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17 August 2026
Federal Grand Jury Indicts Man for Allegedly Conspiring to Traffic Fentanyl and Cocaine in ChicagoRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — A federal grand jury has indicted a man for allegedly conspiring to traffic fentanyl and cocaine in Chicago.
JAYLIN ARNOLD, 28, of Chicago, conspired with four other individuals to distribute fentanyl and cocaine in Chicago from January to June of 2025, according to an indictment returned Thursday in U.S. District Court in Chicago. The indictment seeks forfeiture from Arnold of three handguns and associated ammunition. Arnold’s arraignment in federal court in Chicago has not yet been scheduled. Arnold was recently convicted of a firearm crime in state court in connection with the June 5, 2025, police chase that led to the shooting of Chicago Police Department Officer Krystal Rivera.
The four alleged co-conspirators—DASHAWN POWELL, 40, TARELL SMITH, 39, JOSHUA THOMAS, 42, and BERNARD SPENCER, 33, all of Chicago —were indicted separately earlier this year on federal drug conspiracy and related firearm charges. They have pleaded not guilty and are awaiting trial.
All five defendants are currently being held in law enforcement custody.
The indictment was announced by Andrew S. Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and Christopher Amon, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Division of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives. The Chicago Police Department provided valuable assistance. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Elie Zenner.
The public is reminded that an indictment is not evidence of guilt. The defendants are presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial at which the government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
arnold_indictment.pdfFederal Grand Jury Indicts Illegal Alien for Allegedly Possessing Eight “Molotov Cocktail” Destructive Devices in Chicago SuburbRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — A federal grand jury has indicted a man for illegally possessing eight “Molotov cocktail” destructive devices in a Chicago suburb earlier this month.
On Aug. 1, 2026, in Mokena, Ill., HAMED ALSAIDI knowingly possessed eight glass liquor and beer bottles containing an ignitable liquid and a wicking component in the form commonly referred to as a “Molotov cocktail,” according to an indictment returned today in U.S. District Court in Chicago.
The indictment charges Alsaidi with eight counts of possessing an unregistered destructive device. Each count is punishable by up to ten years in federal prison.
Alsaidi, 31, who most recently resided in Oak Forest, Ill., is an illegal alien in the United States and currently in the custody of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Arraignment in federal court in Chicago has not yet been scheduled.
The indictment was announced by Andrew S. Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and Christopher Amon, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Division of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives. The Mokena, Ill. Police Department and the Office of the Illinois State Fire Marshal provided valuable assistance. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Davis Price Shugrue.
The public is reminded that an indictment is not evidence of guilt. The defendant is presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial at which the government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
alsaidi_indictment_stamped.pdfColumbia Man Sentenced to More than 20 Years in Federal Prison for Drug DistributionRead the Press Release
COLUMBIA, S.C. — Pearish Pierre Pretty, 43, of Columbia, has been sentenced to more than 20 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and distribution of 5 kilograms or more of cocaine and 50 grams or more of methamphetamine.
Evidence obtained in the investigation revealed that Pretty was a major cocaine and methamphetamine supplier for a drug trafficking organization operating in the Columbia and Lexington County areas. Pretty was held responsible for distributing more than 18,000 grams of methamphetamine and 9,000 grams of cocaine between November 2022 and December 2024.
Pretty has prior federal convictions for conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute 5 kilograms or more of cocaine, possession with intent to distribute cocaine, conspiracy to commit money laundering, and possession with intent to distribute marijuana. Pretty committed the offenses while on federal supervise release.
United States District Judge Mary Geiger Lewis sentenced Pretty to 250 months’ imprisonment, to be followed by a five-year term of court-ordered supervision. There is no parole in the federal system.
This case is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the City of Columbia Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ariyana Gore prosecuted the case.###
Colombian national pleads guilty to a money laundering conspiracyRead the Press Release
NORFOLK, Va. – A Colombian national pled guilty today to a seven-year money laundering conspiracy involving the purchase of consumer electronics using drug proceeds.
According to court documents, from January 2018 through March 2025, Andrelio Castaño Rojas, 55, conspired to launder drug trafficking proceeds using a currency exchange scheme. Rojas opened U.S. bank accounts for two of his U.S. companies and arranged for his business accounts to receive drug proceeds through bank wires and bulk cash deposits. Rojas used these funds to purchase consumer electronics that he exported to Colombia.
Rojas pled guilty to a money laundering conspiracy. He faces up to 20 years in prison when sentenced on Jan. 22, 2027. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Theophani K. Stamos, First Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; and Matthew Allen, Chief of Operations of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), made the announcement.
The DEA Norfolk and Miami Field Divisions are investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Kevin Hudson for the Eastern District of Virginia and Trial Attorneys Yuliana Reyes and Mark Irish of the Criminal Division’s Money Laundering, Narcotics and Forfeiture Section (MNF) are prosecuting the case.
MNF’s mission is to take the profit out of crime, eliminate drug cartels, and protect the U.S. financial system. MNF pursues criminal prosecutions and criminal and civil asset recovery actions involving: financial facilitators who launder profits for criminals; financial institutions and their officers and employees whose actions threaten the U.S. financial system and financial institutions; international money launderers who support transnational organized crime; and the top command and control of international drug trafficking organizations.
MNF’s Money Laundering and Forfeiture Unit investigates and prosecutes sophisticated money laundering schemes involving financial facilitators, gatekeepers, and other individuals and entities laundering criminal proceeds, and litigates complex civil forfeiture cases to recover assets on behalf of victims.
Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:25-cr-21.
Colombian National Pleads Guilty to a Money Laundering ConspiracyRead the Press Release
A Colombian national pleaded guilty today to a seven-year money laundering conspiracy involving the purchase of consumer electronics using drug proceeds.
According to court documents, Andrelio Castaño Rojas, 55, of Colombia, from January 2018 through March 2025, conspired to launder drug trafficking proceeds using a currency exchange scheme. Rojas opened U.S. bank accounts for two of his U.S. companies and arranged for his business accounts to receive drug proceeds through bank wires and bulk cash deposits. Rojas used these funds to purchase consumer electronics that he exported to Colombia.
Rojas pleaded guilty to a money laundering conspiracy. Sentencing is set for Jan. 22, 2027. He faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; First Assistant U.S. Attorney Theophani K. Stamos for the Eastern District of Virginia; and Chief of Operations Matthew Allen of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) made the announcement.
The DEA Norfolk Resident Office and Miami Field Division are investigating the case.
Trial Attorneys Yuliana Reyes and Mark Irish of the Criminal Division’s Money Laundering, Narcotics and Forfeiture Section (MNF) and Assistant U.S. Attorney Kevin Hudson for the Eastern District of Virginia are prosecuting the case.
The Money Laundering, Narcotics and Forfeiture Section's (MNF) mission is to take the profit out of crime, eliminate drug cartels, and protect the U.S. financial system. MNF pursues criminal prosecutions and criminal and civil asset recovery actions involving: financial facilitators who launder profits for criminals; financial institutions and their officers and employees whose actions threaten the U.S. financial system and financial institutions; international money launderers who support transnational organized crime; and the top command and control of international drug trafficking organizations.
MNF’s Money Laundering and Forfeiture Unit investigates and prosecutes sophisticated money laundering schemes involving financial facilitators, gatekeepers, and other individuals and entities laundering criminal proceeds, and litigates complex civil forfeiture cases to recover assets on behalf of victims.
Christopher J. Nassar Appointed U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of OklahomaRead the Press Release
Christopher J. Nassar was sworn in as the United States Attorney for the Northern District of Oklahoma on August 14th, 2026, after being nominated by President Donald J. Trump and confirmed by the United States Senate.
“It is the honor of a lifetime to serve as the United States Attorney for the Northern District of Oklahoma,” said U.S. Attorney Christopher J. Nassar. “I want to thank President Trump, Senator Lankford, Senator Armstrong, and (former Senator) Secretary Mullin for having the confidence in me to serve and protect the citizens of the Northern District. I am grateful for their support throughout the nomination and confirmation process. With the exception of Washington, D.C., federal law enforcement in the Northern District of Oklahoma has a greater responsibility for public safety than any other district in the country. I am excited to lead this office and advance this important mission.”
As U.S. Attorney, Mr. Nassar serves as the chief federal law enforcement officer for the Northern District of Oklahoma, overseeing all federal criminal prosecutions and civil litigation involving the United States. The district spans 11 counties and includes 14 federally recognized Indian tribes. The Northern District is uniquely situated following the Supreme Court’s McGirt decision. As a result of that ruling, the U.S. Attorney’s Office is responsible for prosecuting all Major Crimes occurring in Indian Country within the district, in addition to its traditional federal law enforcement responsibilities. Mr. Nassar leads a team of more than 130 attorneys and support professionals dedicated to carrying out this mission.
Mr. Nassar joined the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Oklahoma in January 2018 as an Assistant U.S. Attorney. In 2023, he was promoted to Deputy Criminal Chief, where he supervised investigations and prosecutions involving national security, cybercrime, child exploitation, human trafficking, and Project Safe Neighborhoods. He has prosecuted and tried a wide range of offenses, with concentrations in child exploitation, sex trafficking, cybercrime, Indian Country homicides and sexual assaults, gun crime, and national security cases. He has also served as the District’s Project Safe Childhood Coordinator, National Security Coordinator, and Crisis Management Coordinator. From 2015 to 2016, Mr. Nassar served as a Special Assistant U.S. Attorney in the Eastern District of North Carolina
Mr. Nassar is a lieutenant colonel in the United States Marine Corps Reserve and has served as an active duty and reserve judge advocate since 2009. On active duty, Mr. Nassar served as a trial counsel prosecuting criminal cases involving military members around the world, primarily concerning crimes against children and national security matters. In the reserves, Mr. Nassar has served as a victims’ legal counsel, cyber operational law advisor to USCYBERCOM, and a legal advisor to MARFORRES and MARFORSOUTH.
U.S. Attorney Nassar is a graduate of the University of Arkansas and the University of Oklahoma College of Law. Additionally, he holds certifications as a Supervisory Litigator and a Master of Cyber, Intelligence, and Information Law from the US Marine Corps.
Canton Man Connected to Madison Timber Ponzi Scheme Sentenced to 20 months for PerjuryRead the Press Release
Jackson, MS – A Canton man was sentenced to 20 months in prison for perjury.
According to court documents, on February 25, 2026, William Byrd McHenry, Jr., 79, a federal jury found defendant guilty of making false statements under oath. On October 1, 2018, a civil suit was filed against McHenry and others to recover monies for victims of the Lamar Adams - Madison Timber Properties multi-state Ponzi scheme involving more than one hundred million dollars and hundreds of victims spanning a number of years. McHenry recruited others to invest in the scheme. A court judgment against McHenry for $3,473,230 was obtained in the civil suit on August 16, 2019. This was the amount the court determined McHenry owed to the victims. The court-appointed receiver, charged with recouping money for the victims, later examined McHenry under oath in a judgement-debtor examination when she could not recover any monies from McHenry towards satisfaction of the judgment. During the examination, McHenry lied about assets that could have been used to partially satisfy the civil judgment against him. More specifically, McHenry was asked directly about certain assets and whether he had sold them during the pendency of his own personal bankruptcy, which he filed after the $3,473,320 judgment. He falsely denied selling any such assets.
U.S. Attorney J.E. Baxter Kruger of the Southern District of Mississippi and Special Agent in Charge Robert A. Eikhoff made the announcement.
“McHenry believed he could evade justice by committing perjury to avoid accountability. Today’s sentence proves otherwise. Making false statements under oath and attempting to obstruct justice will not be tolerated. The FBI and our partners remain steadfast in our commitment to uncover, investigate, disrupt, and dismantle finance and illicit fraud schemes-and to pursue justice and restitution for the victims affected by them.”
The FBI investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Matt Allen prosecuted the case.
California Man Sentenced to 92 Months for Pharmacy BurglariesRead the Press Release
BOISE – Andrew Rumbo-Ochoa, 28, of Santa Clara, California, was sentenced to 92 months in federal prison for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances, U.S. Attorney Bart M. Davis announced today.
According to court records, Rumbo-Ochoa conspired with others to burglarize pharmacies and steal controlled substances to sell. Rumbo-Ochoa and his co-conspirators drove from California to Idaho to commit the crime. On May 22, 2025, Rumbo-Ochoa and his co-conspirators were seen on surveillance footage outside a pharmacy in Montpelier, Idaho. Later, on May 22, they broke into a pharmacy in Grace, Idaho and stole Schedule II controlled substances, including 345 pills containing hydrocodone, 200 pills containing hydromorphone, and 5,773 pills containing oxycodone, with the intent to distribute the substances.
In March 2025, Rumbo-Ochoa travelled with others to Missoula, Montana. On March 10, 2025, they broke into a pharmacy in Missoula, and stole Schedule II controlled substances, including 1,593 pills containing hydrocodone, 565 pills containing oxycodone, 80 pills containing hydromorphone, 194 pills containing methylphenidate, and 1,591 pills containing amphetamine.
Senior U.S. District Judge B. Lynn Winmill also ordered Rumbo-Ochoa to serve 3 years of supervised release following his prison sentence. Rumbo-Ochoa pleaded guilty to the charge on April 30, 2026.
U.S. Attorney Davis made the announcement and commended the work of the U.S Food and Drug Administration Office of Criminal Investigation, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Caribou County Sheriff's Office, the Caribou County Prosecutor’s Office, and the Missoula Police Department, which led to the charges.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Darci Crane prosecuted the case.
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Border enforcement actions continue with 198 additional cases filed in Operation Take Back America effortsRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – The Southern District of Texas has charged another 199 people, including 188 illegal aliens, for immigration- and border security-related crimes from Aug. 7-13.
A total of 154 criminal complaints were filed for felony reentry after prior removal, while another 27 illegal aliens face charges of illegal entry. Many have prior felonies involving narcotics, violent crime, immigration crimes, and more. In addition, 16 people have been charged with human smuggling, which includes seven illegal aliens themselves.
Among the new cases are three Mexican nationals, all charged with felony reentry after removal.
Authorities found Juan Pablo Sosa-Alvizo and Janny Martinez-Solis in the McAllen area allegedly without legal authorization to be in the United States. According to the criminal complaints, both had previously been removed already this year. Sosa-Alvizo has a prior conviction for theft of property, while Martinez-Solis has a prior conviction for injury to a child/elder/disabled, according to their respective charges.
Law enforcement also discovered Agueda Anait Ambriz-Penaloza near Rio Grande City after he had allegedly been removed Feb. 14, 2025. Court records reflect a prior conviction for conspiracy to possess meth with intent to distribute.
All face up to 20 years in prison if convicted.
In addition to the new cases, Mexican national Juan Garcia-Villa was ordered to serve 42 months in federal prison for his illegal reentry conviction. The court considered his criminal history while unlawfully present in the United States, including convictions for possession with intent to manufacture and/or distribute a controlled substance, evading arrest, and illegal reentry. Authorities first removed him in October 2008, but he repeatedly returned. Law enforcement discovered him again in Houston with no authorization to be in the country.
The cases are referred or supported by federal law enforcement partners, including Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations, ICE - Enforcement and Removal Operations, Border Patrol, Drug Enforcement Administration, FBI, U.S. Marshals Service, as well as the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives with additional assistance from state and local law enforcement partners.
The cases are part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigrants, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations, and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
Under current leadership, public safety and a secure border are the top priorities for the Southern District. Enhanced enforcement both at the border and in the interior of the district have yielded aliens engaged in unlawful activity or with serious criminal histories, including convictions for human trafficking, sexual assault, and violence against children.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Texas remains one of the busiest in the nation. It represents 43 counties and more than 10 million people covering 44,000 square miles. Assistant U.S. Attorneys from all seven divisions including Houston, Galveston, Victoria, Corpus Christi, Brownsville, McAllen, and Laredo work directly with our law enforcement partners on the federal, state, and local levels to prosecute the suspected offenders of these and other federal crimes.
An indictment or criminal complaint is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence. A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.
Boone County Man Sentenced for Distribution of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
COVINGTON, Ky. – A Hebron, Ky., man, William Mason Fryman, 26, was sentenced on Monday to 150 months by Chief U.S. District Judge David Bunning for the distribution of child pornography.
In May 2025, Fryman began communicating with undercover agent with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) over Telegram in an effort to trade sexually explicit videos of minors. During the conversations, which spanned several months, Fryman sent over 15 videos of child sexual abuse material to the undercover agent. On December 9, 2025, law enforcement executed a search warrant on Fryman’s residence and arrested him. When he was interviewed, he admitted that he was the individual communicating on Telegram and that he had used other online platforms to communicate with other individuals who were interested in trading child sexual abuse material.
Jason Parman, First Assistant United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; and Olivia Olson, Special Agent in Charge, FBI, Louisville Field Office, jointly announced the sentence.
The investigation was conducted by the FBI. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elaine Leonhard prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.
This case was prosecuted as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
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Attorney General Blanche Launches New Process to Restore Federal Firearm RightsRead the Press Release
As one of his first actions as Attorney General, Todd Blanche today finalized a federal regulation and launched a new process allowing eligible individuals who are prohibited from possessing firearms to apply for restoration of their federal firearm rights.
“The Second Amendment is not a second-class right, and the federal government should not permanently deprive Americans of a constitutional right without regard to whether they pose a danger to public safety,” said Attorney General Todd Blanche. “This rule establishes a rigorous, commonsense process that protects the public while giving deserving Americans a real path to restoration.”
“President Trump keeps making history - this time by his unprecedented restoration of firearms rights to millions of Americans” said U.S. Pardon Attorney Edward Martin. “Over the past months, we have worked at the direction of Attorney General Todd Blanche to build a program to give a pathway for restoration for the 30 million Americans who have lost their Second Amendment rights. We are proud to serve and defend our great Second Amendment.”
For more than three decades, the statutory process Congress created under 18 U.S.C. § 925(c) was effectively unavailable to most individuals seeking relief from federal firearms disabilities. The final rule restores a functioning process for the individualized consideration Congress authorized and advances President Trump’s directive to protect the Second Amendment rights of law-abiding Americans.
Under the final rule, restoration of firearm rights is neither automatic nor guaranteed. Each applicant must establish to the Attorney General’s satisfaction that the circumstances giving rise to the prohibition, together with the applicant’s record, reputation, and subsequent conduct, demonstrate that the applicant is not likely to act in a manner dangerous to public safety and that granting relief would not be contrary to the public interest. The Department will consider the facts and circumstances of each application, while maintaining strong presumptions against relief for individuals whose crimes, conduct, or status demonstrate heightened risks to public safety. Absent extraordinary circumstances, violent felons, registered sex offenders, illegal aliens, and other individuals who present an ongoing danger will remain presumptively ineligible for relief. Any relief granted under the rule removes only applicable federal firearms disabilities and does not override independent restrictions imposed by state law.
The final rule, as submitted to the Office of the Federal Register, is available here. This rule will take effect thirty days after publication in the Federal Register. Individuals seeking restoration of their federal firearm rights may visit the Justice Department’s Federal Firearm Rights Restoration Program website at www.justice.gov/ffrr for eligibility information, application instructions, and access to the Department’s application process.
Asbury Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Possession with Intent to Distribute CocaineRead the Press Release
A man who illegally possessed cocaine was sentenced today to 18 months in federal prison.
Marcus Allen Thomas, age 37, from Asbury, Iowa, received the prison term after a February 18, 2026, guilty plea to one count of possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance.
In a plea agreement, Thomas admitted he possessed cocaine that he intended to distribute. On April 12, 2025, investigators searched Thomas’s home in Asbury. Investigators found approximately 6.14 pounds of marijuana and approximately 101.56 grams of a mixture or substance containing a detectable amount of cocaine in the basement bathroom.
Thomas was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams. Thomas was sentenced to 18 months’ imprisonment and fined $5,500. He must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
Thomas is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Adam J. Vander Stoep and investigated by the Dubuque Drug Task Force, Dubuque County Sheriff’s Office, Dubuque Police Department, Asbury Police Department, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 25-CR-01046. Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.
Alleged Mastermind of $165 Million Cryptocurrency Ponzi Scheme Facing Federal Charges after Deportation from FijiRead the Press Release
GAINESVILLE, Ga. - After allegedly perpetrating a $165 million Ponzi scheme, fleeing to Fiji, and being deported back to the United States, Edward Zimbardi will appear in federal court today to face wire fraud and money laundering charges.
“Zimbardi allegedly tricked thousands of people to invest in his ‘Crypto Program’ with false promises of enormous returns. Instead, he spent the money on risky currency trades, payments to early investors, and treating himself to a house and expensive vehicles,” said U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg. “When his scam imploded, he allegedly tried to evade federal prosecution by fleeing to the other side of the world. Thanks to law enforcement and diplomatic authorities in Fiji and the United States, Zimbardi is back on American soil and will face trial.”
“Zimbardi allegedly preyed on trusting individuals through a complex scheme to separate people from their hard-earned money and then reportedly fled more than 7300 miles to the South Pacific,” said Marlo Graham, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. “Scammers are trying everything they can to defraud people out of their hard-earned money, but the FBI is doing everything we can to make sure they don’t succeed, no matter where they hide.”
According to U.S. Attorney Hertzberg, the charges, and other information presented in court: Between June 2022 and August 2023, Edward Zimbardi allegedly created and promoted an alleged Ponzi scheme called The Crypto Program. In his promotional videos and websites, Zimbardi allegedly told investors that The Crypto Program was an opportunity to invest in advertising packages with a guaranteed 25% monthly return. Investors were encouraged to pay for their advertising packages by moving cryptocurrency into wallets Zimbardi secretly controlled. Together, thousands of investors sent more than $165 million to those wallets.
Instead of using investments to buy advertising packages, Zimbardi allegedly gambled more than $34 million on risky foreign currency bets and lost substantial money. To keep the Ponzi scheme going, Zimbardi allegedly used funds from later investors to pay earlier investors. Finally, he allegedly spent at least $10 million on personal expenses, including buying a house for his son, purchasing luxury vehicles, and making alimony payments to his ex-wife.
When The Crypto Program imploded in August 2023 and victims lost their invested funds, Zimbardi traveled to Hawaii, Fiji, and other locations around the world. In July 2025, after becoming aware of the FBI’s investigation, he fled to Fiji and lived there for over a year. In May 2026, Zimbardi canceled plans to attend his son’s wedding in Virginia after suspecting—correctly—that FBI agents would attempt to arrest him there. On August 14, 2026, after Fijian authorities learned of the charges against Zimbardi, they deported Zimbardi to the United States, in coordination with the FBI and U.S. Department of State.
On July 8, 2026, Edward Zimbardi, 59, of Flowery Branch, Georgia, was charged in a federal indictment with twelve counts of wire fraud, twelve counts of money laundering, and one count of money laundering conspiracy. He will appear before a federal magistrate judge in Los Angeles, California later today, and the Government will argue he should be detained in the custody of the United States Marshals Service pending further proceedings in the Northern District of Georgia.
Individuals who invested in The Crypto Program are encouraged to provide victim information to the FBI at http://fbi.gov/thecryptoprogram. The FBI will contact victims at a later date regarding further proceedings, including potential documentation needed for restitution.
Members of the public are reminded that the indictment only contains charges. The defendant is presumed innocent of the charges, and it will be the government’s burden to prove the defendant’s guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial.
This case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Substantial assistance has been provided by the Department of Justice Office of International Affairs; the U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service (DSS) Overseas Criminal Investigations Unit at the U.S. Embassy in Suva, Fiji; the Fiji Ministry of Immigration; the Fiji Police Force; the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission; the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission; the California Department of Financial Protection and Innovation; U.S. Customs and Border Protection; the Georgia Secretary of State; and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California.
Assistant United States Attorney Bethany L. Rupert is prosecuting the case.
For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at [email protected] or (404) 581-6185. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.
Alien Pleads Guilty to Illegally Reentering the CountryRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Luis Armando Tamaquiza Bastidas, 43, of Ecuador, pled guilty Tuesday, July 28, to one count of illegal reentry into the United States. First Assistant United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III and Richard J. Fortunato, Acting Chief Patrol Agent, U.S. Customs and Border Patrol, made the announcement.
Tamaquiza Bastidas had been arrested two previous times for entering the United States illegally. Most recently, in October 2025, he was arrested in Texas and was subsequently deported later that year.
On May 24, 2026, Tamaquiza Bastidas was arrested after crossing the United States-Canada border near Churubusco, New York.
First Assistant United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III stated, “The failures of the previous administration’s border and immigration policies created openings that allowed illegal aliens to enter our nation by the millions. This defendant exploited those gaps and has already been deported twice. On his third attempt to illegally enter the United States, he was stopped thanks to President Trump’s strong policies and the men and women at U.S. Border Patrol. He will now serve a federal prison sentence and, once completed, will again be deported.”
Acting Chief Patrol Agent Richard J. Fortunato said, “I commend the agents of Swanton Sector for their hard work in contributing to the successful prosecution of those who commit crimes along our nation’s borders. Our efforts help protect and improve the quality of life for border communities and for those in the interior of our country.”
United States District Judge Mae A. D’Agostino sentenced Tamaquiza Bastidas to two months’ imprisonment. Following his sentence, Tamaquiza Bastidas is subject to deportation.
United States Border Patrol investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Whalen prosecuted the case.
Alien Pleads Guilty to Illegally Reentering the CountryRead the Press Release
SYRACUSE, NEW YORK – Emmerson Versain Velasquez-Hernandez, age 25, of Guatemala, pled guilty on Tuesday, July 21, to one count of illegal reentry into the United States. First Assistant United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III and Acting Chief Patrol Agent Richard J. Fortunato of the U.S. Border Patrol’s Swanton Sector made the announcement.
Velasquez-Hernandez was previously arrested in 2024 for entering the country illegally and was subsequently deported. On May 4, 2026, he was found in the country following a traffic stop in Franklin County. Velasquez-Hernandez had not sought or received permission from the Attorney General or the Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security to reapply for admission into the United States.
First Assistant U.S. Attorney John Sarcone said, “Illegal aliens who enter the United States unlawfully pose a real and immediate risk when their identities and intentions are unknown. This defendant had previously been removed for illegal entry and again chose to violate U.S. law by reentering the country. Thanks to the efforts of our partners at the U.S. Border Patrol, this individual will be returned to Guatemala.”
Swanton Sector’s Acting Chief Patrol Agent Richard J. Fortunato said, “I commend the agents of Swanton Sector for their hard work in contributing to the successful prosecution of those who commit crimes along our nation’s borders. Our efforts help protect and improve the quality of life for border communities and for those in the interior of our country.”District Court Judge Elizabeth C. Coombe sentenced Velasquez-Hernandez to time served based on the two and a half months he has spent imprisoned on the charge since his arrest. Following his sentence, Velasquez-Hernandez is subject to deportation.
U.S. Border Patrol investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kevin Cheung prosecuted the case.
Afghan National Pleads Guilty to Illegal Re-EntryRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Khan Afsar Ahmadzai, age 30, of Kabul, Afghanistan pleaded guilty to illegal re-entry into the United States and was immediately sentenced.
The announcement was made by First Assistant United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III, and U.S. Border Patrol's Swanton Sector Acting Chief Richard J. Fortunato.
As part of his guilty plea, Khan Afsar Ahmadzai admitted that on June 3, 2026, he entered the United States from Canada by walking across the international boundary near Champlain, New York, avoiding United States Immigration and Customs inspection. Khan Afsar Ahmadzai was subsequently apprehended by United States Border Patrol Agents.
First Assistant U.S. Attorney John Sarcone said, “This defendant has repeatedly attempted to violate U.S. immigration laws. This Administration is delivering on its commitment to secure our borders each and every day. Thanks to the vigilance of our partners at U.S. Customs and Border Protection, he was apprehended and arrested. Following his sentence, Ahmadzai will be subject to deportation.”
Swanton Sector’s Acting Chief Patrol Agent Richard J. Fortunato said, “I commend the agents of Swanton Sector for their hard work in contributing to the successful prosecution of those who commit crimes along our nation’s borders. Our efforts help protect and improve the quality of life for border communities and for those in the interior of our country.”
Prior to this case, in May 2026, Khan Afsar Ahmadzai had entered the United States at the Port of Entry near Niagara Falls, New York, but was denied entry by immigration officials. Khan Afsar Ahmadzai was subsequently returned to Canada.
Immediately following his guilty plea, Khan Afsar Ahmadzai was sentenced to 51 days in jail.
This case was investigated by United States Border Patrol and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Troy Anderson.
15 August 2026
New Orleans Felon Sentenced for Distributing Pure MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – LUIS MORALES (“MORALES”), age 36, was sentenced on August 13, 2026, by U.S. District Judge Carl J. Barbier to 66 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release, along with a $300 special assessment fee, after previously pleading guilty to three counts of distributing more than five grams of actual methamphetamine, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1) and 841(b)(1)(B), announced U.S. Attorney David I. Courcelle.
According to court documents, in August of 2023, MORALES sold methamphetamine to individuals he believed to be legitimate buyers on three separate occasions. In total, MORALES distributed more than 120 grams of methamphetamine that was between 96%-99% pure. MORALES also sold to the individuals he believed to be legitimate buyers, a firearm.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Louisiana State Police, and the New Orleans Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney David Berman of the Violent Crime Unit is in charge of the prosecution.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
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Madison Man Sentenced to More Than 5 Years for Illegally Possessing Firearm While on Supervision for Armed RobberyRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Chadwick M. Elgersma, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Johnell L. Britt, 28, Madison, Wisconsin, was sentenced last week by U.S. District Judge William M. Conley to a total of 62 months in prison. Judge Conley sentenced Britt to 48 months in prison for possessing a firearm as a convicted felon and to 18 months in prison, to be served consecutively, for violating the terms of his supervised release. Britt pleaded guilty to the firearms charge on April 27, 2026.
On December 11, 2025, law enforcement searched Britt’s apartment and found a firearm concealed in a bag. An analyst with the Wisconsin State Crime Laboratory confirmed Britt’s DNA was on the firearm. Britt later admitted that he picked up the firearm and put it in the bag. At the time of the offense, Britt was on federal supervision for an armed robbery conviction.
At sentencing, Judge Conley considered Britt’s history of endangering people, having been convicted of armed robbery on two separate occasions. Judge Conley noted that Britt presents a danger to society and that his willingness to possess a firearm despite his prior convictions and supervision status was a reckless decision.
The charge against Britt was the result of an investigation conducted by the ATF Madison Crime Gun Task Force and the Madison Police Department. The ATF Madison Crime Gun Task Force consists of federal agents from ATF and Task Force Officers from state and local agencies throughout the State of Wisconsin. Assistant U.S. Attorney Colleen Lennon prosecuted this 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.
Federal prosecutions by the U.S. Department of Justice involving drugs and guns are part of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Operation Take Back America. Operation Take Back America is a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations, and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
Honduran National Indicted for Being Illegal Alien in Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – LUIS FELIPE POSAS-VILLAFRANCA (“POSAS-VILLAFRANCA”), age 27, a Honduran national, was indicted on August 13, 2026, for being an illegal alien in possession of a firearm, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 922(g)(5)(A) and 924(a)(8), announced United States Attorney David I. Courcelle.
According to the indictment, on or about June 22, 2026, POSAS-VILLAFRANCA, an alien who is illegally and unlawfully present in the United States, possessed a Taurus Model G3XL nine-millimeter caliber handgun.
If convicted, POSAS-VILLAFRANCA faces a maximum penalty of up to 15 years of imprisonment, up to a $250,000 fine, up to 3 years of supervised release, and a $100 mandatory special assessment fee.
U.S. Attorney Courcelle reiterated that an indictment is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.
U.S. Attorney Courcelle praised the work of the U.S. Homeland Security Investigations and the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office in investigating this matter. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Shannon Kippers and Lorcan Connick of the General Crimes Unit are handling the prosecution.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
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Escapee Sentenced to Additional Prison TimeRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Chadwick M. Elgersma, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Joseph Hoult, 39, Urbana, Illinois, was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Judge William M. Conley to 10 months in federal prison for escaping from a community corrections facility. Hoult’s sentence will run consecutive to his remaining undischarged sentence. Hoult plead guilty to this charge on July 8, 2026.
On December 20, 2013, Hoult was sentenced to federal prison by a judge in the Central District of Illinois. Hoult was transferred to a community corrections facility in the Western District of Wisconsin on October 24, 2025. On November 30, 2025, Hoult removed his GPS monitoring device and escaped from the community corrections facility. Hoult remained undetected until his arrest on March 18, 2026.
At sentencing Judge Conley explained that a period of additional incarceration was warranted given Hoult’s troubling decision to escape.
The charge against Hoult was the result of an investigation conducted by the United States Marshals Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney David Reinhard prosecuted this case.
August term of the Federal Grand Jury returns indictments for firearms and immigration chargesRead the Press Release
SAVANNAH, Georgia: Multiple defendants have been indicted by the August term of the federal Grand Jury in the Southern District of Georgia for firearms offenses and immigration violations.
Margaret E. “Meg” Heap, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia, announced the indictments. Those facing federal charges include:
- David Griffin, 34, of Guyton, Georgia, indicted for Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon.
- Alton Vincent, 25, of Augusta, indicted for Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person and for False Statement During the Purchase of a Firearm.
- Kadeem Amir Wicker, 35, of Wrightsville, Georgia, indicted for Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon.
- Jordin Alonso-Romero, 25, of Mexico, indicted for being an Illegal Alien in Possession of a Firearm.
In addition, 10 men are charged with Re-entry After Removal or Deportation, a charge applied to an illegal alien present in the United States after at least one prior removal:
- Wilfredo Portillo-Aguirre, 32, a citizen of El Salvador illegally in the U.S., arrested in Wayne County.
- Patricio Perez Barrera, 40, a citizen of Mexico illegally in the U.S., arrested in Chatham County.
- Oscar Cardoza-Reyes, 41, a citizen of Honduras illegally in the U.S., arrested in Camden County.
- Alexander Cortez-Sanchez, 35, a citizen of Mexico illegally in the U.S., arrested in Wayne County.
- Victor Cruz-Anaya, 40, a citizen of Mexico illegally in the U.S., arrested in Liberty County.
- Melzar Oved Gomes-Maradiaga, 35, a citizen of Honduras illegally in the U.S., arrested in Chatham County.
- Jair Gomez-Torres, 30, a citizen of Mexico illegally in the U.S., arrested in Effingham County.
- Jose Ricardo Rodriguez-Carillo, 44, a citizen of Mexico illegally in the U.S., arrested in Camden County.
- Oscar Silvano Toga, 37, a citizen of Mexico illegally in the U.S., arrested in Glynn County.
- Eustaquio Tolentino-Ramirez, 34, a citizen of Mexico illegally in the U.S., arrested in Camden County.
Criminal indictments contain only charges; defendants are considered innocent unless and until proven guilty.
The cases listed above have been investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Homeland Security Investigations, Chatham County Sheriff’s Office, Richmond County Sheriff’s Office, and local law enforcement agencies. These cases are being prosecuted for the United States by Southern District of Georgia Assistant U.S. Attorneys Olivia C. Brame, L. Alexander Hamner, Matthew A. Breedon, Lyle J. Burnham II, Joshua Kyle Davis, and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Lauren C. Olsen.
14 August 2026
Yellowstone County trio sentenced to prison for trafficking fentanylRead the Press Release
BILLINGS – A trio of Yellowstone County residents who were dealing fentanyl were sentenced to prison this week, Acting U.S. Attorney Mark Steger Smith said.
Heather Ostler, 39, who pleaded guilty in March 2026 to one count of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, was sentenced Thursday to five months prison, followed by 4 years of supervised release.
Louis Lester Parker, 36, who pleaded guilty in April 2026 to one count of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, was sentenced Thursday to two years and eight months in prison, followed by four years of supervised release.
Steven Craig Lance, 41, who pleaded guilty in April 2026 to one count of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, was sentenced Friday to a year and three months in prison, followed by four years of supervised release.
U.S. District Judge William W. Mercer presided.
The government alleged in court documents that an investigation into fentanyl distribution in Montana found that Ostler, Parker, and Lance were dealing in the Billings area. Ostler and Parker were stopped by law enforcement on June 3, 2025, where investigators found 178 fentanyl pills in Ostler’s purse. This led to a search warrant for the pair’s residence where investigators found 540 more fentanyl pills in their bedroom.
Lance sold 88 fentanyl pills to a confidential informant on May 15, 2025. Law enforcement watched Lance meet with Ostler prior to making the sale to the informant. After the buy, the informant told investigators that Lance had purchased the pills from Ostler and Parker.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Tom Godfrey prosecuted the case. The Eastern Montana High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Task Force conducted the investigation.
Woman Sentenced to Two Years for Embezzling from Jackson County School DistrictRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Chadwick M. Elgersma, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Danielle Mittermeyer, 47, Conrath, Wisconsin, has been sentenced by Chief U.S. District Judge James D. Peterson to two years in federal prison for embezzling money from a federally funded organization. The prison term will be followed by three years of supervised release. As part of her sentence, Mittermeyer was ordered to pay $261,690 in restitution. Mittermeyer pleaded guilty to the charge on May 7, 2026, and paid restitution before sentencing.
Mittermeyer previously worked as the business official for the School District of Alma Center-Humbird-Merrillan, also known as the Lincoln School District. In that role, she was responsible for making payments for the district, collecting and depositing cash, and tracking finances. Between 2021 and 2025, she embezzled more than a quarter million dollars through a variety of means, including skimming cash and using district funds to pay the balance on her personal credit card. She concealed her criminal conduct from the district and its auditors by duplicating invoices from legitimate vendors, altering check reports presented to the school board, setting herself and her credit card company up as vendors in the district’s accounting software, and keeping a second (fraudulent) cash receipt book.
At sentencing, Judge Peterson explained that Mittermeyer’s conduct was not the result of a one-time mistake or lapse of judgment. She embezzled money over multiple years, even as she attended meetings where the district’s resulting financial difficulties were discussed. Judge Peterson did not accept Mittermeyer’s assertion that she did not realize the scope or impact of her crime while she was committing it, noting that Mittermeyer is an accountant and knows how to track money. Her conduct, according to the judge, rose to the level of “almost cruelty.”
The charge against Mittermeyer was the result of an investigation conducted by the Wisconsin Department of Justice Division of Criminal Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Megan R. Stelljes prosecuted this case.
Wausau Man Sentenced to 5 Years for Methamphetamine TraffickingRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Chadwick M. Elgersma, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Sher Khang, 41, Wausau, Wisconsin, has been sentenced by Chief U.S. District Judge James D. Peterson to 5 years in federal prison for possessing 50 grams or more of methamphetamine intended for distribution. The prison term will be followed by 5 years of supervised release. Khang pleaded guilty to this charge on May 27, 2026.
On October 2, 2025, a confidential informant purchased 27 grams of methamphetamine from Khang in Wisconsin Rapids, Wisconsin. Following the purchase, investigators stopped Khang’s vehicle and recovered 320 grams of methamphetamine, $400 in cash, drug packaging, and an item that appeared to be a homemade weapon.
In imposing a sentence, Judge Peterson noted that Khang’s criminal history and prior performance on supervision were troubling.
The charge against Khang was the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI’s Central Wisconsin Narcotics Task Force comprised of agents from the FBI, Wisconsin State Patrol, Wisconsin Department of Justice Division of Criminal Investigation, Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office, Marathon County Sheriff’s Office, Marquette County Sheriff’s Office, Portage County Sheriff’s Office, Wood County Sheriff’s Office, Mountain Bay Police Department, Stevens Point Police Department, Waupaca Police Department, Wausau Police Department and Wisconsin National Guard Counter Drug Program. The Wood County District Attorney’s Office also assisted with the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven P. Anderson prosecuted this case.
U.S. Attorney’s Office Filed 116 Border-Related Cases This WeekRead the Press Release
SAN DIEGO – Federal prosecutors in the Southern District of California filed 116 border-related cases this week, including charges of bringing in aliens for financial gain, reentering the U.S. after deportation, and importation of controlled substances.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of California is the fourth-busiest federal district, largely due to a high volume of border-related crimes. This district, encompassing San Diego and Imperial counties, shares a 140-mile border with Mexico. It includes the San Ysidro Port of Entry, the world’s busiest land border crossing, connecting San Diego (America’s eighth largest city) and Tijuana (Mexico’s second largest city).
In addition to reactive border-related crimes, the Southern District of California also prosecutes a significant number of proactive cases related to terrorism, organized crime, drugs, white-collar fraud, violent crime, cybercrime, human trafficking and national security. Recent developments in those and other significant areas of prosecution can be found here.
A sample of border-related arrests this week:
- On August 7, Apolinar Diaz Lopez, a Mexican citizen, was arrested and charged with Importation of a Controlled Substance. According to a complaint, Customs and Border Protection officers discovered 180 pounds of methamphetamine concealed throughout the vehicle he was driving as he applied for entry to the U.S. at the Otay Mesa Port of Entry.
- On August 10, Lino Vega-Martinez, a Mexican citizen, was arrested and charged with Deported Alien Found in the United States. According to a complaint, Border Patrol agents found Vega-Martinez hiding in large bushes approximately four and a half miles east of the Otay Mesa Port of Entry and three miles north of the United States/Mexico International Boundary.
- On August 11, Carmen Ivette Hernandez-Vergara, a Mexican citizen, was arrested and charged with Bringing in Aliens for Financial Gain. According to a complaint, Customs and Border Protection officers found a Chinese national hiding under a blanket in the trunk of the vehicle Hernandez-Vergara was driving as she applied for entry into the United States at the Otay Mesa Port of Entry.
The immigration cases were referred or supported by federal law enforcement partners, including Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE ERO), Customs and Border Protection, U.S. Border Patrol, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS), and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), with the support and assistance of state and local law enforcement partners.
Indictments and criminal complaints are merely allegations and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
U.S. Attorney’s Office Adds Nearly 300 New Immigration Cases in Western District of TexasRead the Press Release
SAN ANTONIO – Federal prosecutors in the Western District of Texas filed 292 new immigration and immigration-related criminal cases from August 7 through August 13, announced U.S. Attorney Justin R. Simmons. Charges were brought against alien smugglers and illegal aliens with past convictions for numerous DWIs, violent crimes, thefts, and multiple prior removals.
Among the new cases, illegal alien from Mexico Marco Antonio Dominguez-Barranco aka Isaias Salvador Gonzalez Jr., allegedly presented himself to U.S. Customs and Border Protection at the Paso Del Norte Port of Entry using a U.S. passport baring his photo but another individual’s name and date of birth. A criminal complaint affidavit alleges that Dominguez-Barranco stated he was looking for his godchildren, causing CBP officers to suspect he may have been associated with a recent smuggling event involving two minors. According to the allegations in the affidavit, Dominguez-Barranco admitted that he had participated in the smuggling event, crossed back into Mexico, and was returning illegally to the U.S. in order to transport the children to Denver, Colorado. Dominguez-Barranco is now charged with alien smuggling.
Erick Manuel Martinez-Mendez, an illegal alien from Cuba, allegedly made misrepresentations to gain entry to the United States through the Paso Del Norte POE. A criminal complaint affidavit alleges Martinez-Mendez presented a State of Texas birth certificate and a copy of a Texas identification card with the name and date of birth of another individual. Martinez-Mendez allegedly claimed that he lived in El Paso and had been in Mexico to visit his hospitalized mother. A fingerprint scan revealed Martinez-Mendez’s identity and that he had been removed from the United States in November 2025. Furthermore, his criminal record includes convictions for robbery/home invasion/armed kidnapping, for which he was sentenced to 17 years in prison; third-degree grand theft and dealing in stolen property, for which he was sentenced to five years in prison; aggravated battery of a person detained in prison, which earned him a six-year prison sentence; and, most recently, smuggling contraband into prison and resisting an officer/battery on law enforcement, for which he was sentenced to four years and eight months.
U.S. citizen Magdalena Lachica was charged with harboring illegal aliens after U.S. Border Patrol agents discovered 14 illegal aliens inside a residence Lachica was allegedly renting. A criminal complaint affidavit alleges that Lachica’s cell phone contained communications involving alien smuggling, including alien dropoff locations, multiple stash house addresses, and co-conspirator information. Agents also allegedly discovered proof of life videos on her phone.
USBP agents conducted a traffic stop for suspected alien smuggling on Highway 277 near Brackettville. A criminal complaint alleges that several occupants fled the vehicle. One of the fleeing occupants, Yunior Omar Arita-Trimino, an illegal alien from Honduras, allegedly shoved an agent in the upper chest and arms, resisted arrest, and struck the agent multiple times with a black bag before breaking free into oncoming highway traffic. Arita-Trimino was ultimately arrested and charged with assaulting and resisting a federal officer engaged in performance of official duties.
An illegal alien from Brazil was arrested near Eagle Pass and charged with illegal re-entry. Fabio De Carvalho Fernandes has been deported from the U.S. three times, the last being in December 2014, following a felony conviction for bringing in and harboring aliens.
Francisco Gallegos-Garza, an illegal alien from Mexico, was arrested near Del Rio. Gallegos-Garza also has three prior deportations, the last being in June 2019. His criminal record includes two DWI convictions, assault causing bodily injury, and a felony for injury to a child with intent to inflict bodily injury.
In Austin, illegal alien from Mexico Ranferie Monroy Escuadra is charged with illegal re-entry after being found in the Travis County Jail, where he was booked for unlawfully carrying a weapon. Escuadra has been removed from the U.S. twice, the last being in November 2020, and he has three DWI convictions on his criminal record.
These cases were referred or supported by federal law enforcement partners, including ICE, U.S. Border Patrol, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the FBI, the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS), and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), with additional assistance from state and local law enforcement partners.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Texas comprises 68 counties located in the central and western areas of Texas, encompasses nearly 93,000 square miles and an estimated population of 7.6 million people. The district includes three of the five largest cities in Texas—San Antonio, Austin and El Paso—and shares 660 miles of common border with the Republic of Mexico.
These cases are part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
Indictments and criminal complaints are merely allegations and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Two Men Indicted for Distributing Pounds of MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
Ocala, Florida – Benjamin Omar Pearson, IV (31, Wildwood) and Cordell Brown (39, Belleview) have been charged by federal indictment with distribution and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. Pearson is charged with five counts, and Brown is charged with seven counts. Each faces an enhanced minimum penalty of 25 years, up to life, in federal prison on each of the counts due to each having two or more qualifying prior convictions for serious drug felony offenses. U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.
According to the indictment and court records, over the course of five meetings between December 2025 and June 2026, Brown and Pearson, aiding and abetting each other, distributed approximately 9 pounds of methamphetamine to an undercover source working with law enforcement. Additionally, Brown is charged with distribution of methamphetamine in two other transactions from September 16, 2025, and January 7, 2026.
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Marion County Unified Drug Enforcement Strike Team. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Sarah Janette Swartzberg.
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.
Three Las Cruces Men Plead Guilty to Federal Firearms Charges Following Young Park ShootingRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – Three local men have pleaded guilty to federal firearm charges following a September 2025 shooting investigation near Young Park and Hermosa Heights Elementary School.
According to court records, Las Cruces Police Department officers responded to reports of shots fired at Young Park on September 6, 2025, and recovered numerous shell casings from the parking lot. Shortly afterward, officers encountered John Anthony Orta, 24, and Steven Mendoza, 22, walking near Hermosa Heights Elementary School while carrying loaded firearms. Orta was carrying a handgun, and Mendoza was carrying a partially disassembled pistol loaded with two rounds of ammunition. Both men later pleaded guilty to possessing firearms in a school zone after admitting they knowingly possessed the firearms within 540 feet of school property. Both men were intoxicated and were initially arrested for Negligent Use of a Deadly Weapon under state law.
During the subsequent investigation, law enforcement executed search warrants for Orta's and Mendoza's cell phones and reviewed social media messages discussing the shooting. Those messages identified Luis Angel Ruiz, 23, as the individual who fired the shots at Young Park and claimed ownership of the pistol found on Mendoza. Investigators corroborated that information through eyewitness statements, social media posts depicting Ruiz with the firearm, and ballistic evidence.
On September 24, 2025, Las Cruces police stopped Ruiz for traffic violations and arrested him for driving under the influence. During the stop, officers recovered four firearms from the vehicle, including a handgun with an obliterated serial number. Ruiz admitted the firearms belonged to him and later admitted he knew the serial number on the handgun had been obliterated. Investigators also recovered social media messages in which Ruiz attempted to sell the firearm.
Orta and Mendoza pled guilty to unlawful possession of a firearm in a school zone. Orta was sentenced to six months in prison followed by three years of supervised release. At sentencing, which has not been scheduled, Mendoza faces up to five years in prison followed by three years of supervised release.
Ruiz pleaded guilty to discharging a firearm in school zone and possession of a firearm with an obliterated serial number. At sentencing, he faces up to five years in prison followed by three years of supervised release.
First Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison and Justin A. Garris, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today.
The Las Cruces Resident Agency of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office's Southern New Mexico Safe Streets Gang Task Force investigated this case with assistance from the Las Cruces Police Department's Street Crimes Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorney Maria Y. Armijo is prosecuting the cases.
Texas Man Pleads Guilty to Producing Child Sexual Abuse Material by Secretly Recording ChildrenRead the Press Release
MIAMI – A federal judge accepted the guilty plea of a Texas man who secretly recorded two minor children with hidden cameras installed in the bedroom and bathroom of his Florida condominium.
According to court documents, Michael Joseph Branham, 38, of Katy, Texas, lived in a one-bedroom condominium in Okeechobee from approximately February 2023 through August 2025. During that time, Branham installed concealed cameras in the condominium’s bathroom and bedroom to secretly record two minor children who visited the residence.
“Michael Joseph Branham secretly placed cameras in a bathroom and bedroom to record children as young as 11 during their most private moments,” said U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida. “This was the deliberate creation of child sexual abuse material through a calculated betrayal of children who trusted they were safe. His guilty plea is an important measure of accountability for these deeply disturbing crimes.”
Investigators discovered more than 30 videos depicting the children dressing, showering, and engaging in other private activities. One victim was 13 years old when secretly recorded. The second victim was 11 and 12 years old during the period of the recordings. The videos were created between June and December 2024. Additional images and videos of other minors that involved child sexual abuse material (CSAM) were discovered on Branham’s phone.
The investigation began on January 10, when Branham arrived at Port Everglades aboard a cruise ship from Turks and Caicos. During a secondary inspection, law enforcement searched Branham’s cellular telephone and discovered CSAM depicting minor children.
Branham pleaded guilty to seven counts of production of child pornography, one count of possession of child pornography, and one count of transportation of child pornography. He faces up to 30 years in federal prison for each production count and 20 years in prison for each possession and transportation count. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
U.S. Attorney Reding Quiñones and Special Agent in Charge José R. Figueroa of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Miami Field Office, made the announcement.
HSI Miami is investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Deric Zacca and Catherine Koontz are prosecuting 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 U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov, under case number 26-cr-60012.
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Suspended Broker Sentenced to Two Years in Prison for Defrauding Social Media FollowersRead the Press Release
United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Jamie McDonald, announced that KENNETH THOM, a/k/a “K$,” a/k/a “K Money,” was sentenced Tuesday, August 11, by U.S. District Judge Edgardo Ramos to two years in prison for investment adviser fraud.
“Kenneth Thom sold his social media followers the image of a successful trader when, in reality, he was a suspended broker,” said U.S. Attorney Jamie McDonald. “He took nearly $800,000 from investors who believed he would invest their money and instead spent it on luxury goods for himself. That deception ends with this federal prison sentence.”
According to the Indictment and other information in the public record:
In 2011, the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (“FINRA”) suspended THOM’s broker registration after he failed to pay an arbitration award to an investor. THOM then reinvented himself online as a successful Wall Street trader. Using the monikers “K$” and “K Money,” THOM described himself as a financial “luminary” and “beacon of knowledge.” Through various social media channels, including Facebook, Instagram, and Twitch, THOM built an online following, to whom he sold trading lessons and daily text message alerts containing his trade suggestions.
Beginning in late 2023, THOM invited members of his Facebook group to participate in “shared accounts” that THOM would manage in exchange for half of the trading profits. THOM eventually raised nearly $800,000 from approximately 66 clients. Of this sum, THOM invested only approximately $350,000, diverting most of the remainder for his own personal use, including international travel, dining, and luxury goods. Of the $350,000 that THOM invested, he lost approximately 73% between approximately March 2024 and March 2025. Despite these massive losses, THOM regularly published updates in his Facebook group purporting to show dramatic gains in the shared accounts.
In January 2025, THOM changed the name of the Facebook group to “AYBABTU”—an acronym for the Internet meme “all your base are belong to us”—and stopped responding to his clients. At the time of his sentencing, THOM still maintained three luxury vehicles: a Maserati and two Porsches.
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In addition to the prison term, THOM, 42, of Belleville, New Jersey, was sentenced to two years of supervised release. THOM was also ordered to pay forfeiture and restitution to his victims, each in the amount of $724,756.09.
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.
This case is being handled by the Office’s Securities and Commodities Fraud Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexander Li is in charge of the prosecution.
Summerville Woman Sentenced to Federal Prison for Straw Purchasing Firearms for Her Felon SonRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, S.C. — Sheree Michelle Alexander, 50, of Summerville, was sentenced to 46 months in federal prison after pleading guilty to making a false statement on a firearm purchase form.
Evidence presented in court showed that between January 2020 and September 2023, Sheree Alexander purchased at least 11 firearms for her son, Jaidan Latrell Alexander, who had a prior felony conviction and was prohibited from purchasing or possessing firearms. Law enforcement later recovered 10 of those firearms from Jaidan Alexander. An eleventh firearm was recovered from another prohibited person associated with him.
Court records established that Sheree Alexander knew Jaidan Alexander was prohibited from possessing firearms but continued to buy them for him. Over a four-year period, law enforcement repeatedly recovered firearms purchased by Sheree Alexander from Jaidan Alexander’s possession. Sheree Alexander was present during some of these encounters and later retrieved firearms from law enforcement after they had been seized.
Social media messages and recorded jail calls also showed that Sheree Alexander knew Jaidan Alexander was distributing drugs and engaging in violent conduct. On April 13, 2023, Jaidan Alexander was involved in a shooting outside his Ladson apartment complex. Law enforcement later recovered firearms purchased by Sheree Alexander from the apartment, along with drugs, a money counter, digital scales, and cash. About five months after the shooting, Sheree Alexander purchased another firearm for him.
On Aug. 30, 2024, ATF agents arrested Sheree and Jaidan Alexander at their residence. Agents obtained a search warrant and found a stolen pistol and a loaded rifle in Sheree Alexander's bedroom.
Jaidan Latrell Alexander, 26, of Ladson, was previously sentenced to 10 years in federal prison for his role in the offense conduct.United States District Judge Bruce H. Hendricks sentenced Sheree Alexander to 46 months in federal prison, followed by two years of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorney Chris Lietzow prosecuted the case.###
Stamford Mayor indicted for diverting more than $300,000 in community and estate fundsRead the Press Release
ABILENE, Texas — United States Attorney for the Northern District of Texas, Ryan Raybould, announced that on Aug. 12, a federal grand jury indicted James Michael Decker, the elected Mayor of Stamford, Texas, on five counts of wire fraud for diverting more than $300,000 from multiple community, estate, trust, and livestock association accounts.
“Mr. Decker didn’t just break the public’s trust, he shattered it,” said U. S. Attorney Ryan Raybould. “Stealing from charitable foundations, estates and community groups is a deliberate betrayal of the people he was elected and entrusted to serve. We will not hesitate to hold accountable any public official who uses their office as a personal funding source.”
“This indictment is a further example of the means that people will use to defraud members of our communities,” said FBI Dallas Special Agent in Charge R. Joseph Rothrock. “The FBI remains committed to investigating those who abuse their positions of public trust for their own personal gain.”
According to the indictment, Decker served as Stamford’s mayor and as a licensed attorney, trustee and executor for several estates and trusts. Those positions gave him access to accounts belonging to the Community Foundation of Stamford, the F.H. Estate & Family Trust, the Estate of J.D.B., the N.W. Estate, and the T.A. Livestock Association—despite having no personal ownership in any of these funds.
Prosecutors allege Decker moved money from those accounts into his own personal and campaign accounts, then sent funds to two individuals in Oklahoma with whom he had formed a secret personal relationship. Those individuals had no legitimate business with the city or any of the estates or trusts.
The indictment alleges approximately $308,000 in losses, including:
- $133,000 from the Community Foundation of Stamford
- $84,000 from the F.H. Estate & Family Trust
- $52,000 from the Estate of J.D.B.
- $27,000 from the N.W. Estate
- $12,000 from the T.A. Livestock Association
If convicted, Decker faces up to 20 years in federal prison per count. The indictment also includes a forfeiture notice seeking any property derived from the offenses.
The FBI Dallas Field Office conducted the investigation.
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.
South Philadelphia Man Charged with Receiving Child PornographyRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that Mark Misiano, 37, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, was arrested and charged by criminal complaint with receipt and attempted receipt of child pornography. The defendant has been ordered detained in federal custody pending indictment and trial.
The criminal complaint alleges that Misiano was a member of group chats in which child pornography was shared, including one that he joined on July 19, 2026, in which group members exchanged numerous images and videos depicting pre-pubescent infant boys being sexually abused and raped by adult males.
On July 22, the FBI executed a federal search warrant at Misiano’s residence and seized multiple electronic devices. As alleged, in reviewing one of the defendant’s messaging apps, investigators identified child pornography, including videos of pre-pubescent boys, most appearing to be under the age of seven years old, being sexually abused and exploited. Some of the victims depicted in those clips and other images on the device were infants.
As further detailed in the complaint, the defendant is a previously convicted sex offender. In 2016, he was convicted in the United States District Court for the District of Columbia of possession of child pornography, for which he was sentenced to nine months in prison and 10 years of supervised release. In 2024, the District of Columbia terminated Misiano’s supervised release early.
If convicted, the defendant faces enhanced penalties based on his prior child sex conviction: a maximum possible penalty of 40 years in prison, with a mandatory minimum term of 15 years’ imprisonment, and a minimum five years up to a lifetime of supervised release.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit projectsafechildhood.gov.
The case was investigated by the FBI and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Sima Kazmir and Branwen McNabb O’Donnell.
The charges and allegations contained in the criminal complaint are merely accusations. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty in court.
School Security Guard Sentenced to 30 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
Ryan Dookhan contacted a minor on Roblox and solicited explicit photographs and videos
LANSING, MICHIGAN – U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Michigan Timothy VerHey today announced that Ryan Dookhan, 31, of Jamaica NY, was sentenced to 30 years in prison for sexual exploitation of a minor and he remains in the custody of the U.S. Marshal. During the sentencing hearing, Chief U.S. District Judge Hala Y. Jarbou emphasized the serious nature of Dookhan’s crimes and the need to protect the public as reasons for the lengthy sentence.
Dookhan, while working as a security guard in an elementary school in New York, targeted an eleven-year-old victim online, first by meeting her on Roblox (an online gaming platform), then moving the conversation to a messaging application designed to delete messages. Dookhan coerced the victim to engage in sexually explicit conduct so that he could produce photographs and videos of her. Over the course of the investigation, investigators determined that Dookhan solicited many sexually explicit photographs and videos from his eleven-year-old victim, with his criminal conduct spanning multiple weeks.
U.S. Attorney Timothy VerHey said he was satisfied with the sentence. “Dookhan deserved this sentence from Chief Judge Jarbou. Anyone who sexually exploits children deserves a lengthy sentence. I hope this sentence shows that if someone exploits children in the Western District of Michigan, we will respond decisively and argue for the maximum sentence possible, which Dookhan received.”
“Children deserve to be safe online, including when playing games and connecting with others. Online predators exploit trust, anonymity and access to target children, and we all must stay vigilant, report suspicious behavior, and teach children safe digital habits,” said HSI Detroit Acting Deputy Special Agent in Charge Jeremy Pierczynski. “It is appalling when someone trusted to protect students abuses that position to prey on them. That betrayal is unacceptable, and we remain committed to protecting children and holding offenders accountable.”
Homeland Security Investigations and the Michigan State Police investigated the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit Justice.gov/PSC.
Richland County Man Sentenced for Illegally Possessing GunRead the Press Release
COLUMBIA, S.C. — Carlos Antwon Lewis, 46, of Columbia, has been sentenced to more than four years in federal prison for illegally possessing a firearm.
Evidence obtained in the investigation revealed that on March 4, 2025, a Richland County Sheriff’s deputy conducted a traffic stop on an SUV and contacted the driver. Lewis was the front passenger. The deputy smelled the odor of marijuana, which the occupants admitted to smoking before leaving their residence. The deputy asked both occupants to step out and asked Lewis if he had any firearms or narcotics on his person. Lewis admitted that he had a firearm, and the deputy recovered a loaded 9mm pistol from his waistband.
Lewis is prohibited from possessing a firearm based upon prior convictions for arson, burglary, criminal domestic violence, unlawful carrying of a firearm, possession of less than one gram of methamphetamine or cocaine base, possession with the intent to distribute a controlled substance near a school, and distribution of methamphetamine or cocaine base.
United States District Judge Mary Geiger Lewis sentenced Lewis to 57 months’ imprisonment, to be followed by a three-year term of court-ordered supervision. There is no parole in the federal system.
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 Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Richland County Sheriff’s Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney William K. Witherspoon is prosecuting the case.###
Repeat Federal Drug Trafficker and Girlfriend Sentenced to PrisonRead the Press Release
ASHEVILLE, N.C. – Two fentanyl and methamphetamine traffickers were sentenced to prison yesterday, announced Russ Ferguson, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina.
Jason Mills, 47, of Hendersonville, N.C., was sentenced to 135 months in prison followed by five years of supervised release. Mills pleaded guilty to distribution of fentanyl and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl. Mills was on federal probation for a federal cocaine trafficking conviction in Florida when he reoffended. His 10-year sentence will run at the expiration of his federal probation sentence for violating his probation.
Stephanie Hope Lindsey, 40, of East Flat Rock, N.C., was ordered to serve 46 months in prison and three years of supervised release. Lindsey pleaded guilty to distribution of fentanyl.
“Fentanyl is a highly addictive and deadly drug, and today’s sentences reflect our commitment to protecting lives and combating this scourge across communities in the western district,” said U.S. Attorney Russ Ferguson.
According to court documents and the sentencing hearing, law enforcement initiated an investigation into Mills for supplying fentanyl and methamphetamine in Henderson and Buncombe Counties. His girlfriend, Lindsey, was also involved in Mills’s drug trafficking activities. Between January and February 2024, Mills and Lindsey were involved in multiple drug transactions, selling fentanyl and methamphetamine to an individual cooperating with law enforcement. At times, Lindsey executed the drug transactions coordinated by Mills. Other times, Mills sold the drugs while Lindsey drove him to the agreed locations. Mills also handled some of the drug transactions on his own.
On February 12, 2024, investigators executed a search warrant at Mills’s residence in Asheville, seizing 86.38 grams of fentanyl, 87 grams of methamphetamine, a digital scale, and $2,000 in U.S. currency. On the same day, law enforcement also searched Mills’s vehicle, where they found two magnetic boxes in the engine compartment containing 69 multi-colored pills containing methamphetamine, and two baggies that contained fentanyl and methamphetamine.
Both defendants are in federal custody and will be transferred to the custody of the Federal Bureau of Prisons upon designation to a federal facility.
In making the announcement, U.S. Attorney Ferguson thanked the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Henderson County Sheriff’s Office, and the Asheville Police Department for their investigation of the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Hess of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Asheville prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
Prior Felon on Federal Probation Sentenced to Prison for Distributing FentanylRead the Press Release
ASHEVILLE, N.C. – A previously convicted felon was sentenced to prison yesterday for distributing fentanyl, announced Russ Ferguson, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. Sadiq Mafia Devoe Jones, 24, of Asheville, was sentenced to 135 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release. Jones’s 10-year sentence will run at the expiration of his federal probation sentence for violating his probation.
“Shortly after Jones was released from federal prison he returned to a life of crime and drug dealing,” said U.S. Attorney Russ Ferguson. “Fentanyl kills, and we are committed to eliminating this deadly drug that ravages communities and destroys families.”
According to court documents and proceedings, in August 2025, law enforcement learned that Jones was part of a drug ring that distributed fentanyl, methamphetamine, and firearms in Buncombe County. Law enforcement also learned that Jones was on federal supervised release for a prior conviction for illegally possessing a firearm. On multiple occasions during the investigation, an undercover agent purchased over 139 grams of fentanyl and over 26 grams of methamphetamine from Jones or other individuals working for Jones. During at least one drug transaction, Jones used a juvenile to sell fentanyl to the undercover agent.
Jones is in federal custody and will be transferred to the custody of the Federal Bureau of Prisons upon designation to a federal facility.
In making the announcement, U.S. Attorney Ferguson thanked the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives along with the Asheville Police Department, the Buncombe County Sheriff’s Office, and the Drug Enforcement Administration for their investigation of the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Hess of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Asheville prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
Previously Deported Illegal Alien Faces Federal Methamphetamine and Immigration Charges after Gainesville BustRead the Press Release
GAINESVILLE – Pedro Guadarrama Loza, a convicted felon and previously deported illegal alien from Mexico, faces federal drug trafficking and immigration charges after the seizure of more than 275 pounds of methamphetamine shipped from Mexico.
“This illegal alien, convicted felon, and drug dealer allegedly attempted to coordinate the trafficking of a massive amount of methamphetamine in North Georgia,” said U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg. “Due to the skilled coordination of our law enforcement partners, a load of deadly drugs concealed in industrial powder was seized, and Loza now faces serious charges in federal court.”
“This seizure represents a significant victory in our ongoing efforts to disrupt the flow of dangerous narcotics into our communities. By working closely with our local and federal partners, HSI agents successfully intercepted over 275 pounds of methamphetamine and apprehended an individual who had already been removed from the United States,” said Steven N. Schrank, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Georgia and Alabama. “HSI and its partners will continue to utilize all available resources to identify, investigate, and hold accountable those who threaten the safety of our communities by trafficking illicit drugs.”
According to U.S. Attorney Hertzberg, the charges, and other information presented in court: On July 29, 2026, law enforcement identified a suspicious shipment of five boxes from Mexico en route to the Gainesville, Georgia area. Inside the boxes, law enforcement discovered plastic bags, each of which contained a black industrial powder that tested positive for the presence of methamphetamine. The methamphetamine-laden powder in the boxes weighed a total of 277 pounds.
On August 12, 2026, agents delivered the boxes to the recipient address, a residence in Gainesville, Georgia, in an undercover operation. Shortly thereafter, Loza allegedly emerged from the residence, took possession of the boxes, and went inside. Agents executed a federal search warrant on the residence, seized the boxes, and arrested Loza, who was attempting to flee out of the back door.
The investigation further revealed that Loza was convicted in 2014 of trafficking in controlled substances in DeKalb County, Georgia and was removed to Mexico in 2017, after completing his prison sentence. Sometime thereafter, Loza allegedly re-entered the United States without legal authority.
Yesterday, Pedro Guadarrama Loza, 38, of Michoacán, Mexico, appeared in federal court on a criminal complaint charging him with conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute methamphetamine and illegal reentry by a previously removed alien. Loza was ordered to be detained in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending further proceedings.
Members of the public are reminded that the criminal complaint contains only charges. The defendant is presumed innocent of the charges, and it will be the government’s burden to prove the defendant’s guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial.
This case is being investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, with valuable assistance provided by U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Hall County Sheriff’s Office.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
Assistant United States Attorneys Michael Herskowitz and Drew Waldbeser are prosecuting the case.
For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at [email protected] or (404) 581-6185. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.
Ohio Man Pleads Guilty to Laundering Health Care Fraud Proceeds for Transnational Criminal OrganizationRead the Press Release
An Ohio man pleaded guilty yesterday to laundering approximately $3.4 million in illicit health care fraud proceeds through multiple regional banks on behalf of a transnational criminal organization (Organization).
According to court documents, Eldar Zarbavel, 45, of Pepper Pike, Ohio, was a money launderer for the foreign-based Organization that spearheaded the largest health care fraud case ever prosecuted by the Department of Justice, as uncovered by Operation Gold Rush. The Organization, based in Russia and elsewhere, orchestrated a multi-billion-dollar health care fraud and money laundering scheme to target, exploit, and steal from Medicare and private health insurance companies.
To date, 35 individuals have been charged as part of Operation Gold Rush. Zarbavel is the 16th individual to be convicted for his role in the scheme.
As alleged in charging documents, the Organization exploited the United States’ financial system by depositing insurance reimbursement checks from the fraud. The health care fraud proceeds were particularly susceptible to laundering because they originated from legitimate sources — Medicare and established private insurance carriers — giving the funds the initial appearance of legitimacy. To gain access to the United States’ financial system, the Organization deployed a range of tactics to circumvent internal controls at multiple banks and in some cases coordinated directly with associates employed at the banks.
As further alleged, to open financial accounts, the Organization armed its nominee owners with false sale documentation and false corporate registration documents. This documentation falsely reflected that the nominee owners maintained beneficial ownership and control of various fraudulent durable medical equipment (DME) companies. This disguised the true beneficial ownership and control of the companies and the financial accounts. Upon opening the financial accounts, the Organization funneled fraud proceeds from Medicare and other legitimate health care insurers into the accounts as seemingly “clean” money. From there, the Organization siphoned off the funds to shell companies and various banks overseas.
Zarbavel facilitated a critical element of the transnational scheme by opening bank accounts in Northeast Ohio for Royce Medical Supply LLC, a Florida-based DME company. Between July 2022 and July 2024, the Organization submitted $1.42 billion in false and fraudulent claims to Medicare and other health insurers through this DME company. While the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services suspended reimbursement on nearly all of these claims, some claims were paid. Between June and July of 2024, Zarbavel, at the direction of members of the Organization, facilitated the deposit, transfer, and withdrawal of approximately $3.4 million in fraud proceeds for the benefit of the Organization.
Zarbavel pleaded guilty to one count of money laundering. He is scheduled to be sentenced on Dec. 16. He faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Assistant Attorney General Colin M. McDonald of the Justice Department’s National Fraud Enforcement Division; Miranda L. Bennett, Acting Deputy Inspector General for Investigations of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG); and Special Agent in Charge Jennifer Runyan of the FBI Detroit Field Office made the announcement.
HHS-OIG and FBI are investigating the case.
Assistant Chief Shankar Ramamurthy, Acting Assistant Chief Sara E. Porter, and Trial Attorneys Brant Cook and Leonid Sandlar of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section are prosecuting the case.
On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division (Fraud Division). The Fraud Division is laser-focused on investigating and prosecuting those who commit fraud against the American people. The Department’s work to combat fraud supports President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs.
The Department of Justice’s Health Care Fraud Strike Force Program, currently comprised of nine strike forces operating in federal districts across the country, has charged more than 6,200 defendants who collectively billed federal health care programs and private insurers more than $45 billion since 2007. In addition, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, working in conjunction with the Office of the Inspector General for the Department of Health and Human Services, are taking steps to hold providers accountable for their involvement in health care fraud schemes. More information can be found at www.justice.gov/criminal-fraud/health-care-fraud-unit.
Ocala Mental Health Counselor Pleads Guilty to Aggravated Identity Theft and Wire FraudRead the Press Release
Ocala, Florida – Michelle Forsythe (62, Ocala) has pleaded guilty to one count of aggravated identity theft and one count of wire fraud. She faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison for the wire fraud offense and a minimum sentence of two years for the aggravated identity theft offense. United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.
According to court documents, Forsythe is a licensed mental health counselor. Between January 2016 and December 2022, Forsythe used the names and insurance policy information of 22 individuals without their knowledge or consent to overbill two health insurance companies. Forsythe falsely claimed that she had provided counseling services to these individuals when she had not. As a result of the false billing, the health insurance companies electronically transferred payments to Forsythe for her services.
In one instance, Forsythe used the name and health insurance information for an individual whom she had never seen as a patient to fraudulently bill for her counseling services. Forsythe has agreed to make full restitution of $483,321.44 to the victims of the offense.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Marion County Sheriff’s Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys William S. Hamilton and Hannah Nowalk Watson. Assistant United States Attorney Julie A. Simonsen is handling the forfeiture.
Oakdale Man Sentenced to Three Years in Federal Prison for Impersonating DEA AgentRead the Press Release
LAKE CHARLES – On August 4, 2026, United States District Judge James D. Cain, Jr., sentenced John Gueringer, 51, of Oakdale, to 36 months in federal prison followed by one year of supervised release after pleading guilty to Impersonating a Federal Officer.
“Impersonating a federal agent is a serious crime. It undermines public trust, confuses citizens, and endangers both the public and law enforcement,” said United States Attorney Zachary A. Keller. “This sentence reflects our commitment to protecting the integrity of federal agencies and holding accountable those who illegally and recklessly assume the identify of a United States federal agent.”
According to court documents, on July 22, 2024, officers with the Oakdale Police Department responded to a domestic disturbance at a residence in Oakdale. As officers arrived, they encountered a visibly upset woman who had multiple scratch marks on her body. When officers approached the residence, Gueringer met them under the carport wearing a lanyard containing what appeared to be an authentic Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) badge. Gueringer repeatedly identified himself as a federal agent, and instructed officers to call the DEA, attempting to block their investigation and avoid arrest.
Investigators later confirmed that Gueringer had no affiliation with the DEA and that he used the impersonation in an effort to deceive responding officers and interfere with their investigation. Gueringer admitted he acted with intent to mislead law enforcement.
U.S. Attorney Zachary A. Keller for the Western District of Louisiana made the announcement.
The Oakdale Police Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration investigated the case. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney John W. Nickel with assistance from Paralegal Specialist Joanne Henry-Mills.
A copy of this press release (and any updates) may be found on the website of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Louisiana at www.justice.gov/usao-wdla.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Louisiana at www.lawd.uscourts.gov or https://www.lawd.uscourts.gov/cmecf-pacer, under Case Number 2:25-cr-00362.
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Public Affairs
United States Attorney’s Office
Western District of Louisiana
[email protected] www.justice.gov/usao-wdla
Facebook: USAO_WDLA
X: USAO_WDLA
(337) 262-6704
Northern Nevada Man Pleads Guilty to Trafficking 140 Firearms to Mexican Drug Trafficking Organizations, Money Laundering, and Harboring Illegal AliensRead the Press Release
LAS VEGAS – An Elko man pleaded guilty today to purchasing 140 firearms for drug trafficking organizations in Mexico, laundering proceeds from the firearms sales, and employing illegal aliens at a mining company in Nevada.
“Firearms trafficking networks feed the violent cartels that terrorize border communities and pump illicit drugs into our neighborhoods,” said First Assistant United States Attorney Sigal Chattah for the District of Nevada. “By cutting off this supply chain and holding this defendant accountable, we are directly disrupting the operational capabilities of these dangerous criminal organizations.”
“Trafficking military-style firearms and ammunition to drug trafficking organizations in Mexico fuels violence, strengthens criminal networks and threatens communities on both sides of the border,” said Jonathan Sherwin, Deputy Special Agent in Charge for HSI Las Vegas. “This guilty plea is the result of relentless work by HSI and the Homeland Security Task Force and our federal, state and local partners to disrupt the flow of weapons, money and criminal support that allows these organizations to operate.”
“This case serves as an example of the effectiveness of the Homeland Security Task Force’s (HSTF) coordinated efforts in the region,” said Special Agent in Charge John Wester, San Francisco Field Division, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). “Through our participation in HSTF, ATF is working to disrupt major gun and drug trafficking organizations alongside DEA, FBI, HSI, and local partners. We are removing a significant cache of firearms, dangerous narcotics, and illicit proceeds from our neighborhoods. We are dedicated to our commitment of ensuring public safety. ATF and our partners will continue to honor our pledge by targeting violent offenders, trafficking organizations, and the criminal infrastructure that is the foundation for violence in the region.”
According to court documents, from April 1, 2020, to September 17, 2025, Luis Alberto Osorio conspired with his co-defendants to purchase firearms, magazines, and ammunition on behalf of and at the request of others affiliated with drug trafficking organizations operating in Mexico, and to sell these items in Mexico for profit. Osorio and others purchased ammunition and 140 firearms, including multiples of large caliber and long-range firearms such as the Ohio Ordnance Works M2-SLR .50 BMG, the Barrett M82A1 and M107A1 .50 BMG antimaterial rifles, the FN Herstal M249S 5.56x45mm and the FH Herstal SCAR 17S 7.62x51mm rifles. Additionally, Osorio admitted that he harbored persons unlawfully residing in the United States.
“In the world of organized crime and drug trafficking, guns and drugs go hand-in-hand,” said David S. Olesky, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration Los Angeles Field Division, which covers Nevada. “As a member of the Homeland Security Task Force, DEA and our partners will bring to bear all resources and draw on the full scope of our agencies’ expertise to hold accountable those individuals and organizations which pose a public health and safety threat to our communities through the trafficking of drugs and firearms.”
Osorio pleaded guilty to one count of straw purchasing of firearms; one count of trafficking in firearms; one count of harboring certain aliens; and one count of conspiracy to money launder.
The total statutory maximum penalty is 70 years in prison. Sentencing is scheduled for February 11, 2027. Any sentence would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.
This case was investigated by the Homeland Security Task Force consisting of special agents with the FBI, HSI, DEA, ATF, IRS-CI, the Las Vegas Metro Police Department, the United States Marshals Service, and Nevada Gaming Commission. 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 from federal, state, and local law enforcement, with the prosecution being led by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Nevada.
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North Syracuse Sex Offender Charged with Receiving Child PornographyRead the Press Release
SYRACUSE, NEW YORK – Matthew Flandera, age 43, of North Syracuse, New York, appeared in federal court August 6, 2026, on charges of receiving child pornography. At an August 11, 2026, detention hearing in Syracuse, New York, before United States Magistrate Judge Carla B. Freedman, Flandera was detained pending further proceedings.
First Assistant United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III and Anthony Patrone, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Buffalo Field Office of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), made the announcement.
The complaint filed against Flandera alleges that on or about February 12, 2025, Flandera received a video of child pornography over the internet. A forensic review of devices recovered in the defendant’s residence contained numerous cached images of child pornography. Flandera admitted to using chat messaging services to receive child pornography files. He also acknowledged that he recognized and received one of the files from a user on the Omegle platform in 2025 and later uploaded the files to another account.
The complaint also states that Flandera was convicted on June 14, 2013, of possessing a sexual performance by a child less than 16 years old and was sentenced to 10 years probation and required to register as a level 1 sex offender.
First Assistant U.S. Attorney John A. Sarcone said, “As alleged, this defendant’s conduct is utterly indefensible. What is particularly troubling is that despite a prior conviction, New York’s increasingly soft‑on‑crime approach resulted in a probationary sentence that failed to deter him from allegedly reoffending. My office, together with our partners at HSI, remains steadfast in our commitment to identifying, investigating, and prosecuting alleged child predators to the fullest extent of the law. Flandera now faces a mandatory minimum of 15 years in federal prison for his alleged actions and will answer for these allegations in federal court.”
HSI Buffalo Acting Special Agent in Charge Anthony Patrone said, “Matthew Flandera’s alleged crimes represent far more than possession or receipt of illegal images; they reflect the continued exploitation of vulnerable children and a direct threat to the trust and safety of the community. The gravity of these allegations is heightened by what every parent fears most: an active member of the community frequently interacting with children while allegedly concealing conduct rooted in depravity and exploitation. This case is personal to HSI Syracuse, and we will stop at nothing to identify predators, bring them to justice, and protect our children from those who seek to exploit them.”The receipt charge filed against Flandera carries a mandatory minimum term of 15 years in prison and a statutory maximum prison term of 40 years based on Flandera’s previous conviction. The charge also carries a fine of up to $250,000 and a term of supervised release of at least 5 years and up to life. Flandera will also be required to register as a sex offender upon his release from prison.
A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statutes the defendant is convicted of violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other factors. The charges presented are merely accusations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Individuals with additional information regarding Flandera, who also used the name Matthew Flanders, are encouraged to contact HSI at 1-866-347-2423.
This case was investigated by HSI and the New York State Police. Assistant U.S. Attorney Adrian S. LaRochelle and Michael J. Whalen are prosecuting the case as part of Project Safe Childhood.
Project Safe Childhood is a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
North Fort Myers Felon Sentenced to Federal Prison for Possessing and Manufacturing FirearmsRead the Press Release
Fort Myers, Florida – Frederick Kutchinsky (54, North Fort Myers) has been sentenced by U.S. District Judge Kyle C. Dudek to five years and three months in federal prison possessing firearms as a convicted felon. Kutchinsky pleaded guilty on February 25, 2026. The court also ordered Kutchinsky to forfeit the firearms and ammunition possessed during the offense. U.S Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.
According to court documents, deputies from the Lee County Sheriff’s Office responded to Kutchinsky’s home in North Fort Myers because he had an active felony arrest warrant. After serving the arrest warrant and obtaining a search warrant for Kutchinsky’s residence, deputies located more than 50 firearms and hundreds of rounds of ammunition. They also located a work bench with firearm parts and tools for modifying firearms. Kutchinsky is a convicted felon, and therefore, prohibited under federal law from possessing firearms and ammunition.
This case was investigated by the Lee County Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Mark Morgan and Patrick Darcey.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), 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.
Murder and Sexual Assault Charges Yields Guilty Plea from D.C. ManRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Javier Montgomery, 18, of Washington, D.C., pleaded guilty today, for charges related to the murder of 17-year-old, Jermaine Durbin, in October 2025, and for sexual assault charges from May 2025 through September 2025, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
“Javier Montgomery carried out a pattern of violence that terrorized multiple victims over several months and ultimately took the life of 17‑year‑old Jermaine Durbin,” said U.S. Attorney Pirro. “His actions were predatory, deliberate, and devastating for every person he targeted. Today’s conviction ensures that Montgomery will be held fully accountable for the harm he inflicted”
In one case (2025 CF1 016197), Montgomery pleaded guilty in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia to one count of second-degree murder while armed pursuant to a plea agreement calling for a sentence in the range of 12 to 18 years in prison for this offense. In another case (2025 CF1 016196), Montgomery pleaded guilty to one count of first-degree sexual abuse while armed pursuant to a plea agreement calling for a consecutive sentencing range of 12 to 15 years in prison for that offense. He also pleaded guilty to one count of third-degree sexual abuse and robbery sentenced concurrently to each other and consecutively to the other counts with sentencing ranges of 1 to 3 years in prison and 1.5 to 5 years in prison respectively; and one count of attempted third-degree sexual abuse with a consecutive sentencing range of 0.5 to 2 years in prison. The combined sentencing range under the plea agreement is a sentence in the range of 26 to 40 years in prison.
Sentencing is scheduled for January 15, 2027.
According to the government’s evidence, with respect to case number 2025 CF1 016196, the defendant admitted to slapping one victim on the buttocks and demanding further sexual contact at gunpoint on May 23, 2025; to groping another victim’s chest and crotch at gunpoint on September 6, 2025; and to forcing another victim to perform oral sex on him at gunpoint on September 28, 2025.
According to the government’s evidence, with respect to case number 2025 CF1 016197, on October 3, 2025, at approximately 7:20 pm, Montgomery approached the victim, Jermaine Durbin, near the entrance to the Rhode Island Avenue metro station and robbed him of his backpack at gunpoint. Mr. Durbin followed the defendant in an effort to get his backpack back, and the defendant ultimately shot Mr. Durbin, causing his death. MPD Fifth District officers responded to 600 Rhode Island Avenue, NE, to investigate the report of a shooting. Upon arriving, the officers located Mr. Durbin – unconscious, unresponsive, and suffering from an apparent gunshot wound. DC Fire & EMS personnel responded to the scene, and after finding no signs consistent with life, Mr. Durbin was pronounced deceased at 7:36 pm.
On November 28, 2025, Montgomery was arrested on a warrant and has remained in custody since that date.
Joining the announcement was Interim Chief Jeffery Carroll of the Metropolitan Police Department.
This case was investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Michael Roberts and Katherine Ballou.
2025 CF1 016196; 2025 CF1 016197
Multiple Individuals Indicted in Federal and State Court for Roles in Multi-State Theft RingRead the Press Release
Greenbelt, Maryland – The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland and the Prince George’s County State’s Attorney’s Office (PGCSAO) jointly announced, today, that multiple individuals face federal and state indictments in connection with a multi-state organized retail-theft ring that impacted Prince George’s County and other areas in Maryland, Delaware, and Pennsylvania.
Cyan Simone Rocke, 25, of Washington, D.C.; Marco Pernell Morgan, 37, of Washington, D.C.; and Daryl Michael-Lashon Jackson, 30, of Laurel, Maryland, are charged in federal court with conspiracy to violate federal law, namely, the interstate transportation of stolen goods. Additionally, Rocke; Tia Courtney, 31, of Capitol Heights, Maryland; Chyna Parker, 26, of Capitol Heights, Maryland; and Quasaan Parker, 22, of Capitol Heights, Maryland, are further charged in the Prince George’s County Circuit Court with offenses associated with organized retail theft.
Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, and State’s Attorney Tara H. Jackson, PGCSAO, announced the indictment with Special Agent in Charge Akil Baldwin, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) – Maryland; Colonel Michael A. Jackson, Superintendent, Maryland State Police (MSP) and Chief George Nader, Prince George’s County Police Department (PGPD).
“Organized-retail theft is an assault on the sanctity and security of our communities, and a real threat to our local businesses,” Hayes said. “This prosecution should send a clear message: our office takes these organized-theft rings seriously, and we will not hesitate to investigate and federally prosecute these crimes.”
“Last week, a grand jury in Prince George’s County returned indictments for multiple individuals with charges related to this organized retail theft scheme,” State’s Attorney Jackson said. “Addressing commercial and business crime is a priority for my office. We want businesses to choose Prince George’s County as a place to invest, create jobs, and thrive. Furthermore, I am always pleased when we are able to work with our partners across the region to keep our communities safe.”
According to the federal indictment, between October 2025, and April 2026, Rocke, Morgan, and Jackson conspired to engage in the interstate transportation of stolen property. Through the scheme, the co-conspirators sought to enrich themselves and others by stealing items from Victim Business 1 — a nationwide retail corporation operating in interstate commerce — and other businesses selling goods, and then subsequently offered the products for sale on Instagram and other sites. Customers then paid for the stolen items by cash, bank transfers, or money transfer applications, including CashApp.
Between October 2025, and April 2026, the co-conspirators stole more than $48,000 in merchandise from Victim Business 1 stores, located in Columbia, Maryland; Rockville, Maryland; Timonium, Maryland; Newark, Delaware; and King of Prussia, Pennsylvania. The co-conspirators engaged in serial, coordinated thefts from Victim Business 1 locations throughout the Delaware, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and Washington, DC region.
The State’s indictment charges several defendants with participating in a criminal organization, organizing retail theft $1500 to $25,000, theft $1,500 to $25,000, theft scheme $1,500 to $25,000, and conspiracy to participate in a criminal organization.
An indictment is not a finding of guilt. Individuals charged by indictment are presumed innocent until proven guilty at a later criminal proceeding.
If convicted on the federal charges, Rocke, Morgan, and Jackson each face up to five years in federal prison for the conspiracy. 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.
U.S. Attorney Hayes and State’s Attorney Jackson commended the HSI, MSP, PGCSAO, and PGPD for their work in the investigation, along with the Arlington County Police Department (Virginia) and Metropolitan Police Department (Washington, DC), for their valuable assistance. Ms. Hayes also thanked First Assistant U.S. Attorney Jason D. Medinger, Deputy Criminal Chief Gerald Collins, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Dawn Williams who are prosecuting the federal case. Ms. Jackson thanked Assistant State’s Attorney Timothy Hatfield who is prosecuting the state 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.
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Law-Enforcement Agency Quotes
Special Agent in Charge Akil Baldwin, Homeland Security Investigations – Maryland“As alleged, these defendants moved tens of thousands of dollars in stolen merchandise across state lines and converted social media into a marketplace for illicit profit. Organized retail theft is not a nuisance crime; it is a deliberate criminal enterprise that harms businesses, raises costs for consumers, and threatens our communities,” Baldwin said. “This indictment reflects the power of partnership, and HSI Maryland, as a co-leader of the Homeland Security Task Force, will continue working with our local, state, federal and retail partners to disrupt organized theft networks and hold those responsible accountable.”
Colonel Michael A. Jackson, Superintendent, Maryland State Police
“This collaborative multi-agency effort highlights our commitment to dismantling an organized retail theft enterprise and ensuring those responsible are brought to justice,” Jackson said. “Along with our local, state and federal law enforcement partners, we will continue to work in coordination to keep our communities safe.”
Chief George Nader, Prince George’s County Police Department
“I commend our investigators and partner agencies for their professionalism and dedication. This case sends a clear message that local law enforcement and our federal partners will work with our retail community to hold accountable people who commit retail theft,” Nader said. “I want to thank U.S. Attorney Kelly Hayes and her team for their steadfast commitment to protecting the District of Maryland. Their commitment has not gone unnoticed and is making a difference in our communities.”
Multiple Convicted Felon Sentenced to Federal Prison for Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
Memphis, TN – Zephanial Flynn, 43, of Memphis, has been sentenced to 77 months in prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm. United States Attorney D. Michael Dunavant, of the Western District of Tennessee, announced the sentence today.
According to evidence introduced at trial and court documents, officers with the Memphis Police Department Fugitive Task Force were attempting to arrest Flynn on a pending state warrant when they saw him walking through the Orange Mound neighborhood carrying an assault rifle.
When officers approached, Flynn discarded the rifle in bushes nearby and fled on foot. Flynn was arrested at his grandmother’s house minutes later. Following his arrest, Flynn made a recorded jail call admitting to possessing the assault rifle. At trial he also committed perjury and obstructed justice by providing false testimony under oath that he never in fact possessed the rifle.
Flynn has a long criminal conviction history of significant felonies, including attempted robbery, possession of a controlled substance with intent to sell, felon in possession of a firearm, theft of property, and domestic violence – all of which prohibit his possession of a firearm or ammunition under federal law.
On May 5, 2026, a jury returned a verdict of guilty of one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. On August 12, 2026, Flynn was sentenced by Chief U.S. District Court Judge Sheryl H. Lipman to 77 months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant said, "Convicted felons who possess firearms pose an inherent and imminent danger to the community, and are up to no good. This defendant’s extensive history of criminal conduct makes him a prime candidate for removal from our community BEFORE he pulls the trigger. This sentence does exactly that, making us all safer.”
“This sentence sends a clear message: convicted felons who illegally possess firearms will be held accountable," said Special Agent in Charge Terence G. Reilly of the FBI Nashville Field Office. "The FBI and our partners will remain relentless in our efforts to identify violent offenders, seize illegal firearms, and protect the communities we serve.”
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Memphis Police Department (MPD).
Assistant United States Attorney William Bateman III and Special Assistant United States Attorney Nicholas Cohenmeyer, of the United States Navy Judge Advocate General's (JAG) Corps, prosecuted the case on behalf of the government.
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For more information, please contact the media relations team at [email protected]. Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office on Facebook or on X at @WDTNNews for office news and updates.
Michigan Man Indicted for Obtaining Child Sexual Abuse Material from Minor Victim in New HampshireRead the Press Release
CONCORD – A Michigan man was indicted for inducing a minor victim in New Hampshire to send him child sexual abuse material (CSAM), U.S. Attorney Erin Creegan announces.
Mason Zimmer, 20, was arrested in July in Michigan. He was arraigned in District Court in Concord today after being indicted by a federal Grand Jury for production and receipt of child sexual abuse material (CSAM). He is currently detained in federal custody.
According to the charging documents and statements made in court, Zimmer targeted a minor in New Hampshire, communicating with the victim online and persuading the victim to create and send him CSAM.
The charging statutes provide a sentence of up to 30 years, with a mandatory minimum of 15 years. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation led the investigation. Valuable assistance was provided by the Hudson Police Department, the Michigan Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force and the Michigan State Police. Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Vicinanzo is prosecuting the case.
The case is brought as part of Project Safe Childhood. In 2006, the Department of Justice created Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov/ .
Massachusetts Mayor Charged with Pandemic Loan Fraud and Money LaunderingRead the Press Release
BOSTON – The Mayor of Lawrence, Mass. was arrested and charged today with fraudulently obtaining over $1.5 million in COVID small-business loans and using the proceeds to fund his campaign account, pay personal taxes, and pay off over $880,000 in high-interest, hard-money mortgages that encumbered various properties he owned in Lawrence.
Brian Depena, 61, is charged with one count of wire fraud and one count of money laundering. Depena will make an initial appearance in federal court in Boston later today. Depena was elected as Mayor of Lawrence in November 2021 and was reelected in November 2025. He previously served on the Lawrence City Council from 2016 until 2021.
“Mayor DePena was elected to be a leader for the City of Lawrence. He was looked up to and trusted by his constituents, but he betrayed that trust through his alleged corruption and lies,” said United States Attorney Leah B. Foley. “Today’s arrest is just another example of our determination to root out fraud by anyone, even public officials and holding elected officials accountable.”
“Today’s arrest highlights IRS CI’s continued commitment to safeguarding emergency relief programs and holding accountable those who abuse them,” said Thomas Demeo, Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation, Boston Field Office. “CARES Act funds were created to help small businesses survive an unprecedented national crisis — not to bankroll personal debts, political ambitions, or real estate ventures. IRS Criminal Investigation remains committed to protecting taxpayer dollars, pursuing those who exploit federal relief funds, and ensuring that financial integrity is upheld at every step.”
“Today, the FBI arrested Mayor Brian Depena for allegedly cashing in on a public health crisis and blatantly defrauding a government program meant to keep businesses afloat during the pandemic. It’s alleged the Mayor fraudulently obtained over $1.5 million in small business loans which he then used as his own slush fund to pay his personal taxes, fund his mayoral campaign, and pay off $883,000 in high-interest mortgages on several properties he owned. This was emergency financial assistance meant to be a safety net for struggling businesses, not Mr. Depena’s own personal ATM,” said Ted E. Docks, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Boston Division. “When elected officials misuse federal funds for personal gain, they’re breaking the trust of their constituents – and breaking the law. Together, with our partners, the FBI will continue to doggedly pursue anyone who defrauds the federal government. You’ll be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law, and that ‘easy money’ won’t seem so easy after all.”
According to the charging documents, in 2020 and 2021, Depena applied for Economic Injury Disaster Loans (“EIDL”) for Tenares Tire Services Inc., a tire sales and automotive services business he owned in Lawrence. During COVID, the U.S. Small Business Administration offered taxpayer-funded EIDLs to eligible small businesses experiencing substantial financial disruptions due to the pandemic. The interest rate on EIDLs was 3.75%, and the loan use was limited. A business could only use EIDL proceeds as working capital to alleviate economic injury caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Working capital did not include funding a political campaign, paying personal taxes, or paying off mortgages.
Depena allegedly caused Tenares Tire to apply for and obtain an EIDL in the amount of $150,000 in June 2020 and then used the majority of those funds as working capital for the business. However, according to the charging documents, Depena needed cash by early 2021. It is alleged that his mayoral campaign was struggling to pay bills, he owed the IRS for back taxes and he owed almost $900,000 to two private, hard money lenders who were charging Depena 12% and 8% interest – significantly more than the EIDL rate of 3.75% – on loans that encumbered various properties Depena owned in Lawrence.
In April 2021, Depena allegedly caused a request for an increase of the Tenares Tire EIDL. On July 14, 2021, the SBA approved an increase of the loan by $350,000, bringing the total Tenares Tire EIDL to $500,000. However, the SBA did not release the funds for another month. While waiting, Depena allegedly sent the following texts (originally in Spanish, here translated to English) to his accountant and financial advisor, who had been assisting Depena with the EIDL application and modification:
According to the charging documents, the $350,000 in EIDL funds were electronically deposited into the Tenares Tire bank account on Aug. 16, 2021. The pre-deposit balance in the account was only $20.23. Shortly thereafter, Depena allegedly paid $85,000 of the EIDL funds to the IRS to pay off personal tax debts. He also allegedly transferred $120,000 of the EIDL funds to a personal account and used that money to write checks totaling $90,000 to “The Committee to Elect Brian Depena.” It is alleged that these checks were deposited in the Depena mayoral campaign account, and characterized as loans to the campaign, in September and October 2021.
While the hard money, high-interest loans were still outstanding, and while his campaign continued to struggle financially, Depena allegedly caused a request for a second EIDL modification in October 2021. On Oct. 27, 2021, the SBA approved a modification that would increase the loan by $1,154,400, bringing the total Tenares Tire EIDL to $1,654,400.
On Nov. 30, 2021, $1,154,188 in EIDL funds were electronically deposited in the Tenares Tire account and Depena allegedly transferred the entire amount to one of his personal accounts – which had a balance of only $1,401 – the same day. It is alleged that Depena allegedly used $42,112.96 of the EIDL funds for his mayoral campaign, writing checks to the campaign for $10,000 and $32,112.96. The first check was deposited in the campaign account on Dec. 2, 2021, when the account allegedly had been overdrawn for approximately 20 days.
Finally, it is alleged that Depena used $883,293 of the EIDL funds to pay off his debts to the hard money lenders. On Dec. 9, 2021, Depena bought a $538,109.03 treasurer’s check and used it to pay off one of the loans. On Dec. 18, 2021, he bought a $345,184.13 treasurer’s check and used it to pay off the other loan.
According to the charging documents, as of Aug. 5, 2026, Depena had made only 16 payments on the Tenares Tire EIDL. The outstanding principal balance was approximately $1,654,420.
The charges of wire fraud each provide for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The charges of money laundering each provide for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $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.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Ted E. Docks, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; Tom Demeo, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigation in Boston; and Jeffrey S. Shapiro, Inspector General, Office of the Inspector General, Commonwealth of Massachusetts made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kristina E. Barclay and Christine Wichers of the Public Corruption Unit are prosecuting the case.
On March 26, 2026, United States Attorney Leah B. Foley announced the creation of the Benefit & Voter Fraud Team, a district-wide initiative established in response to the rampant fraud being uncovered across Massachusetts. The Team is led by two senior federal prosecutors serving as Fraud Coordinators, whose mission it is to aggressively investigate and prosecute misuse of taxpayer-funded benefits in Massachusetts.
Members of the public are encouraged to report suspected benefit fraud in Massachusetts by calling 1-855-SCAM-MA-1 (855-722-6621).
On April 7, 2026, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division. The Fraud Division is investigating and prosecuting those who commit fraud against the American people. The Department’s work to combat fraud supports President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in the court of law.
depena_complaint.pdf
Marion County Man Indicted for Possession with Intent to Distribute MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
Ocala, Florida – Pattreon Stokes (35, Summerfield) has been charged by indictment with possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. If convicted, Stokes faces an enhanced minimum penalty of 25 years, up to life, in federal prison due to having two or more qualifying prior convictions for serious drug felony offenses. U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.
According to the indictment, on July 14, 2026, Stokes possessed with the intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. The offense occurred while Stokes was on federal supervised release from a prior 2018 possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine conviction.
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Marion County Unified Drug Enforcement Strike Team. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Sarah Janette Swartzberg.
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.