. The charges arise from an alleged insider trading scheme in which MITCHELL traded on misappropriated material nonpublic information ahead of public earnings announcements by his then-employer, The Trade Desk (“TTD”) and, as a result, generated more than $338,000 in profits. MITCHELL was arrested today and will be presented in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California. The case has been assigned to U.S. District Judge Jennifer H. Rearden.
“Jesse Mitchell allegedly stole confidential information from his employer and made more than $300,000 in illegal trades,” said U.S. Attorney Jamie McDonald. “Confidential information is not a personal profit opportunity, and today’s unsealing of the indictment makes that clear. Importantly, insider trading not only harms investors and the companies from which the information was misappropriated, it undermines the public’s trust in our markets. This Office will continue to combat insider trading in order to vindicate victims’ rights and ensure the integrity of our markets.”
“Jesse Mitchell’s alleged insider trading is fundamentally wrong,” said FBI Assistant Director in Charge James C. Barnacle, Jr. “FBI New York's Financial Crimes Task Force is working every day to identify and investigate financial crimes, including insider trading. In alignment with the Vice President’s Fraud Task Force, FBI New York will continue working diligently to protect the public from fraud in all its forms.”
According to the allegations in the Indictment:(1)
Around June 2024, MITCHELL began working at TTD, a publicly-traded multinational technology company, as a Senior Director in TTD’s financial planning and analysis team. In that role, MITCHELL had access to TTD’s confidential financial information and results, including revenue and earnings results and other financial metrics, before they were publicly disclosed. By virtue of his employment, MITCHELL owed a duty of trust and confidence to TTD and was prohibited from misusing or disclosing TTD’s confidential information for personal gain. MITCHELL was also prohibited by company policy from trading in any security while in possession of material nonpublic information relating to that security; trading in TTD securities during quarterly “blackout” periods preceding earnings announcements; and trading TTD options, including put or call options.
In August 2024, TTD published financial results for the second quarter of 2024 that exceeded its previously disclosed revenue estimate. Following the announcement, TTD’s stock price increased approximately 12%. During a trading blackout period in advance of TTD’s earnings announcement, MITCHELL purchased TTD stock. At the time, MITCHELL was aware of TTD’s nonpublic quarterly financial results. After TTD’s public earnings announcement, MITCHELL sold the shares, netting approximately $19,696.11 in profits from his illegal trading.
In February 2025, TTD published financial results for the fourth quarter of 2024 that fell below its previously disclosed revenue estimate. This marked the first time TTD had missed revenue expectations since going public in 2016. Following the announcement, TTD’s stock price dropped approximately 30%. During a trading blackout period in advance of TTD’s earnings announcement, MITCHELL purchased TTD put options. At the time, MITCHELL was aware of TTD’s nonpublic quarterly financial results. After TTD’s public earnings announcement MITCHELL sold all his TTD put options, realizing approximately $318,362.45 in profits from his illegal trading.
* * *
MITCHELL, 48, of Ventura, CA, is charged with one count of securities fraud under Title 15, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison; and one count of securities fraud under Title 18, which carries a maximum sentence of 25 years in prison.
The maximum potential sentences in this case are prescribed by Congress and provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the judge.
Mr. McDonald thanked the FBI. Mr. McDonald further thanked the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority.
This case is being handled by the Office’s Securities and Commodities Fraud Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Justin V. Rodriguez and Christy Slavik are in charge of the prosecution.
The charges contained in the Indictment are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
^
As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Indictment and the description of the Indictment set forth herein constitute only allegations, and every fact described therein should be treated as an allegation.
Farmington Resident Sentenced to 70 Months in Prison for Distributing and Possessing Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, Pa. - A resident of Farmington, Pennsylvania, was sentenced in federal court to 70 months of imprisonment, to be followed by 10 years of supervised release on his convictions of distribution of a visual depiction of a minor engaged in sexually explicit conduct and possession of material depicting the sexual exploitation of minors, United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.
United States District Judge Marilyn J. Horan imposed the sentence on Nathan Fike, 41, on August 20, 2026.
According to the information presented to the Court, on or about October 4, 2023, Fike distributed a video depicting a prepubescent minor engaged in sexually explicit conduct to an undercover agent of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force in Jacksonville, Florida. Then, on February 9, 2024, the FBI executed a federal search warrant on the defendant’s residence and discovered he was in possession of approximately 156 images and 63 videos depicting the sexual exploitation of minors, some of whom were prepubescent or minors who had not attained 12 years of age.
Assistant United States Attorney V. Joseph Sonson prosecuted this case on behalf of the United States.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigation that led to the successful prosecution of Fike.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals, who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Dallas man indicted for multi-million-dollar bank and wire fraud schemeRead the Press Release
DALLAS — United States Attorney for the Northern District of Texas, Ryan Raybould, announced that a Dallas man was charged Aug. 19 in a sweeping, multi‑count indictment alleging he defrauded banks and individual lenders out of more than $20 million.
A federal grand jury returned a six‑count indictment against Garrett Douglas Johnson, 41, charging him with five counts of bank fraud and one count of wire fraud.
“As alleged, Mr. Johnson repeatedly falsified his financial records to obtain millions in loans, inflicting significant losses on banks and private lenders,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan Raybould. “This conduct strikes at the integrity of our banking system and financial markets, institutions that are foundational to North Texas’s rapid economic expansion and its emergence as a national center for the financial industry. As more companies and financial firms relocate to the region, maintaining trust in these markets is indispensable to sustaining that growth. We will continue to aggressively pursue major financial fraud cases and hold accountable those who threaten the strength and stability of our financial system.”
According to the indictment, Johnson, who maintained residences in Dallas, Texas, and Kingston and Edmond, Oklahoma, held himself out as the manager, owner, or partner of several business entities, including Federal Employee Services, LLC; American Select Partners, LLC; Marina Del Rey, LLC; Hard Knox Holdings, LLC; Hilyard Capital, LLC; Sloan Ventures, LLC; 30Days Holdings, LLC; Jet Texas Oil, LLC; Jett Holdings, LLC; and Blue Duck Energy, LTD.
The indictment alleges that from 2018 through 2024, Johnson engaged in a long‑running scheme in which he secured loans by submitting falsified financial documents, overstated revenue claims and fabricated trust‑account balances. In many cases, prosecutors say Johnson failed to disclose substantial existing loan obligations while claiming to hold millions of dollars in escrowed funds in law‑firm‑managed trust accounts that did not exist.
Johnson allegedly obtained more than $40 million in loans, largely from FDIC‑insured financial institutions including Texas Capital Bank, Happy State Bank, American National Bank & Trust, Gateway First Bank and others. He is accused of using new loan proceeds to pay off previous fraudulent loans, diverting funds for unrelated business ventures and moving more than $100,000 into a personal account to pay the IRS.
Among the specific acts outlined in the indictment:
- In August 2020, Johnson secured a $1.5 million loan from Texas Capital Bank after falsely claiming he held more than $6.6 million in a trust account.
- In December 2021, he obtained a $9.23 million loan from Happy State Bank intended for marina improvements but instead diverted millions to purchase oil and gas interests.
- In April 2022, Johnson secured a $6.5 million revolving line of credit by falsely representing that American Select Partners held over $9 million in accounts receivable.
- In December 2022, he obtained another $1 million extension on that line of credit based on further misrepresentations.
- In July 2022, he secured a $5 million loan to 30Days Holdings using similar fraudulent claims about trust‑account balances and accounts receivable.
- In one instance, Johnson allegedly induced an individual lender (“Individual A”) to wire $2.5 million based on false assurances about purchasing a partner’s stake in Blue Duck Energy, an interest Johnson knew was not actually for sale.
If convicted, Johnson faces up to 30 years in federal prison on each bank fraud count and up to 20 years on the wire fraud count. The indictment also seeks forfeiture of any property traceable to the offenses.
The FBI – Dallas Field Office conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Chad E. Meacham from the Fraud section is prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation of criminal conduct, not evidence. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Country Club Agrees to Pay over $1 Million to Resolve False Claims Act Allegations of Improper Receipt of Paycheck Protection Program LoanRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – United States Attorney for the District of Columbia, Jeanine Ferris Pirro, announced today that Secession Golf Club, Inc. (“Secession”) agreed to pay $1,047,991 to resolve allegations that the club violated the False Claims Act when it applied for and received a loan under the Paycheck Protection Program (“PPP”) for which it was not eligible.
When Congress enacted the Coronavirus, Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (“CARES”) Act, it authorized forgivable PPP loans to eligible small businesses and nonprofit organizations for job retention and certain other expenses. The PPP loan program was administered by the Small Business Administration (“SBA”). At the time of the loan covered by this settlement, certain entities organized under section 501(c) of the Internal Revenue Code were not eligible for PPP loans, including section 501(c)(7) organizations.
In 2020, Secession, a country club located in Beaufort, South Carolina, applied for a PPP loan in the amount of $630,750 and certified that it was eligible to receive the loan even though it was ineligible as a section 501(c)(7) nonprofit organization. After receiving the PPP loan, Secession sought and received forgiveness of the entire loan amount. The United States contended that Secession knowingly falsely represented its eligibility to receive the PPP loan, which caused the SBA to pay lender fees to the bank that processed the loan, and to receive forgiveness of that loan.
The settlement resolves claims brought under the qui tam or whistleblower provisions of the False Claims Act. Under these provisions, a private party can file an action on behalf of the United States and receive a portion of the recovery. The qui tam complaint was filed by Relator Aidan Forsyth and is captioned United States ex rel. Aidan Forsyth v. Club at Morningside Inc., et al., Civ. A. No. 24-1175 (D.D.C.). Mr. Forsyth will receive a total share of approximately $115,279.01 in connection with the settlement.
The civil settlement resulted from an investigation by Assistant United States Attorney Sean M. Tepe and Auditor Timothy J. Hurley with the support of attorney Caitlin J. Kelly of SBA’s Office of the General Counsel.
On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division. The core mission of the Fraud Division is to zealously investigate and prosecute those who steal or fraudulently misuse taxpayer dollars. Department of Justice efforts to combat fraud support 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.
Tips and complaints regarding potential fraud affecting COVID-19 government relief programs can be reported by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at (866) 720-5721 or by submitting a NCDF Web Complaint form at https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
The claims resolved by the civil settlement are allegations only, and there has been no determination of liability.
secession_settlement_agreement_-_fully_executed_8.11.26.pdfConvicted Sexual Predator Sentenced to Federal Prison for Illegal Reentry into the United States After Prior DeportationRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – Miguel Solis-Morales (43, Mexico) has been sentenced by U.S. District Judge Jordan E. Pratt to two years and six months in federal prison for illegally reentering the United States after he was deported by immigration authorities in 2015. After serving this federal prison sentence, Solis will be deported and removed back to Mexico. U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.
According to federal and state court documents, Solis was convicted of sexual battery on September 10, 2009, in Jacksonville. He was then designated as a sexual predator under Florida law and sentenced to five years in Florida state prison. After serving his state prison sentence, in May 2015, Solis-Morales was removed from the United States by immigration authorities and returned to Mexico. On February 16, 2026, Solis-Morales was found to be voluntarily back in the United States in Jacksonville and was arrested by the Florida Highway Patrol for a violation of state probation. Records checks confirmed that Solis-Morales had never applied to U.S. immigration authorities for permission to lawfully reenter the United States after his removal.
This case was investigated by the Florida Highway Patrol and Homeland Security Investigations. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney D. Rodney Brown.
Convicted Kidnapper Who Put Hit on Victim Sentenced to 45 years in PrisonRead the Press Release
WILMINGTON, Del. (August 20, 2026) – A Seaford, Delaware, man was sentenced August 17, 2026, to 45 years in prison for kidnapping, carjacking, and cyberstalking. U.S. District Judge Richard G. Andrews imposed the sentence.
According to court documents and evidence presented at sentencing, Ralph Harmon, 26, approached an elderly woman outside her residence in Seaford, Delaware, on January 13, 2023, when he brandished what appeared to be a firearm, placed his arm on the victim, and forced her into her vehicle. Once inside, the victim tried to escape out the passenger door, but Harmon pistol-whipped her to make her comply and remain inside the car. Harmon then left the victim’s residence and drove towards Laurel, Delaware, where he stopped along the way and forced the victim to give over ATM information for Harmon to use.
Harmon then crossed into Maryland, pulled over, and sexually assaulted the victim. Harmon forced the victim to lay face down in the front passenger seat, where Harmon tied the victim’s hands with a shoelace before continuing to drive. Harmon took the victim to a residential neighborhood where he forced her to a dock in the backyard. Harmon then shoved the victim, still bound, into the Wicomico River. When the victim surfaced, Harmon pistol-whipped the victim a second time with what Harmon later stated was an intent to kill the victim. After Harmon fled the area, the victim climbed out of the river and received assistance from bystanders.
Harmon met with friends and continued to make cash withdraws and utilize the victim’s ATM cards at local shops. Harmon and his friends then went to a tattoo parlor in Salisbury, Maryland, where law enforcement identified the victim’s vehicle. Harmon fled from police, and a black BB gun was recovered during his arrest.
While pending trial in the state of Maryland, Harmon utilized a recorded jail phone to attempt to have an associate kill the victim to prevent her from testifying at the state trial. Harmon also contacted the victim numerous times, including eight times around 1:00 am in one night. The victim left her residence out of fear ahead of testifying.
Harmon was convicted in the state of Maryland, c-22-cr-23-000054, before being transferred to the District of Delaware for federal proceedings in April 2024.
“This was a senseless, random, vicious attack on an elderly victim of our Delaware community,” said U.S. Attorney Benjamin L. Wallace. “The Court’s sentence delivers justice and closure for the victim by holding the defendant accountable for all aspects of this violent criminal act; ensuring that he is not a threat to the community for the foreseeable future; and sending a message to any others who might terrorize our community that they will be held responsible by my office and our dedicated law-enforcement partners. This coordinated effort by the FBI, Seaford Police, Salisbury Police, Maryland State Police, and Wicomico County State’s Attorney’s Office ensured that justice was served.”
“This 45-year sentence reflects the seriousness of Ralph Harmon’s crimes,” said FBI Baltimore Special Agent in Charge Jimmy Paul. “He violently attacked an innocent woman who showed remarkable strength in surviving the assault. Even after his arrest, Harmon kept trying to harm her to avoid accountability. Thanks to the swift and coordinated work of law enforcement, Harmon will spend the next four decades answering for his violent crimes.”
“The victim in this case was a long-term resident of the City of Seaford, who showed tremendous strength and courage throughout the ordeal and prosecution,” said Deputy Chief Tyler Justice, Seaford Police Department. “We are proud of the work done by our detectives and our local, state, and federal partners. The result is justice being served to someone who committed such a needless act of violence to a member of our community.”
“We are proud to work alongside our law enforcement partners to ensure those who commit heinous acts of violence are held accountable," said Colonel Michael A. Jackson, Superintendent of the Maryland State Police. “This case demonstrates the commitment we share in the pursuit of justice for the victim and her family.”
FBI Baltimore, Seaford Police, Salisbury Police and Maryland State Police investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Samuel S. Frey and former Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer Welsh prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Delaware. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the District of Delaware or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:23-cr-00050.
Colorado Man Convicted of Sexually Abusing a Minor in Mexico with WifeRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – A federal jury convicted a Colorado man for his role in conspiring with his wife to sexually exploit a minor victim.
The jury found Alekzander Quinn Bywater, 32, formerly of Colorado Springs, guilty of conspiracy to produce visual depictions of minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct outside the United States, sexual exploitation of a minor, distribution of child sexual abuse material (CSAM), and advertising CSAM.
Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the verdict with Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva, Department of Justice Criminal Division, and Assistant Director Heith Janke, FBI Criminal Division.
“This guilty verdict holds this defendant accountable for the horrific abuse of a child and for his role in distributing videos that documented that abuse. Mr. Bywater’s depraved actions cost him his freedom, so now he’ll be separated from society where he can’t harm other children,” Hayes said. “Our office will continue to work tirelessly with our community and law-enforcement partners to ensure that justice is served as we relentlessly pursue and prosecute predators who prey on the most vulnerable members of our community, whether that abuse occurs here or abroad.”
“Alekzander Bywater left the United States for Mexico and preyed upon the most vulnerable among us, a young child,” Duva said. “Child exploitative hands-on violations are among the most depraved. This defendant and his wife, Anika, perpetrated this heinous crime together, and even tried to profit off their conduct. This case is core to the Criminal Division’s mission of hunting down child predators and removing them from society.”
“The FBI and our partners are working every day to hold criminals accountable for their participation in child sexual exploitation and abuse,” Janke said. “Bywater will now face the consequences for his disturbing and illegal actions, and we are proud to have played our part in making that happen.”
According to court documents, and information provided during the trial, while in the state of Veracruz, Mexico, Bywater, and his wife Anika, 29, formerly of Gonzalez, Texas, created two separate videos of them sexually abusing a young child. In January 2024, on two separate occasions, the Bywaters agreed to create two videos, Video-1 and Video-2, that depicted them jointly engaging in sexually abusing the minor victim in Mexico. Law-enforcement officers learned about the conduct when they discovered videos of the abuse circulating on the internet.
Alekzander Bywater uploaded Video-1 and Video-2 to Website A, a publicly available website, where he advertised them for sale. Then, on Feb. 6, and 7, 2024, an undercover FBI agent in Maryland purchased and downloaded the videos.
Additionally, FBI agents recovered Video-1 and Video-2 from a desktop and laptop that were used to commit the offense. The devices also housed a different video of Alekzander Bywater sexually abusing the minor victim and thousands of CSAM images and videos depicting the sexual abuse and exploitation of children other than the minor victim.
Alekzander Bywater is facing up to 150 years in federal prison for conspiracy to produce visual depictions of minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct outside the United States and distribution of CSAM. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district judge determines sentencing after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
In March 2026, U.S. District Judge Brendan A. Hurson sentenced Anika Bywater to 25 years in prison, followed by 20 years of supervised release, for conspiracy to engage in illicit sexual conduct in foreign places. She pled guilty to the charges in December 2025.
This case is part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorney’s 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 justice.gov/psc. For more information about Internet safety education, please visit justice.gov/psc and click on the “Resources” tab on the left of the page.
U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the FBI Child Exploitation Operational Unit for its work in the investigation, and the FBI’s law enforcement attaché office in Mexico City for its valuable assistance. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Reema Sood and Acting Deputy Chief Kyle P. Reynolds, Justice Department’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), who prosecuted the federal case.
For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, visit justice.gov/usao-md.
# # #
Colorado Man Convicted at Trial of Sexually Abusing a Child on Camera and Advertising the Videos for Sale over the Dark WebRead the Press Release
A federal jury convicted a Colorado man yesterday for conspiring with his wife to film themselves sexually abusing a prepubescent child in Mexico and for advertising the videos for sale online.
“Alekzander Bywater left the United States for Mexico and preyed upon the most vulnerable among us, a young child,” said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva for the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Child exploitative hands-on violations are among the most depraved. This defendant and his wife, Anika, perpetrated this heinous crime together, and even tried to profit off their conduct. This case is core to the Criminal Division’s mission of hunting down child predators and removing them from society.”
“This guilty verdict holds this defendant accountable for the horrific abuse of a child and for his role in distributing videos that documented that abuse,” said U.S. Attorney Kelly O. Hayes for the District of Maryland. “Mr. Bywater’s depraved actions cost him his freedom, so now he’ll be separated from society where he can’t harm other children. Our office will continue to work tirelessly with our community and law enforcement partners to ensure that justice is served as we relentlessly pursue and prosecute predators who prey on the most vulnerable members of our community, whether that abuse occurs here or abroad.”
“The FBI and our partners are working every day to hold criminals accountable for their participation in child sexual exploitation and abuse,” said Assistant Director Heith Janke of the FBI’s Criminal Division. “Bywater will now face the consequences for his disturbing and illegal actions, and we are proud to have played our part in making that happen.”
The jury found Alekzander Quinn Bywater, 32, formerly of Colorado Springs, CO, guilty of conspiracy to sexually exploit a minor outside the United States, two counts of sexual exploitation of a minor outside the United States, and two counts of advertisement of child sexual abuse material (CSAM).
According to court documents and information provided during the trial, while living in the state of Veracruz, Mexico, Bywater, and his wife Anika, 29, formerly of Gonzalez, Texas, created two separate videos of themselves sexually abusing a young child. In January 2024, on two separate occasions, the Bywaters agreed to create two videos, Video-1 and Video-2, that depicted them jointly engaging in sexually abusing the minor victim in Mexico. Law enforcement officers learned about the conduct when they discovered videos of the abuse circulating on the internet.
Alekzander Bywater uploaded Video-1 and Video-2 to Website A, a publicly available website, where he advertised them for sale. Then, on Feb. 6, and 7, 2024, an undercover FBI agent in the District of Maryland purchased and downloaded the videos.
Additionally, FBI agents recovered Video-1 and Video-2 from a desktop and laptop that were used to commit the offense. The devices also housed a different video of Alekzander Bywater sexually abusing the minor victim and thousands of CSAM images and videos depicting the sexual abuse and exploitation of children other than the minor victim.
Bywater will be sentenced on a date to be set in the future. Alekzander Bywater is facing a maximum penalty of 150 years in prison for the charges. A federal district judge will determine the sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Anika Bywater was sentenced to 25 years in prison followed by 20 years of supervised release in March for conspiracy to engage in illicit sexual conduct in foreign places. She pled guilty to the charges in December 2025.
The FBI’s Child Exploitation Operational Unit investigated the case, with the assistance of the FBI law enforcement attaché office in Mexico City and FBI Washington Field Office.
Acting Deputy Chief Kyle P. Reynolds of the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS) and Assistant U.S. Attorney Reema Sood for the District of Maryland prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorney’s 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 justice.gov/psc. For more information about Internet safety education, please visit justice.gov/psc and click on the “Resources” tab on the left of the page.
Car wash commotion results in federal prison sentence for Beaumont convicted felonRead the Press Release
BEAUMONT, Texas –A Beaumont convicted felon has been sentenced to federal prison for firearms violations in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs.
Kendrick Deon Ewing, 37, pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm and was sentenced to 46 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Marcia A. Crone on August 20, 2026.
According to information presented in court, on December 28, 2025, law enforcement responded to a Beaumont car wash where Ewing was involved in a disturbance. As the officer approached, Ewing fled in a vehicle. Later that evening, Ewing was located again and as the officer was speaking to him, Ewing put his vehicle in drive and fled the scene. Ewing evaded officers for over a mile, failing to stop at approximately 14 stop signs, and traveling more than 50 mph in a residential neighborhood, before being apprehended after reaching a dead-end street and fleeing on foot. A search of the vehicle resulted in the discovery of two firearms. Further investigation revealed Ewing is a convicted felon and prohibited from owning or possessing firearms or ammunition.
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.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Beaumont Police Department and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Russell James.
##
Candidate for New York City Public Advocate Pleads Guilty to Wire FraudRead the Press Release
Earlier today in federal court in Brooklyn, Angela Aquino, a 2025 candidate for New York City Public Advocate, pleaded guilty to wire fraud in connection with her scheme to defraud New York City’s campaign finance system to obtain public matching funds. The proceeding was held before United States Magistrate Judge Vera Scanlon. When sentenced, Aquino faces a sentence of up to 20 years in prison.
Joseph Nocella, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York; Nadia I. Shihata, Commissioner, New York City Department of Investigation (DOI); and James C. Barnacle, Jr., Assistant Director in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI), announced the guilty plea.
“The defendant, a former candidate for city office, admitted today that she attempted to defraud New York City of $1 million in public funds,” stated United States Attorney Nocella. “Her brazen efforts threaten the integrity of our local democratic processes.”
“New Yorkers deserve a baseline of integrity from candidates running for public office, an attribute this defendant – through her actions – demonstrated she clearly lacked,” stated DOI Commissioner Shihata. “As a candidate for NYC Public Advocate, this defendant attempted to fraudulently obtain $1 million in public matching funds by obscuring the true source of the funds flowing into her campaign committee’s bank account. The defendant also used some of her campaign funds to pay her personal expenses, including rent for her apartment. New York City’s Matching Funds Program is supported by taxpayer dollars, and those who seek these funds must follow the law. I thank the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York and the New York Office of the FBI for their partnership in protecting the integrity of our campaign finance system.”
“Angela Aquino's attempt to defraud the City of New York is disgraceful and unacceptable. Any theft of taxpayer money will be fully investigated and prosecuted. In support of the Vice President's Fraud Task Force, FBI New York will continue to work diligently to protect the public from fraud in all forms,” stated FBI Assistant Director in Charge Barnacle.
New York City’s Matching Funds Program
The New York City Campaign Finance Board (CFB) offers a voluntary public-financing program matching small-dollar contributions from New York City residents to candidates for city office. To be eligible for matching funds, candidates must meet a two-part fundraising threshold: first, they must collect a minimum number of contributions of $10 or more; and, second, they must raise a minimum amount of qualifying contributions from residents of New York City. To be eligible for the matching funds program, a candidate for Public Advocate must have raised at least $125,000 from at least 500 qualifying contributors. In addition, cash contributions are capped at $100 per contributor for purposes of qualifying for matching funds.
For a candidate to apply cash contributions toward the threshold necessary to become eligible for public matching funds, a candidate’s authorized committee was required to submit contribution cards to the CFB that listed, among other information, each contributor’s name, residential address, employer, and occupation, as well as the date and amount of contribution. The contribution cards also had to be signed by the contributors.
Candidates were prohibited from giving false information to the CFB. Candidates were also prohibited from using public matching funds for purposes that were illegal, improper, or not in furtherance of the candidate’s nomination or election. Violation of these prohibitions would render the candidate ineligible to receive public matching funds.
Once a candidate met the eligibility requirements to join the program, the CFB would provide the campaign with public funds at a matching rate of $8 to $1. In other words, if a candidate raised $125,000 toward the fundraising threshold, the CFB would provide that candidate with $1 million in public matching funds.
The Fraudulent Scheme
Aquino engaged in a scheme to obtain $1 million in public matching funds, knowing that her campaign committee was not entitled to such funds. In particular, she took numerous steps artificially to inflate the deposits into her campaign committee’s bank account to make it appear that the committee had met the $125,000 threshold for public funds. In fact, very little of the deposits were eligible contributions from New Yorkers.
In the first months of 2025, Aquino’s personal bank account received more than $130,000 that originated from the Philippines. Of this amount, at least $34,000 was a loan to Aquino from a contact there. Aquino, with others, repeatedly withdrew funds from her personal bank account in cash and deposited cash into her campaign committee’s bank account. These contributions were then identified to the CFB as contributions from residents of New York City that were eligible for public matching funds. Contribution cards submitted in support of these supposed contributions, which purported to identify the contributors and included their personal identifying information and their signatures, were falsified.
Aquino cycled funds out of, and back into, the campaign committee’s bank account, sometimes using bank accounts of friends and associates as intermediary accounts to obscure the true source of the funds. The purpose of cycling the funds in this way was to make the total amount of deposits into the campaign committee’s account appear higher, such that the total contributions would appear to meet the CFB’s threshold.
Aquino used funds from the campaign committee account to pay for her personal expenses, including the rent for her apartment, while falsely reporting to the CFB that the payments were for legitimate campaign expenses. Aquino also lied to federal agents concerning her relationship with the recipients of some of these expenditures. For example, Aquino told federal agents that her landlords helped with petitions and with campaigning, justifying the campaign’s payments to them. In fact, Aquino’s landlords had nothing to do with her campaign.
The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s Public Integrity Section. Assistant United States Attorneys Laura Zuckerwise and Sean Sherman are in charge of the prosecution with assistance from Paralegal Specialist Melissa Bennett.
The Defendant:
ANGELA AQUINO
Age: 47
New York, New YorkE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 26-CR-231 (MKB)
Buffalo woman sentenced for her role in conspiracy to steal mailRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Alexandria Duncan, 23, of Buffalo, NY, who was convicted of conspiracy to commit mail theft, was sentenced to serve two years’ probation by U.S. District Judge Richard J. Arcara.
Between October 9 and October 14, 2024, Duncan conspired with co-defendant Timothee S. Tidwell to steal mail from receptacles in Hamburg, NY, and take articles from inside the letters and envelopes that were stolen. For instance, in the early morning hours of October 14, 2024, Duncan drove a vehicle to Camp Road with Tidwell, who exited the vehicle and approached a row of mailboxes outside the post office on Camp Road with a postal arrow key he was not legally entitled to possess. After Tidwell exited the vehicle, Duncan drove the vehicle across the street to a gas station where she was approached by a Village of Hamburg Police officer. While the police officer interacted with Duncan, Tidwell fled the scene.
Duncan and Tidwell used a postal arrow key to open various mailboxes in the Hamburg area to steal multiple mail items. On October 14, 2024, law enforcement recovered opened and unopened mail addressed to other people from Duncan’s vehicle. The opened mail included checks from various individuals and businesses and totaled approximately $369,104.92.
Charges remain pending against Timothee Tidwell.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Franz M. Wright. The sentencing is the result of an investigation by the Village of Hamburg Police, under the direction of Chief Richard Schara, and the United States Postal Inspection Service, under the direction of Acting Inspector-in-Charge Justin Page, Boston Division.
# # # #
Beech Grove Sex Offender Sentenced to 17 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
INDIANAPOLIS- Shane Austin Leaneagh, 37, of Beech Grove, has been sentenced to 17 years and one month in federal prison, followed by a lifetime of supervised release after pleading guilty to possession and distribution of child sexual abuse material. Leaneagh was also ordered to pay $34,000 in restitution.
According to court documents, beginning on August 6, 2023, Leaneagh began distributing images and videos depicting children engaged in sexually explicit conduct using seven different accounts via the social media application, Kik.
On January 10, 2024, officers with the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department and the Beach Grove Police Department executed search warrants for Leaneagh and his Beech Grove home. Investigators located electronic devices, revealing more than 600 images and videos depicting the sexual abuse of numerous children, including infants and children under the age of twelve.
In 2022, Leaneagh was convicted of possession of child sexual abuse material in Monroe County, Indiana. In that case, he used his cellphone to take sexually explicit images of a seven-year-old child while she slept, which the child’s mother later discovered. Additionally, Leaneagh sustained a conviction for intimidation in April 2022 in Jackson County, Indiana. That conviction stemmed from messages he sent to a former coworker in which he threatened to commit sexual acts with her and insinuated that he had been stalking her.
The FBI Indianapolis and U.S. Secret Service investigated this case, with assistance from IMPD. The sentence was imposed by Chief District Judge James R. Sweeney II.
“Leaneagh’s behavior was despicable, targeting our children for his own sick purposes,” said U.S. Attorney Tom Wheeler for the Southern District of Indiana. “These files show children so young they could not have understood what was happening, yet their abuse will be circulated among predators over and over, leading to repeated victimization because of offenders like Leaneagh. We are extremely grateful to our law enforcement partners who work day and night to stop people like him from exploiting our children.”
“The harm child sexual abuse material causes innocent victims is heartbreaking, especially when the victims are as young as infants,” said Special Agent in Charge Ike Barnes of the U.S. Secret Service Indianapolis Field Office. “Holding offenders accountable for distributing these vile images and videos, particularly repeat offenders, helps protect victims from further harm and makes our communities safer. The Secret Service remains committed to working with our law enforcement partners to protect victims and pursue those who seek to exploit them. We thank the FBI and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Indiana for their collaboration in this important case.”
U.S. Attorney Wheeler thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Carolyn A. Haney, who prosecuted this 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, 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.
If you are a victim of child sexual exploitation, please contact your local police department. Resources for victims of child exploitation can be found on our website at https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdin/project-safe-childhood
###
Beaumont man sentenced to federal prison following neighborhood shootoutRead the Press Release
BEAUMONT, Texas –A Beaumont felon has been sentenced to federal prison following a neighborhood shootout in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs.
Martinez Lamond Baltrip, 29, pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of ammunition and was sentenced to 33 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Marcia A. Crone on August 20, 2026.
According to information presented in court, on August 5, 2025, law enforcement responded to a shooting near Avenues G and H in Beaumont. Officers found Baltrip at the scene suffering from a gunshot wound. An investigation revealed Baltrip and the person who shot him had been involved in an ongoing dispute when Baltrip came upon him working on his vehicle. Baltrip approached the individual and pulled out a 9mm pistol and began firing. The other person retrieved a shotgun and returned fire on Baltrip, striking him. Baltrip retreated to his vehicle and called police. Police responded and recovered 9mm shell casings from the scene, which Baltrip admitted to firing. Further investigation revealed Baltrip is a convicted felon and prohibited from owning or possessing firearms or ammunition.
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.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Beaumont Police Department and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Russell James.
###
Beaumont felon sentenced to federal prison after leading police on a high-speed chase in a stolen vehicle with a stolen gunRead the Press Release
BEAUMONT, Texas –A Beaumont convicted felon has been sentenced to federal prison for firearms possession in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs.
Christopher Eugene Stelly, 23, pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm and was sentenced to 63 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Marcia A. Crone on August 20, 2026.
Stelly was arrested on September 30, 2025, after leading police on a high-speed chase in a stolen vehicle in Beaumont. According to reports, law enforcement officers at the intersection of North Major Drive and Dishman Road noticed a stolen vehicle stopped at a traffic light near them. The car suddenly accelerated through the red light and officers pursued in a high-speed chase. Stelly eventually stopped the vehicle and fled on foot into an apartment complex on French Road where he was apprehended. Stelly had a firearm in his pocket that had been reported stolen in 2018. Further investigation revealed Stelly is a convicted felon and prohibited from owning or possessing firearms.
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.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Beaumont Police Department and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Russell James.
##
Baltimore Man Sentenced for Role in Fentanyl Trafficking Conspiracy HSTF CaseRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – A federal judge sentenced a Baltimore man to prison, today, in connection with a drug trafficking conspiracy.
U.S. District Judge Stephanie Gallagher sentenced Jeremy Bethea, 47, to 10 years in prison, followed by five years of supervised release, for conspiracy to distribute and possession with the intent to distribute controlled substances. Through an investigation, law enforcement caught Bethea and his co-conspirators with more than 400 grams of fentanyl, more than 28 grams of cocaine base, commonly referred to as “crack cocaine,” and a quantity of cocaine intended for distribution. Bethea pled guilty to the charges in April 2026.
Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the sentence with Special Agent in Charge Christopher C. Goumenis, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) – Washington Division, and Commissioner Richard Worley, Baltimore Police Department (BPD).
According to court documents, from August 2022, through October 2023, Bethea conspired with others to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute fentanyl, cocaine, and crack cocaine. Bethea and his co-conspirators regularly obtained quantities of fentanyl, cocaine, and crack cocaine to sell to customers in the Baltimore area.
Beginning in November 2022, and continuing through May 2023, undercover investigators conducted 15 controlled purchases of fentanyl, crack cocaine, and powder cocaine from Bethea. In January 2023, Bethea sold more than 40 grams of fentanyl to an undercover investigator.
Additionally, from June 2023 through August 2023, investigators received authorization to utilize a federal wiretap to intercept communications from three cellphones. The cellphone users included Bethea and other members of the conspiracy.During the wiretap investigation, law enforcement intercepted numerous conversations between Bethea and his co-conspirators discussing and coordinating fentanyl, crack cocaine, and powder cocaine sales.
Then on April 17, 2023, as a result of the intercepted calls, BPD officers stopped a vehicle en route to a planned drug transaction. During the traffic stop, law enforcement encountered Bethea and recovered several hundred gelcaps from the source of supply. A DEA laboratory performed an analysis of the substance found inside the recovered gel caps and confirmed it as fentanyl with a total weight of more than 400 grams.
During the investigation, law enforcement also discovered that Bethea used a Sharp-Leadenhall residence to store fentanyl, cocaine, and crack cocaine for distribution. On August 22, law enforcement executed a search warrant on the residence. Investigators uncovered 105 grams of crack cocaine packaged for retail sale and more than 300 grams of marijuana at the location.
This prosecution is part of the 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 Baltimore is comprised of agents and officers from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI); Homeland Security Investigations (HSI); the United States Attorney’s Office (USAO) for the District of Maryland; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF); the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA); the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI); the United States Marshals Service (USMS); the Washington/Baltimore HIDTA (W/B HIDTA); the Maryland State Police (MSP); the Baltimore Police Department (BPD); and the Baltimore County Police Department (BCPD) with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland.
U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the DEA and BPD for their work in the investigation. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan Tsuei who is prosecuting this federal case.
For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, visit justice.gov/usao-md.
# # #
Baldwin County Man Sentenced for Armed RobberyRead the Press Release
MOBILE, AL – Ira Cornell Bodiford, Jr., 39, was sentenced today by United States District Judge Terry F. Moorer to 324 months in prison for an armed robbery of a convenience store.
According to court documents, on December 19, 2023, Baldwin County deputies responded to an armed robbery at a convenience store in Magnolia Springs. Witnesses reported that a man wearing a disguise approached the clerk and pointed a semi-automatic handgun equipped with an extended magazine at him, demanding money.
Law enforcement reviewed surveillance footage of the robbery and identified the vehicle used by the robber. The vehicle was traced to a location in Foley, where deputies recovered Bodiford, the vehicle, stolen cash, and the firearm used in the robbery. Deputies also retraced the vehicle’s route and discovered blue latex gloves along the roadside. Bodiford was seen wearing blue latex gloves in the store’s surveillance footage. Forensic testing matched DNA recovered from the gloves to Bodiford.
Bodiford has several prior felony convictions, including Second-Degree Robbery, Third-Degree Burglary, and Domestic Violence Strangulation.
Following his release from prison, Bodiford will serve five years of supervised release under the supervision of the United States Probation Office.
U.S. Attorney Sean Costello of the Southern District of Alabama made the announcement.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms and the Baldwin County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys George May and Tandice H. Blackwood prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.
Albany, New York Woman Charged with ISIS-Inspired Terror Plot Targeting New York State CapitolRead the Press Release
Note: See the complaint here.
Jessica Bowie, 35, of Albany, New York, made her initial appearance today in federal court on charges of attempting to provide material support to a designated foreign terrorist organization, ISIS.
“As alleged, Bowie plotted to deploy an explosive device at the New York State Capitol, intending to kill public officials and to destroy ‘as much of the building as possible’ before fleeing to ISIS‑controlled territory in Syria,” said Assistant Attorney General for National Security John A. Eisenberg. “The National Security Division and our law-enforcement partners are committed to the painstaking work of preventing plots like this from succeeding and securing convictions against those who attempt such plots.”
“The American people represent an undying spirit of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness — values fundamentally opposed by foreign terrorist organizations such as the one this defendant allegedly pledged her support to,” said First Assistant U.S. Attorney John A. Sarcone III for the Northern District of New York. “I am incredibly proud to work side by side with the men and women of the FBI and our law enforcement partners who identified, investigated, and ultimately stopped this defendant before she was able to act on her plot to bring terror to the Capital Region and the United States. My office looks forward to aggressively prosecuting this case and delivering justice for the American people.”
“The FBI detected and stopped an alleged plot to attack the New York State Capitol and kill elected officials,” said Operations Director Matt Fodor of the FBI National Security Branch. “According to the criminal complaint, the defendant in this case swore allegiance to ISIS and wanted to follow up with additional horrific acts of terrorism. This case is yet another example of how this FBI is built to not only identify threats of terrorism quickly, but to stop their alleged plots before they are able to harm the American people. I want to commend the FBI Albany Field Office, the Justice Department, and our law enforcement partners for their outstanding work in this case. Cooperation and partnership are essential to protecting the U.S. homeland.”
On Aug.19, Bowie was apprehended by law enforcement as she gained possession of what she believed to be an explosive device, with the intent of targeting the New York State Capitol and New York State Senators.
Bowie buying items necessary to build an explosive deviceThrough the course of the investigation and as alleged in the government’s complaint, investigators learned that Bowie had intended to conduct the attack before fleeing to Syria to join others in ISIS-controlled territories. She was observed making several visits to the New York State Capitol grounds and taking several photographs of the building. In describing the New York State Capitol building as her target, Bowie stated: “I want to destroy as much of the building as possible and kill the senators while they are meeting. I want them to lose a lot of important documents as well” and “I want it to have a affect on the American system. And destroy some of the taghut.”
Bowie doing reconnaissance on New York CapitolAccording to the complaint, Jessica Bowie has expressed anti-American messages online. On one account identified as belonging to Bowie, she said, “Praise be to Allah for September 11th” and “When I can migrate, I will poison these infidels.” Further, Bowie recorded and disseminated to others online her “Bayah,” or formal oath of allegiance to ISIS.
The case is being investigated by the FBI with assistance from the U. S. Secret Service, New York State Police, and Albany Police Department.
Trial Attorney Ryan D. White of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Richard Belliss and Joseph Hartunian for the Northern District of New York are prosecuting the case.
Albany New York Woman Charged with Attempting to Provide Material Support or Resources to a Designated Foreign Terrorist OrganizationRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Jessica Bowie, 35, of Albany, NY, made her initial appearance today in federal court on charges of attempting to provide material support to a designated foreign terrorist organization, ISIS.
First Assistant U.S. Attorney John A. Sarcone III; Assistant Attorney General for the National Security Division John A. Eisenberg; FBI Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office Craig L. Tremaroli; U.S. Secret Service Special Agent in Charge of the Buffalo Field Office Charles T. Perras; Anthony Patrone Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Buffalo Field Office, Homeland Security Investigation, New York State Police Superintendent Steven G. James; Albany County Sheriff’s Office Sheriff Craig Apple and Albany Police Department Chief Brendan Cox made the announcement.
August 19, 2026, Bowie was apprehended by law enforcement as she gained possession of what she believed to be an explosive device, with the intent of targeting the New York State Capitol and New York State Senators.
“The American people embody an enduring spirit of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness — values fundamentally opposed by foreign terrorist organizations like the one this defendant allegedly pledged her support to,” said First Assistant U.S. Attorney John A. Sarcone III for the Northern District of New York. “This arrest will send a strong message to anyone across the country who has been radicalized by our enemies. This administration has deployed the necessary resources for law enforcement to identify, investigate, and disrupt plots of terror well before harm can occur. I am incredibly proud to work alongside our law enforcement partners, who ultimately stopped this defendant before she could act on her plan to bring terror to the Capital Region and the United States. My office looks forward to aggressively prosecuting this case and delivering justice for the American people.”“As alleged in the criminal complaint, Ms. Bowie swore her allegiance to ISIS and developed a detailed plan to attack the New York State Capitol to kill lawmakers and disrupt our government,” said Craig Tremaroli, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Albany Field Office. “Make no mistake about it, Ms. Bowie’s alleged plot was serious, it was dangerous, and thanks to FBI Albany’s Joint Terrorism Task Force (JTTF), it was foiled. Let this investigation send a clear message that FBI Albany, together with our Joint Terrorism Task Force partners, will relentlessly investigate and arrest anyone supporting and conspiring with terrorists.”
Through the course of the investigation and as alleged in the government’s complaint, investigators learned that Bowie had intended to conduct an attack on the New York State Capitol building then flee to join others in ISIS-controlled territories. She was observed making several visits to the New York State Capitol grounds and taking several photographs of the building. In describing the New York State capitol building as her target, Bowie stated: “I want to destroy as much of the building as possible and kill the senators while they are meeting. I want them to lose a lot of important documents as well” and “I want it to have a affect on the American system. And destroy some of the taghut.”
According to the complaint, Jessica Bowie has expressed anti-American messages online. On one account identified as belonging to Bowie, she said, “Praise be to Allah for September 11th” and “When I can migrate, I will poison these infidels.” Further, Bowie recorded and disseminated to others online her “Bayah,” or formal oath of allegiance to ISIS.
Bowie appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Daniel J. Stewart on August 20, 2026, and was detained pending further proceedings. The charge carries a statutory maximum prison term of 20 years, a fine of up to $250,000 and a lifetime of supervised release. The charge in the complaint is merely an accusation. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
The case is being investigated by the FBI with assistance from the U. S. Secret Service, Homeland Security Investigations, New York State Police, Albany County Sheriff’s Office and Albany Police Department.
Trial Attorney Ryan White of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Richard Belliss and Joseph Hartunian for the Northern District of New York are prosecuting the case.
Agency Village Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for AssaultRead the Press Release
ABERDEEN - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced today that U.S. District Judge Charles B. Kornmann has sentenced an Agency Village, South Dakota, man convicted of Assault by Striking, Beating, and Wounding. The sentencing took place on August 17, 2026.
Donald Philip Red Owl, age 45, was sentenced to 12 months in federal prison, 1 year of supervised release, and a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund in the amount of $25.
Red Owl was indicted by a federal grand jury in October 2025. He pleaded guilty on June 1, 2026.
The conviction stemmed from an incident on October 28, 2024, when Red Owl struck his 15-year-old daughter in the face when she refused to give her cell phone to him.
This case was investigated by the FBI and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth Ebert-Webb.
This matter was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office because the Major Crimes Act, a federal statute, mandates that certain violent crimes alleged to have occurred in Indian Country be prosecuted in federal court as opposed to State court.
Red Owl was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
6 Indicted for Madisonville-Area Drug Distribution Ring Following a Homeland Security Task Force Investigation Led by DEA and MPDRead the Press Release
Madisonville, KY – Following a joint state and federal investigation led by the DEA and the Madisonville Police Department, a federal grand jury in Bowling Green, Kentucky, returned an indictment on August 12, 2026, charging six Madisonville-area individuals with drug distribution-related charges.
U.S. Attorney Kyle G. Bumgarner of the Western District of Kentucky, Special Agent in Charge Jim Scott of the DEA Louisville Field Division, and Chief Steve Bryan of the Madisonville Police Department made the announcement.
According to the 13-count indictment, Traviel Civils, 34, of Madisonville, Kentucky; Teron Cox, 41, of Earlington, Kentucky; James Gunn, 69, of Greenville, Kentucky; Adam Pettus, 41, of Earlington, Kentucky; Brooke Poe, 44, of Madisonville, Kentucky; and Robert Rice, 46, of Madisonville, Kentucky, were charged with conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute controlled substances involving 50 grams or more of methamphetamine and 500 grams or more of cocaine.
Civils was charged with seven additional counts of distribution of controlled substances involving cocaine and methamphetamine. Pettus was charged with 10 additional counts of distribution of controlled substances and possession with intent to distribute controlled substances involving cocaine and methamphetamine. Rice was charged with two additional counts of distribution of controlled substances and possession with intent to distribute controlled substances involving methamphetamine. Cox was charged with two additional counts of possession with intent to distribute controlled substances involving cocaine and methamphetamine. Gunn was charged with one additional count of possession with intent to distribute controlled substances involving methamphetamine.
All defendants other than Cox recently made an initial court appearance before a U.S. Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Western District of Kentucky. These defendants remained detained in federal custody pending trial. Cox remains in state custody and will make an initial appearance at a later date.
If convicted, the defendants each face a minimum sentence of 10 years in prison and a maximum of life. There is no parole in the federal system. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors.
This case is being investigated by the DEA and the Madisonville Police Department with assistance from the ATF, Kentucky State Police, Hopkins County Sheriff’s Office and Madisonville Vice Narcotics Unit.
Assistant U.S. Attorney R. Nicholas Rabold of the U.S. Attorney’s Bowling Green Branch Office is prosecuting the case.
The case is also being worked in conjunction with Hopkins County Commonwealth’s Attorney Hannah Kington-Jarvis.
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 Louisville comprises agents and officers from FBI, HSI, DEA, ATF, and IRS, with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Kentucky.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
###
58-Year-Old Hatillo Man Arrested for Child ExploitationRead the Press Release
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – On August 18, 2026, special agents with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement arrested Carlos Cabrera González, a 58-year-old male from Hatillo, Puerto Rico, on criminal charges for child exploitation, announced Héctor Ramírez-Carbó, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico.
On August 12, 2026, a federal grand jury indicted Cabrera González on charges of receipt, transportation, and possession of child exploitation material.
According to court documents, from in or about February 2024, to May 2026, defendant Cabrera González knowingly received and transported child exploitation material via electronic devices. Moreover, the defendant, using electronic devices, such as a Samsung A12 mobile device, a Samsung Tab A tablet, and a Lenovo IdeaPad Laptop, possessed images of child pornography, including child pornography of a prepubescent minor or a minor who had not attained 12 years of age.
“We will continue to investigate, prosecute, and bring to justice any individual who victimizes children in our communities,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Héctor Ramírez-Carbó of the District of Puerto Rico. “There’s no greater priority than safeguarding our children from predators who seek to exploit or harm them. Viewing and possessing child sexual abuse material constitutes some of the most offending criminal conduct.”
“The exploitation of children is a heinous crime that leaves lasting trauma, and ICE HSI is committed to relentlessly pursuing those who seek to victimize the most vulnerable among us,” said HSI San Juan Special Agent in Charge Yariel Ramos. “These offenses carry severe penalties under federal law, and we will utilize every resource at our disposal to hold perpetrators accountable. As students return to the classroom, I urge all parents, guardians, and educators to remain vigilant regarding online safety. Please familiarize yourselves with the ‘Know2Protect’ campaign and its resources to help us create a safer digital environment for our children.”
Assistant U.S. Attorney Emelina Agrait Barreto of the Crimes Against Children, Human Trafficking and Immigration Unit, is prosecuting the case. The Puerto Rico Crimes Against Children Task Force led by HSI is in charge of the investigation.
If convicted for the charges the defendant faces the following penalties: (1) receipt of child exploitation material – five to 20 years in prison; (2) transportation of child exploitation material – five to 20 years in prison; and (3) possession of child pornography – a maximum of 20 years of imprisonment. All charges of conviction are to be followed by a term of supervised release after the term of imprisonment. A federal district court judge will determine the sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
For more information about HSI’s efforts to protect children from sexual predators, visit Know2Protect.gov. To report suspicious activities, call 787-729-6969 or send an email to [email protected].
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 the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, 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.
An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
###
19 August 2026
‘764’ Extremist Group Member Sentenced for Production of Child Pornography and Distribution of Animal Crushing VideosRead the Press Release
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – On August 19, 2026, Kyle William Spitze, 27, of Friendsville, TN was sentenced today to 77 years in prison for production of child sexual exploitation material (CSAM), abetting the distribution of animal crushing videos, and possessing and accessing with the intent to view CSAM. Should he be released from prison, he will be subject to supervised release for life and required to register with state sex offender registries and comply with special sex offender conditions.
“The Department has pledged to take out online predator networks and today’s sentence is one step toward justice for the families and children harmed by 764,” said Attorney General Todd Blanche. “These types of crimes are the worst of the worst: preying on vulnerable children in the name of a violent and twisted ideology. Federal law enforcement will not stop until nihilistic violent extremist groups and their depraved members are identified and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”
“Today’s sentencing sends a strong message that this FBI and our Department of Justice partners will relentlessly hold accountable any individual who preys on children,” said FBI Director Kash Patel. “As we’ve made clear from the beginning: this FBI is laser focused on identifying, locating, and arresting any participants in Nihilistic Violent Extremist networks – and we have dedicated personnel across all 50 states working on these high priority investigations. We arrested 500% more NVE offenders with our partners last year for a reason – because we have a renewed mission to bring these predators to justice, and that’s exactly what we’ll do. I want to thank our FBI Nashville Field Office and the Knoxville Resident Agency who pursued this case and succeeded in bringing justice to the victims and their families.”
“Spitze is one of the original members of the nihilistic violent extremist groups ‘Harm Nation’ and ‘764,’ and was committed to bringing about the downfall of society through terrorism, specifically by targeting children and other vulnerable people and extorting them to engage in criminal sexual conduct, self-harm, and mass casualty events,” said Assistant Attorney General for National Security John A. Eisenberg. “Today’s sentence of 77 years, the longest federal sentence ever imposed on a nihilistic violent extremist, sends a strong message that civil society will not tolerate such depravity. The National Security Division will work tirelessly with our law-enforcement partners to identify and prosecute these predators and keep our children safe from this new form of terrorism.”
“This sentence reflects the abhorrent nature of the defendant’s crimes, which targeted impressionable children and caused unimaginable harm,” said U.S. Attorney Francis M. Hamilton III for the Eastern District of Tennessee. “NVE members and leaders are a threat to our communities, and our office is committed to prosecuting those individuals to the fullest extent.”
“Employing and pressuring children, among the most vulnerable members of our society, to produce sexually explicit and harmful material is unconscionable,” said Special Agent in Charge Terence G. Reilly of the FBI Nashville Field Office. “The FBI, alongside our local, state, and federal partners, will relentlessly pursue those associated with Nihilistic Violent Extremism networks who target and exploit children. We will use every lawful tool available to disrupt and dismantle these networks, prevent the spread of their depraved ideology, and protect children from further harm.”
According to court-filed documents, Spitze, also known as “Crimhn,” “Criminal,” and “Criminaloli,” was a member of the Nihilistic Violent Extremist (NVE) group “764,” and an administrator of the 764 network “HarmNation.” NVE groups such as 764 and HarmNation use online social media platforms to produce and distribute extreme gore media and child sexual abuse material depicting vulnerable, juvenile populations; often conducting group, coordinated extortion of under-aged victims to comply with the groups’ depraved and perverse demands.
In December of 2023, the FBI started looking into tips that HarmNation members were distributing child sexual abuse material. Spitze was identified as one of those members and found to have hosted a social media channel where he uploaded images and videos of nude minor girls who had self-mutilated with cuts and gashes, with variations of Spitze’s “Crim” or “Criminal” monikers written in blood on themselves or carved into their bodies. The channel also hosted images of animal mutilation, with a variation of “Crim” written in the images.
In February of 2024, investigators obtained a search warrant for Spitze’s cellphone, which contained similar images and videos, particularly of two minor victims, one of which had written “crim” on her chest scrawled in her own blood. The minor victim later admitted to FBI that she was threatened by Spitze to produce the images for him to upload on a separate social media channel. Spitze admitted to investigators that he had a terrorist motive in committing his crimes.
Spitze pleaded guilty to two counts of production of child sexual exploitation material, one count of abetting the distribution of animal crushing videos, and one count of possessing and accessing with the intent to view child sexual exploitation material.
The FBI Knoxville Resident Agency investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer Kolman for the Eastern District of Tennessee prosecuted the case. Trial Attorneys Justin Sher and James Donnelly for the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section provided assistance.
The Justice Department remains vigilant against the threat of Nihilistic Violent Extremist (NVE) networks like 764 that operate within the United States and around the globe. NVEs often target vulnerable individuals, including minors, using social media platforms to share CSAM and gore material, and groom victims toward committing acts of violence. Victims are often extorted, coerced, compelled, and blackmailed into complying with NVE demands, including 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. For more information on how to protect children and others, read about the online risks here: https://www.fbi.gov/how-we-can-help-you/parents-and-caregivers-protecting-your-kids and the FBI’s March 2025 public service announcement.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood (PSC), 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 Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, PSC 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 PSC, please visit www.justice.gov/psc. For more information about internet safety education, please visit www.justice.gov/psc/resources.html and click the tab "resources.”
###
U.S. Attorney’s Office Welcomes Three Newly Sworn Assistant United States AttorneysRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Ellis Boyle administered the oath of office to three Assistant United States Attorneys who will serve in the Eastern District of North Carolina. Covering 44 counties from the Triangle to the coast, the Eastern District handles a broad range of federal criminal and civil matters, partnering closely with local communities and law enforcement agencies. The newly appointed prosecutors will help uphold the rule of law, protect constitutional rights, and strengthen public trust across this diverse and expansive district.
Tucson Man Sentenced to 87 Months in Prison for Voluntary ManslaughterRead the Press Release
TUCSON, Ariz. – Santiago Luis Valencia, Jr., 36, of Tucson, was sentenced earlier this month by Chief United States District Judge Jennifer G. Zipps to 87 months in prison. Valencia previously pleaded guilty to Voluntary Manslaughter.
On June 15, 2024, Valencia assaulted the victim at a private residence on the Pascua Yaqui Tribe after initiating a physical altercation. During the fight, the victim suffered a head injury that resulted in his death the following day. Both Valencia and the victim were enrolled members of the Pascua Yaqui Tribe.
The FBI Phoenix Division’s Tucson office and the Pascua Yaqui Police Department conducted the investigation. The United States Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, Tucson, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-24-04265-TUC-JGZ
RELEASE NUMBER: 2026-140_Valencia# # #
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.Texas Man Sentenced to 70 Months for Conspiracy to Commit Bank FraudRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Lesley A. Woods announced that Khalil Robinson, 20, of Pearland, Texas, was sentenced on August 13, 2026, in federal court in Omaha, Nebraska, for conspiracy to commit bank fraud. United States District Judge Robert F. Rossiter, Jr. sentenced Robinson to 70 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After Robinson’s release from prison, he will begin a 10-year term of supervised release. Judge Rossiter ordered Robinson to pay $147,520.20 in restitution to identified victims of the bank fraud conspiracy.
Between February 2024 and April 2025, Robinson and others, conspired to steal mail from United States Postal Service (USPS) blue collection boxes around the United States. Checks taken from the stolen mail were resold on Telegram or altered and deposited into bank accounts created by individuals recruited into the conspiracy. In September 2024, USPS Inspectors began receiving reports of mail being placed in blue collection boxes at the Elmwood Post Office and Saddle Creek Post Office in Omaha and not arriving at its intended destination. The Lincoln, Nebraska postmaster also reported multiple blue boxes being pried into and multiple arrow lock keys stolen throughout Lincoln. On January 13, 2025, Omaha police officers found Robinson in possession of stolen mail and recovered a counterfeit key from the blue collection box Robinson broke into. On Robinson’s phone and social media accounts, postal inspectors found evidence of Robinson manufacturing arrow lock keys, recruiting individuals to open bank accounts, and images of checks from Nebraska, Virginia, and Kentucky totaling $167,000. The total value of checks postal inspectors can attribute to the bank fraud conspiracy is approximately $1,968,868. The actual loss attributable to the conspiracy is $813,458.
This case was investigated by the United States Postal Inspection Service.
Texas Man Sentenced to 57 Months in Prison for Transportation of Illegal Aliens Resulting in DeathRead the Press Release
TUCSON, Ariz. – Moises Gabriel Castillo, Jr., 40, of Weatherford, Texas, was sentenced last week by United States District Judge Rosemary Márquez to 57 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release. Castillo previously pleaded guilty to Transportation of Illegal Aliens for Profit Placing in Jeopardy the Life of Any Person, Causing Serious Bodily Injury and Resulting in Death.
On July 24, 2024, Castillo, an interstate truck driver, caused a collision between the commercial semi-truck he was driving and another semi-truck on Interstate 10 near Rita Road, Tucson. At the time, Castillo was transporting four passengers inside his truck who were later determined to be illegal aliens, unlawfully present in the United States. During the crash, one passenger was ejected and two others, one of whom was 16 years old, suffered serious bodily injury. The ejected passenger was pronounced dead at the scene. The surviving aliens stated they were paying to be smuggled further into the United States, and Castillo admitted that he expected to be paid for transporting them.
Homeland Security Investigations and the Arizona Department of Public Safety conducted the investigation. The United States Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, Tucson, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-24-07586-TUC-RM
RELEASE NUMBER: 2026-139_Castillo# # #
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.Tennessee Man Sentenced to Four Years in Federal Prison for Assaulting Two U.S. Postal EmployeesRead the Press Release
LITTLE ROCK—George Elliot Gibson, III, will spend the next 48 months in federal prison for assault with the intent to rob two United States Postal employees. Jonathan D. Ross, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas, announced the sentence, which was handed down today by United States District Judge D. P. Marshall, Jr.
On September 11, 2024, a federal grand jury indicted Gibson, 28, of Bartlett, Tennessee, in a seven-count Indictment with two counts of assault of a United States Postal employee, one count of attempted robbery of United States property, one count of assaulting and impeding a United States Postal employee, and one count of unlawful possession of a postal key. On March 10, 2026, Gibson pleaded guilty to two counts of assault with the intent to rob a United States Postal employee. In addition to the 48-month sentence, Judge Marshall also sentenced Gibson to serve two years’ supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
An investigation revealed that on June 11, 2022, Gibson pulled alongside a United States Postal mail carrier that sitting in the Postal vehicle while delivering mail in North Little Rock. Gibson demanded the mail carrier give him the drop box key, but the mail carrier refused and drove off. Gibson encountered the mail carrier on a different route later that day and demanded the key once again, and this time Gibson brandished a firearm at the mail carrier.
Later that same day, Gibson approached a different mail carrier who was delivering mail to an apartment complex in North Little Rock. When Gibson approached the mail carrier, he was holding a black rifle in his right hand and demanded the mail carrier immediately give him the postal key. After initially refusing, the mail carrier eventually gave the postal key to Gibson. Following the robbery, law enforcement officers from the North Little Rock Police Department conducted a traffic stop and arrested Gibson. At the time of his arrest, officers located on the floorboard of the vehicle the air rifle that resembled an AR-15 rifle that was used in the robbery. Gibson later admitted to having what appeared to be a firearm during the first attempted robbery and during the robbery of the postal key.
This case was investigated by the United States Postal Inspection Service with assistance from the North Little Rock Police Department. This case was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office, Eastern District of Arkansas.
# # #
This news release, as well as additional information about the office of the
United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas, is available on-line at
http://www.justice.gov/edar
X (formerly known as Twitter):
@USAO_EDAR
Sumter County Woman Pleads Guilty in Drug ConspiracyRead the Press Release
COLUMBIA, S.C. —Sha’Juan Princess Johnson, 24, of Sumter County, has pleaded guilty to possession of methamphetamine, fentanyl, cocaine and crack cocaine.
Evidence obtained in the investigation revealed that the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Richland County Sheriff’s Department and the Sumter County Sheriff’s Office were investigating a drug conspiracy involving Johnson’s co-defendant Jalik Tucker, after narcotics agents made several undercover buys of methamphetamine and fentanyl from him. During this same time, law enforcement identified two locations in Sumter County and one location in Richland County that the co-defendant was using to distribute drugs. They obtained search warrants for all three locations. One of the locations was Johnson’s home in Sumter.
During the execution of a search warrant at the address, officers found Johnson in the residence. In one of the bedroom’s closets, the police found fentanyl, cocaine, methamphetamine, crack cocaine, a glass measuring cup with a powder residue, multiple digital food scales, a box of baking soda, an electric mixer with a powder residue, and sandwich bags. Further investigation revealed that neighbors had observed a car, driven by Johnson’s co-defendant, coming and going from the residence.
Johnson’s cellphone contained pictures of illegal narcotics and text messages she had with others referring to illegal narcotics.
Johnson faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison. She also faces a fine of up to $250,000, restitution, and three years of supervision to follow the term of imprisonment. United States District Judge Mary Geiger Lewis accepted the guilty plea and will sentence Johnson after receiving and reviewing a sentencing report prepared by the U.S. Probation Office.
This case was investigated by Drug Enforcement Administration, the Richland County Sheriff’s Department, and the Sumter County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney William K. Witherspoon is prosecuting the case.###
Statement of the Department of Justice Antitrust Division on the Closing of Its Investigation of the Merger of Seismic Software Inc. and Highspot Inc.Read the Press Release
Associate Attorney General Stanley E. Woodward Jr. of the U.S. Department of Justice issued the following statement today in connection with the closing of the Antitrust Division’s investigation into the proposed merger between Seismic Software, Inc. (Seismic) and Highspot Inc. (Highspot):
“After a targeted review of key competitive questions, the Antitrust Division made the decision to close its investigation, reducing the Second Request compliance burden on the merging companies. The resolution of this matter using a targeted approach is an excellent example of the Antitrust Division efficiently reviewing a proposed merger with an expedited focus on key dispositive issues.”
On Feb. 12, Seismic and Highspot announced that they had signed a definitive agreement to merge. Both firms offer sales enablement software platforms to businesses. The Antitrust Division opened an investigation and issued Second Requests to the merging companies.
“Merging companies often claim that AI is a disruptive force and rationale for consolidation among close competitors in industries subject to historically high barriers to entry,” said Deputy Assistant Attorney General G. Charles Beller of the Justice Department's Antitrust Division. “The Division critically evaluates such claims based on the facts in each individual case, including reviewing whether ordinary-course documents and data from the merging companies and third parties substantiate such claims.”
Based on the particular facts surrounding Seismic and Highspot’s proposed merger, the Division and the merging parties entered into a timing agreement that prioritized the production of evidence the Division considered to be relevant to AI entry and repositioning. The Division used this and other material to evaluate its concerns and the merging companies’ arguments.
Over the course of the following three months, the Division conducted a thorough investigation, reviewing documents, analyzing data, and interviewing industry participants. In particular, the Division analyzed whether the proposed merger may harm competition for sales enablement software platforms. Although the merging companies and other legacy providers have competed in this space without meaningful entry from larger, more diversified tech companies operating in adjacent markets, the Division considered whether entry from newer, AI-native firms may be timely, likely, and sufficient to make any risk of harm to competition unlikely. Multiple types of evidence indicated that AI-native firms are growing quickly to win sales enablement software platform customers and are increasing competitive pressure on legacy providers.
Following this review, the Division decided that its investigation could be closed.
Springfield Man Sentenced to 84 Months for Assaulting Postal WorkerRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Springfield, Mo., man was sentenced in federal court for assaulting a U.S. Postal Service worker.
Courtney J. Ellis, 45, was sentenced to seven years, followed by three years supervised release for assaulting a postal worker while they were performing their official duties. Ellis pleaded guilty to the assault earlier this year.
According to court documents, on June 18, 2025, Ellis struck the victim on the head with a wooden board while he was delivering mail to Ellis’s address. The victim, who was delivering mail along that route for the first time, was wearing a USPS uniform and driving a marked USPS delivery vehicle. After striking the victim, Ellis yelled that he didn’t belong in the neighborhood and followed him back to his vehicle where he continued to yell at and threaten the victim.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Randall D. Eggert. It was investigated by the United States Postal Inspection Service and the Springfield, Mo., 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.
Springfield Felon Sentenced to 70 months in Prison for Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – A Springfield, Illinois, man, Kevin Gladney, 33, was sentenced on August 18, 2026, to 70 months imprisonment for possessing a firearm as a felon, to be followed by three years of supervised release.
According to court documents and statements in court, in February 2022, Gladney possessed a stolen .45 caliber semi-automatic firearm, which included a shoulder brace, among other modifications; that firearm and a drum magazine were loaded with 29 rounds of ammunition. The firearm was recovered after Gladney threw it from the car he was driving as he fled from police before ultimately crashing his vehicle. Gladney’s DNA was located on the firearm by forensic scientists with the Illinois State Police.
Also at the hearing, U.S. District Judge Sue E. Myerscough found that Gladney was eligible for an obstruction of justice sentencing enhancement due to his flight from police during the traffic stop that led to his arrest. Judge Myerscough noted that Gladney’s reckless driving and flight from police placed police officers and the public at risk.
A federal grand jury returned an indictment against Gladney in July 2023, and he was arrested in Texas in July 2024. He has remained in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service since his arrest. He pleaded guilty before U.S. Magistrate Judge Eric I. Long in April 2026.
The statutory penalties for possession of a firearm by a felon are up to 15 years’ imprisonment, up to three years of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine.
The Springfield Police Department investigated the case, with assistance from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah E. Seberger represented the government in the prosecution.
Six Chinese Nationals Indicted for Operating Multiple Illegal Marijuana Grow HousesRead the Press Release
LAS VEGAS – A federal grand jury in Las Vegas returned a 10-count indictment today charging six defendants, all Chinese nationals including three illegal aliens, and all residing in Las Vegas, for their alleged participation in a large-scale illegal marijuana grow operation with one grow house located near a public park.
“Transnational criminal networks that exploit our domestic markets and compromise community safety will be dismantled,” said First Assistant United States Attorney Sigal Chattah for the District of Nevada. “This operation demonstrates that what appear to be localized grow operations are frequently backed by global criminal enterprises engaged in labor exploitation, weapons offenses, and multi-million-dollar money laundering schemes. We will continue to work alongside our law enforcement partners to dismantle these sophisticated criminal enterprises that exploit public resources for illicit profit.”
“The Las Vegas Homeland Security Task Force continues to answer the call and hold accountable criminal organizations,” said Special Agent in Charge David Olesky of the Drug Enforcement Administration, Los Angeles Field Division, which oversees Nevada. “In this case, Chinese Organized Crime was intent on cashing in, operating four illegal marijuana grow houses throughout the Las Vegas area. What is especially concerning is that one of those marijuana grows were located within distance of a public park which posed major risks to the health and welfare of community. DEA will continue to work with our federal partners to cripple these illegal drug networks and safeguard Las Vegas residents.”
“ATF works side-by-side with local, state, and federal law enforcement every single day,” said Special Agent in Charge John Wester, San Francisco Field Division, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF). “Through joint task forces, we bring together our resources to tackle violent crime in an efficient and strategic manner. Through our participation in Homeland Security Task Forces (HSTF), ATF helps disrupt major gun and drug trafficking and cartel operations alongside DEA, FBI, HSI, and local partners. ATF will continue to work alongside our partners to ensure that Las Vegas is a safe place.”
“This case is another great example of what is possible through the unified efforts of the U.S. Marshals Service and Homeland Security,” said U.S. Marshal Gary Schofield. “The Deputies who are working side-by-side with the Task Force Officers are proud of the work they are accomplishing together. Every day is a good day to fight the good fight and bring these criminals forward to face justice for their crimes.”
According to court documents, from January 2025 to February 2026, Changtian Mai; Hoi Man Mak, also known as Antares Mak; Shengsheng Feng; Zhifeng Mai; Jianwen Mai; and Jianquan Mai had active roles in the growing of 1,000 or more marijuana plants and maintaining of four houses that were used as illegal marijuana grow sites throughout Las Vegas.
Changtian Mai; Hoi Man Mak, also known as Antares Mak; Shengsheng Feng; Zhifeng Mai; Jianwen Mai; and Jianquan Mai are each charged with one count of conspiracy to manufacture a controlled substance within 1,000 feet of a protected area; one count of manufacturing a controlled substance within 1,000 feet of a protected area; and six counts of manufacturing a controlled substance. Additionally, Changtian Mai is charged with two counts of money laundering. Arraignment has been scheduled for September 1, 2026.
If convicted, each defendant faces a maximum penalty of life imprisonment. A federal district judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
This case was investigated by the FBI, HSI, DEA, ATF, IRS-CI, and the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by the District of Nevada.
This case is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of 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. 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. The Las Vegas HSTF comprises agents and officers with the FBI, HSI, DEA, ATF, IRS-CI, the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department, the United States Marshals Service, and Nevada Gaming Control Board with the prosecution being led by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Nevada.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
###
Shiprock Man Sentenced for StabbingRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – A Shiprock man was sentenced to two years in prison for an assault which resulted in serious bodily injury.
There is no parole in the federal system.
According to court documents, on August 31, 2025, Tony Tsosie, 57, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, was involved in an assault in Shiprock, New Mexico. Tsosie was arrested on September 3, 2025, and pleaded guilty on April 14, 2026, to assault resulting in serious bodily injury. He will serve one year of supervised release following his prison sentence.
First Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison and Special Agent in Charge Justin A. Garris of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office made the announcement today.
The Farmington Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Navajo Nation Police Department and Navajo Department of Criminal Investigations. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Mexico is prosecuting the case.
Sex Offender from Dracut Pleads Guilty to Child Pornography and Firearm OffensesRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A registered sex offender from Dracut pleaded guilty today in federal court in Boston to possession of child sexual abuse material (CSAM) and unlawfully possessing a firearm and ammunition as a convicted felon.
Tyler Bullock, 30, pleaded guilty to one count of possession of child pornography and one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition. U.S. District Court Judge Myong J. Joun scheduled sentencing for Dec. 2, 2026. Bullock was arrested and charged in November 2025.
Bullock was identified as an individual who had, on several occasions, sent money to an India-based network in exchange for CSAM. During a search of Bullock’s residence, Bullock admitted to soliciting and paying for CSAM. A forensic review of Bullock’s devices revealed videos and photographs depicting both real and AI-generated CSAM.
During the search of the residence, a Ruger P85 9mm pistol loaded with a magazine that contained several rounds of ammunition as well as a knife bearing the Schutztaffel lightning bolts and a swastika were located in a small safe under a rug in a bedroom. According to court documents, the pistol was reported stolen in transit from New Hampshire to Arizona. A copy of Mein Kampf and an additional 42 rounds of ammunition were also located in the same bedroom.
Additionally, according to the charging documents, a partially assembled rifle was located in an upstairs bedroom along with numerous WWII-era German military medals, patches and memorabilia containing Nazi symbolism.
Bullock is prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition as a result of a 2016 conviction for the Purchase or Possession of Child Pornography in Lowell District Court.
The charge of possession child pornography after a prior offense provides for a sentence of no less than 10 years and up to 20 years in prison, at least five years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The charge of being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition provides for a sentence of up to 15 years in prison, three of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. 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 case was 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 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.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and William Ferrari, Deputy Assistant Director of the U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service Office of Investigations made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the United States Secret Service. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Alexandra W. Amrhein and Eric L. Hawkins of the Major Crimes Unit are prosecuting the case.
Rapid City Man Convicted of Child Pornography Charges Sentenced to 5 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced today that U.S. District Judge Karen E. Schreier has sentenced a Rapid City, South Dakota, man convicted of Distribution of Child Pornography, Receipt of Child Pornography, and Possession of Child Pornography. The sentencing took place on August 14, 2026.
Jesse Luiz Jaso, 22, was sentenced to five years in federal prison for each count, followed by five years of supervised release. Each sentence was ordered to run concurrently. Further, Jaso was ordered to pay a $300 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund, a $1,000 fine and will be required to register as a sex offender under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act.
Jaso was indicted for Distribution of Child Pornography, Receipt of Child Pornography, and Possession of Child Pornography by a federal grand jury in February 2024. He was found guilty of all counts on May 21, 2026, following a 2-day jury trial in federal district court in Rapid City.
In February 2023, a Rapid City Police Department Internet Crimes Against Children Detective received a Cybertip from Snapchat that Jesse Jaso was distributing child pornography. Through the investigation and subsequent search and seizure of Jaso’s phone, law enforcement learned he had been communicating with individuals online, purchasing child pornography, and soliciting others to exchange 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 the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
This case was investigated by the South Dakota Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force, the South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation, the Rapid City Police Department, and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security-Homeland Security Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Megan Poppen prosecuted the case.
Jaso was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Previously Deported British Citizen Who Illegally Reentered U.S. is SentencedRead the Press Release
David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that JOHN O’ROURKE, also known as JOHN CASEY, 27, a citizen of the United Kingdom and Northern Ireland, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Vernon D. Oliver in Hartford for unlawfully reentering the United States.
According to court documents and statements made in court, O’Rourke has used several other aliases including “John O’Rouke,” “Michael Casey,” “John Joyce,” “Robert Davanzo,” “David Collins,” and “James McCormack.” On October 7, 2024, U.S. Border Patrol apprehended O’Rourke, under an alias, and four other individuals near Fort Covington, New York, close to Canadian border. An investigation revealed that O’Rourke did not have legal status in the United States and, on October 15, 2024, he was removed by foot from New York to Canada.
O’Rourke subsequently unlawfully reentered the U.S. On February 18, 2025, O’Rourke was arrested under the name John Casey in Bridgeport, Connecticut, and charged with state offenses including evading responsibility and breach of peace. On March 2, 2026, O’Rourke was arrested under the name John Casey in Pleasonton, California, on an arrest warrant issued by a judge in Torrington, Connecticut, charging O’Rourke with larceny in the first degree, making home improvements without a valid home improvement certificate, and mispresenting or impersonating a registered contractor. O’Rourke also has a pending state case in Danbury, Connecticut for larceny.
Additional investigation revealed that O’Rourke has pending cases stemming from arrests under various aliases in Suffolk County, New York, in November 2023; Everett, Washington, in September 2025; Linden, New Jersey, in December 2025; and Snohomish County, Washington, in January 2026. He also is being sought by law enforcement in Surrey, England.
O’Rourke has been detained in state custody since his arrest on March 2, 2026. On May 14, 2026, he pleaded guilty in federal court to unlawful reentry of a removed alien.
O’Rourke’s pending state cases in Danbury, Torrington, and Bridgeport are expected to be resolved next month. Judge Oliver sentenced O’Rourke to 10 days of federal imprisonment consecutive to his state sentences, after which he will be transferred to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) custody and removed to the United Kingdom.
This matter was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI). The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Neeraj. N. Patel and Michael S. Deel.
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.
Portland Man Pleads Guilty to Possessing Cocaine and Crack Cocaine with Intent to DistributeRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Maine: A Portland man pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in Portland to possessing cocaine and crack cocaine with intent to distribute.
According to court records, on July 8, 2024, Portland police officers arrested Anthony Lobor, 27, on a state arrest warrant. Later that day, investigators searched Lobor’s residence under a search warrant and found cocaine, crack cocaine, several cell phones, cash, seven firearms, and ammunition.
Lobor faces up to 20 years in prison, a maximum fine of $1 million, and up to a lifetime of supervised release. He will be sentenced after the completion of a presentence investigative report by the U.S. Probation Office. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The FBI, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Portland Police Department investigated the case, with assistance from the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration.
###
Poplar Bluff Woman Caught with Gun, Meth Sentenced to 40 Months in PrisonRead the Press Release
CAPE GIRARDEAU – A convicted felon from Poplar Bluff, Missouri who was caught with a gun after selling methamphetamine to investigators was sentenced Wednesday to 40 months in prison.
On Dec. 3, 2025, the Southeast Missouri Drug Task Force and the Butler County Sheriff’s Department conducted a court-approved search of the home of Dorothy Mae Neeley. Neeley had recently sold a small amount of meth to someone working with the Task Force. She was arrested on an unrelated warrant and turned over about 5 grams of a mixture containing meth, according to her plea agreement. She also told investigators that she had a firearm in her bedroom, and they found a disassembled sawed-off shotgun. Neeley is a convicted felon, having been imprisoned four times, and is thus barred from possessing a firearm.
Neeley, 50, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in Cape Girardeau in May to one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm.
The Southeast Missouri Drug Task Force and the Butler County Sheriff’s Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy Willis prosecuted the case.
Phoenix Man Sentenced to Prison for Fraudulently Obtaining $1 Million in PPP LoansRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – A Phoenix man who received over $1 million in Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans by submitting fraudulent applications was sentenced yesterday by United States District Judge Sharad H. Desai to 15 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release. Jamar Johnson, 54, previously pleaded guilty to Wire Fraud.
Johnson admitted that he submitted false applications in order to obtain PPP loans on behalf of his entity, CBL Worldwide II. For example, in one of the applications, Johnson stated that the company had 73 employees and over $4.8 million in annual payroll expenses. In reality, CBL Worldwide II had zero employees and no payroll expenses. As a result of his fraudulent misrepresentations, Johnson received two PPP loans totaling $1,007,650.
Johnson spent the money on himself, including by purchasing cryptocurrency, a vehicle, and cosmetic dentistry. At sentencing, Johnson was ordered to pay full restitution to the Small Business Administration (SBA).
The Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act was enacted in March 2020 to provide emergency financial assistance to the millions of Americans who were suffering the economic effects caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. One source of relief under the CARES Act was the authorization of hundreds of billions of dollars in forgivable loans to small businesses for job retention and certain other expenses through the Paycheck Protection Program.
On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division. The core mission of the Fraud Division is to zealously investigate and prosecute those who steal or fraudulently misuse taxpayer dollars. Department of Justice efforts to combat fraud support 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.
Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation in this case, with substantial assistance from the SBA, Office of Inspector General. The U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, Phoenix, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: 25-CR-00738-PHX-SHD
RELEASE NUMBER: 2026-141_Johnson# # #
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.Parker Man Sentenced to 2 Years in Federal Prison for EscapeRead the Press Release
SIOUX FALLS - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced today that U.S. District Judge Karen E. Schreier has sentenced a man from Parker, South Dakota, convicted of Escape. The sentencing took place on August 17, 2026.
Michael Sherard, 39, was sentenced to 27 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund in the amount of $100.
Sherard was indicted for Escape by a federal grand jury in May 2026. He pleaded guilty on June 22, 2026.
Sherard was serving a sentence for a felony conviction for Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance. In January of 2026 he was transferred to a halfway house in Sioux Falls to serve the remainder of his sentence. In April, he left the facility to go to work and did not return. He was later arrested in Sioux Falls and charged with a new offense of possession of a controlled substance.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Marshals Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Hodges prosecuted the case.
Sherard was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.