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Friday 26 June 2026
Jacksonville Man Sentenced to More Than 17 Years in Federal Prison for Drug Offense Involving Fentanyl and MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – Owens Coleman Parker, Jr. (51, Jacksonville) has been sentenced by U.S. District Judge Jordan E. Pratt to 17 years and 6 months in federal prison for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl and 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. Parker pleaded guilty on February 24, 2026. U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.
According to court documents, Parker picked up and attempted to transport a vehicle which contained a hidden compartment holding more than 6 kilograms of fentanyl and more than 7 kilograms of methamphetamine. When law enforcement tried to stop him, Parker fled, leading police on a high-speed chase through a residential neighborhood. Parker then exited the vehicle and fled on foot before police apprehended him. Subsequently, Parker admitted that he knew he was picking up a load of drugs and that he intended to transport them to another location and was to be paid for doing so. Parker was arrested and given a bond, however, failed to appear in court and fled to Mexico before ultimately surrendering to authorities.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kelli Swaney.
Illegal Immigrant Sentenced to Federal Prison for Possessing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
Jesus Aranda-Martinez, age 25, from Mexico and living in Rock Valley, Iowa, was sentenced today to six years’ imprisonment in federal court in Sioux City. Aranda-Martinez pled guilty on February 6, 2026, to one count of possession of child pornography. Aranda-Martinez is a citizen of Mexico and is currently pending removal from the United States following his prison sentence.
Evidence at the plea and sentencing hearings showed that from April 2024 through July 2025, Aranda-Martinez received, distributed, and possessed child pornography. Aranda-Martinez admitted he used several chat apps and that he likes females in middle school or younger. Aranda-Martinez admitted he had received child sexual abuse material over the internet, including depictions of children having sex with adults. A forensic review of Aranda-Martinez’s phone showed he distributed child pornography in “send to receive” groups. He possessed at least 62 images and 42 videos of child pornography. The images and videos involved material that portrayed sadistic or masochistic conduct with prepubescent minors.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab “resources.”
This case is part of Operation Take Back America a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime
United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand sentenced Aranda-Martinez to 108 months’ imprisonment along with a five-year term of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system. Aranda-Martinez was also ordered to pay $3,100 in fees and assessments. Aranda-Martinez remains in custody of the United States Marshal until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was investigated by the Sioux County Sheriff’s Office and the Rock Valley Police Department and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kraig R. Hamit.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 25-4053.
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Homeland Security Task Force investigation leads to seven-year sentence for Lakewood, Washington, drug traffickerRead the Press Release
Seattle – A 21-year-old Lakewood, Washington resident was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Tacoma to 84 months in prison for leading a drug trafficking organization distributing pound quantities of methamphetamine, announced Fist Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles Neil Floyd. Antonio Velazquez Encinas first came to the attention of law enforcement in 2022 when he was just 17 years old. The teen was stopped with his aunt (codefendant Martha Velazquez Sanchez) as the two were driving up from California with a load of 14 pounds of methamphetamine. Neither was charged at that time, but two years later Antonio Velazquez Encinas was leading a drug trafficking organization.
At today’s sentencing hearing Chief U.S. District Judge David G. Estudillo said, “The impact that controlled substances have in our communities are immeasurable,” and noted that Velazquez Encinas “had been involved in this conduct for some time,” and had “role models . . . guiding you on how to engage in this conduct.”
According to records filed in the case, the Velazquez Encinas drug trafficking organization (DTO) was indicted on March 12, 2025. Antonio Velazquez Encinas was the lead defendant. He arranged for multi-pound drug deliveries that were distributed by his brother Keven Velazquez Encinas or his aunt, Martha Velazquez Sanchez. In all, eight members of the DTO were indicted and linked to some 20 pounds of methamphetamine deliveries.
In asking for an eight-year prison sentence, prosecutors wrote to the court that “Velazquez Encinas distributed large quantities of methamphetamine to numerous local redistributors in the South Sound region. He acted as the leader of the drug trafficking network, taking orders for methamphetamine, setting prices, and directing others to distribute the drugs on his behalf. . . . The drug epidemic that has been raging for years has shown that this is by no means a victimless crime. Controlled substances have led to hundreds of thousands of overdose deaths a year. It is as if we are living in an unending pandemic. But this epidemic only persists because of drug traffickers such as the defendant.”
Chief Judge Estudillo sentenced Velazquez Encinas to be on four years of supervised release following his prison term.
This investigation is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF Seattle comprises agents and officers from Homeland Security Investigations, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), The United States Marshals Service (USMS), the U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigations (IRS-CI), the United States Secret Service (USSS), U.S. Customs and Border Protection, and the U.S. Coast Guard Investigative Service, with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Washington.
This investigation was specifically led by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the FBI and the Thurston County Narcotics Task Force (TNT).
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Max Shiner.
Grand Jury for the District of Nebraska - June 2026Read the Press Release
United States Attorney Lesley A. Woods announced the federal Grand Jury for the District of Nebraska has returned 13 unsealed Indictments charging 14 defendants. Indictments are charging documents that contain one or more individual counts that are merely accusations, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Kenneth Powers, age 68, of Omaha, Nebraska, is charged in a two-count Indictment. Count I charges Powers with conspiracy to distribute and possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine beginning on or about September 1, 2025, and continuing to on or about January 15, 2026. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is not less than 10 years’ and up to life imprisonment, a $20,000,000 fine, a term of supervised release of not less than 5 years and up to life, and a $100 special assessment. Count II charges Powers with being a felon in possession of a firearm on or about January 15, 2026. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is up to 15 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a 3-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.
Brian De Jesus-Garibaldi, age 20, of San Luis, Arizona, is charged with possession with intent to distribute 5 kilograms or more of cocaine on or about April 30, 2026. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is not less than 10 years’ and up to life imprisonment, a $10,000,000 fine, a term of supervised release of not less than 5 years and up to life, and a $100 special assessment.
William Finely, Sr., age 61, of Lincoln, Nebraska, is charged with possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine on or about March 3, 2026. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is not less than 10 years’ and up to life imprisonment, a $10,000,000 fine, a term of supervised release of not less than 5 years and up to life, and a $100 special assessment.
Jason D. McCain, age 46, of Grand Island, Nebraska, is charged with bank robbery on or about April 1, 2026. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is not less than 10 years’ and up to life imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a 5-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.
Peere M. Shackelford, age 41, of Omaha, Nebraska, is charged with distribution of methamphetamine and fentanyl resulting in death between about January 26, 2026, and January 30, 2026. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is not less than 20 years’ and up to life imprisonment, a $1,000,000 fine, a term of supervised release of not less than 3 years and up to life, and a $100 special assessment.
David J. Turner, age 63, of Lincoln, Nebraska, is charged in a three-count Indictment. Count I charges Turner with possession of methamphetamine with the intent to distribute on or about March 12, 2026. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is not less than 25 years’ and up to life imprisonment, a $20,000,000 fine, a 10-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment. Count II charges Turner with possession of cocaine with the intent to distribute on or about March 12, 2026. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is up to 20 years’ imprisonment, a $1,000,000 fine, a 3-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment. Count III charges Turner with possession of methamphetamine with the intent to distribute on or about March 12, 2026. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is up to 20 years’ imprisonment, a $1,000,000 fine, a 3-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.
Daniel Ray Corter, age 48, of Omaha, Nebraska, is charged in a three-count Indictment. Count I charges Corter with assaulting, resisting, opposing, impeding, intimidating and interfering with a federal officer with bodily injury on or about April 5, 2026. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is up to 20 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a 3-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment. Count II charges Corter with assaulting, resisting, opposing, impeding, intimidating and interfering with a federal officer with physical contact on or about April 5, 2026. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is up to 8 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a 3-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment. Count III charges Corter with impeding, intimidating or interfering with a federal official by threat on or about April 5, 2026. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is up to 6 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a 3-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.
Marissa Halterman, age 37, of Omaha, Nebraska, and Christopher Raudales, age 41, of Omaha, Nebraska, are charged with possession with intent to distribute 100 grams or more of fentanyl on or about April 27, 2026. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is not less than 10 years’ and up to life imprisonment, a $10,000,000 fine, a 5-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.
The following individuals were charged with being an alien, who previously had been excluded, deported and removed from the United States and were found in the United States, without the Acting Attorney General of the United States or his designated successor having expressly consented to the defendant’s reapplication for admission into the United States:
Allan Padilla-Sanchez, age 26
Darwin Flores-Sanchez, age 27
Jose Valenciano-Moreno, age 39
Jose Omar Murillo-Herrera, age 42
The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 2 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a one-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.
The following individuals were charged with being an alien, who previously had been excluded, deported and removed from the United States following an aggravated felony conviction and were found in the United States, without the Acting Attorney General of the United States or his designated successor having expressly consented to the defendant’s reapplication for admission into the United States:
Jose Caceres-Ascencio, age 49
The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 20 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a 3-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.
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Four charged for violating national defense airspace during FIFA fan festivalRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – Federal criminal complaints have been filed against four Houston area residents since the beginning of the World Cup for flying drones into sensitive national defense airspace without authorization, announced Acting U.S. Attorney John G.E. Marck.
John Alexander Meza, 26, La Porte; Jordan Lee Zale, 38, Richmond; and Huu An Nguyen Dinh, 30, Pearland, are all expected to make their initial appearances before U.S. Magistrate Judge Richard W. Bennett at 2 p.m. July 7. Patrick Phillip Heer, 34, Katy, is scheduled for July 8 at 10 a.m.
According to one complaint, on or about June 13, law enforcement observed Heer operating a drone in restricted airspace in the vicinity of Polk and Chartres Streets in Houston. The charges allege it was specifically within the boundaries of the Temporary Flight Restriction zone established near the FIFA World Cup Fan Zone just east of downtown Houston. Heer was operating the drone, according to the complaint.
In a separate, but similar case, on or about June 11, law enforcement allegedly observed a small drone flying in the TFR zone near 612 Live Oak Street in Houston. The charges allege Meza was the pilot of that drone.
On that same date, another complaint indicates that a small drone was flying near 633 Middle Street in Houston, also within the TFR zone. Law enforcement determined Zale was operating the drone, according to the allegations.
In the 4th matter, Dinh was charged with also violating national defense airspace by flying a small drone June 18 in the vicinity of 3305 Jefferson Street in Houston. This area is also within the TFR zone, according to the charges.
To ensure a safe environment for all players, attendees and staff, Federal Aviation Administration and law enforcement have officially designated all FIFA World Cup stadiums and surrounding event spaces, to include Houston’s Fan Zone, as strict "No Drone Zones." This means that unauthorized drone flights are strictly prohibited in the designated airspace and surrounding grounds. During such major sporting events FAA implements temporary flight restrictions to limit air travel and secure the airspace. Taking off, landing or flying a drone within these restricted areas is a serious violation of federal and local regulations.
FBI, Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations, Customs and Border Protection, Federal Air Marshal Service, Houston Police Department, Harris County Sheriff’s Office and Texas Department of Public Safety are conducting the joint investigations.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Carolyn Ferko and Roldolfo Ramirez are prosecuting the case.
A criminal complaint is merely an allegation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.
See a drone breaking the rules? Blow the whistle! Report it to 911, on-site law enforcement, or the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI.
Fort Dodge Area Man Sentenced to Prison for Meth TraffickingRead the Press Release
Thomas Lee Clark, Jr, age 57, from Eagle Grove and Fort Dodge, Iowa, was sentenced to over 15 years in prison on June 25, 2026, in federal court in Sioux City. On January 27, 2026, Clark, Jr. pled guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and one count of distribution and aiding and abetting another in the distribution of meth.
Evidence at the plea and sentencing hearings, showed that, from July 2024 through August 2025, Clark, Jr. and others distributed over 2500 grams of methamphetamine in the Fort Dodge area. Evidence further showed that on at least four occasions in July and August 2025, Clark, Jr. distributed or instructed others to distribute meth to individuals cooperating with law enforcement. During a search of a co-conspirator’s home, law enforcement officers seized over 12 grams of pure meth, over $4,000 in U.S. currency, marijuana, prescription medications, scales, and other drug distribution paraphernalia. Clark, Jr. admitted he and his co-conspirators had previously distributed meth and intended to distribute this methamphetamine. Clark, Jr. was previously convicted of possession of more than five grams of methamphetamine, a serious felony drug offense, on or about February 12, 2014, in the Iowa District Court for Webster County.
United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand sentenced Clark, Jr. to 204 months’ imprisonment and ten-years of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system. Clark, Jr. remains in the custody of the United States Marshal until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Shawn S. Wehde and was investigated by the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, Iowa DCI Laboratory, Fort Dodge Police Department, Iowa State Patrol, Webster County Sheriff’s Office, and Wright County Sheriff’s Office.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 25-3043. Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.
Former school board president gets 40 years after sexually exploiting minor relativeRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – A 61-year-old Houston man has been ordered to federal prison for possession of child pornography and sexual exploitation of a child, announced Acting U.S. Attorney John G.E. Marck.
Jerry James Svatek Jr. pleaded guilty Dec. 5, 2025.
U.S. District Judge Ewing Werlein Jr. has now sentenced Svatek to 480 months for the production and possession of child pornography convictions, respectively. They will run concurrently for a total 480-month-term of imprisonment. At the hearing, the court heard Svatek previously served as president of the Boling Independent School District Board of Trustees and had joined an underground online community where he continued distributing images of a close family relative.
The court also considered information from the impact statements from the parents of the minor which detailed the harm Svatek caused to the family.
In handing down the prison terms, the court noted the particularly egregious nature of the offense by exploited his position within the family. Svatek was further ordered to pay $78,500 in restitution to the victims and will serve the rest of his life on supervised release following the completion of his prison term. During that time, he will have to comply with numerous requirements designed to restrict his access to children and the internet. He will also be ordered to register as a sex offender.
Authorities identified Svatek in 2025 when conducting undercover investigations into an online forum known as FetLife – a social networking platform designed for people interested in alternative sexual lifestyles. It revealed Svatek was sharing child sexual abuse material online.
During undercover conversations with Svatek, he exchanged multiple images taken from videos of himself with the victim. In some messages, he discussed the desire to have sex with prepubescent minors and admitted to sexual contact with at least one three-year-old victim and sought others that engaged in similar conduct.
On June 17, 2025, law enforcement conducted a traffic stop on his vehicle where they seized a cellular phone.
Forensic examination of the device revealed more than approximately 150 videos depicting child sexual abuse material. The images depicted prepubescent victims as young as six months of age engaged in sexually explicit conduct. Svatek admitted to creating videos and distributing still images over the messaging platform.
Svatek admitted to creating videos of the minor relative in the bathtub and distributing the still images over the messaging platform.
He has been and will remain in custody pending transfer to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations; Boone County, North Carolina, Police Department; Texas Rangers; Texas Department of Criminal Justice; and Wharton County Sheriff’s Office conducted the investigation.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer K. Teper prosecuted the case, which was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative the Department of Justice launched in May 2006 to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section leads PSC, which marshals federal, state and local resources to locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children and identifies and rescues victims. For more information about PSC, please visit DOJ’s PSC page. For more information about internet safety education, please visit the resources tab on that page.
Former U.S. National Security Advisor, John R. Bolton II, Pleads Guilty to Violating the Espionage ActRead the Press Release
Greenbelt, Maryland – A former National Security Advisor to the President of the United States entered a guilty plea in federal court, today, in connection with charges stemming from the transmission and retention of national defense information.
John Robert Bolton, II, 77, of Bethesda, Maryland, pled guilty to retention of national defense information, as alleged in Count 12 of the indictment. The plea agreement resolves all 18 counts charged in the indictment.
Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the guilty plea with Hayden O’Byrne, Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General, National Security Division (NSD), Assistant Director Roman Rozhavsky, FBI Counterintelligence and Espionage Division, and Special Agent in Charge Jimmy Paul, FBI Baltimore Field Office.
“Mr. Bolton knew the damage mishandling confidential material could cause to national security, and yet he still committed this misconduct and put American lives at risk,” Hayes said. “Keeping Americans safe has always been, and will always be, the top priority for the U.S. Attorney’s Office. No one is above the law, and so anyone who endangers our national security will be brought to justice.”
“John Bolton held a position of extraordinary public trust as the country’s top National Security Advisor, and he betrayed that trust, jeopardizing our nation’s security,” O’Byrne said. “Today’s resolution ought to send a message to other public officials whom the public has entrusted with classified, national defense information. If you willfully mishandle these state secrets, the Department of Justice, led by the National Security Division, will investigate and prosecute you to the fullest extent of the law.”
“By his own admission, John Bolton willfully and carelessly copied top secret information into his personal notes and then transmitted those secrets to unauthorized family members,” Rozhavsky said. “When guardians of our nation’s secrets play fast and loose with classified information, it opens the door for foreign adversaries to get their hands on it, which is exactly what happened. This plea stands as a reminder: the FBI will remain steadfast in our pursuit of anyone who puts the security of America’s secrets at risk.”
“Americans’ safety and security were needlessly put at risk by Bolton’s reckless and illegal actions. In this case, the worst happened -- our most sensitive government secrets were stolen by an adversary," Paul said. “Today’s guilty plea is a testament to the diligent work by investigators and prosecutors to ensure anyone jeopardizing our national security is held accountable.”
Bolton served as National Security Advisor between April 2018 and September 2019. According to court documents, during this time, Bolton incorporated highly sensitive classified information that he learned from his official duties into personal “diary” entries that he wrote about his daily activities.
These diaries contained information classified up to the TOP SECRET level, as well as Sensitive Compartmented Information. This included foreign adversaries’ military operation plans, covert U.S. government actions in foreign countries, and intelligence about adversary foreign leaders obtained from clandestine human sources and intercepted communications.
Bolton sent these documents to two family members who were not authorized to access, receive, or possess classified information. He sent the documents via non-governmental email accounts and a non-governmental messaging application which are not approved for processing classified information. Bolton also retained copies of these documents at his Bethesda home where they were not permitted to be stored.
According to court documents, after Bolton left office in September 2019, a cyber actor, believed to be associated with the Islamic Republic of Iran, hacked Bolton’s personal email account. He reported the hack to law enforcement but did not tell the agents, or anyone else in the U.S. government, that the account contained national defense information.
Bolton is facing a maximum penalty of 60 months in prison. He also agrees to pay a $2.25-million fine. Further, under federal law, as noted in the plea agreement, Bolton’s conviction prohibits him, or his survivors, from collecting an annuity or federal retirement pay. The Honorable Theodore D. Chuang, U.S. District Court Judge for the District of Maryland, set Bolton’s sentencing date for Wednesday, October 28, at 9:30 a.m.
U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the FBI Baltimore Field Office for its work in the investigation, along with the FBI Counterintelligence and Espionage Division and FBI New York Field Office, for their valuable assistance. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas M. Sullivan, along with Acting Chief Tanner Kroeger and Trial Attorney Garrett Coyle, NSD’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section, who are prosecuting the case.
For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit justice.gov/usao-md.
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Former U.S. National Security Advisor John R. Bolton, II Pleads Guilty to Violating the Espionage ActRead the Press Release
John R. Bolton, II, 77, of Bethesda, Maryland, pleaded guilty today in federal court to willfully retaining national defense information. Bolton used personal accounts to send classified information to family members who were unauthorized to access such information, including a personal email account that was later hacked by a cyber actor allegedly linked to the Islamic Republic of Iran.
“John Bolton held a position of extraordinary public trust as the country’s top National Security Advisor, and he betrayed that trust, jeopardizing our nation’s security,” said Hayden O’Byrne, Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General for the National Security Division. “Today’s resolution ought to send a message to other public officials whom the public has entrusted with classified, national defense information. If you willfully mishandle these state secrets, the Department of Justice, led by the National Security Division, will investigate and prosecute you to the fullest extent of the law.”
“Mr. Bolton knew the damage mishandling confidential material could cause to national security, and yet he still committed this misconduct and put American lives at risk,” said U.S. Attorney Kelly O’Hayes for the District of Maryland. “Keeping Americans safe has always been, and will always be, the top priority for the U.S. Attorney’s Office. No one is above the law, and so anyone who endangers our national security will be brought to justice.”
“By his own admission — and with full knowledge it was a violation of his oath as a former security clearance holder — John Bolton willfully copied top secret information into his personal notes and then transmitted those secrets to unauthorized family members,” said Assistant Director Roman Rozhavsky of the FBI’s Counterintelligence and Espionage Division. “As a former national security advisor, Bolton knew such careless disregard for the law could open the door for foreign adversaries to get their hands on incredibly sensitive and classified information, and that’s exactly what happened in this case. His plea stands as a critical reminder: The FBI will remain steadfast in our pursuit of all who place the security of America’s secrets and its citizens at risk.”
“Americans’ safety and security were needlessly put at risk by Bolton's reckless and illegal actions,” said Special Agent in Charge Jimmy Paul of the FBI Baltimore Field Office. “In this case, the worst happened — our most sensitive government secrets were stolen by an adversary. Today's guilty plea is a testament to the diligent work by investigators and prosecutors to ensure anyone jeopardizing our national security is held accountable.”
Bolton served as the National Security Advisor to the President of the United States between April 2018 and September 2019. According to court documents, during this time, Bolton incorporated highly sensitive classified information that he had learned in the course of his official duties into documents that he wrote about his daily activities, which he referred to as “diary” entries. The documents contained information classified up to the TOP SECRET level, as well as Sensitive Compartmented Information (SCI), including foreign adversaries’ military operation plans, covert U.S. government actions in foreign countries, and intelligence about adversary foreign leaders obtained from clandestine human sources and intercepted communications.
Bolton sent these documents to two family members who were not authorized to access, receive, or possess classified information. He sent the documents via non-governmental email accounts and a non-governmental messaging application which were not approved for processing classified information, and he retained copies at his home in Bethesda where they were not permitted to be stored.
According to court documents, Bolton’s personal email account was hacked by a cyber actor believed to be associated with the Islamic Republic of Iran after Bolton left office in September 2019. Bolton reported that hack to law enforcement but did not tell the agents or anyone else in the U.S. government that the account contained national defense information.
In October 2025, a federal grand jury in the District of Maryland indicted Bolton on 18 counts of willfully transmitting and retaining national defense information.
The plea agreement filed today resolves all 18 counts. According to the plea agreement, Bolton will face a maximum penalty of 60 months in prison. The defendant also agreed to pay a $2.25 million fine. Further, under federal law as noted in the plea agreement, Bolton’s conviction prohibits Bolton or his survivors from collecting an annuity or federal retirement pay. The Hon. Theodore D. Chuang, U.S. District Court Judge for the District of Maryland, set Bolton’s sentencing date for Oct. 28.
The FBI Baltimore Field Office is investigating the case with key support from FBI’s Counterintelligence & Espionage Division, FBI New York Office, and FBI’s Operational Technology Division.
Acting Deputy Chief Tanner Kroeger and Trial Attorney Garrett Coyle of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas M. Sullivan for the District of Maryland are prosecuting the case. Multiple former prosecutors in both offices made significant contributions to the yearslong investigation.
This release includes an updated quote from the FBI.
Former Inland Empire Resident Found Guilty of Sex Trafficking Victim on L.A.’s Figueroa Street, a Prostitution HubRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – A former Riverside County resident was found guilty by a jury today of forcing and coercing a victim into engaging in commercial sex acts on the notorious Figueroa Street in Los Angeles.
Elias Abdul Shabazz, 34, formerly of Perris and whose last known residence was in Washington, D.C., was found guilty of one count of sex trafficking by force, fraud, or coercion. He has been in federal custody since May 2025.
“Sex trafficking matters rank among the most tragic cases our office prosecutes,” said First Assistant U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli. “This defendant will now face many years in a federal prison cell for his sick, disgusting, and disturbing behavior.”
“Elias Shabazz preyed on a vulnerable victim using physical and sexual violence and cruel psychological coercion to compel commercial sex acts for his own profit,” said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “There is no place for this type of conduct in civilized society. We deeply respect the victim’s courage to face her trafficker in court. The Criminal Division will continue to bring these cases and try them.”
“This case highlights Homeland Security Investigations’ determination to rescue victims from exploitation and ensure that those who commit such cruel and violent acts are held accountable,” said Special Agent in Charge Eddy Wang of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Los Angeles. “The defendant manipulated and terrorized the victim for his own gain, using violence, intimidation, and control. We commend the victim’s bravery for sharing her story. HSI, together with our law enforcement partners, will continue to pursue justice for victims and relentlessly work to prevent these crimes from occurring in our communities.”
According to evidence presented at a five-day trial, Shabazz led his victim to believe that they were engaged in a romantic relationship, but he soon turned physically and sexually violent demanding that the victim engage in commercial sex acts. The criminal conduct occurred from May 2021 to October 2021.
Shabazz carried a handgun with him and used it on occasion to pistol whip the victim. He also fired the gun at her feet when threatening to kill her.
At trial, the victim explained how he introduced her to commercial sex, demanded she meet a daily quota of commercial sex proceeds, and how he terrified her of the consequences of not meeting that quota. She also testified to how Shabazz compelled her to work on Figueroa Street in Los Angeles and how dangerous it was to do so.
Shabazz confiscated the victim’s identification, social security card, and birth certificate. He looked through her phone constantly to keep her from communicating with family and friends. He also introduced her to addictive narcotics and controlled every aspect of her life including when she ate, slept, and showered.
The jury found Shabazz not guilty on one count of coercing or enticing interstate transportation for purposes of prostitution.
United States District Judge Stanley Blumenfeld, Jr., scheduled an October 6 sentencing hearing, at which time Shabazz will face a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in federal prison and a statutory maximum sentence of life imprisonment.
Homeland Security Investigations is investigating this matter.
Assistant United States Attorney Kim Meyer of the Major Crimes Section and Trial Attorney Kate A. Alexander of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section are prosecuting this case.
Anyone who has information about human trafficking should report that information to the National Human Trafficking Hotline toll-free at (888) 373-7888, which is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. For more information about human trafficking, please visit www.humantraffickinghotline.org. Information on the Justice Department’s efforts to combat human trafficking can be found at www.justice.gov/humantrafficking.
Former Church Employee Sentenced to Prison for Embezzling FundsRead the Press Release
TOLEDO, Ohio – A 43-year-old woman has been sentenced to prison for embezzling money from a church where she was previously employed.
Shenia Watson, aka Shenia Brown, of Toledo, Ohio, was sentenced to 40 months in prison by U.S. District Judge Jack Zouhary, after she pleaded guilty in February to Wire Fraud, Access Device Fraud, and Aggravated Identity Theft. Judge Zouhary also ordered Watson to serve three years of supervised release and pay $410,574.39 in restitution.
According to court documents, Watson was an employee of Perfecting Church in Toledo, Ohio.
As a church employee, Watson was responsible for managing parishioner donations. Investigators discovered that from about June 2019, to June of 2023, Watson used her position at the church to embezzle church funds from an app that was used to receive donations from parishioners. To conceal her embezzlement activities, Watson knowingly provided the board of directors with fraudulent monthly financial summary reports. Additionally, Watson secured a credit card in the name of the church’s pastor and used it to pay church expenses to conceal its true financial condition and to conceal her embezzlement activities.
This case was investigated by the FBI. Assistant United States Attorney Dexter Phillips led the prosecution.
Five Men Face Federal Charges for Trafficking Drugs in Franklin County, VermontRead the Press Release
BURLINGTON– The Office of the United States Attorney for the District of Vermont announced that on June 25, 2026, a federal grand jury returned an indictment charging Tyree Canty a/k/a “Black,” 47, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Lord Crayton a/k/a “Little Creep,” 35, of Woodhaven, New York, and Dimetrice Warner a/k/a “Unc,” 37, of The Bronx, New York, with conspiracy to distribute cocaine and cocaine base. Two additional men were also indicted for conspiring to distribute cocaine and cocaine base, but their identities remain under seal. Canty faces an additional charge of possessing a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking.
Canty, Warner, and Crayton all appeared before United States Magistrate Judge Kevin J. Doyle on June 22 after they were charged via criminal complaint. Judge Doyle ordered that Canty and Warner be detained pending further proceedings. Crayton was ordered released on conditions.
According to court records, the five men conspired to distribute cocaine and cocaine base at various locations in and around St. Albans, Vermont and Highgate, Vermont between approximately April 7, 2026 and June 18, 2026. Confidential informants, under the supervision of law enforcement, conducted multiple purchases of crack cocaine from the group. The investigation culminated in the execution of two federal search warrants on June 18, 2026, one in St. Albans and the other in Highgate. During the execution of the search warrant in St. Albans, Crayton and Warner were arrested, and cocaine and packaging materials were seized. During the execution of the search warrant in Highgate, Canty was arrested and law enforcement seized controlled substances, thousands of dollars in cash, and a firearm.
The United States Attorney’s Office emphasizes that an indictment contains allegations only and that the defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty. If convicted, all of the defendants face up to 20 years of imprisonment for the drug trafficking conspiracy. Canty faces a mandatory minimum of 5 years and a maximum of life imprisonment if convicted of possessing a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking. The actual sentence, however, would be determined by the District Court with guidance from the advisory United States Sentencing Guidelines and the statutory sentencing factors.
First Assistant United States Attorney Jonathan A. Ophardt commended the investigatory efforts of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the St. Albans Police Department.
The prosecutor is Assistant United States Attorney Dana Hill. Canty is represented by the Office of the Federal Public Defender. Warner is represented by Kevin Henry, Esq. Crayton is represented by Jessica Burke, Esq.
First official week of summer brings 265 more individuals charged as part of newest border security actionsRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – The Southern District of Texas has filed another 263 cases involving immigration and border security-related crimes from June 19-25, announced Acting U.S. Attorney John G.E. Marck.
A total of 223 illegal aliens are charged with unlawfully being in the United States - 56 and 167 for illegal entry and reentry, respectively. Most have previous convictions related to narcotics, immigration offenses, violent crimes and more. The cases also include 29 people allegedly involved in human smuggling, while the remaining matters involve other immigration crimes.
One illegal alien facing charges this week is Mexican national Rosendo Castelan-Reyes. Court documents allege he has a prior conviction for aggravated assault and was previously removed Oct. 30, 2018. However, law enforcement allegedly discovered him near La Grulla with no authorization to be in the country.
Similarly, authorities found another illegal alien near Cuevitas, according to the criminal complaint. Cuban national Angel Javier Cabrera-Rivero allegedly had a prior conviction for drug trafficking before his removal in December 2025.
If convicted of felony reentry after removal, both men face up to 20 years in federal prison.
The cases are referred or supported by federal law enforcement partners, including Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations, ICE - Enforcement and Removal Operations, BP, Drug Enforcement Administration, FBI, U.S. Marshals Service and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives with additional assistance from state and local law enforcement partners.
The cases are part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
Under current leadership, public safety and a secure border are the top priorities for this district. Enhanced enforcement both at the border and in the interior of the district have yielded aliens engaged in unlawful activity or with serious criminal 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.
Federal Trial Jury Convicts Former New Orleans Police Officer for Insurance Fraud and Bribery SchemesRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LA - The United States Attorney’s Office announced today that a federal jury has convicted CHRISTIAN CONRAD CLAUS (“CLAUS”), age 57, after a two-week trial of one count of Conspiracy to Commit Mail Fraud and Wire Fraud, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1349; one count of Wire Fraud, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1343; one count of Conspiracy to Use a Facility in Interstate Commerce in Aid of Bribery, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 371 and 1952(a); one count of Use of a Facility in Interstate Commerce in Aid of Bribery, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1952(a)(3); and one count of Making a False Statement to a Federal Agent, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1001(a)(2). The jury did not reach a verdict on one count of Mail Fraud, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1341.
Speaking to today’s conviction, First Assistant United States Attorney, and Acting Criminal Chief, Michael M. Simpson stated:
“Today’s verdict is a testament to the combined dedication and commitment of our office, in partnership with the Federal Bureau of Investigation, to ceaselessly pursue justice. Mr. Claus’s actions constituted a blatant breach of public trust, that threatened to undermine the public’s confidence in law enforcement. We will not allow public corruption, such as that perpetrated by Mr. Claus, to escape prosecution.”
“Mr. Claus flagrantly abused his trusted position as a sworn law enforcement officer to enrich himself. Actions like these erode public trust in law enforcement, and the FBI will continue its efforts to hold all who abuse that trust accountable.” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Charles Koger of the FBI New Orleans Field Office. “The FBI thanks the jury and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for their assistance in finding justice in this case.”
The indictment alleges that in 2019, CLAUS, who was then an NOPD police officer, conspired with a New Orleans homeowner, and a Nevada art appraiser, to submit a fraudulent insurance claim. The claim reported that valuable paintings had been stolen from the insured’s house, when in truth, the paintings were neither valuable, nor stolen. In this case, the homeowner agreed, in exchange for CLAUS using his police position to further the scheme, to share the insurance proceeds with CLAUS ,and to provide CLAUS with assistance in obtaining employment positions.
The fraud and fraud conspiracy charges are each punishable by up to 20 years imprisonment. The bribery, bribery conspiracy, and false statement charges are each punishable by up to five years imprisonment. Sentencing for each count of conviction, also includes a fine of up to $250,000, up to three years of supervised release following imprisonment, and payment of a mandatory special assessment fee.
The homeowner, Fouad K. Zeton, and the appraiser, Michael Jon Schofield, previously pleaded guilty and are awaiting sentencing.
Sentencing has been scheduled for September 22, 2026, at 9:00 a.m. before Chief United States District Court Judge Wendy B. Vitter.
First Assistant U.S. Attorney Simpson praised the work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation in investigating this matter, as well as the valuable efforts of the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s Victim-Witness Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorney Chandra Menon, Chief of the Public Integrity Unit, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Tiwana Wright, were in charge of the prosecution.
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Federal Jury Convicts Madison Man of Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – A Madison, Wisconsin, man has been convicted of distributing methamphetamine and fentanyl and for possessing those same drugs for distribution. Jonathan Conley, 44, was convicted following a four-day trial in federal court in Madison. The jury reached a verdict yesterday after just over six hours of deliberation. The guilty verdict is announced by Chadwick M. Elgersma, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin. Following the guilt phase, Conley stipulated that prior to these offenses, he had been convicted of a serious drug felony as also alleged in the superseding indictment.
The government presented evidence at trial that on October 24, 2023, Conley distributed approximately 770 grams of methamphetamine and 29 grams of fentanyl to an individual, who was later arrested in New Lisbon, Wisconsin, with the drugs in her vehicle. The government also presented evidence that on February 7, 2024, Conley possessed approximately 204 grams of methamphetamine and 44 grams of fentanyl intended for distribution. The drugs were recovered at a residence in Madison.
A witness from the Wisconsin State Crime Laboratory confirmed the chemical composition of the controlled substances. A separate witness from the Wisconsin State Crime Laboratory testified that Conley’s DNA was present on several of the baggies recovered from the vehicle and several of the baggies recovered from the residence. A witness from the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration testified that the quantities of methamphetamine and fentanyl found in the residence were consistent with an intent to distribute the drugs rather than an intent to use the drugs personally.
Chief U.S. District Judge James D. Peterson scheduled sentencing for September 9, 2026. Conley faces a minimum penalty of ten years in federal prison and a maximum penalty of life in federal prison.
The case was investigated by the New Lisbon Police Department, Wisconsin Department of Justice Division of Criminal Investigation, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Wisconsin State Patrol. The prosecution is being handled by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kathryn Ginsberg and Steve Anderson.
Fallbrook Man Admits Dosing His Children with Hallucinogenic MushroomsRead the Press Release
SAN DIEGO – Randal Vance pleaded guilty in federal court today to multiple drug charges, admitting he dosed his children with hallucinogenic drugs and led a conspiracy that employed the children to help cultivate, produce and distribute the psilocybin mushrooms at locations in Fallbrook and Bonsall.
Vance, the ringleader of the conspiracy, pleaded guilty to charges of conspiracy to use a minor to produce and distribute a controlled substance, conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance, two counts of distributing a controlled substance to minors, and conspiracy to obstruct justice. Two co-defendants - his wife Rebecca Vance and friend Keir Ceballos-Rivera - previously pleaded guilty and are awaiting sentencing.
In his plea agreement, Randal Vance admitted his boys were 9 and 11 when the conspiracy to produce psilocybin began at locations on Ash Street in Fallbrook and Lilac Road in Bonsall. Psilocybin mushrooms are a controlled substance that act as hallucinogenic drugs, inducing altered states of consciousness and vivid sensory experiences.
The defendant admitted in his plea agreement that he maintained two websites, psillyrabbit.com and psillyrabbitmushrooms.com, as well as the Instagram page psillyrabbitca, to market and sell psilocybin. He sold whole dried and freeze-dried psilocybin mushrooms over the internet as well as chocolates containing psilocybin and capsules containing pure psilocybin.
Randal Vance admitted providing psilocybin capsules for his oldest son, age 12 at that time, to sell to his friends. He also admitted providing the drug to his wife, Rebecca Vance, to distribute to others.
According to his plea agreement, beginning around October 2023, Randal Vance began dosing the 9- and 11-year-old victims with psilocybin capsules every other day, increasing to every day by 2024.
According to the plea agreement, on October 4, 2024, law enforcement executed search warrants on the Fallbrook and Bonsall locations. At the Ash Street location, law enforcement recovered approximately 204 pounds of fresh psilocybin mushrooms, 53 pounds of dried psilocybin mushrooms, 18 pounds of inoculated substrate to grow psilocybin mushrooms, and equipment used to grow, harvest, and process psilocybin mushrooms.
At the Lilac Road location, law enforcement recovered approximately 25 pounds of dried psilocybin mushrooms and five pounds of psilocybin capsules. Law enforcement officials also seized six firearms from the Lilac Road location: a Glock 34 pistol, a Walther P22 pistol, a Henry Survival AR7 rifle, a Smith and Wesson revolver, an H&R Model 900 revolver, and a Browning 30-06 rifle. None of the firearms were locked up, and loaded magazines were found next to the Glock 34 and Walther P22.
Randal Vance was arrested that day. Prior to his federal arrest, he was out on bond pending state charges. After Randal Vance’s arrest by local law enforcement, he and his co-defendants conspired together to destroy evidence by deleting phone messages and taking down the websites Randal Vance had used to distribute psilocybin, the plea agreement said
Randal Vance is scheduled to be sentenced September 18 at 9 a.m. by U.S. District Judge Robert S. Huie. Rebecca Vance is scheduled to be sentenced on July 17; Keir Ceballos-Rivera on August 28.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul Benjamin.
If you are concerned that your child may have been exposed to illegal drugs as a result of the activities alleged in this case, please contact the DEA at https://www.dea.gov/submit-tip.
DEFENDANTS Case Number 25-cr-00817
Randal Vance Age: 43 Fallbrook, CA
Rebecca Vance Age: 42 Oceanside, CA
Keir Ceballos-Rivera Age: 34 Oceanside, CA
SUMMARY OF CHARGES
Conspiracy to Employ or Use Minors to Violate the Controlled Substances Act – Title 21, U.S.C., Sections 841, 846, and 861(a)
Maximum penalty: Mandatory minimum one year to 40 years in prison
Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance- – Title 21, U.S.C., Sections 841 and 846
Maximum penalty: Twenty years in prison
Distribution of a Controlled Substance to Minors– Title 21, U.S.C., Section 859(a)
Maximum penalty: Mandatory minimum one year to 40 years in prison
Conspiracy to Obstruct Justice- – Title 18, U.S.C., Sections 1503(a), (b)(3), and 371
Maximum penalty: Ten years in prison
INVESTIGATING AGENCIES
Drug Enforcement Administration
San Diego Sheriff’s Department
FBI Arrests Puerto Rico Resident for Threats of Violence and Child Exploitation OffensesRead the Press Release
San Juan, Puerto Rico – The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) San Juan Field Office announced today the arrest of Robinson De La Cruz Hilario (DE LA CRUZ), following an investigation that uncovered repeated online threats of mass violence targeting the LGBTQ community, as well as the receipt and possession of illegal child exploitation material.
According to the criminal complaint and supporting affidavit filed in the United States District Court for the District of Puerto Rico, DE LA CRUZ engaged in a pattern of alarming online activity between 2024 and 2026. Investigators identified multiple public social media posts in which DE LA CRUZ expressed admiration for past mass shooters, made violent anti LGBTQ statements, and referenced carrying out a future attack.
In February 2026, the FBI received a referral indicating that DE LA CRUZ had shared a “tactical” map suggesting preparations for a potential mass casualty event. Agents later executed federal search warrants on DE LA CRUZ’s online accounts and residence. Evidence recovered included communications transmitted through interstate networks in which DE LA CRUZ explicitly threatened acts of violence.
During the execution of a federal search warrant on June 24, 2026, agents also recovered electronic media containing illegal images and videos involving minors alleged to constitute child sexual abuse material and obscene visual representations of the sexual abuse of children. The affidavit states that investigators identified both real and AI generated visual depictions prohibited under federal law. DE LA CRUZ admitted during an interview to operating the accounts involved and acknowledged that some of his posts could be interpreted as threats.
DE LA CRUZ is charged with violations of:
- 18 U.S.C. § 875(c) — Interstate communication of threats
- 18 U.S.C. § 2252A(a)(2) — Receiving child pornography, or attempting to do so
- 18 U.S.C. § 1466A — Receipt and possession of obscene visual representations of the sexual abuse of children.
DE LA CRUZ was taken into federal custody on June 24, 2026. The case is being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Puerto Rico and is being investigated by the FBI San Juan Counterterrorism Squad.
A criminal complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law. For further information, please contact the FBI San Juan Public Affairs Office.
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criminal_complaint.pdf-_signed.pdf affidavit.pdf-_signed.pdfExtradited Canadian American Man Pleads Guilty for Role in Deadly Alien Smuggling ConspiracyRead the Press Release
A dual Canadian American citizen who was extradited from Canada pleaded guilty today for his role in a human smuggling conspiracy that resulted in the deaths of a family, including two children under the age of three, in the St. Lawrence River.
“This case is a tragic example of what happens when alien smugglers act for their own greed with callous disregard for human life and for the orderly administration of our nation’s immigration laws,” said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Through investigations and prosecutions, we will continue to eliminate alien smuggling networks that flout our laws and evade lawful entry at our borders.”
“Protecting our homeland remains a top priority and I thank our federal partners for their unwavering efforts along our Northern Border to keep Americans safe,” said First Assistant U.S. Attorney John A. Sarone III for the Northern District of New York: This case highlights the success we can have when working together across government, federal law enforcement, tribal leaders on both sides of the Akwesasne Mohawk Indian reserve and our partners across the border in Canada, all played a key role in bringing this defendant to justice. Although this smuggling attempt ended in tragedy, let this case serve as a warning: Those who attempt to unlawfully bring individuals into our country will be stopped, identified, and brought to justice.”
“Rahsontanohstha Delormier’s actions led to the deaths of two young children and their parents — a loss that will be felt forever by their family and the North Country community,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Anthony Patrone of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Buffalo Field Office. “In response to this tragedy, HSI Massena and our federal, state, tribal, and Canadian partners worked tirelessly to dismantle this deadly smuggling organization, sending a clear message that those who endanger lives at our border will be identified, brought to justice, and removed from our communities.”
According to court documents, Rahsontanohstha Delormier, also known as “Storm,” 31, from the Akwesasne Mohawk Indian Territory in Canada, was a boat driver for a human smuggling organization (HSO) that smuggled aliens from Canada into northern New York. Delormier, working with the HSO, routinely smuggled aliens into the United States by piloting boats across the St. Lawrence River.
Beginning in and around 2023, the defendant worked with an HSO that smuggled illegal aliens of various countries from mainland Cornwall, Ontario to Cornwall Island, Canada and through the Akwesasne Mohawk Indian reserve into the Northern District of New York. The organization arranged for aliens to stay in local motels in Cornwall before they were transported from Cornwall Island and staged along the banks of the St. Lawrence River. Members of the organization would then transport the aliens by boat over the St. Lawrence River to drivers who transported them further into the Northern District of New York.
On the night of March 28, 2023, and into the early morning of March 29, 2023, a co-conspirator travelled to mainland Cornwall and transported a family of four Romanian aliens to Cornwall Island in a truck provided by Delormier. At approximately 3:06 a.m., the co-conspirator dropped the Romanian family off at Delormier’s residence to be brought across the St. Lawrence River. Delormier launched a boat from a landing in St. Regis, Quebec, intending to pick up the family, but due to high winds, freezing temperatures, and limited visibility on the St. Lawrence River, Delormier’s boat broke down and he became stranded on St. Regis Island. Later that night a co-conspirator transported the Romanian family to a public boat launch on the tip of Cornwall Island where a different boat pilot picked them up and attempted to take the family across the St. Lawrence River. While in transit, the boat capsized due to severe weather. As a result, the Romanian family and the boat driver died.
Mother and child departing room 140 at the Elect Inn walking towards a co-conspirator’s vehicle on March 29, 2023 at 3:21 a.m. Father and child departing room 140, pulling the door closed before the father walks towards the co-conspirator’s vehicle on March 29, 2023 at 3:21 a.m. A second co-conspirators vehicle with light blue boat in tow on March 29, 2023, at 9:29 p.m., appearing to match the boat found in the river during recovery efforts. The second co-conspirators light blue and white boat being recovered from the St. Lawrence River near the bodies of the Romanian family.Delormier pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit alien smuggling and four counts of alien smuggling for financial gain. He is scheduled to be sentenced on Oct. 27 and faces a minimum penalty of five years in prison and a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Co-conspirators Dakota Montour, 32, and Kawisiiostha Celecia Sharrow, 45, both of the Akwesasne Mohawk Indian reserve, New York; Janet Terrance, 46, of Hogansburg, New York; and Timothy Oakes, 35, from the Akwesasne Mohwak Indian reserve, entered guilty pleas on Jan. 23, 2025, Oct. 8, 2024, March 6, 2025, and May 11, 2026, respectively. Delormier and co-conspirator Stephanie Square, 53, of the Akwesasne Mohawk Indian Territory in Canada, were extradited to the United States from Canada in 2025. Square is awaiting trial.
HSI Massena engaged in an extensive years-long investigation of the case, with assistance from the U.S. Border Patrol (USBP), U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), HSI’s Human Smuggling Unit in Washington, D.C., CBP’s National Targeting Center International Interdiction Task Force, New York State Police, Canada Border Services Agency, Akwesasne Mohawk Police Service, St. Regis Mohawk Tribal Police Department, Ontario Provincial Police, Sûreté du Québec, St. Lawrence County Sheriff’s Department, Royal Canadian Mounted Police and the Cornwall Police Service. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs provided significant assistance in securing the arrests and extraditions of Delormier and Square.
The investigation and indictment were supported and prosecuted by Joint Task Force Alpha (JTFA), the Department’s lead effort in combating high-impact human smuggling and trafficking committed by cartels and Transnational Criminal Organizations (TCOs). A highly successful partnership between the Department of Justice and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), JTFA investigates and prosecutes human smuggling and trafficking and related immigration crimes that impact public safety and border security. JTFA’s mission is to target the leaders and organizers of Cartels and TCOs involved in human smuggling and trafficking throughout the Americas. The Attorney General has elevated and expanded JTFA to target the most prolific and dangerous human smuggling and trafficking groups operating not only in Mexico and the Northern Triangle countries of Guatemala, El Salvador, and Honduras, but also in Canada, the Caribbean and the maritime border, and elsewhere. Led by the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section and supported by the Money Laundering, Narcotics and Forfeiture Section, the Office of International Affairs, and the Office of Enforcement Operations, among others, JTFA has dedicated Assistant U.S. Attorneys from the Southern District of California; District of Arizona; District of New Mexico; Western and Southern Districts of Texas; Southern District of Florida; Northern District of New York; and District of Vermont. JTFA also partners with other U.S. Attorney’s Offices throughout the country and supports high-priority cases in any district. All JTFA cases rely on substantial law enforcement resources from DHS, including HSI and CBP USBP and Office of Field Operations, as well as FBI and other law enforcement agencies. To date, JTFA’s work has resulted in more than 458 domestic and international arrests of leaders, organizers, and significant facilitators of alien smuggling and/or trafficking; more than 408 U.S. convictions; and more than 357 significant jail sentences imposed, and forfeitures of substantial assets.
Trial Attorneys Lindsey Roberson and Alexandra Skinnion of the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey Stitt for the Northern District of New York are prosecuting the case.
Eagle Butte Woman Sentenced to 30 Years in Federal Prison for Setting Fire to a Home Killing Two OccupantsRead the Press Release
PIERRE - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced today that U.S. District Judge Eric C. Schulte has sentenced an Eagle Butte, South Dakota, woman convicted of Second Degree Murder. The sentencing took place on June 22, 2026.
Jimi Jo Collins, age 27, was sentenced to 30 years in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay restitution and a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Collins was indicted by a federal grand jury in June 2025. She pleaded guilty on March 30, 2026.
The conviction stemmed from an incident that occurred in March of 2025, within the Cheyenne River Sioux Indian Reservation. On March 2, 2025, Collins set fire to a residence in Eagle Butte that was occupied by multiple people. Several people escaped from the residence, but two victims were unable to get out and died in the fire.
“This woman is an arsonist and a murderer,” said U.S. Attorney Parsons. “She intentionally set fire to a mobile home, with people asleep inside, because she thought someone had broken her car window. The result of that malevolent act is that two people were burned alive. The horror and tragic pointlessness of it all is unimaginable.”
This matter was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office because the Major Crimes Act, a federal statute, mandates that certain violent crimes alleged to have occurred in Indian country be prosecuted in federal court as opposed to State court.
This case was investigated by the FBI, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, and the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services. Assistant U.S. Attorney Wayne Venhuizen prosecuted the case.
Collins was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Dominican National Pleads Guilty to Fentanyl Trafficking ChargeRead the Press Release
David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, and Jarod Forget, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration for New England, today announced that CHANEL AYBAR-PENA, 31, a citizen of the Dominican Republic unlawfully present in the U.S., pleaded guilty today before U.S. District Judge Omar A. Williams in Hartford to a fentanyl trafficking offense.
According to court documents and statements made in court, the Drug Enforcement Administration identified Aybar-Pena as a significant fentanyl distributor. Aybar-Pena was arrested on March 19, 2026, after a court-authorized search of a house on Chipper Drive in East Hartford where he was living revealed approximately five kilograms of fentanyl.
Aybar-Pena pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl, an offense that carries a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of 10 years and a maximum term of imprisonment of life. A sentencing date is not scheduled
Aybar-Pena has been detained since his arrest.
This matter has been investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, with the assistance of the East Hartford Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Reed Durham.
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.
Dominican National Charged with Illegal ReentryRead the Press Release
HARRISBURG -The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Fernando Rivas, age 46, a citizen of the Dominican Republic, was indicted on June 24, 2026, by a federal grand jury on the charge of illegally reentering the United States after having previously been removed.
According to United States Attorney Brian D. Miller, the indictment alleges that Rivas illegally reentered the United States and was found in Dauphin County, Pennsylvania, on June 11, 2026. Rivas was removed from the United States through Alexandria, Louisiana, on April 7, 2015, after a conviction for an aggravated felony.
The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Removal Operations investigated this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Evelyn M. Stoner is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF York comprises agents and officers from the Department of Homeland Security with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania.
The maximum penalty under federal law for this offense is 20 years of imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. A sentence following the finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
Indictments and Criminal Informations are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.
District of Arizona Charges 365 Individuals for Immigration-Related Criminal Conduct this WeekRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – During the week of enforcement operations from June 19 through June 26, 2026, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona brought immigration-related criminal charges against 365 individuals. Specifically, the United States filed 149 cases in which aliens illegally re-entered the United States, and the United States also charged 188 aliens for illegally entering the United States. In its ongoing effort to deter unlawful immigration, the United States filed 22 cases against 28 individuals responsible for smuggling illegal aliens into and within the District of Arizona.
These cases were referred or supported by federal law enforcement partners, including U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE-ERO), ICE- Homeland Security Investigations (ICE-HSI), 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).
Recent matters of interest include:
United States v. Hernan Roberto Acosta-Valdez. On June 23, Hernan Roberto Acosta-Valdez was charged by criminal complaint with Transportation of an Illegal Alien. On June 22, a Border Patrol agent observed a driver of white GMC truck swerving while driving north on State Route 85. The agent attempted to conduct a vehicle stop for an immigration inspection, but the driver failed to yield and instead sped up, eventually crashing into a ditch 20 yards off the roadway. The agents then observed the driver, Acosta-Valdez, and the five other passengers flee the vehicle. Four of the passengers were wearing camouflage clothing. Officers apprehended five of the six occupants, including Acosta-Valdez. All five subjects were determined to be citizens of Mexico, unlawfully present in the United States. [Case Number: 26-MJ-5260]
United States v. Mauricio Loza-Rivera. On June 25, Mauricio Loza-Rivera, was charged by criminal complaint with Reentry of a Removed Alien. Mauricio Loza-Rivera had been previously removed from the United States in 2018. In 2015, he was convicted of Possession/Purchase for sale Narcotic/Controlled Substance, in the Superior Court of California, Los Angeles County. Loza-Rivera was sentenced to 180 days of incarceration and three years of probation. [Case Number: 26-MJ-05280]
These cases are part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
A criminal complaint is a formal accusation of criminal conduct. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
RELEASE NUMBER: 2026-111_June 26, 2026 Immigration Enforcement
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For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.Defendant Previously Convicted of Murder Sentenced to Decade in Federal Prison for Drug Trafficking Following Joint Local, State, and Federal Law Enforcement OperationRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – United States Attorney Daniel N. Rosen announced today that James Andre Banks, 39, was sentenced to a decade in prison for his role trafficking methamphetamine and cocaine in South Minneapolis while also illegally possessing several firearms.
According to court documents, local, state, and federal law enforcement surged resources to a known problem area in Minneapolis to conduct a Focused Enforcement Detail. During the Detail, a law enforcement surveillance officer detected Banks conducting suspected narcotics transactions in South Minneapolis near Park Ave and East Lake Street. Officers from multiple agencies, including the Minneapolis and Metro Transit Police Departments, surrounded Banks and carried out a search of his person and vehicle.
When approached by officers, Banks fled on foot and tossed a firearm. The firearm Banks dropped was recovered by officers and identified as a Taurus G2C semi-automatic pistol equipped with an extended magazine with 18 rounds of ammunition and another round loaded in the chamber. On Mr. Banks’ person, officers found a second firearm, a Glock Model 17, also equipped with an extended magazine with 24 rounds of ammunition.
At the time of his arrest, Banks was prohibited under federal law from possessing firearms or ammunition at any time, due to prior convictions under Minnesota law for Second-Degree Intentional Murder and Second-Degree Assault with a Deadly Weapon. Banks was on state parole for his previous murder and assault convictions when he was arrested.
On Banks’ person and in his vehicle, officers found distribution quantities of crystal methamphetamine and cocaine.
“The United States Attorney’s Office will continue to prioritize working with our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners to prosecute the most serious violent felons who illegally possess firearms and traffic dangerous drugs,” said United States Attorney Daniel N. Rosen.
According to Chief Bill Peterson of the Minneapolis Police Department, “Taking dangerous offenders involved in drug trafficking and illegal firearm offenses off our streets makes our communities safer. We appreciate the work of everyone involved in bringing this case to the sentencing stage, and we remain committed to continuing our work to hold violent offenders accountable.”
“James Banks had already served roughly 15 years for murder and a violent assault. Within months of his release, and while still under court supervision, he chose to return to the streets armed with two loaded pistols and a stash of drugs,” said Assistant Special Agent in Charge Spence Burnett of the ATF St. Paul Field Division. “Banks had every opportunity to walk away from that life and made the opposite choice at every turn. ATF and our partners will keep holding repeat violent offenders accountable, because that is how we protect our community.”
Banks pleaded guilty on January 21, 2026, to one count of possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine and cocaine.
This case was the result of collaboration and investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Minneapolis Police Department, and the Metro Transit Police Department, with forensic science laboratory support from the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension.
Sentencing took place today before U.S. District Judge John R. Tunheim in Minneapolis.
Assistant United States Attorneys David B. Green and Mary S. Riverso are prosecuting the case.
D.C. Man’s Refusal to Answer Grand Jury Questions Gets 8 Years in Prison for Obstructing a Homicide InvestigationRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Antonio Nicks, 34, of Washington, D.C. was sentenced today to eight years in prison for obstructing a homicide investigation, during grand jury proceedings between July 2023 and January 2024, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
Antonio Nicks was indicted and pleaded guilty on April 6, 2026, in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia to one count of obstructing justice and one count of contempt. His guilty plea for the indictment was entered on the eve of jury selection. The Honorable Judith Pipe sentenced Nicks to eight years in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release.
According to the government’s evidence, on July 7, 2023, and July 28, 2023, Antonio Nicks testified under oath in a Superior Court grand jury proceeding in Washington D.C. that was investigating the July 9, 2022, stabbing death of Brittany Palmer.
On July 7, 2023, Nicks declined to answer certain questions and purported to invoke the Fifth Amendment privilege on various topics during his grand jury testimony. On July 14, 2023, a Fifth Amendment privilege hearing was held before Chief Judge Anita Josey-Herring. At this hearing, the Chief Judge found that Nicks did not have a Fifth Amendment privilege and ordered him to answer certain questions in the grand jury. During his grand jury testimony on July 28, 2023, Nicks refused to answer questions even though he acknowledged that he was ordered by the Chief Judge to do so. In subsequent hearings before Chief Judge Josey-Herring on October 2, 2023, December 11, 2023, and January 12, 2024, Nicks continued to express his refusal to answer questions as ordered by the Chief Judge.
Nicks was arrested on a material witness warrant on June 21, 2023, and has been in custody ever since.
Joining in the announcement was Interim Chief Jeffery Carroll of the Metropolitan Police Department.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Pirro and Interim Chief Carroll commended the work of those who investigated this case from the Metropolitan Police Department. They acknowledged the work of Assistant U.S. Attorney Lauren Galloway, who prosecuted the case.
2024 CF2 002748
Cuyahoga County Man Pleads Guilty to Child Sexual Abuse ChargesRead the Press Release
AKRON, Ohio – A 35-year-old man has pleaded guilty in federal court to charges of sending and receiving Child Sexual Abuse Materials (CSAM) and coercing a purported 14-year-old girl to meet him for the purpose of sexual exploitation.
Michael Strimbu, of Cleveland, pleaded guilty to Receipt and Possession of Child Pornography, and Coercion and Enticement. District Judge John R. Adams accepted Strimbu’s plea June 25.
According to court documents and evidence presented to the judge, Strimbu communicated with a purported 14-year-old girl, through a social media application in January. Throughout his sexually explicit communications with her, he expressed interest in meeting her for the purpose of engaging in sexual acts. He was later arrested and taken into custody. During forensic examination of his electronic devices, investigators found hundreds of images and videos depicting real minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct, including prepubescent minors under the age of 12.
Strimbu is scheduled to be sentenced Nov. 10. He faces a maximum sentence of life in prison.
A federal district court judge will determine sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
This case was investigated by the Cuyahoga County Crimes Against Children Task Force-Internet Crimes Against Children, with assistance from Homeland Security Investigations.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Margaret A. Kane and Joseph P. Dangelo for the Northern District of Ohio.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. The initiative is led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices throughout the country and marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, visit justice.gov/PSC.
To report child exploitation, please visit cybertipline.org, or call 1-800-843-5678, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Crow Agency man sentenced to 3 years and 10 months in prison for involuntary manslaughterRead the Press Release
BILLINGS – A Crow Agency man who while driving drunk caused a wreck that killed two people was sentenced today to three years and 10 months in prison, followed by two years of supervised release, Acting U.S. Attorney Mark Steger Smith said.
Curtiss Lee Schenderline, 39, pleaded guilty in January 2026 to one count of involuntary manslaughter.
U.S. District Judge William W. Mercer presided.
The government alleged in court documents that Schenderline was driving under the influence of alcohol, crashed his truck into another vehicle, and killed two people.
Schenderline was driving on Crow Mountain Road near Crow Agency on May 3, 2024, when he crossed the center line of the roadway and struck an oncoming vehicle with three people inside. The wreck killed the driver, who was pronounced dead at the scene, and one of the passengers, who died hours later at a hospital. Before he died, the passenger told emergency responders that he watched Schenderline swerve into their lane of traffic and hit them.
A second passenger in the car was thrown through the windshield during the wreck, leaving her with multiple fractures, lacerations, and contusions. She was life-flighted to a Billings hospital. When Schenderline arrived at the hospital, doctors noted that he had slurred speech and smelled of alcohol. Blood tests confirmed he had alcohol in his system.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Kelsey M. Hendricks prosecuted the case. The BIA and Montana Highway Patrol conducted the investigation.
Convicted Felon Sentenced to 81 Months for Aggravated Identity Theft, Bank Fraud and Illegally Possessing a FirearmRead the Press Release
Memphis, TN – A federal judge has sentenced David Watkins, 31, to 81 months in federal prison for aggravated identity theft, bank fraud, and possession of a firearm as a convicted felon. United States Attorney D. Michael Dunavant, of the Western District of Tennessee, announced the sentence today.
According to information presented in court, Bartlett Police Department investigators responded to a burglary at Keytrader, an automotive locksmith business, on June 28, 2022, where suspects stole various equipment and key fobs. While fleeing the scene, one suspect dropped a cell phone. Examination of the cell phone assisted investigators in identifying Watkins as one of the suspects of the burglary.
While executing search warrants at addresses associated with Watkins, Bartlett Police detectives located the equipment and key fobs stolen from Keytrader, along with notebooks and documentation evidencing vehicle theft, bank fraud, and identity theft.
Further investigation conducted by the United States Postal Inspection Service and the Social Security Administration revealed that Watkins had committed aggravated identity theft and bank fraud by using personal identifying information of various individuals to create fraudulent bank accounts and causing unauthorized withdrawals of funds from victims’ bank accounts to be deposited into accounts controlled by Watkins. Additionally, Watkins fraudulently possessed numerous counterfeit and unauthorized social security numbers with the intent to commit fraud.
On July 27, 2022, Bartlett Police investigators located Watkins at a residence in Memphis entering a 1999 GMC Sierra which had previously been reported stolen. When officers approached Watkins, he fled on foot, dropping bags containing a FN America 9mm caliber pistol, key programmers, key fobs, and a face covering.
On the evening of February 23, 2023, Memphis Police officers observed a silver Mercedes G500 being driven with no license plate and with its headlights off. When officers approached, the driver, who was identified as Watkins, fled on foot and tossed a Springfield Armory 9mm caliber pistol while running. The Mercedes G500 had also previously been reported stolen.
On January 9, 2026, Watkins pled guilty to bank fraud, aggravated identity theft, and possession of a firearm as a convicted felon. On June 24, 2026, United States District Judge Thomas L. Parker sentenced Watkins to 81 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant said, "Watkins’ diversified portfolio of criminality finally caught up with him. He is clearly an opportunist who was willing to repeatedly victimize and endanger citizens by any means available, and this federal prison sentence is well deserved.”
This case was investigated by the Bartlett Police Department, Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Task Force, United States Postal Inspection Service, and the Social Security Administration.
Assistant United States Attorney Eileen Kuo prosecuted this case on behalf of the United States.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
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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.
Connecticut Man Charged with Failure to Register as A Sex OffenderRead the Press Release
WILLIAMSPORT - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Carlos Torres, age 60, of Connecticut, was indicted yesterday by a federal grand jury for failing to register as a sex offender upon relocating to Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania from Connecticut.
According to United States Attorney Brian D. Miller, the indictment alleges that from October 2025 and continuing to June 9, 2026, despite being required to register under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (“SORNA”), upon relocating to Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania, from Connecticut, Torres failed to register his address as required by SORNA.
The United States Marshals Service (USMS) investigated the matter. Assistant United States Attorney Alisan V. Martin is prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc.
The maximum penalty under federal law for this offense is 10 years of imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. A sentence following the finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
Indictments are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.
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Clinton County Woman Charged with Federal Tax CrimesRead the Press Release
HARRISBURG - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Dawn Herlocher, age 48, of Loganton, Pennsylvania was charged by a federal grand jury with 40 counts of violating federal tax laws.
According to United States Attorney Brian D. Miller, the indictment alleges that Herlocher was the sole owner, operator, and member of two employee leasing and staffing companies. For each company, dating back to the tax quarter ending on June 30, 2020, and through the tax quarter ending on March 31, 2025, Herlocher failed to account for and pay over the trust fund taxes due and owing to the Internal Revenue Service, on behalf of the companies’ employees.
The Internal Revenue Service investigated the case. Assistant United States Attorney K. Wesley Mishoe is prosecuting the case.
Upon conviction on all counts in the Indictment, the maximum combined penalties are 200 years imprisonment, as well as a term of supervised release following imprisonment, a fine, and the imposition of a special assessment. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by a court after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
Indictments only contain allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.
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Cleveland Resident Pleads Guilty to Money Laundering ConspiracyRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, Pa - A resident of Cleveland, Ohio, pleaded guilty in federal court to a charge of Money Laundering Conspiracy, United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.
Luis Alfonso Bisono Rodriguez, 35, pleaded guilty to one count before Senior United States District Judge Nora Bary Fischer.
In connection with the guilty plea, the Court was advised that an organized crime group based in the Dominican Republic, operated what is commonly referred to as a Grandparent Fraud Scheme. The organized crime group, for a number of years, ran a scam in which they called elderly individuals impersonating a loved one (often a grandchild) and falsely claimed that the grandchild is in a crisis and needed cash quickly, typically to pay bond related to criminal charges. The victims then accessed cash, typically from their financial institutions, and provided the cash to unknowing ride share drivers from companies like Lyft and Uber. The drivers then drove the cash, often across state lines, and delivered the cash to a member of the conspiracy.
Bisono Rodriguez participated in the conspiracy by receiving the fraudulently obtained money from the Lyft or Uber drivers, and then laundering the money by depositing it into financial institution or wiring the proceeds to the Dominican Republic knowing that the money was obtained fraudulently.
Judge Fischer scheduled sentencing for September 9, 2026. The law provides for a maximum total sentence of up to 20 years in prison, a fine of $500,000, or both. Under the federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorney Brendan T. Conway is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation, in conjunction with the Parma Police Department (Ohio), and six police departments in Western Pennsylvania conducted the investigation leading to prosecution of Bisono Rodriguez. The six police departments are Millcreek Township Police Department, the Grove City Police Department, the Scott Township Police Department, the Fox Chapel Police Department, the Finley Township Police Department, and the Hermitage Police Department.
Child Predator Sentenced to 320 Months in Prison for Producing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A New Jersey man was sentenced to 320 months in prison to be followed by a 15-year term of supervised release for producing child sexual abuse material (CSAM), announced U.S. Attorney Robert Frazer.
“The defendant preyed on children for his own sexual gratification and the sexual gratification of other adults. Today, he was held accountable. Prosecuting those who victimize children by feeding the market for child pornography will always be a top priority of our Office.”
- U.S. Attorney Robert Frazer
“This sentence demonstrates the FBI’s unwavering commitment to seeking justice for the victims of Nunez and others,” said Special Agent in Charge Stefanie Roddy. “The fact that the subject was brazen enough to watermark his victims’ images highlights the importance of getting this predator off the street as the utmost priority.”
Julio Nunez, 29, of West New York, New Jersey, was sentenced on June 22, 2026 before U.S. District Judge Evelyn Padin in Newark federal court.
According to documents filed in the case and statements made in court:
From 2020 through 2024, Nunez posed as a woman to entice hundreds of young boys to send him CSAM. Nunez repeatedly victimized many of these children, returning year after year to solicit CSAM from his victims. Nunez proudly shared and profited from the images and videos that he had created. He wanted the world to know that it was he—“The Artist,” as he grotesquely styled himself—who created the CSAM and he watermarked “his” content with this moniker to communicate to other abusers that this was his work. In this regard, Nunez is directly responsible for the feeding of the market that results in immeasurable harm to victims of sex abuse. Since Nunez’s arrest, the FBI has identified CSAM that Nunez created on other offenders’ electronic devices. This investigation has led to the arrest and prosecution of other offenders not just in the United States, but around the world.
U.S. Attorney Frazer credited the FBI’s Child Exploitation Operational Unit, the FBI Newark Field Office, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Stefanie Roddy, for investigating the case.
Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Rebecca Sussman and Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert Taj Moore of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, visit www.justice.gov/psc.
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Defense counsel: Candace Hom, Esq.
Chicago Man Sentenced to Nearly Eight Years in Prison for Fraudulently Arranging Utility Services in Exchange for FeesRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — A Chicago man has been sentenced to nearly eight years in federal prison for fraudulently arranging utility services to be provided to 2,000 properties in exchange for fees.
DAVID W. BROWN offered to arrange electricity and natural gas services for residential and commercial properties in the Chicago area in return for fees. After finding property owners and tenants willing to pay him, Brown opened new accounts for utility services at their addresses, knowing that neither he nor the purported customer intended to pay for it. Brown knew it would typically take from 90 days to several months for the utility companies to disconnect service for lack of payment, allowing the addresses to receive free services for significant periods of time.
Brown opened the accounts using false customer names and identifying information to deceive the service providers. Once a utility company initiated the process to terminate service, Brown often continued the service by fraudulently opening new accounts in the names of different false customers at the same address.
Brown typically received payments ranging from $50 to $150 every few months from the property owners and tenants who received the services. From 2017 to 2024, Brown caused Commonwealth Edison, Nicor Gas, and People’s Gas to fraudulently provide at least $8.5 million in services to more than two thousand residential and commercial properties in the Chicago area.
Brown, 56, of Chicago, pleaded guilty in July 2025 to a federal wire fraud charge. On Tuesday, U.S. District Judge LaShonda A. Hunt sentenced Brown to 92 months in federal prison and ordered him to pay approximately $8.5 million in restitution to Commonwealth Edison, Nicor Gas, and People’s Gas.
The sentence was announced by Andrew S. Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and Douglas S. DePodesta, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI.
“Defendant’s scheme caused significant losses to local utility service providers,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Rick D. Young argued in the government’s sentencing memorandum. “The fees collected by defendant demonstrate that his primary motivation was to benefit himself.”
Chicago Man Charged with Transporting Child Pornography on Flight to MexicoRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — A Chicago man has been charged with transporting child pornography on a flight from Chicago to Mexico.
THOMAS NEAL, 42, possessed images and videos of child pornography on his cell phone when he flew from O’Hare International Airport in Chicago to Benito Juárez International Airport in Mexico City, Mexico, on June 17, 2026, according to a criminal complaint filed Wednesday in U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois. Upon arrival, Neal was selected for secondary screening by Mexican border authorities, at which time the authorities observed images on Neal’s phone that constituted child pornography, the complaint states. Mexican border authorities secured Neal’s phone and other luggage, which included two laptops and six electronic storage devices, and placed him and the luggage on a flight to George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston, Texas, the complaint states.
Upon arrival in Houston, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) agents reviewed Neal’s phone pursuant to their border search authority and observed hundreds of files that constitute child pornography, the complaint states. Neal is currently employed as a teacher at a high school in the Northern District of Illinois, the complaint states.
The complaint charges Neal with one count of transportation of child pornography. The charge is punishable by a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in a federal prison and a maximum of 20 years.
Neal is currently detained in federal custody pending a detention hearing on June 29, 2026, at 12:30 p.m., before U.S. Magistrate Judge Gabriel A. Fuentes in Chicago.
The complaint was announced by Andrew S. Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and Matthew Scarpino, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago office of HSI. Substantial assistance was provided by U.S. Customs and Border Protection. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Caitlin Walgamuth.
The public is reminded that a complaint 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.
If you believe you are a victim of sexual exploitation, you are encouraged to contact the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children by logging on to www.missingkids.com or by calling 1-800-843-5678. The service is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
neal_complaint.pdfChicago Man Arrested in Connection with Planned Violent Attack at Ultimate Fighting Championship Event at White HouseRead the Press Release
A Chicago man has been arrested in connection with the planned violent attack at the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) event at the White House earlier this month.
Alexander Iniguez Mercado, 20, of Chicago, was allegedly an administrator and member of Signal messaging groups that included members who appeared to communicate with others regarding the planning of a violent attack targeting the UFC event at the White House on June 14, according to an indictment returned Thursday in U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois. Seven other individuals from multiple states have been charged in connection with the planning of the violent attack. More information about the other defendants charged as part of this investigation is here and here.
According to the indictment against Mercado, the day before the UFC event, a special agent from the FBI spoke with Mercado by telephone. The agent informed Mercado that he was calling to discuss online threats regarding the UFC event, and he asked whether Mercado planned to travel to Washington, D.C., to help with the attack, the indictment states. Mercado allegedly denied those plans and advised the agent that he did not want to meet with the agent. Mercado then uninstalled the Signal application on his phone, which caused the data on his phone relating to those messages to become unavailable, the indictment states.
Mercado is charged with obstruction of justice. If convicted, the maximum penalty is 20 years in prison. Mercado was arrested on Thursday. He is scheduled to make an initial appearance in federal court in Chicago today at 3:00 p.m. before U.S. Magistrate Judge Gabriel A. Fuentes for the Northern District of Illinois.
“Obstructing justice in a law enforcement investigation into a planned violent domestic attack is a profoundly serious offense,” said U.S. Attorney Andrew S. Boutros for the Northern District of Illinois. “The investigation in this case involved serious threats to public safety, including the safety of President Donald J. Trump, the 45th and 47th President of the United States of America, other members of government, as well as the many attendees and athletes who attended the event at the White House. Any obstructive conduct to interfere with this investigation undermines the integrity of the justice system as well as the rule of law. The Chicago U.S. Attorney’s Office will pursue all appropriate charges against those who act to obstruct law enforcement investigations because safeguarding the public depends on the full, unhindered pursuit of the evidence.”
“The FBI’s most important responsibility of protecting the American people means that our personnel work 24/7/365 to evaluate the ever-changing threat landscape and disrupt acts of violence before they occur,” said Special Agent in Charge Douglas S. DePodesta of the FBI’s Chicago Field Office. “Thanks to the partnerships on the FBI Chicago’s Joint Terrorism Task Force, to include the relentless work by the U.S. Secret Service, this attack was successfully foiled before any innocent people were gravely injured or killed. While the FBI will continue to use every available resource to hold accountable those who seek to terrorize our community, we urge the public to join us in this effort by immediately calling 9-1-1, 1-800-CALL-FBI, or submitting to tips.fbi.gov if they encounter any suspicious or threatening behavior, in-person or online.”
“The safety and security of the President of the United States and all those under our protection is the U.S. Secret Service’s highest priority,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge James Morley of the U.S. Secret Service (USSS) Chicago Field Office. “We approach this mission with dedication and vigilance in the current heightened threat environment. Successfully carrying out our protective mission is strengthened by strong partnerships. I want to thank the FBI for its steadfast collaboration and the U.S. Attorney’s Office of the Northern District of Illinois for its relentless pursuit of justice.”
The FBI and USSS are investigating the case.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Illinois is prosecuting the case with valuable assistance provided by the Justice Department’s National Security Division.
An indictment merely contains allegations. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Chicago Man Arrested in Connection with Planned Violent Attack at Ultimate Fighting Championship Event at White HouseRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — A Chicago man has been arrested in connection with the planned violent attack at the Ultimate Fighting Championship event at the White House earlier this month.
ALEXANDER INIGUEZ MERCADO was an administrator and member of Signal messaging groups that included members who appeared to communicate with others regarding the planning of a violent attack targeting the UFC event at the White House in Washington, D.C., on June 14, 2026, according to an indictment returned Thursday in U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois. Seven other individuals from multiple states have been charged in connection with the planning of the violent attack. [See here and here for more information about the other defendants charged as part of this investigation.]
According to the indictment against Mercado, the day before the UFC event, a Special Agent from the FBI spoke with Mercado by telephone. The agent informed Mercado that he was calling to discuss online threats regarding the UFC event, and he asked whether Mercado planned to travel to Washington, D.C., to help with the attack, the indictment states. Mercado allegedly denied those plans and advised the agent that he did not want to meet with the agent. Mercado then uninstalled the Signal application on his phone, which caused the data on his phone relating to those messages to become unavailable, the indictment states.
The indictment charges Mercado, 20, of Chicago, with obstruction of justice. The charge is punishable by up to 20 years in federal prison.
Mercado was arrested on Thursday. He is scheduled to make an initial appearance in federal court in Chicago today at 3:00 p.m. before U.S. Magistrate Judge Gabriel A. Fuentes.
The indictment and arrest were announced by Andrew S. Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, Douglas S. DePodesta, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI, and James Morley, Acting Special Agent-in-Charge of the U.S. Secret Service Chicago Field Office. Valuable assistance was provided by the Justice Department’s National Security Division.
“Obstructing justice in a law enforcement investigation into a planned violent domestic attack is a profoundly serious offense,” said U.S. Attorney Boutros. “The investigation in this case involved serious threats to public safety, including the safety of President Donald J. Trump, the 45th and 47th President of the United States of America, other members of government, as well as the many attendees and athletes who attended the event at the White House. Any obstructive conduct to interfere with this investigation undermines the integrity of the justice system as well as the rule of law. The Chicago U.S. Attorney’s Office will pursue all appropriate charges against those who act to obstruct law enforcement investigations because safeguarding the public depends on the full, unhindered pursuit of the evidence.”
“The FBI’s most important responsibility of protecting the American people means that our personnel work 24/7/365 to evaluate the ever-changing threat landscape and disrupt acts of violence before they occur,” said FBI SAC DePodesta. “Thanks to the partnerships on the FBI Chicago’s Joint Terrorism Task Force, to include the relentless work by the U.S. Secret Service, this attack was successfully foiled before any innocent people were gravely injured or killed. While the FBI will continue to use every available resource to hold accountable those who seek to terrorize our community, we urge the public to join us in this effort by immediately calling 9-1-1, 1-800-CALL-FBI, or submitting to tips.fbi.gov if they encounter any suspicious or threatening behavior, in-person or online.”
“The safety and security of the President of the United States and all those under our protection is the U.S. Secret Service’s highest priority,” said Secret Service Acting SAC Morley. “We approach this mission with dedication and vigilance in the current heightened threat environment. Successfully carrying out our protective mission is strengthened by strong partnerships. I want to thank the FBI for its steadfast collaboration and the U.S. Attorney’s Office of the Northern District of Illinois for its relentless pursuit of justice.”
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 reasonable doubt.
mercado_indictment.pdfCentre County Man Charged with Conspiracy to Produce Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
WILLIAMSPORT - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Morris W. Reese, age 65, of Centre County, Pennsylvania, was indicted yesterday by a federal grand jury on one charge of conspiracy to produce child pornography.
According to United States Attorney Brian D. Miller, the indictment alleges that Reese conspired with others to produce child pornography from November 2024 to November of 2025.
The FBI, the Pennsylvania State Police, and the Centre County District Attorney’s Office investigated the case. Assistant United States Attorney Alisan V. Martin is prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc.
The maximum penalty under federal law is up to thirty years of imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. A sentence following the finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
Indictments are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.
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Billings woman sentenced to just under 3 years on drug trafficking chargesRead the Press Release
BILLINGS – A woman who received a package of fentanyl pills in the mail was sentenced Wednesday to two years and nine months in prison, followed by four years of supervised release, Acting U.S. Attorney Mark Steger Smith said.
Makenna Rose Kramer, 27, pleaded guilty in January 2026 to one count of attempted possession with intent to distribute and distributing fentanyl.
U.S. District Judge William W. Mercer presided.
The government alleged in court documents that Kramer was shipped a package with fentanyl pills that she planned to sell.
On June 12, 2024, officials obtained a search warrant to open a parcel addressed to Kramer and in it they found 108.75 grams of blue pills that tested positive for fentanyl. Law enforcement sealed up the package and placed it back in the mail, tracking it to Kramer’s Billings residence. Once it was delivered agents searched Kramer’s home and located the package.
Kramer spoke with authorities and granted permission for them to search her phone. She denied knowing what was in the package but her phone showed that she had been meticulously tracking the package’s shipment and discussing it with her roommate. Further messaging on her phone revealed Kramer had been selling fentanyl. Additionally, in a separate drug investigation, law enforcement had learned that Kramer was supplying another individual fentanyl.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case. The United States Postal Inspection Service and the Billings Police Department conducted the investigation.
Baton Rouge Man Sentenced to 60 Months in Federal Prison for Distributing Methamphetamine and FentanylRead the Press Release
Damiene M. Varice, age 47, of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, was sentenced to 60 months in federal prison following his conviction for distributing methamphetamine and fentanyl, announced United States Attorney Kurt L. Wall. U.S. District Judge John W. deGravelles further sentenced Varice to serve four years of supervised release following his term of imprisonment.
According to admissions made as part of his guilty plea, on July 9, 2025, at a retail business located on Greenwell Springs Road in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, Varice sold several baggies of white powdery substances to a confidential informant working for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. Field testing returned positive results for methamphetamine and fentanyl. Subsequent laboratory analysis confirmed that the methamphetamine mixture had a net weight of 28.0 grams and 98% purity and that the fentanyl mixture had a net weight of 3.48 grams.
U.S. Attorney Kurt L. Wall praised the work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lyman E. Thornton III led the prosecution.
Armed Career Criminal Sentenced to 15 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
Orlando, FL – Ya Hance Pierre Boston (33, Oviedo) has been sentenced by U.S. District Judge Roy B. Dalton to 15 years in federal prison for possession of a firearm and ammunition as a convicted felon. He pleaded guilty on March 30, 2026. Boston’s federal sentence will commence upon the expiration of his state sentence. United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.
According to court documents, on December 30, 2024, Boston, who was a multi-time prior convicted felon, pawned a Glock, G43, 9mm pistol at a pawnshop in Orlando. Boston walked into the pawnshop with the firearm inside his sweater and proceeded to the clerk’s counter. Boston provided the clerk with his identification, signed the pawnshop’s form, and inked his thumbprint on the form. The firearm Boston pawned had previously been stolen from a vehicle in Apopka. As a previously convicted felon, Boston is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition under federal law.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Seminole County Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Brandon Cruz.
Arizona man sentenced to 12 years in prison for trafficking methRead the Press Release
BILLINGS – An Arizona man who arranged for methamphetamine to be shipped to Billings was sentenced today to 12 years in prison, followed by five years of supervised release, Acting U.S. Attorney Mark Steger Smith said.
Patrick Louis Gastelo, 47, pleaded guilty in January 2026 to one count of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with the intent to distribute methamphetamine.
U.S. District Judge William W. Mercer presided.
The government alleged in court documents that Gastelo arranged to receive a shipment of two pounds of methamphetamine at his girlfriend’s Billings home with the intent to sell it.
A USPS postal inspector flagged a suspicious package traveling from Calexico, California, to Billings on Nov. 7, 2022. Searching the parcel, he discovered two pounds of meth. The inspector repackaged the meth and sent the parcel onto its destination where law enforcement awaited its delivery.
At the house, the package was received by Lindsay Whitewolf. Agents searched the home and Whitewolf explained the package had been sent by Sergio Tagaban, who Gastelo had known in prison. Gastelo’s girlfriend, Angelena LaFave, confirmed that the parcel was intended for Gastelo, and that he and Tagaban were “brothers” in prison.
The women explained that the plan had been for Gastelo to work with Tagaban to arrange the shipment of the meth, which Whitewolf and LaFave would then help sell around Billings. Tagaban and LaFave were convicted of possession with the intent to distribute methamphetamine for their involvement. Whitewolf has pled guilty to possession with the intent to distribute methamphetamine for her involvement.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Paul Vestal and Colin Rubich prosecuted the case. The United States Postal Inspection Service and the Billings Police Department conducted the investigation.
Arizona Woman Pleads Guilty to $7.7 Million Tax Refund Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
An Arizona woman pleaded guilty yesterday to attempting to steal more than $7.7 million in government funds by filing false tax returns with the IRS.
According to court documents, Regina Durkin, of New River, Arizona, and others, conspired to defraud the United States by submitting false quarterly employment tax returns to the IRS.
“No matter the scheme, the agency, or the program involved, those who cheat on their taxes for personal enrichment undermine the very foundation of public trust,” said Assistant Attorney General Colin M. McDonald of the Justice Department’s National Fraud Enforcement Division. “The Fraud Division is working across all fronts to detect, investigate, and prosecute criminal tax violations. We will protect the integrity of our tax system and ensure that those who seek to enrich themselves at the expense of honest citizens face the full weight of federal prosecution.”
“Our work continues as we find and prosecute individuals like Ms. Durkin who took a benefit meant to help the public during a crisis, and used it instead to line their own pockets,” said U.S. Attorney Timothy Courchaine. “We are grateful to our partners at IRS-CI for their tireless efforts to seek accountability on behalf of federal taxpayers.”
Durkin conspired with others to file tax returns seeking fraudulent refunds based on the employee retention credit and paid sick and family leave credit, credits passed by Congress to aid struggling businesses during the COVID-19 global pandemic. Instead, these companies were not in operation at the time, had no employees, and paid no wages.
In total, Durkin, and others, submitted fourteen fraudulent claims to the IRS that requested over $7.7 million in tax refunds.
Durkin pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to file false claims. She is scheduled to be sentenced on September 11 and faces a maximum penalty of ten 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 and U.S. Attorney Timothy Courchaine of the District of Arizona made the announcement.
IRS Criminal Investigation is investigating the case.
“Regina Durkin chose to steal $7.7 million from the American public through deliberate fraud—and now faces the full weight of a felony conviction,” said IRS Criminal Investigation Phoenix Field Office Acting Special Agent in Charge Scott Brown. “Let this case be a clear warning: IRS‑CI will relentlessly pursue anyone who abuses emergency relief programs for personal gain. IRS-CI agents specialize in dismantling complex financial schemes. We will follow the money, expose the fraud, and ensure those who steal from taxpayers are held fully accountable.”
Trial Attorney Robert Kemins and Trial Attorney Matthew Hoffman of the Criminal Division, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Williams for the District of Arizona, are prosecuting the case.
On April 7, 2026, 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.
Alabama Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison on Federal Dog Fighting and Firearms Charges; 78 Dogs Rescued and “Destructive Device” RecoveredRead the Press Release
Carlton Lenard Adams, of Bessemer and Adger, Alabama, was sentenced last month to 120 months in prison after pleading guilty in January to four counts of possessing dogs for fighting purposes and two counts of possessing firearms subsequent to a felony conviction. In addition to the prison sentence, the court also yesterday imposed a restitution of $548,449 for the costs of care of 78 pit bull-type dogs rescued in this investigation. At time of rescue, 78 dogs was the second-greatest number rescued from a single defendant in any federal case.
“This case demonstrates that the cruelty of dog fighting is not limited to the brutal injuries inflicted in the fighting pit,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Adam Gustafson of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division (ENRD). “These animals suffer before, during, and after the fights. We will continue to vigorously pursue Congress’s mandate to snuff out this illegal industry.”
“This prior convicted violent felon is now off our streets. We will show no mercy to individuals in this District like Carlton Adams that torture animals for entertainment purposes,” said U.S. Attorney Phillip W. Williams Jr. for the Northern District of Alabama. “The Department of Justice has prioritized a whole-of-government approach to prosecuting crimes against animals, and we stand ready with our law enforcement partners to swiftly bring the full force of justice to bear.”
“This case reflects the brutal reality of organized dog fighting operations and the appalling conditions these animals are forced to endure. It also exposes how dog fighting operations are often accompanied by broader criminal activity as evidenced by the presence of dangerous weapons such as the ones in the defendant’s possession,” said U.S. Department of Agriculture Inspector General John Walk. “USDA OIG will continue working aggressively with our federal, state, and local partners to investigate animal fighting crimes and protect both public safety and animal welfare. We thank our partners in this case that helped bring this defendant to justice.”
According to court documents, Adams maintained a stock of 78 fighting dogs at three properties — two in Bessemer, Alabama, and one in Adger, Alabama. When they were rescued, some of the dogs bore scars and other injuries, and some were living in conditions of extreme neglect. Adams was also found to possess two pistols and a semi-automatic shotgun known colloquially as a “Street Sweeper.” Under federal law, a street sweeper is considered a destructive device.
In addition to the dogs, guns, and destructive device, law enforcement personnel also recovered from Adam’s residences tools and supplies used in the training and keeping of dogs used for fighting. These items included modified treadmills to hold dogs in place for conditioning, injectable veterinary steroids, suture materials and syringes, skin staplers, intravenous bags and lines, a homemade breeding stand, and a break stick device used to break the bite hold of a dog.
The dogs were rescued and cared for by a program administered by the U.S. Marshals Service. Following a separate, successful civil forfeiture action brought by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Alabama, the dogs did not have to be returned to Adams. They were instead rehabilitated and evaluated for possible adoption.
Under federal law, it is illegal not only to fight dogs in a venture that affects interstate commerce, but also to possess, train, transport, deliver, sell, purchase or receive dogs for fighting purposes.
The USDA OIG, FBI, and Alabama Law Enforcement Agency investigated the case.
Senior Trial Attorney Ethan Eddy of ENRD’s Environmental Crimes Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Rummage for the Northern District of Alabama prosecuted the case. Former Assistant U.S. Attorney Austin Shutt for the Northern District of Alabama handled the civil forfeiture case for the dogs.
Alabama Man Sentenced on Federal Dog-Fighting and Firearms Charges; 78 Dogs Rescued and “Destructive Device” RecoveredRead the Press Release
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Carlton Lenard Adams, of Bessemer and Adger, Alabama, was sentenced last month to 120 months in prison after pleading guilty in January to four counts of possessing dogs for fighting purposes and two counts of possessing firearms subsequent to a felony conviction. In addition to the prison sentence, the court also today imposed a restitution of $548,449 for the costs of care of 78 pit bull-type dogs rescued in this investigation. At time of rescue, 78 dogs was the second-greatest number rescued from a single defendant in any federal case.
A caged dog recovered from one of Adams’ properties. Photo was an exhibit in case United States v. Carlton Adams, No. 2:24-CR-00122, NDAL.
“This case demonstrates that the cruelty of dog fighting is not limited to the brutal injuries inflicted in the fighting pit,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Adam Gustafson of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division (ENRD). “These animals suffer before, during, and after the fights. We will continue to vigorously pursue Congress’s mandate to snuff out this illegal industry.”
“This prior convicted violent felon is now off our streets. We will show no mercy to individuals in this District like Carlton Adams that torture animals for entertainment purposes,” said U.S. Attorney Phillip W. Williams, Jr. “The Department of Justice has prioritized a whole-of-government approach to prosecuting crimes against animals, and we stand ready with our law enforcement partners to swiftly bring the full force of justice to bear.”
“This case reflects the brutal reality of organized dog fighting operations and the appalling conditions these animals are forced to endure. It also exposes how dog fighting operations are often accompanied by broader criminal activity as evidenced by the presence of dangerous weapons such as the ones in the defendant’s possession,” said U.S. Department of Agriculture Inspector General John Walk. “USDA OIG will continue working aggressively with our federal, state, and local partners to investigate animal fighting crimes and protect both public safety and animal welfare. We thank our partners in this case that helped bring this defendant to justice.”
According to court documents, Adams maintained a stock of 78 fighting dogs at three properties — two in Bessemer, Alabama, and one in Adger, Alabama. When they were rescued, some of the dogs bore scars and other injuries, and some were living in conditions of extreme neglect. Adams was also found to possess two pistols and a semi-automatic shotgun, known colloquially as a “Street Sweeper.” Under federal law, a Street Sweeper is considered a destructive device.
In addition to the dogs, guns, and destructive device, law enforcement personnel also recovered from Adam’s residences tools and supplies used in the training and keeping of dogs used for fighting. These items included modified treadmills to hold dogs in place for conditioning, injectable veterinary steroids, suture materials and syringes, skin staplers, intravenous bags and lines, a homemade breeding stand, and a break stick device used to break the bite hold of a dog.
A dog recovered from one of Adams’ properties. Photo was an exhibit in case United States v. Carlton Adams, No. 2:24-CR-00122, NDAL.
The dogs were rescued and cared for by a program administered by the U.S. Marshals Service. Following a separate, successful civil forfeiture action brought by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Alabama, the dogs did not have to be returned to Adams. They were instead rehabilitated and evaluated for possible adoption.
Under federal law, it is illegal not only to fight dogs in a venture that affects interstate commerce, but also to possess, train, transport, deliver, sell, purchase or receive dogs for fighting purposes.
The USDA OIG, FBI, and Alabama Law Enforcement Agency investigated the case.
Senior Trial Attorney Ethan Eddy of ENRD’s Environmental Crimes Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Rummage for the Northern District of Alabama prosecuted the case. Former Assistant U.S. Attorney Austin Shutt for the Northern District of Alabama handled the civil forfeiture case for the dogs.
450 New Immigration Cases Filed in Western District of Texas in 2 WeeksRead the Press Release
SAN ANTONIO – Federal prosecutors in the Western District of Texas filed 450 new immigration and immigration-related criminal cases from June 12 through June 25, announced U.S. Attorney Justin R. Simmons.
Charges were brought against human smugglers and illegal aliens with past convictions for numerous DWIs, violent crimes including assault and homicide, sex crimes against children, thefts, and multiple prior removals.
Among the new cases, convicted felon and illegal alien from Mexico, Jose Gilberto Padilla-Yepez, was arrested near Eagle Pass and charged with illegal re-entry. Padilla-Yepez has been deported four times, the last one being in August 2022. His lengthy criminal record includes a 1991 homicide conviction and three previous burglary convictions in Dallas, a conviction in Nebraska for theft over $1,500, and a conviction in Arizona for robbery, assault, sexual assault, burglary and kidnapping.
Also an illegal alien from Mexico, Juan Antonio Gonzalez Escamilla was arrested near Eagle Pass and charged with illegal re-entry. In January, Gonzalez Escamilla was convicted of illegal re-entry for the second time and deported for the sixth time immediately after. In addition to the two immigration convictions, Gonzalez Escamilla’s criminal record includes three DWI convictions.
Martin Flores-Romero was arrested and charged with illegal re-entry near Eagle Pass on June 19. Flores-Romero is an illegal alien from Mexico who was deported for the second time in December 2025. He was convicted three times in 2023: once for tampering with government records, once for assault causing bodily injury, and once for terroristic threat causing imminent fear.
Pedro Euceda-Aguero, an illegal alien from Honduras, is charged with illegal re-entry after he was arrested by U.S. Border Patrol agents near Eagle Pass on June 19. Euceda-Aguero was removed from the U.S. for the fourth time in December 2022. He has been previously convicted of four DWIs as well as escape from custody.
Illegal alien from Mexico, Francisco Javier Perez-Solis, was charged with illegal re-entry in San Antonio. Perez-Solis was encountered at the Atascosa County Jail in Jourdanton after he was arrested for assault causing bodily injury to a family member. He was transferred to ICE custody on June 24. In addition to the recent assault conviction, Perez-Solis’s criminal history includes three DWI convictions. He has been removed from the U.S. twice, the last being in June 2024.
Jose Humberto Gonzalez Calderon, an illegal alien from Mexico, was found in the Hays County Jail, where he was being held after receiving a deferred adjudication probation for a child grooming charge. He was transferred into ICE custody on June 16. Gonzalez Calderon’s criminal record includes convictions for a DWI and possession of a controlled substance in 2020, and a criminal trespass conviction in 2021. He was removed from the U.S. to Mexico in December 2021.
Carlos Emmanuel Gonzalez-Chavez, also an illegal alien from Mexico found in the Hays County Jail, was serving a sentence for assault causing bodily injury prior to being transferred to ICE custody. In 2025, he was convicted of possession of a controlled substance. Gonzalez-Chavez, who was previously removed from the U.S. in 2019, now faces a federal charge for illegal re-entry.
U.S. citizen Tony Nefi Deanda was charged with alien smuggling in El Paso. U.S. Border Patrol agents assigned to the Ysleta Border Patrol Station apprehended eight undocumented minors near Socorro after the aliens crossed the Rio Grande River and used a ladder to climb over the international boundary fence. An investigation led the agents to identify Deanda as the alleged smuggler in contact with the apprehended aliens. Deanda was later detained by U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers at the Paso Del Norte Port of Entry, arrested and transported to the Ysleta Border Patrol Station for further investigation. In 2021, Deanda was convicted of importation of 500 grams or more of methamphetamine and sentenced to 37 months in prison.
Michelle Aimee Rivera, also a U.S. citizen and a convicted alien smuggler, was arrested after attempting to enter the U.S. through the Paso Del Norte Port of Entry on June 12. At the POE, her prior history of alien smuggling, including smuggling of minors, activated an alert and investigatory hold for her entry into the U.S. The investigation revealed that Rivera had allegedly smuggled a female child into the U.S. through the Bridge of the Americas Port of Entry on June 5 using her daughter’s U.S. birth certificate. Rivera also stated, according to a criminal complaint, that she was paid $1,000 to smuggle the child and that she recorded a video of the video to send to a co-conspirator via cell phone, as she had been instructed to do. In 2017, Rivera was convicted of bringing in and harboring aliens and was sentenced to 24 months of probation.
Guadalupe Guerrero is charged with alien smuggling following her arrest on June 18. U.S. Border Patrol agents assigned to the Ysleta Border Patrol Station tracked a van from Fabens to El Paso. The van was allegedly identified as being involved in a previous alien smuggling attempt in April. According to a criminal complaint, the agents observed multiple subjects, appearing wet and muddy, exit the van and enter an apartment. Later that morning, agents allegedly observed Guerrero arrive at the apartment in a large SUV. The agents investigated the apartment, which was noted in the complaint as being dirty and unkempt with scattered trash and a foul smell. Inside, the agents allegedly encountered Guerrero with her seven children. Further investigation revealed that Guerrero was allegedly housing illegal aliens and coordinating with a smuggler.
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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2 Billings men plead guilty to meth trafficking chargesRead the Press Release
BILLINGS – Two men from Billings who trafficked methamphetamine around town have admitted to charges, Acting U.S. Attorney Mark Steger Smith said.
Rafael Gonzales Montanez, 61, pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine earlier this month. Montanez faces 10 years to life in prison, a $10 million fine, and at least five years of supervised release.
Aaron Wade Montoya, 60, pleaded guilty Friday to one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. Montoya faces 10 years to life in prison, a $10 million fine, at least five years of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment for the first count. He faces five years to life in prison, consecutive to any other sentence, a $250,000 fine, and five years of supervised release for the second count.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Timothy J. Cavan presided. U.S. District Judge William W. Mercer will determine a sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Sentencing was set for a later date. Montanez and Montoya remained detained pending further proceedings.
The government alleged in court documents that Montanez and Montoya were dealing methamphetamine at various bars and casinos around Billings.
An agent with the Montana Division of Criminal Investigation received a tip in August 2024 that Montanez was selling methamphetamine in Billings and was often at the Reno Club. The agent, working undercover, was put in touch with Montanez, who called the agent offering to sell him an ounce of methamphetamine. The two men eventually met and over the next month the agent continued to buy increasing amounts of methamphetamine from Montanez.
After a buy in September 2024, law enforcement followed Montanez to a trailer in the Cherry Creek mobile home park in the Billings Heights, which they learned belonged to Montoya, who was on probation from an earlier drug conviction. At his probation-mandated urine test in November 2024, Montoya tested positive for methamphetamine and law enforcement received a warrant to search his home at Cherry Creek. Officers found a bag of bulk methamphetamine, three firearms, ammunition, and cash. Agents arrested him and in a subsequent interview Montoya admitted to dealing methamphetamine and that he got two of his firearms in a drug trade.
Meanwhile, Montanez reached out to the undercover DCI agent and wanted to introduce him to his new supplier because his old one had been arrested. On May 29, 2025, ATF agents arrested Montanez, who admitted he had sold methamphetamine that had been supplied to him by Montoya.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas Godfrey is prosecuting the case. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Montana Division of Criminal Investigation conducted the investigation.
13 defendants charged in two separate indictments for narcotics conspiracyRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that 13 defendants were charged in two separate indictments with narcotics conspiracy. The following defendants are charged with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute, and to distribute, controlled substances, which carries a mandatory minimum penalty of five years in prison and a maximum of 40 years:
- Terrence Phillips a/k/a Marlo a/k/a G, 35, of Buffalo, NY;
- Alexis Rivera a/k/a AR, 31, of Buffalo, NY;
- Jamel Joshua Cunningham a/k/a Jazzo, 40, of Cheektowaga, NY;
- Rokym Knox a/k/a Tommy a/k/a Roddy, 32, of Buffalo, NY;
- Kyle Phillips a/k/a Bruce, 30, of Buffalo, NY;
- Daija Mellerson, 33, of Cheektowaga, NY;
- Alazee Smith, 29, of Buffalo, NY;
- Ashley Johnson, 34, of Lancaster, NY; and
- Fernando Mercado-Vazquez, 28, of Buffalo, NY.
Some defendants are also facing additional charges, including possession with intent to distribute cocaine, possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine, maintaining a drug involved premises, being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense.
According to the indictment, beginning in September 2025, the defendants conspired to sell cocaine, crack cocaine, and fentanyl. They used residences on West Avenue in Buffalo and Cleveland Drive in Cheektowaga to conduct their drug trafficking activities. Members of the conspiracy also utilized firearms.
The second indictment charges conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute, and to distribute, 50 kilograms or more of marijuana, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. Named in the second indictment are:
- Omar Ali, 33;
- Kairo Machado-Arguedas, 26;
- Luthor Jones, 33; and
- Ahmad Elabed, 41, all of Buffalo, NY.
Some defendants are also charged with possession with intent to distribute marijuana, maintaining a drug involved premises, and being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition.
According to the second indictment, beginning in December 2025, the defendants conspired to sell marijuana, utilizing residences on Connecticut Street in Buffalo and Sweeney Street in North Tonawanda to conduct their drug trafficking activities. Members also utilized firearms.
“These arrests result from an FBI Safe Streets Task Force investigation undertaken pursuant to the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative, which was established to, in part, rid our communities of dangerous drug traffickers who fill our streets with narcotics that too often have tragic consequences, including death,” stated U.S. Attorney DiGiacomo. “All too often, these drug traffickers rely on firearms and other acts of violence to hold our community hostage. This effort means there are now 13 less traffickers on the streets.”
“This operation highlights FBI Buffalo’s unwavering commitment to protecting Western New York communities,” said Allen D. Davis II, the Special Agent-in-Charge of the FBI’s Buffalo Field Office. “Working alongside our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners, FBI Buffalo removed guns, drugs, and violent criminals from Buffalo neighborhoods. Our work; however, is not over. As part of Operation Summer Heat, FBI Buffalo is surging resources across Western New York to identify, investigate, and hold accountable violent criminals who threaten the safety of our communities.”
This case is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF Buffalo comprises agents and officers from Homeland Security Investigations, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigations, Department of Homeland Security Emergency Removal Operations, Customs and Border Protection, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the U.S. Coast Guard Investigative Service, the U.S. Marshals Service, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the U.S. Secret Service, and the Diplomatic Security Service, with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Western District of New York.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy C. Lynch. The indictments are the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Allen D. Davis II, the Buffalo Police Department, under the direction of Commissioner Erika Shields, the U.S. Marshals Service, under the direction of Marshal Charles Salina, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Bryan DiGirolamo, New York Field Division, the New York State Police, under the direction of Major Amie Feroleto, the New York State Department of Corrections, under the direction of Commissioner Daniel F. Martuscello, the Erie County Sheriff’s Office, under the direction of Sheriff John Garcia, the Niagara County Sheriff’s Office, under the direction of Sheriff Michael Filicetti, the Lackawanna Police Department, under the direction of Chief Mark Packard, the Hamburg Police Department, under the direction of Chief Peter Dienes, the U.S Probation Office, under the direction of Chief Probation Officer Clifford Jackson, the North Tonawanda Police Department, under the direction of Chief Keith Glass, U.S Customs and Border Protection, under the direction of Director of Field Operations Rose Brophy, the Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority Police, under the direction of Chief Brian Patterson, and the Diplomatic Security Service, under the direction of Stephen Kaiser, Resident Agent-in-Charge, Buffalo Resident Office. Additional assistance was provided by the FBI Cleveland Field Office and the FBI Pittsburgh Field Office.
The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
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Thursday 25 June 2026
Woman Pleads Guilty to Nearly $1 Million Hearing Aid Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
SAN DIEGO – Julianna C. Lung pleaded guilty in federal court today to health care fraud, admitting she marketed and sold hearing protection devices to United States Border Patrol agents, other federal employees, and their family members, then falsely billed insurance providers for what she claimed were medically-necessary hearing aids.
According to her plea agreement, Lung submitted approximately 385 fraudulent claims to health insurance plans participating in the Federal Employees Health Benefits (FEHB) program. The claims falsely represented that beneficiaries suffered from hearing loss or tinnitus that required treatment.
In reality, Lung told customers the devices were intended to protect their hearing—not treat a medical condition—and assured them their insurance would cover the cost for that purpose.
As a result of the scheme, FEHB plans paid approximately $2,500 per device, totaling about $962,500 in fraudulent reimbursements.
Lung is scheduled to be sentenced on September 11, 2026, at 9 a.m., before U.S. District Judge Robert S. Huie.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney George Manahan of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Southern District of California.
DEFENDANT Case Number 26cr2399-RSH
Julianna C. Lung Age: 60 San Diego, California
SUMMARY OF CHARGES
Health Care Fraud—Title 18, U.S.C. Section 1347
Maximum penalty: Five years in prison and $250,000 fine
INVESTIGATING AGENCY
U.S. Office of Personnel Management, Office of the Inspector General
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.
Williston Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Illegally Possessing FirearmsRead the Press Release
COLUMBIA, S.C. — Demetrius McIlwain, 52, of Williston, has been sentenced to more than 11 years in federal prison for illegally possessing firearms.
Evidence obtained in the investigation revealed that deputies with the Kershaw County Sheriff’s Office responded to a location looking for a suspect alleged to have committed domestic violence. During their investigation, deputies found McIlwain in the driver’s seat of a running vehicle and a woman in the passenger seat. The deputy attempted to identify McIlwain to determine if he was involved in the incident, but McIlwain refused to cooperate. When deputies asked McIlwain to step out of the vehicle, he told them that there was a shotgun in the vehicle, then he immediately drove away. After McIlwain tried to evade the deputies, he wrecked his truck and ran.
During a search of the vehicle, deputies found an AR style pistol in the front seat, a shotgun in the back seat, and a third firearm in a toolbox in the vehicle. Deputies also found a small amount of fentanyl in the driver’s side cupholder. The passenger later identified McIlwain as the driver, and deputies further connected him to the vehicle from paperwork found inside of the truck. McIlwain was later arrested and admitted he was the driver of the vehicle.
McIlwain was prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition based upon prior criminal convictions for grand larceny, burglary, criminal sexual conduct, malicious injury to personal property, and assault and battery with intent to kill.
United States District Judge Mary Geiger Lewis sentenced McIlwain to 135 months imprisonment, to be followed by a three-year term of court-ordered supervision. There is no parole in the federal system.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Kershaw County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney William K. Witherspoon prosecuted the case.###
Williamsport Man Sentenced to 18 Months in Prison for Failure to Register as A Sex OffenderRead the Press Release
WILLIAMSPORT- The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Darrell Crose, age 47, of Williamsport, PA, was sentenced by Chief United States District Judge Matthew W. Brann to 18 months in federal prison on a charge of failure to register as a sex offender.
According to United States Attorney Brian D. Miller, from at least January 2025 until October 28, 2025, Crose was required to register under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act and did not do so after traveling in interstate commerce, moving from Michigan back to Pennsylvania. He has a lifetime requirement to register and must report any change in residency.
This case was investigated by the United States Marshals Service. Assistant United States Attorney Robin Zenzinger prosecuted the case.
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Violent Repeat Offender Faces Federal Firearms Charge after Alleged Shooting at Atlanta Homeless EncampmentRead the Press Release
ATLANTA - Alexander Wood, a multi-convicted felon, faces a federal charge of illegal possession of a firearm after he allegedly shot at a homeless encampment in downtown Atlanta and was prosecuted by local authorities for related offenses.
“After more than 20 years of racking up felony convictions in state court, Wood allegedly armed himself and shot at a homeless encampment, jeopardizing innocent lives with an unlawfully possessed firearm,” said U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg. “Unrepentant and undeterred violent criminals who possess firearms despite repeated state-court convictions will be held accountable in federal court, where there is no opportunity for parole.”
“Multiple convictions at the state level have not deterred Alexander Wood from continuing his alleged life of crime,” said Marlo Graham, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. “The FBI will continue to find and arrest dangerous criminals who repeatedly are a danger to society.”
“The Atlanta Police Department remains committed to protecting all members of our community from acts of violence and gun crime,” said Atlanta Police Chief Darin Schierbaum. “Our officers responded quickly and worked closely with our federal partners to ensure this incident was thoroughly investigated. We remain committed to protecting all who call Atlanta home and to strengthening the trust and collaboration we share with the communities we serve.”
According to U.S. Attorney Hertzberg, the charges, and other information presented in court: On October 10, 2025, Alexander Wood allegedly drove to a homeless encampment in downtown Atlanta and discharged a firearm at the encampment. After an Atlanta Police Department officer responded to the scene, Wood fled in a high-speed chase and allegedly tried to run into the police car pursuing him.
Officers arrested Wood at an apartment shortly thereafter. Under bushes near the apartment entrance, officers located a Smith & Wesson handgun. Surveillance footage allegedly showed that, moments before officers arrived, Wood ran through the area where the police found the gun.
On June 25, 2026, Alexander Wood, 43, of Atlanta, Georgia, appeared in federal court and pled not guilty to possession of a firearm by a prohibited person, after a grand jury returned an indictment charging him with that crime on April 14, 2026. Wood has multiple prior felony convictions for violent crimes and drug trafficking, such as burglary, possession with intent to distribute cocaine, and armed robbery. Based on that criminal history, Wood faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years of imprisonment and could be sentenced to imprisonment for life.
In April 2026, Wood pled guilty in the Superior Court of Fulton County to fleeing from the police and several misdemeanors arising from the October 2025 shooting and was sentenced to just one year of imprisonment with credit for time served. As a result of the federal indictment, Wood is currently in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service and is being held without bail.
Members of the public are reminded that the defendant is presumed innocent of the charges contained in the federal indictment, 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 and Atlanta Police Department.
Assistant United States Attorney Sara Lim is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
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.