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Thursday 25 June 2026
Illegal Alien from Honduras Sentenced for $89 Million Off-the-Books Payroll Tax Fraud Scheme Employing Illegal AliensRead the Press Release
An illegal alien from Honduras was sentenced yesterday to 96 months in prison for his role in operating a years-long off-the-books cash payroll scheme that facilitated the employment of illegal aliens working in the United States. The scheme caused a total loss to the United States of more than $38 million.
According to court documents and statements made in court, from 2015 to 2022, Mario Flores, of Honduras, an illegal alien, conspired with others to create a series of shell companies to run an unlicensed check cashing and cash courier service business. These shell companies cashed approximately $89 million in checks from subcontractors in the construction industry, charging them a percentage of the dollar amount of the checks they cashed as a fee for this service. Through this scheme, construction contractors and subcontractors paid their workers in cash without withholding and paying required payroll taxes, allowing them to operate without regard to the workers’ legal authority to work in the United States. Flores also caused the filing of false tax documents with the IRS to conceal the scheme.
“Today, we held an illegal alien from Honduras accountable for a brazen scheme that stole more than $38 million from American taxpayers to facilitate the employment of illegal aliens,” said Assistant Attorney General Colin M. McDonald of the Justice Department’s National Fraud Enforcement Division. “This case exposes how unchecked illegal immigration fuels widespread tax fraud and underground economies that harm American workers and taxpayers. This sentence sends a strong message: those who exploit our open borders, cheat the U.S. Treasury, and violate federal laws will face justice.”
“Homeland Security Investigations is committed to protecting the integrity of our financial system and enforcing our nation’s laws. Those who orchestrate large-scale payroll tax fraud and facilitate the illegal employment of unauthorized workers will be held accountable,” said HSI Acting Executive Associate Director John Condon. “HSI, alongside IRS Criminal Investigation and our federal, state, and local partners, remains dedicated to dismantling schemes that defraud the United States and undermine the integrity of our workforce.”
In addition, Flores and his conspirators defrauded workers’ compensation insurance companies by leasing their certificates of insurance to contractors and by providing false and fraudulent information to the insurers about, among other things, the number of workers covered by the insurance and the amount workers were paid.
Flores pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to defraud the United States and one count of conspiracy to operate an unlicensed money transmitting business.
Iris Villafranca, Osman Zapata, and Francisco Alvarez, who conspired with Flores, were previously sentenced. Villafranca was sentenced to 17 years in prison. She was ordered to pay more than $38 million in restitution to the United States and forfeit $89 million of criminal proceeds from the scheme. Zapata was sentenced to more than four years in prison and was ordered to pay more than $2.5 million in restitution to the United States. Francisco Alvarez was sentenced to four years of probation and ordered to pay more than $2.3 million in restitution. Conspirator Michael Mayorga awaits sentencing.
Assistant Attorney General Colin McDonald of the Justice Department’s National Fraud Enforcement Division and U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe of the Middle District of Florida made the announcement.
IRS Criminal Investigation is investigating the case, with assistance from Homeland Security Investigations. ICE ERO Miami (Orlando sub-office), Florida Highway Patrol, Customs and Border Protection, U.S. Marshals Service, State Department, and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement have assisted in arrest operations.
Senior Litigation Counsel Sean Beaty and Trial Attorney Kavitha Bondada of the Criminal Division’s Tax Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Diane Hu of the Middle District of Florida are prosecuting the case.
On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division. The core mission of the Fraud Division is to zealously investigate and prosecute those who steal or fraudulently misuse taxpayer dollars. Department of Justice efforts to combat fraud support President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs.
Illegal Alien from Honduras Sentenced for $89 Million Off-the-Books Payroll Tax Fraud Scheme Employing Illegal AliensRead the Press Release
Orlando, FL - An illegal alien from Honduras was sentenced yesterday to 96 months in prison for his role in operating a years-long off-the-books cash payroll scheme that facilitated the employment of illegal aliens working in the United States. The scheme caused a total loss to the United States of more than $38 million.
According to court documents and statements made in court, from 2015 to 2022, Mario Flores, of Honduras, an illegal alien, conspired with others to create a series of shell companies to run an unlicensed check cashing and cash courier service business. These shell companies cashed approximately $89 million in checks from subcontractors in the construction industry, charging them a percentage of the dollar amount of the checks they cashed as a fee for this service. Through this scheme, construction contractors and subcontractors paid their workers in cash without withholding and paying required payroll taxes, allowing them to operate without regard to the workers’ legal authority to work in the United States. Flores also caused the filing of false tax documents with the IRS to conceal the scheme.
“These individuals didn’t just run an off the books payroll scheme—they built a pipeline of fraud that stole from taxpayers and helped sustain an unlawful employment scheme,” said Ron Loecker, Special Agent in Charge of IRS Criminal Investigation, Florida Field Office. “IRS Criminal Investigation, working hand in hand with our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners, is laser focused on cutting off the financial lifeblood of schemes that exploit workers, cheat honest businesses, and undermine the integrity of our tax system. When criminals think they can hide in the shadows, our agents follow the money—and bring the truth into the light.”
“Today, we held an illegal alien from Honduras accountable for a brazen scheme that stole more than $38 million from American taxpayers to facilitate the employment of illegal aliens,” said Assistant Attorney General Colin M. McDonald of the Justice Department’s National Fraud Enforcement Division. “This case exposes how unchecked illegal immigration fuels widespread payroll tax fraud and underground economies that harm American workers and taxpayers. This sentence sends a strong message: those who exploit our open borders, cheat the U.S. Treasury, and violate federal laws will face justice.”
“Homeland Security Investigations is committed to protecting the integrity of our financial system and enforcing our nation’s laws. Those who orchestrate large-scale payroll tax fraud and facilitate the illegal employment of unauthorized workers will be held accountable,” said HSI Acting Executive Associate Director John Condon. “HSI, alongside IRS Criminal Investigation and our federal, state, and local partners, remains dedicated to dismantling schemes that defraud the United States and undermine the integrity of our workforce.”
In addition, Flores and his conspirators defrauded workers’ compensation insurance companies by leasing their certificates of insurance to contractors and by providing false and fraudulent information to the insurers about, among other things, the number of workers covered by the insurance and the amount workers were paid.
Flores pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to defraud the United States and one count of conspiracy to operate an unlicensed money transmitting business.
Iris Villafranca, Osman Zapata, and Francisco Alvarez, who conspired with Flores, were previously sentenced. Villafranca was sentenced to 17 years in prison. She was ordered to pay more than $38 million in restitution to the United States and forfeit $89 million of criminal proceeds from the scheme. Zapata was sentenced to more than four years in prison and was ordered to pay more than $2.5 million in restitution to the United States. Francisco Alvarez was sentenced to four years of probation and ordered to pay more than $2.3 million in restitution. Conspirator Michael Mayorga awaits sentencing.
U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe of the Middle District of Florida and Assistant Attorney General Colin McDonald of the Justice Department’s National Fraud Enforcement Division made the announcement.
IRS Criminal Investigation is investigating the case, with assistance from Homeland Security Investigations. ICE ERO Miami (Orlando sub-office), Florida Highway Patrol, Customs and Border Protection, U.S. Marshals Service, State Department, and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement have assisted in arrest operations.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Diane Hu of the Middle District of Florida, Senior Litigation Counsel Sean Beaty, and Trial Attorney Kavitha Bondada of the Criminal Division’s Tax Section and are prosecuting the case.
On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division. The core mission of the Fraud Division is to zealously investigate and prosecute those who steal or fraudulently misuse taxpayer dollars. Department of Justice efforts to combat fraud support President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs.
Illegal Alien from El Salvador Federally Charged for Firearm PossessionRead the Press Release
Pensacola, Florida – Clisma Segovia, 18, a citizen of El Salvador living in Douglasville, Georgia, has been indicted in federal court on one count of possession of a firearm by an illegal alien. John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida, announced the charges.
Segovia appeared before United States Magistrate Judge Hope Cannon for his initial appearance at the United States Courthouse in Pensacola, Florida. Trial is scheduled for August 3, 2026, at 8:30 am in Pensacola before District Court Judge M. Casey Rodgers.
If convicted, Segovia faces up to 15 years’ imprisonment.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Enforcement and Removal Operations and the Walton County Sheriff’s Office. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jeffrey M. Tharp.
An indictment is merely an allegation by a grand jury that a defendant has committed a violation of federal criminal law and is not evidence of guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial, during which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndfl.
Illegal Alien with Violent Criminal Record Sentenced to Prison for Unlawfully Re-Entering United States After Seven DeportationsRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — An illegal alien with a violent criminal record has been sentenced to ten months in federal prison for unlawfully re-entering the United States after previously being deported seven times.
JEFRY ESTRADA-PASTRANA, a native of Honduras, was unlawfully present in the United States on Jan. 20, 2026, when he was arrested in Chicago. Chicago Police officers arrested Estrada-Pastrana after he failed to appear in court related to a Cook County criminal case involving theft and forgery.
Estrada-Pastrana was previously deported from the United States on seven occasions. During the times in which he was illegally present in the United States, Estrada-Pastrana was convicted of criminal offenses including robbery and aggravated fleeing.
Estrada-Pastrana, 37, pleaded guilty in April 2026 to one count of unlawful re-entry after removal. On June 16, 2026, U.S. District Chief Judge Virginia M. Kendall imposed the ten-month prison sentence and ordered that it be followed by three years of court-supervised release. The conviction subjects Estrada-Pastrana to removal from the United States.
The sentence was announced by Andrew S. Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and Frank Padula, Acting Field Office Director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations in Chicago. Substantial assistance was provided by U.S. Customs and Border Protection and Homeland Security Investigations. The government was represented by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Diya Rattan.
Houston man sentenced to lengthy federal prison sentence for armed convenience store robberies in the Eastern District of TexasRead the Press Release
SHERMAN, Texas – A Houston man has been sentenced to over 13 years in federal prison in connection with two armed convenience store robberies in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs.
Fredy Jose Barrera Borjas, 26, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to carry a firearm during a crime of violence; two counts of Hobbs Act robbery, aiding and abetting; and brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence. Borjas was sentenced to 162 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Amos L. Mazzant this week.
According to information presented in court, on March 4 and 5, 2022, Borjas conspired with others to rob the Buy Low Liquor Store in Lewisville and Zoom Zooms Convenience store in Denton, at gunpoint. On both occasions, the defendants entered the businesses by force, brandished firearms, and stole large quantities of cash from the store owners. During one of the robberies, Borjas and others ordered an employee to her knees at gunpoint, while the others went into the manager’s office where he was robbed and severely beaten. Borjas was the final defendant sentenced in this 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 was investigated by the FBI, Denton Police Department, and Lewisville Police Department and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Chalana A. Oliver.
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Hot Springs Man Sentenced to 7 Years in Federal Prison for Possessing a Firearm as a FelonRead the Press Release
RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced today that U.S. District Judge Camela C. Theeler has sentenced a Hot Springs, South Dakota, man convicted of Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person. The sentencing took place on June 22, 2026.
Cecle Crist, 53, was sentenced to seven years in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Crist was indicted for Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person by a federal grand jury in November 2025. He pleaded guilty on March 9, 2026.
In November 2025, several officers with the Fall River County Sheriff’s Office and the Hot Springs Police Department attempted to arrest Crist on a federal arrest warrant pertaining to another firearm charge. When the officers entered the camper Crist lived in, he hid in a closet, threatened to kill law enforcement, and said he had a gun. The officers exited the camper and called in the Rapid City Special Response Team (SRT). After SRT fired several rounds of OC powder into the camper, Crist exited the camper and was placed under arrest. Officers thereafter located in the camper three loaded rifles, a pellet gun, and several rounds of ammunition, which Crist knew were in his possession. Crist is a previously convicted felon who knew he was prohibited from possessing firearms.
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. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN). Through PSN, the District of South Dakota seeks to bring together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce gun violence and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the Pennington County Sheriff’s Office, the Rapid City Police Department, the Fall River County Sheriff’s Office, and the Hot Springs Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin Patterson prosecuted the case.
Crist was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Homeland Security Task Force investigation leads to prison sentence for member of Kansas City drug trafficking ring tied to MexicoRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, KAN. – A Kansas man was sentenced to 167 months in prison for his role in a transnational drug trafficking organization with ties to a Mexican cartel. The sentence follows a Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) investigation which has so far led to convictions of approximately a dozen defendants.
According to court documents, Joel Rodriguez, 30, of Kansas City, Kansas, pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
In February 2023, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) began investigating a drug trafficking ring in the Kansas City metro area headed by Jose Antonio Heredia-Chang. Heredia-Chang, 34, is an illegal alien from Sinaloa, Mexico, who had been living in Phoenix, Arizona. The trafficking ring distributed methamphetamine, fentanyl, cocaine, and other narcotics. ATF and DEA investigators determined that buyers/distributors in Kansas City placed orders with Heredia-Chang then he dispatched drivers to deliver the narcotics.
Investigators observed Heredia-Chang’s drivers visiting the home of Joel Rodriguez in Kansas City, Kansas. Agents intercepted calls between Rodriguez and Heredia-Chang discussing drug and firearms trafficking in which Rodriguez provided Heredia-Chang his home address for delivery. Agents observed subsequent deliveries to Rodriguez’s house.
After Heredia-Chang's arrest in September 2023, evidence extracted from his phones showed photographs of firearms and messages about firearm purchases. Further evidence proved Heredia-Chang was collaborating with individuals in Sinaloa, Mexico, to acquire and transport methamphetamine, fentanyl, and heroin, and that Heredia-Chang operated other distribution bases in Seattle, Washington, and Denver, Colorado.
In November 2025, Heredia-Chang pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine and one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. He is awaiting sentencing.
“The Heredia-Chang drug trafficking ring was a complex and highly structured operation based on a model that in essence worked the same as if you ordered a pizza. Instead of food, these delivery drivers showed up at your doorstep with meth and cocaine,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan A. Kriegshauser. “We are fortunate our federal agencies have the investigative skills and tools to root out these networks. Our skilled prosecutors are committed to convincing judges that these perpetrators should serve time behind bars.”
"This defendant helped move meth for the Heredia-Chang trafficking network and discussed firearms trafficking with the man who ran it," said Special Agent in Charge Bernard "Butch" Hansen of the ATF Kansas City Field Division. "Firearms are the currency that keeps these drug networks running, and ATF will follow that trade wherever it leads. Now he will spend nearly 14 years in federal prison. The investigation is not over. ATF will continue to stand with our partners to hold violent offenders accountable."
“One-by-one, our agents and those of ATF are dismantling Mexican-sourced drug trafficking organizations responsible for pushing poisons into our midwestern communities,” DEA St. Louis Field Division Acting Special Agent in Charge Colin Dickey said. “This investigation is a tremendous example of federal agencies working together to bring the full force of the law against violent poly-drug traffickers who use threats and intimidation to maintain control. Fentanyl, methamphetamine and cocaine have no place on our streets, and the DEA will continue to take down the organizations threading their way into the heartland.”
So far, 10 other co-defendants have pleaded guilty to federal charges in connection with the Heredia-Chang drug trafficking network. They include Noel Rios-Salazar, Jesus Villaverde, Jose Cervantes-Valenzuela, Jessica Solano, Gennelle Glackin, Kelly Gray, Marnie Lynn, Christopher Martens, Robert Hicks, and Chad Haviland.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Faiza Alhambra prosecuted the case.
This prosecution is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF Kansas City comprises agents and officers from FBI; Drug Enforcement Administration; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; U.S. Marshals Service; U.S. Postal Inspection Service; and the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation Division with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Kansas.
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Homeland Security Task Force effort delivers alleged cartel drug trafficker into US custodyRead the Press Release
CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – A 46-year-old Mexican national is set to appear in U.S. federal court for significant drug trafficking offenses, announced Acting U.S. Attorney John G.E. Marck.
Roberto Bazan-Salinas aka Beto is set for an arraignment and detention hearing at 10 a.m. before U.S. Magistrate Judge Mitchel Neurock in Corpus Christi.
A federal grand jury returned the indictment against the alleged associate of Cartel del Golfo March 27, 2024.
Between 2021 and 2022, Bazan-Salinas allegedly conspired with others to possess with intent to distribute more than five kilograms of cocaine and more than 500 grams of a mixture containing meth.
Mexican authorities arrested him in Guanajuato, Mexico, March 5 at the request of the United States. He was extradited June 18.
If convicted, Bazan-Salinas faces up to life in prison and a possible $10 million maximum fine.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Lance Watt is prosecuting the case, which is now part of the Homeland Security Task Force initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of U.S. law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF South Texas comprises agents and officers from Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations; FBI; Drug Enforcement Administration; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; U.S. Marshals Service; U.S. Postal Inspection Service; Department of Transportation; IRS Criminal Investigation; Interpol/Department of State; and the Naval Criminal Investigative Service with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Texas leading the prosecution.
The Department of State, Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs and Government of Mexico provided invaluable assistance securing the arrest and extradition from Mexico.
An indictment is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence. A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.
Highlands County Man Sentenced to More Than 11 Years in Federal Prison for Possessing with Intent to Distribute MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – Quincy Owens (51, Sebring) has been sentenced by Senior U.S. District Judge Roy B. Dalton, Jr. to 11 years and 3 months in federal prison for possessing with intent to distribute methamphetamine. Owens pleaded guilty on March 30, 2026. U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.
According to the plea agreement, on December 15, 2025, the Drug Enforcement Administration was conducting surveillance on Owens, who had been identified as a fentanyl and methamphetamine dealer. Agents observed Owens obtaining a large black bag from an unidentified male and placing it in the trunk of his vehicle. The Florida Highway Patrol conducted a traffic stop on the vehicle Owens was driving and a narcotics-detecting canine alerted positively to the presence of drugs inside the vehicle. A subsequent search of Owens’s vehicle resulted in the seizure of the black bag, which contained over 4,500 grams of pure methamphetamine.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, with assistance from the Florida Highway Patrol. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Megan Testerman.
Gary Man Sentenced to 48 Months in Prison for Firearms OffenseRead the Press Release
HAMMOND- Chester Maclin, Jr., 29 years old, of Gary, Indiana, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Gretchen S. Lund after pleading guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm, announced United States Attorney Adam L. Mildred.
Maclin was sentenced to 48 months in prison followed by 2 years of supervised release.
“On September 30, 2023, the Defendant was the driver of a vehicle pulled over in Munster, Indiana. Evidence led law enforcement to conduct a search of the vehicle, and they found a loaded Glock pistol equipped with a machinegun conversion device that allows for the handgun to fire rounds rapidly. Maclin has a prior felony conviction which prohibits him from possessing a firearm or ammunition. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and AUSA Kristian R. Mukoski brought the case as part of Operation Take Back America, and we are safer for their efforts,” said U.S. Attorney Adam Mildred.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kristian R. Mukoski.
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.
Four Eden Prairie Firefighters Recognized with Freedom 250 Hometown Hero AwardRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Minnesota recognized four members of the Eden Prairie Fire Department as “Hometown Heroes” for their courageous rescue of an infant from a burning townhome on May 31, 2024.
Assistant Fire Chief Justin Johnson, Assistant Fire Chief Matt Worthington (then a Captain), Firefighter Joshua Privette, and Firefighter Michael Do were recognized at a ceremony in Eden Prairie on June 25, 2026.
United States Attorney Daniel N. Rosen, Assistant Chief Justin Johnson, Assistant Chief Matt Worthington, Firefighter Joshua Privette, Firefighter Michael Do, and Chief Scott Gerber
On May 31, 2024, Johnson, Worthington, Privette, and Do were among the first responders dispatched to a heavily involved structure fire on the 8500 block of Cardiff Lane. With conflicting reports about whether anyone remained inside, Chief Johnson directed the crew to conduct an immediate search. Entering without a hose line, the firefighters completed a primary search of the first floor before moving upstairs through high heat and low visibility. During the search, Firefighter Privette located an infant in a playpen. The crew quickly carried the child outside and transferred her to Hennepin EMS for transport to Children’s Hospital. The child survived and continues to thrive today.
“These four men entered a burning home with no certainty of what they would encounter and emerged carrying a child to safety,” said United States Attorney Daniel N. Rosen. “Their actions reflect the spirit of liberty, service, and civic responsibility that Freedom 250 was created to celebrate.”
The recognition was given as part of the Department of Justice’s Freedom 250 initiative, a national campaign through which United States Attorneys’ Offices highlight individuals whose dedication, bravery, and leadership have made a significant difference in their communities as the nation approaches its 250th anniversary.
Freedom 250 is a nationwide initiative recognizing public servants whose actions exemplify the founding values of the United States. More information is available at freedom250.org.
Four Charged in Scheme to Smuggle Contraband into Wyatt Detention FacilityRead the Press Release
Providence- A federal grand jury in Rhode Island has indicted a former Wyatt Detention Facility programs counselor, two former Wyatt detainees, and a Massachusetts woman for their alleged roles in a scheme to smuggle contraband into the Donald W. Wyatt Detention Facility.
Adrina Hamrick Cannnon, 51, of Cranston, RI, Randy Diaz-Pizarro, a/k/a Fresh, 34, of Boston, MA, Jaquori Lyons, a/k/a Gizzle and Tottie Y Gizzle, 28, of Boston, MA, and Bernice Carvalho, 25, of Boston, MA, are all charged with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and distribution of a controlled substance. Hamrick Cannon and Carvalho are also charged with providing contraband to a prison inmate and Diaz-Pizzaro and Lyons are also charged with being an inmate of a prison who obtained contraband.
Hamrick Cannon was arrested on May 21, 2026, and was arraigned on the indictment that same day. Carvalho appeared and was arraigned on the indictment on May 26, 2026. Diaz-Pizarro and Lyons were both arraigned on the indictment on June 24, 2026.
According to charging documents, on dates between June 25, 2024 and July 10, 2025, while Diaz-Pizarro and Lyons were inmates at the Donald W. Wyatt Detention Center, Hamrick Cannon and Carvalho did provide and Diaz-Pizarro and Lyons did receive pieces of paper containing a detectable amount of MDMB-4en-PINACA, a Schedule I controlled substance. Diaz-Pizarro and Lyons were inmates at the Donald W. Wyatt Detention Center on the dates of the alleged offense conduct because each of them had been detained in federal cases that had been charged in the District of Massachusetts.
Diaz-Pizarro was charged in the District of Massachusetts on February 7, 2024, with drug and firearm offenses. Diaz-Pizarro was detained after his arrest in that case. Diaz-Pizarro pled guilty in that case on January 13, 2025, and was sentenced to a term of 120 months imprisonment. He is currently serving that sentence. (24-cr-10039-WGY). Lyons was charged by complaint, on May 24, 2023, and thereafter, on July 19, 2023, by indictment in the District of Massachusetts with drug, firearm, and conspiracy to conduct enterprise affairs through a pattern of racketeering activity offenses. (23-cr-10186-ADB). In that case, Lyons was detained after his arrest. He is awaiting trial on that case.
A federal indictment is merely an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Denise M Barton.
The matter was investigated by FBI and members of the Donald W. Wyatt Detention Center Professional Standards Unit.
Former Social Security Administration Employee Found Guilty of 23 Counts including Theft of Social Security Funds, Social Security Misuse and Aggravated Identity TheftRead the Press Release
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – On June 24, 2026, after a week-long trial, a federal jury convicted Myrna Faria, a/k/a Myrna Oliveras-Santiago, a former Social Security Administration employee, of embezzling and stealing SSA funds, namely Retirement Insurance Benefits, Survivors Insurance Benefits and Auxiliary Benefit payments, to which she knew she was not entitled.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Faria was employed by the Social Security Administration (SSA) from approximately 1991 through 2019 as a “Social Insurance Specialist” and “Claims Specialist” working in the Workload Support Unit in San Juan, Puerto Rico. From March 2012 through March 2024, Faria embezzled and stole approximately $1,812,455.10 in SSA funds, namely Retirement Insurance Benefits, Survivors Insurance Benefits and Auxiliary Benefit payments, to which she knew she was not entitled.
Faria utilized her position within SSA to submit false claims on behalf of others, using the identity of individuals she believed to be deceased. She then approved those false claims and submitted her own bank and address information to fraudulently receive the corresponding SSA beneficiary proceeds. Faria proceeded to withdraw, transfer, and spend the money from the accounts that fraudulently obtained the SSA funds. Over the span of twelve years, Faria submitted and approved 13 fraudulent claims.
U.S. Attorney W. Stephen Muldrow of the District of Puerto Rico; Amy Connelly, Special Agent in Charge for the Social Security Administration, Office of the Inspector General; Carlos Goris, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI San Juan Field Office; and Blasdimir Rojo, Postal Inspector in Charge, Miami Division made the announcement.
The Social Security Administration Office of Inspector General, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service investigated the case with assistance from the Puerto Rico Police Department.
Social Security Administration Special Assistant U.S. Attorneys Vanessa D. Bonano-Rodríguez and Niranjan Emani prosecuted the case.
Myrna Faria is scheduled to be sentenced by United States District Judge Gina R. Méndez-Miró on September 29, 2026. She faces a mandatory sentence of two years imprisonment for violating 18 U.S.C. §1028A (aggravated identity theft) which must be served consecutively to any sentence imposed for the violation of 18 U.S.C. §641 (theft of government funds), 18 U.S.C. §1343 (wire fraud), and 18 U.S.C. §1341 (mail fraud).
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Former Executive Extradited from Israel to Face Bank, Wire Fraud Charges in St. LouisRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – A man who was indicted nearly six years ago and accused of a $28 million fraud scheme involving apartment complexes in Missouri and Oklahoma was extradited from Israel Thursday.
Michael Fein, now 47, was indicted Aug. 20, 2020, on one count of bank fraud and one count of wire fraud. The indictment accuses Fein of routinely providing false information on loan applications to obtain financing and refinance loans on projects for the company he co-owned, T.E.H. Management and its affiliates.
U.S. authorities were able to locate Fein in Israel and submitted a request for his extradition. On May 14, Minister of Heritage Amichar Eliyahu – acting by designation in place of the Minister of Justice – approved the extradition of Fein to the United States to stand trial. He arrived at John F. Kennedy International Airport Thursday morning and was then flown to St. Louis Lambert International Airport. He is expected to make his first appearance in U.S. District Court in St. Louis Friday.
“I’m very pleased that Michael Fein will be returned to St. Louis to face trial on the accusations that he fraudulently obtained millions of dollars,” U.S. Attorney Thomas C. Albus said.
“This case reflects the Federal Housing Finance Agency Office of Inspector General’s (FHFA-OIG) steadfast commitment to investigating and bringing to justice those who defraud Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, or the financial institutions engaged in the housing mortgage market. We are thankful to HUD OIG and the FBI for their partnership in this investigation, and to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs, and the U.S. Marshal’s Service for their extraordinary efforts in securing the extradition of the defendant,” said Special Agent in Charge Korey Brinkman, Central Region, FHFA-OIG.
“No one is above the law,” said Special Agent-in-Charge Machelle Jindra with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Office of Inspector General. “Our office will continue to work with the U.S. Attorney’s Office and our law enforcement partners to investigate those who threaten the integrity of FHA mortgage programs and hold them accountable for their actions.”
“Michael Fein may have believed that leaving the United States would place him beyond the reach of law enforcement after allegedly swindling millions of dollars from multiple banks," said Special Agent in Charge Chris Crocker of the FBI St. Louis Division. "Bringing Fein back to face justice required years of coordinated effort. This case sends a clear message: no matter where a fugitive runs, the FBI and its partners will relentlessly pursue those who commit serious crimes and attempt to evade accountability."
The indictment says Fein was an owner and vice president of T.E.H. Management, and an owner and manager of T.E.H.-affiliated companies, all of which owned and operated multi-family apartment complexes throughout the United States. Fein was responsible for the day-to-day operations of T.E.H. and the affiliates. T.E.H. and its affiliates owned and operated the 168-unit Pinnacle Ridge apartment complex in St. Louis County, the 304-unit Green Village Townhomes apartment complex in Kansas City, Missouri and the 260-unit Ivy Place Apartments complex in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
The indictment alleges that from 2016-2019, Fein falsely inflated the number of tenants at Pinnacle Ridge and other complexes and submitted false budget and income information for Pinnacle Ridge to obtain a $2.8 million loan to purchase the complex.
In 2016 and 2017, Fein submitted false information to refinance Green Village, inflating rental income as well as the occupancy of the complex from 50% to 88.49%, the indictment says. After the $12.5 million loan closed and the outstanding loan balance was paid off, a T.E.H. affiliate received $6 million, the indictment says.
In 2017, Fein submitted a false application to refinance a loan for Ivy Place, inflating the occupancy of the complex from 66.5% to 96.54% and inflating the income statement, the indictment says. After the $7.7 million loan closed, a T.E.H. affiliate received $977,754, it says.
In 2019, Fein attempted to purchase the 208-unit Hanley Crossings apartment complex in St. Louis County by submitting fraudulent loan documents, including a falsely inflated summary of real estate purportedly owned by T.E.H. and affiliates, the indictment says. The $5.2 million application falsely inflated the occupancy rates of twenty-six of the listed multi-family apartment complexes by approximately 18% each, the indictment says. The loan was not approved.
The indictment seeks the forfeiture of at least $23 million in proceeds linked to the alleged scheme.
Charges set forth in the indictment are merely accusations and do not constitute proof of guilt. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty.
During March 2020, as a result of substantial tenant complaints concerning substandard living conditions in T.E.H. apartment complexes, the federal government suspended taxpayer-subsidized housing contracts and funding to T.E.H. affiliates in the St. Louis and Kansas City, Missouri areas. As many of the residents living in T.E.H. apartment complexes were members of low-income households that were receiving federal housing assistance, the federal government provided transfer vouchers to those residents to assist them in moving to appropriate housing.
This case was investigated by the FHFA – OIG, HUD OIG and the FBI. With the cooperation of Israeli authorities, the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs and the U.S. Marshals Service provided significant assistance in securing Fein’s extradition. Assistant U.S. Attorney Hal Goldsmith is prosecuting the case.
Former CEO Pleads Guilty to $24,000,000 Embezzlement SchemeRead the Press Release
Spokane, Washington – First Assistant United States Attorney Pete Serrano announced that on June 24, 2026, Patrick Alan Bucknum, age 55, formerly of Wenatchee, Washington, pleaded guilty in the Eastern District of Washington to one count of wire fraud.
As set out in court documents, Bucknum was the Chief Executive Office of Community Clinic Network (CCN), a company located in Wenatchee, Washington. CCN managed health care payment contracts for a conglomerate of health care clinics across Washington. Beginning in April 2017, Bucknum devised a scheme to obtain funds from CCN’s business bank accounts, which he attempted to invest in stocks, options, and exchange-traded funds. Bucknum initially intended to keep profits from the investments for himself and return the embezzled funds to CCN. Bucknum was influenced by social media showing aggressive trading strategies. However, due to Bucknum’s poor trades, he lost the majority of the funds invested. As a result, Bucknum embezzled additional funds in an attempt to recover his losses. Between 2017 and 2023, Bucknum embezzled approximately $30,000,000 from CCN to invest, returning approximately $7,000,000 to CCN over that same time frame.
Bucknum also embezzled funds from CCN for personal purchases, including $100,000 to purchase a pickup truck, $77,000 to purchase a Tesla, and $33,000 to purchase a boat. In August 2024, Bucknum embezzled $1,199,000 to purchase precious metal coins. In total, Bucknum caused a loss to CCN of approximately $24,368,427.37. As part of his plea agreement, Bucknum has agreed to forfeit to the United States the pickup truck, Tesla, boat, and precious metal coins, including coins in gold, silver, and platinum all obtained with embezzled funds.
Bucknum is scheduled for a sentencing hearing on September 23, 2026. The Plea Agreement can be found here.
The case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Jeremy J. Kelley and Frieda K. Zimmerman.
2:26-cr-0062-TORFlorida Woman Pleads Guilty for Role in Business Email ScamRead the Press Release
ABINGDON, Va. – A Florida woman pleaded guilty to conspiring with others to execute a business email compromise scheme that stole more than $3 million from victims throughout the United States.
Zamar McPherson, 49, of Boynton Beach, Florida, pled guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit bank and wire fraud and two counts of wire fraud. She has agreed to pay restitution for the entire scope of her criminal conduct. In addition, she has agreed to forfeit $154,474.85.
Two of McPherson’s coconspirators—Garland Shelton, 57, of Wytheville, Virginia, and Olivia Oxley, 35, of Brooklyn, New York—each pleaded guilty last year to one count of conspiracy to commit bank and wire fraud. McPherson, Shelton, and Oxley each face up to 30 years in prison for their roles in this conspiracy.
According to court documents, McPherson conspired with Shelton, Oxley, and others to engage in a business email compromise scheme. The victims in this case had planned to send legitimate wire payments to certain payees. A member of the conspiracy compromised the email accounts of these payees, however, and provided new account information for the wire payments to the victims. The victims were then defrauded into sending large sums of money to bank accounts belonging to McPherson, Shelton, and Oxley. McPherson, Shelton, and Oxley created and utilized personal and illegitimate business accounts at various financial institutions to facilitate these fraudulent wire transfer payments.
First Assistant United States Attorney Robert N. Tracci, Ian Kaufmann, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Richmond Division and Special Agent in Charge Eric Weindorf of Homeland Security Investigations Washington, D.C. made the announcement.
Several law enforcement agencies throughout the United States investigated the case, including Homeland Security Investigations Washington, D.C., St. Paul; Federal Bureau of Investigation; Eden Prairie, Minnesota Police Department; Virginia State Police; Middlesex County, New Jersey Prosecutor’s Office; and Palm Beach County, Florida Sheriff’s Office.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Corey Hall is prosecuting the case.
Federal Charges Announced in Multi-Million Dollar Medicaid Fraud Scheme and Prescription Drug Diversion Conspiracy; Announcement Made as Part of Justice Department’s National Health Care Fraud TakedownRead the Press Release
Milwaukee, Wisconsin – Brad D. Schimel, First Assistant United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, announced charges issued in the Eastern District of Wisconsin as part of a strategically coordinated, nationwide law enforcement action.
The first charge announced was against Jasmine Cooper, 37, of Brown Deer, Wisconsin, who is charged by information with health care fraud and aggravated identity theft in connection with a scheme to defraud Wisconsin Medicaid. As charged in the Information, Cooper, who was authorized to run a prenatal care coordination agency (PNCC) to assist at risk pregnant women and women with children, submitted thousands of false claims in which she claimed her company provided much-needed services that beneficiaries never received. Throughout the scheme, Cooper misstated the duration, frequency, date, and nature of services provided. Cooper submitted these false claims to Wisconsin Medicaid between 2019 and 2022. The Information also charges that as part of her scheme to defraud, Cooper committed aggravated identity theft by using the means of identification of another person without lawful authority.
As a result of the scheme, Cooper submitted over $5.8 million in fraudulent claims to Wisconsin Medicaid, of which over $5.4 million was paid. On the same day that charges were filed, the United States also filed a signed plea agreement indicating Cooper’s intention to plead guilty to the charges. A change of plea hearing is scheduled for July 9, 2026, at 10:00 before the Honorable Chief District Judge Pamela Pepper.
Cooper’s charges come on the heels of four similar schemes charged by the Eastern District of Wisconsin. Combined with the charges against Cooper, these fraudulent schemes have cost Wisconsin Medicaid over $15.5 million between 2019 and 2022. Cooper’s case, as well as the similar PNCC-related schemes were investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation with substantial assistance from the Wisconsin Department of Justice Medicaid Fraud and Elder Abuse Control Unit. The cases are being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kate M. Biebel and Julie F. Stewart.
The second charge was against Jerry Jones III, 70, of Mequon, Wisconsin. Jones was charged by information with conspiracy to distribute controlled substances. As alleged in the information, Dr. Jones was a medical provider authorized by the Drug Enforcement Administration to distribute controlled substances as part of a legitimate medical purpose.
Instead, between January 2021 and September 2025, Dr. Jones conspired to distribute controlled substances such as amphetamine-dextroamphetamine, methylphenidate, buprenorphine, diazepam, lorazepam, alprazolam, and pregabalin outside the usual course of professional practice and not for a legitimate medical purpose. As part of the conspiracy, Dr. Jones distributed 12,885 pills of Adderall, 8,121 pills of Ritalin, 143,282 units of Schedule III controlled substances, 35,944 units of Schedule IV controlled substances, and 12,374 units of Schedule V controlled substances.
On the same day that charges were filed, the United States also filed a signed plea agreement indicating that Dr. Jones intends to be plead guilty to the charges. A change of plea hearing is scheduled for June 29, 2026, at 11:15 a.m. before the Honorable Lynn Adelman. As part of the plea agreement Dr. Jones agreed to forfeit $294,850.72 in proceeds of the unlawful conspiracy. The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration Diversion Investigations Unit. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Julie F. Stewart.
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The charges announced by First Assistant United States Attorney Schimel are part of a strategically coordinated, nationwide law enforcement action that resulted in charges against 455 defendants, including 90 doctors and other licensed medical professionals, for their alleged participation in health care fraud and opioid abuse schemes involving over $6.5 billion in false claims and significant patient harm, including death.
The nationwide takedown, announced on June 23, 2026, represented a new era in federal, state, and international cooperation to combat health care fraud: cases in 56 federal districts and 45 U.S. states and territories, with 50 state Medicaid Fraud Control Units participating, the most in Department history. In addition, unprecedented international cooperation over the two-week Takedown resulted in the apprehension and return to the United States of the following health care fraudsters: one defendant in Kyrenia in connection with an over $3.7 billion scheme; two defendants in Estonia in connection with a previously charged $10.6 billion scheme; and, in the Philippines, one of FBI’s Most Wanted Fraudsters in connection with a previously-charged $1.2 billion telemedicine fraud scheme.
The Takedown involved the cutting-edge use of data analytics to target the worst actors; the seizure of over $182 million in cash, luxury vehicles, jewelry, and other assets; and full-spectrum accountability for all criminal actors from doctor’s offices to corporate boardrooms.
The nationwide enforcement action involved a whole-of-government approach, including:
• Actions by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to suspend 1,079 providers and revoke billing privileges for 1,403 providers.
• 48 Civil Monetary Payment settlements amounting to over $73 million, over 1,400 provider exclusions, and 25 actions by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General (“HHS-OIG”) under the Civil Monetary Penalties Law seeking more than $10 billion in payments to the Medicare Trust Fund from payments that CMS caught and suspended before the funds were paid to the fraudulent providers.
• Civil charges against 13 defendants for $14.8 million in health care fraud schemes, as well as civil settlements with 31 defendants totaling $23 million.
• 928 administrative cases by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) seeking the revocation of authority to handle and/or prescribe controlled substances since October 1, 2025.
The cases are being prosecuted by the Health Care Fraud Unit’s National Rapid Response, Florida, Gulf Coast, Los Angeles, Midwest, New England, Northeast, Texas, and West Coast Strike Forces; U.S. Attorneys’ Offices for the Middle District of Alabama, District of Arizona, Central District of California, Southern District of California, District of Colorado, District of Connecticut, District of Delaware, Middle District of Florida, Northern District of Florida, Southern District of Florida, Northern District of Georgia, District of Hawaii, District of Idaho, Northern District of Illinois, Northern District of Iowa, Southern District of Iowa, Western District of Kentucky, Eastern District of Louisiana, Middle District of Louisiana, District of Massachusetts, Eastern District of Michigan, Southern District of Mississippi, District of Montana, District of Nebraska, District of New Hampshire, District of New Jersey, District of New Mexico, Eastern District of New York, Northern District of New York, Southern District of New York, Eastern District of North Carolina, Middle District of North Carolina, Western District of North Carolina, Northern District of Ohio, Northern District of Oklahoma, Western District of Oklahoma, District of Oregon, Eastern District of Pennsylvania, Middle District of Pennsylvania, Western District of Pennsylvania, District of Puerto Rico, District of Rhode Island, District of South Carolina, District of South Dakota, Middle District of Tennessee, Western District of Tennessee, Northern District of Texas, Southern District of Texas, Western District of Texas, District of Vermont, Eastern District of Virginia, Western District of Virginia, Northern District of West Virginia, Southern District of West Virginia, Eastern District of Wisconsin, and Western District of Wisconsin; and State Attorneys General’s Offices, through their MFCUs, in Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Utah, Vermont, Virgin Islands, Washington, Wisconsin, and West Virginia.
Descriptions of each case involved in the nationwide enforcement action are available on the Department’s website here.
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.
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For further information contact:Public Affairs Officer Steve Caballero
(414) 297-1700
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Fake ID Dealer Pleads GuiltyRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – A Fluvanna County man, who used social media platforms to sell hundreds of fraudulent IDs to underage customers, pled guilty in U.S. District Court.
Sebastian Andres Arquilla, 22, of Palmyra, Virginia, pled guilty to knowingly transferring in the mail false identification documents that were and appeared to be driver’s licenses.
According to court documents, beginning in 2022 and continuing through October 2024, Arquilla advertised, sold, and shipped fake identification documents, primarily “scannable” driver’s licenses, to underage customers around the country using a variety of social media platforms and the U.S. mail.
Arquilla created accounts in the name of “The Novelty Team” to market the fake identification documents online using social media platforms, including Instagram, Snapchat, Telegram, and Discord.
Through “The Novelty Team,” Arquilla sold hyper-realistic, polycarbonate IDs for $125 apiece and promised customers they “scan everywhere. All bars/clubs, grocery stores, liquor stores, cannabis dispensaries, vape shops.”
As part of his guilty plea, Arquilla agreed to forfeit at least $84,449 in illicit profits, as well as electronic devices and a magnetic scanner device.
First Assistant United States Attorney Robert N. Tracci and Postal Inspector in Charge Damon E. Wood made the announcement.
The United States Postal Inspection Service investigated the case.
Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher B. Browne is prosecuting the case.
Elizabeth Resident Pleads Guilty and is Sentenced to 90 Months in Prison for Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, Pa. - A resident of Elizabeth, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty in federal court to the charge of possessing a firearm as a convicted felon, United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.
On June 23rd, Dontae Gilbert pleaded guilty to one count of violating Title 18, United States Code, Section 922(g)(1) before United States District Judge Cathy Bissoon.
In connection with the guilty plea, the Court was advised that Gilbert was one of two men who, on May 23, 2024, fired a gun at a residence located in the 300 block of E. 18th Avenue in Homestead. Gilbert used a stolen Smith & Wesson pistol to shoot at the home, then attempted to flee the scene with his co-defendant in a black Kia. Law enforcement was able to stop the vehicle and found Gilbert in the driver’s seat of the car with the pistol under his seat. Ballistic testing matched the firearm to spent shell casings found on E. 18th Avenue and gunshot residue was found on Gilbert’s hand.
As laid forth in the Indictment that charged him, Gilbert was previously convicted in federal court for possessing with the intent to distribute fentanyl and heroin, and for possessing a firearm in furtherance of that drug trafficking crime. In his prior matter, Gilbert was sentenced to 68 months of incarceration followed by three years of supervised release. Gilbert was only 9 or so weeks into that term of supervision when he possessed and fired the Smith & Wesson on May 23rd. Gilbert therefore also violated the terms and conditions of his supervision by committing these acts.
Judge Bissoon agreed to allow Gilbert to proceed to sentencing on the same date as his guilty plea. In the combined hearing, Gilbert also admitted to violating the terms of his supervised release and the Court revoked his supervision. Gilbert was sentenced to a total of 90 months of incarceration followed by another three years of supervised release.
Assistant United States Attorney Barbara K. Doolittle prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
United States Attorney Rivetti commended the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the Munhall and Homestead Police Departments, and the Allegheny County Sheriff’s Department for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Dontae Gilbert.
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.
DuBois Resident Indicted on Social Security Fraud ChargesRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, Pa. – A resident of DuBois, Pennsylvania, has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh on fraud and theft of government property charges, United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.
The two-count Indictment named Steven Paul Gearhart, 61, as the sole defendant.
According to the Indictment, from in and around April 2022 until in and around June 2024, Gearhart concealed and failed to disclose events to the Social Security Administration with the intent to fraudulently misuse Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits as representative payee for his personal use. SSI is a monthly, needs-based payment benefit that is afforded to people with disabilities and the elderly who have little or no income. Applicants are required to report their wages, assets, and living arrangements as those matters are considered by the Social Security Administration when determining eligibility for SSI. The Indictment further alleges that Gearhart converted SSI benefits as a representative payee to his personal use and stole over $1,000 in SSI benefits.
The law provides for a maximum total sentence of not more than 10 years in prison, a fine of $250,000 or both. Under the federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorney Maureen Sheehan-Balchon is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Social Security Administration – Office of Inspector General conducted the investigation leading to the Indictment.
An indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division (Fraud Division). The Fraud Division is investigating and prosecuting those who commit fraud against the American people. The Department’s work to combat fraud supports President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within federal benefit programs.
Drug Dealing Duo Indicted for Drug Distribution ChargesRead the Press Release
Pensacola, Florida – James Christopher Bradford, 34, of Pensacola, Florida, and William Kody Montgomery, 38, of Mobile, Alabama, have both been indicted in federal court on one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances. Bradford was also indicted for one count of distribution of Ketamine and MDMA. Montgomery was indicted for one count of distribution of cocaine and a separate count of distribution of LSD, MDMA, and cocaine. John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida, announced the charges.
Bradford and Montgomery appeared before United States Magistrate Judge Zachary C. Bolitho for their initial appearances at the United States Courthouse in Pensacola, Florida. Trial is scheduled for July 6, 2026, at 8:30 am in Pensacola before District Court Judge M. Casey Rodgers.
If convicted, Bradford and Montgomery face at least 5 years’ imprisonment, and up to 40 imprisonment on the conspiracy count. Bradford faces up to 20 years’ imprisonment on the distribution of Ketamine and MDMA count. Montgomery faces at least 5 years’ imprisonment, and up to 40 years’ imprisonment, on the distribution of LSD, MDMA, and cocaine count; and up to 20 years’ imprisonment on the distribution of cocaine count.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration with assistance from the Naval Criminal Investigative Service. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Brooke Lindsay.
An indictment is merely an allegation by a grand jury that a defendant has committed a violation of federal criminal law and is not evidence of guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial, during which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndfl.
Dominican National Sentenced to 4 Years in Federal Prison for Role in Hartford-Area Drug Trafficking RingRead the Press Release
David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that ONIEL ACOSTA-REYES, 27, a citizen of the Dominican Republic residing in Hartford, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Stefan R. Underhill in Bridgeport to 48 months of imprisonment and two years of supervised release for a fentanyl trafficking offense.
According to court documents and statements made in court, an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Hartford Task Force revealed that members of a Hartford-area drug trafficking ring were using an apartment on Franklin Avenue in Hartford as a stash location for narcotics. On August 25, 2025, investigators stopped Acosta-Reyes and an associate as they exited the apartment carrying a large cooler. On August 25, 2025, investigators stopped Acosta-Reyes and an associate after they exited the apartment and placed a large cooler in their car. When investigators searched the cooler, they found a kilogram brick of fentanyl, bags of powder fentanyl, cutting agent, and parts for a mechanical press. A subsequent search of the apartment revealed additional drug trafficking paraphernalia, a kilogram drug press, and two firearms.
Acosta-Reyes has been detained since his arrest on August 25, 2025. On March 24, 2026, he pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl.
This investigation is being conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Hartford Task Force, which includes personnel from the DEA Hartford Resident Office, the Connecticut State Police, and the Bristol, Hartford, East Hartford, Enfield, Manchester, New Britain, Rocky Hill, Wethersfield, and Windsor Locks Police Departments. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert S. Dearington.
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.
Defendant Sentenced to 78 Months for sourcing Spokane-Area IPO Blood Criminal Street GangRead the Press Release
Spokane, Washington — First Assistant United States Attorney Pete Serrano announced that on June 23, 2026, United States District Court Judge Rebecca Pennell sentenced Jessica Demaine, age 39, to 78 months in federal prison to be followed by 3 years of supervised release for her role in a trafficking methamphetamine to the IPO Blood criminal street gang operating in the Spokane area.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives initiated an investigation in 2025 into members of a Spokane based “IPO Blood” violent criminal street gang. An undercover ATF agent purchased multiple firearms as well as a large quantity of methamphetamine from members of this group. During one of the buys, ATF learned the source of supply for the methamphetamine being sold was a woman whose 3-year-old child had gotten into the source’s “pow” (street slang for fentanyl) and overdosed. Review of local news articles and police reports revealed the source likely to be Jessica Demaine. Demaine is currently pending state charges stemming from this incident and is presumed innocent (Spokane County Superior Court case 25-1-00660-32). Demaine has claimed her boyfriend, Cameron Franklin, was responsible for the minor child’s overdose.
Follow-up investigation by both the ATF and Drug Enforcement Administration confirmed that Demaine was acting as a source of supply to the IPO street gang. Evidence as to Demaine’s role as a drug source of supply was in part confirmed by several sources of information, phone records, text messages, and CashApp records.
Demaine was federally indicted for her role as a source of supply to the gang and arrested in May of 2025. Demaine was released, over the United States’ objection, to attend inpatient treatment in June 2025. The Court then allowed her to live at an Oxford House (clean and sober house) and ultimately with her sister in the Cheney, Washington area.
In December 2025, Demaine tested positive for methamphetamine, and a warrant was issued for her arrest. The next day, Demaine was located at Franklin’s Spokane-area residence when a federal search warrant was executed by DEA stemming from their continued investigation into the Mexico-based source of supply. Demaine was arrested and detained pending sentencing. At her detention hearing, it was learned that despite claims she was caring for an elderly gentlemen, Adult Protective Services (“APS”) was called out to assist and advised the residence was “in complete filth.” In revoking her pre-trial release and ordering her detained, Magistrate Judge Ekstrom found Demaine was not taking her federal charges seriously, despite the gravity of the situation.
In March 2026, Demaine pled guilty to Conspiracy to Distribute methamphetamine and was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Pennel on June 23, 2026, to 78 months in federal prison to be followed by 3 years of supervised release. In imposing sentence, Judge Pennell found that Demaine was a risk to the community, noting that even after almost losing her child to a drug overdose, she did not change her behavior. Instead, she remained involved with the very man Demaine claimed was at fault and continued to traffic drugs into the community. Judge Pennell also commented on Demaine’s lack of acceptance of responsibility for her criminal conduct emphasizing that she was not the victim in this case.
First Assistant United States Attorney Pete Serrano said, “This sentence was well deserved in this case given Demaine’s wanton disregard for the safety of the community, including her own child and a vulnerable, elderly gentleman whom she claimed was in her care. I commend ATF, DEA and our local partners for diligently pursuing Demaine, who is connected with an international criminal organization.”
“Jessica Demaine’s sentence underscores the devastating impact that drug traffickers have on our communities when they choose profit over human life,” said Robert A. Saccone, Special Agent in Charge, DEA Seattle Field Division. “By supplying methamphetamine to a violent criminal street gang, Demaine helped fuel the cycle of addiction, violence, and exploitation that threatens public safety in Spokane.”
“Rather than accepting responsibility for her profound betrayal of both the law and the most basic responsibilities of parenthood, Ms. Demaine continues to play the victim,” said ATF Seattle Field Division Special Agent in Charge Jonathan Blais. “But no amount of excuses, deflection, or self-pity can erase the harm caused by her trafficking poison into our community. ATF will remain relentless in its pursuit of drug traffickers, and we will work tirelessly to ensure they are held accountable for the destruction left in their wake.”
For additional information, please contact the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Washington.
2:25-CR-0075-RLP-1Denham Springs Man Sentenced to 30 Months in Federal Prison for Assaulting a Postal EmployeeRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Kurt L. Wall announced that Cody Gaspard, age 27, of Denham Springs, Louisiana, was sentenced to 30 months in federal prison following his conviction for assaulting a postal employee. U.S. District Judge Brian A. Jackson further sentenced Gaspard to serve two years of supervised release following his term of imprisonment.
“Postal employees perform an essential public service in every community,” said U.S. Attorney Wall. “They deserve to carry out their duties free from threats, intimidation, and violence. While we are pleased with this conviction, the defendant’s actions are inexcusable and warranted an even harsher sentence. When a federal employee is assaulted while serving the public, this office will aggressively prosecute those responsible and seek sentences that reflect the seriousness of those crimes.”
On April 15, 2025, a United States Postal Service rural letter carrier was delivering mail and packages at an apartment complex in Livingston Parish when Gaspard confronted her over packages that had not yet been delivered. The evidence at trial established that what began as a verbal dispute quickly escalated into a violent assault.
Witnesses testified that Gaspard repeatedly confronted the mail carrier as she attempted to continue performing her delivery duties. During the encounter, Gaspard directed racially charged insults at the mail carrier, followed her through the apartment complex, physically grabbed her by the neck, and assaulted her for more than a minute, eventually lifting her and slamming her to the ground. The assault ended only after another resident intervened to help the mail carrier escape.
Gaspard was found guilty of this crime after a three-day jury trial in March 2026.
During sentencing, the Court also considered a victim impact statement submitted by the National Rural Letter Carriers’ Association on behalf of approximately 130,000 rural letter carriers nationwide. The Association explained that violence against postal employees extends beyond the individual victim, undermining the safety of postal workers across the country and threatening the public’s ability to receive reliable mail service. The Association urged the Court to impose a sentence that reflected the seriousness of the offense, recognized the physical and emotional harm inflicted on the mail carrier, and deterred future acts of violence against postal employees performing their official duties.
U.S. Attorney Kurt L. Wall praised the work of the United States Postal Inspection Service and Livingston Parish Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jamie A. Flowers, Jr. and Ellison C. Travis led the prosecution.
D.C. Woman Sentenced to 29 Years in Prison for 2023 Rock Creek Parkway Crash That Killed 3 PeopleRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Nakita Walker, 45, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today to 29 years in prison, for the March 15, 2023, vehicular deaths of three people on the Rock Creek Parkway, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
Walker was found guilty of three counts of involuntary manslaughter for each of the occupants of the car she struck, one count of fleeing a law enforcement officer, and one count of assault with a dangerous weapon on April 6, 2026. The Honorable Judge Rainey Brandt of the D.C. Superior Court, sentenced Walker to the prison term.
“Three lives were lost because of Nakita Walker’s reckless and violent choices,” said U.S. Attorney Pirro. “Their families now carry a grief that can never fully heal. Today’s sentence reflects the profound harm caused and reinforces that fleeing law enforcement and endangering others has devastating consequences.”
According to the government’s evidence, on the evening of March 14, 2023, Walker went to a movie and hung out with friends. She drove home in the early hours of March 15, 2023, and was pulled over by a Park Police officer for speeding and running a red light in front of him. She initially complied with the stop, then midway through she took off in the vehicle, reaching speeds of 100 mph on Rock Creek Parkway. While fleeing, she crossed the double-yellow lane line and crashed into another vehicle, killing all three of its occupants.
Joining the announcement was Chief Scott Brecht of the United States Park Police.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Pirro and Chief Brecht commended the work of those who investigated this case from the United States Park Police and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia. They acknowledged the work of Assistant U.S. Attorney Jamie Carter, who prosecuted and tried the case.
2023 CF1 003258
Court Clears Way for Energy Development in Gulf of AmericaRead the Press Release
The U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland today dismissed a lawsuit challenging the National Marine Fisheries Service’s 2025 biological opinion and incidental take statement for oil and gas activities in the Gulf of America. The court held that the case is moot and that it lacks jurisdiction to proceed because the Endangered Species Committee exempted those activities from the requirements of the Endangered Species Act (ESA). The dismissal was effective yesterday.
On March 31, the Endangered Species Committee voted unanimously to exempt all Gulf of America oil and gas activities from the ESA, after the Secretary of War found that the exemption was necessary for reasons of national security. This is the first exemption the committee has ever granted on national security grounds. As the United States explained in its motion to dismiss, the exemption removed the underlying federal action from the ESA’s requirements. With this exemption, the challenged biological opinion and incidental take statement retain no legal force, leaving no live controversy for the court to resolve and no effective relief it could grant.
“The Endangered Species Committee’s exemption reflects a judgment at the highest levels of government that producing American energy in the Gulf of America is essential to our national security,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Adam Gustafson of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division (ENRD). “Today’s decision clears away litigation that threatened development in the Gulf, in furtherance of President Donald J. Trump’s directive to unleash American energy.”
The Endangered Species Committee consists of six senior federal officials and is chaired by the Secretary of the Interior. Congress authorized the Committee to exempt agency actions from Section 7 of the ESA and directed that it grant an exemption whenever the Secretary of War determines that an exemption is necessary for reasons of national security. Because that exemption now governs the Gulf oil and gas program, today’s dismissal ensures that the ESA cannot be used to disrupt energy production the government has determined is vital to the Nation.
Attorneys with ENRD’s Wildlife and Marine Resources Section handled this matter.
Convicted Firearms Trafficker Arrested for Possessing Firearms and AmmunitionRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A convicted firearms trafficker from Revere was arrested and charged today in federal court in Boston for being a felon in possession of firearms.
Cory Daigle, 31, of Revere, Mass. was charged with being a felon in possession of firearms and ammunition. Daigle made an initial appearance in federal court in Boston today and was ordered detained pending a hearing scheduled for June 30, 2026.
In August 2024, Daigle was convicted of unlawfully trafficking in firearms, possessing a machinegun, receiving or possessing an unregistered firearm and additional firearms-related offenses. Daigle was sentenced to approximately two years in prison in that case and had only been released from Bureau of Prisons custody a few weeks before he was allegedly found to possess at least eight firearms, more than 100 rounds of ammunition and additional firearm components during a search of his residence on June 25, 2026.
The charge of being a felon in possession of firearms and ammunition provides for a sentence of up to 15 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Jeff Grimming, Acting Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England; Jason Buckley, Acting Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service’s Boston Division; and Thomas Greco, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Boston Field Division made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Revere and Boston Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorney Julissa Walsh of the Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the charging document are allegations. The defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in the court of law.
Columbia Felon Indicted for Illegally Possessing Gun Connected to 2025 Shooting IncidentRead the Press Release
COLUMBIA, S.C. — A federal grand jury in Columbia returned a single-count indictment, presented by the U.S. Attorney’s Office, charging Jeremiah Antwon Tyleek Drawhorn, 23, for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
According to statements made in court, on June 27, 2025, Drawhorn fired multiple rounds at a group of individuals in the Colony Apartments. When arrested on warrants for charges stemming from that incident, Drawhorn had a 9 mm pistol and ammunition in the car he was driving. Further investigation revealed that Drawhorn’s girlfriend had recently purchased the firearm and that the firearm had been used in the June 27 shooting.
Drawhorn has prior convictions for domestic violence, unlawful carrying of a firearm, assault and battery, among other offenses. His criminal history prohibits Drawhorn from possessing a firearm or ammunition.
Drawhorn faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in federal prison. He also faces a fine of up to $250,000, and three years of supervision to follow the term of imprisonment. Drawhorn is currently detained pending trial.
Drawhorn also participated in the April 2025 Ceasefire program hosted by the City of Columbia Police Department. The Ceasefire program identifies prior offenders who are at risk of future firearms offenses and introduces them to community resources such as substance abuse treatment and employment services. During participation in the program, law enforcement emphasizes the likelihood of future state and federal prosecution if participants, like Drawhorn, reoffend.
This case was investigated by Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Columbia Police Department, and the Richland County Sheriff’s Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Todd Timmons is prosecuting the case.
All charges in the indictment are merely accusations and defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.###
California State Prison Inmate and Las Vegas Woman Charged with Conspiracy to Extort and Stalking a Victim in WashingtonRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned a two-count indictment today charging D’Andre Davis, 39, formerly of Stockton, and Nicole Nowak, 31, of Las Vegas, Nevada, with conspiracy to extort money by means of threatening communications and stalking. The indictment also charges Davis with a separate count of stalking the same victim, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced.
According to court documents, in July 2021, Davis contacted a victim in Washington state through Instagram and Facebook messages. Although the victim initially engaged in a consensual online relationship with Davis, the victim attempted to end the relationship when Davis began to repeatedly and aggressively demand money. Davis was serving a sentence in a California state prison at the time and used a combination of contraband cellphones and an inmate telephone and messaging service to contact the victim. In May 2024, Nowak assisted Davis, and they threatened to send to the victim’s business associates, clients, family members, and friends compromising images that the victim had shared with Davis unless the victim continued to send money. The victim sent more than $35,000 to Davis and Nowak before contacting the FBI.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation Office of Internal Affairs conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney David Gappa is prosecuting the case.
A federal magistrate judge ordered Nowak detained as a danger to the community on June 16, 2026. Davis is currently serving a prison sentence at Kern Valley State Prison. Both defendants will appear before a federal magistrate judge in Fresno on a date to be determined.
If convicted of the conspiracy charge, Davis and Nowak face a maximum statutory penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine. If convicted of the stalking charge, Davis faces a maximum statutory penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
California Man Sentenced to Six Years in Prison for Role in Abduction and Extortion of Victim in PeekskillRead the Press Release
United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Jay Clayton, announced that LEWIS LI was sentenced today to six years in prison by U.S. District Judge Philip M. Halpern for his role in the forceful abduction and extortion of a man in Peekskill, New York.
"Today’s sentence reflects the seriousness of this crime and the fear and trauma that Li inflicted on the victim,” said U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton. “Abducting a man in broad daylight, beating him up, and threatening him and his family is a grave offense that ravages the sense of safety that every community deserves. Our Office remains committed to protecting the public and ensuring that those who endanger our communities face justice.”
According to the charging instruments, other public filings, and statements in public court proceedings:
On January 28, 2025, LI and his co-conspirators forcefully abducted and threatened their business partner (“Victim-1”) in an effort to obtain almost $1 million from Victim-1. LI and his co-conspirators planned and prepared for the abduction for at least five days beforehand, taking steps that included purchasing and placing a GPS tracker on the underside of Victim-1’s car, surveilling Victim-1’s home, and digging through Victim-1’s trash. At approximately 11:30 a.m. on January 28, 2025, LI and three co-conspirators followed and abducted Victim-1 outside of a grocery store on Park Street in Peekskill, New York, forcing Victim-1 into the backseat of a vehicle driven by one of the co-conspirators (“CC-1”) in broad daylight. LI and his co-conspirators restrainedVictim-1 in the Jeep for approximately one hour and 45 minutes, before dropping Victim-1 off on the street in Elmsford, New York. During that time, LI and his co-conspirators beat and used a stun gun on Victim-1 and threatened Victim-1 to return approximately $930,000 in cash that LI believed Victim-1 had stolen.
While Victim-1 was in the vehicle, LI and his co-conspirators also threatened Victim-1, in sum and substance, that the money belonged to people involved in organized crime, that Victim-1 owed them an additional $100,000, and that the lives of Victim-1 and Victim-1’s family were in danger unless Victim-1 paid the additional sum. LI and the others also forced Victim-1 to record a video admitting that Victim-1 had taken the money. As a result of the abduction, force, and threats, Victim-1 arranged for the disputed cash to be picked up by two of LI’s co-conspirators at a location in Peekskill, New York. Only after the cash had been retrieved and counted did LI and his co-conspirators release Victim-1 from the vehicle, dropping Victim-1 on the street in Elmsford, New York.
In the days following the abduction, LI and CC-1 continued to threaten to harm Victim-1 and his family in an ongoing effort to extort $100,000 from him. LI was arrested approximately one week after the abduction, before Victim-1 made any further payments. In the apartment where LI was arrested, officers found, among other items, a stun gun and LI’s phone, which LI had hidden in the oven.
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In addition to the prison term, LI, 36, of Huntington Beach, California, was sentenced to three years of supervised release and ordered to forfeit $910,000.
Mr. Clayton praised the outstanding investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Westchester Safe Streets Task Force.
The case is being handled by the Office’s White Plains Division. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jorja Knauer and Benjamin Levander are in charge of the prosecution.
California Man Charged with Distributing and Producing Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
A federal grand jury in the Central District of California returned an indictment yesterday charging Andrew Dominguez, 37, of Los Angeles, California, with producing and distributing child sexual abuse material (CSAM). Dominguez also faces charges for committing these offenses while registered as a sex offender.
According to court documents, Dominguez attempted to entice three minors to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purposes of producing a visual depiction of such conduct in 2013, 2014, and 2023. He also distributed CSAM videos of a minor and used a facility of interstate commerce to entice minors to engage in sexual acts.
Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division made the announcement.
Dominguez is charged with two counts of production of child pornography, one count of attempted production of child pornography, two counts of coercion and enticement of a minor, one count of distribution of child pornography, and one count of committing a felony offense involving a minor while being required to register as a sex offender. If convicted, Dominguez faces a maximum penalty of life in prison.
The FBI Los Angeles Office, Victorville Resident Agency is investigating the case, with assistance from the FBI Denver Office, the Los Angeles Police Department, and the Denver District Attorney’s Office.
Senior Trial Attorney Jennifer Toritto Leonardo of the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS) and Trial Attorney Slava Kuperstein of the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section (HRSP) are prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
An indictment is merely an allegation. The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
Buckeye Man Sentenced to Ten Months in Prison for Laser Strikes on United States Air Force F-35 Fighter JetsRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz – William Wilson, 56, of Buckeye, Arizona, was sentenced on June 15, by United States District Judge Steven P. Logan to ten months in prison for aiming a laser pointer at U.S. Air Force F-35 Fighter Jets.
“Military pilots risk their lives to protect Americans. They should not have to worry about threats from people on the ground when they are training here at home,” said U.S. Attorney Timothy Courchaine. “Interfering with any aircraft is dangerous and the United States Attorney’s Office can and will protect our pilots by bringing bad actors to justice.”
“Directing a laser pointer at aircraft of any kind, much less an F-35 Air Force fighter jet, is extremely dangerous and a federal felony,” said FBI Phoenix Special Agent in Charge Rebecca Day. “The FBI advises people to think twice before committing this crime because we’re focused on identifying and investigating people who do, and a federal prosecution could lead you straight to prison.”
“Interfering with aircraft by pointing lasers or any other means is dangerous and illegal. It puts the safety of the aircrew, passengers, and everyone on the ground in jeopardy,” said Special Agent Keith M. Daniels, Senior Enlisted Leader, AFOSI Detachment 421. “The Air Force Office of Special Investigations will continue to partner with local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies to hold offenders accountable for their actions.”
Wilson struck multiple United States Air Force F-35 jets training in the airspace around Luke Air Force Base with lasers between September 2024 and January 2025. On the night of January 8, 2025, an FBI surveillance plane captured video of the laser strikes coming from Wilson’s residence in Buckeye. Pilots of the FBI plane and of two F-35 jets were all struck by lasers that night. Wilson’s home was later searched, and two lasers, one red and one green, were found in his possession. Wilson admitted to agents that he had pointed the lasers at planes on several occasions.
On July 29, 2025, Wilson was indicted on four counts of Aiming a Laser Pointer at an Aircraft. Wilson later pleaded guilty to two of the counts.
The FBI’s Phoenix Division and Air Force Office of Special Investigations conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Abbie Broughton, District of Arizona, Phoenix, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-25-00391-PHX-SPL
RELEASE NUMBER: 2026-110_Wilson# # #
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.Bronx Man Sentenced to 27.5 Years in Prison for Enticing Two Minors, Committing A Felony Offense While Being A Registered Sex Offender, and Possessing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Jay Clayton, announced that JOSE MEDINA was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Lewis A. Kaplan to 27 and a half years in prison for coercing and enticing two minors, committing a felony offense while being a registered sex offender, and possessing child pornography. MEDINA previously pled guilty on March 11, 2026, before U.S. Magistrate Judge Gary Stein.
“Jose Medina coerced two minors, boys just seven and nine years old, to engage in sexual acts with their mother,” said U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton. “He then created child pornography videos depicting his crimes. Participating in this depraved act of sexual abuse was not the end. The defendant also physically assaulted the boys, including beating and tasing them. Today, I hope that some measure of justice has come for the victims.”
According to the Information, public filings, and statements made in public court proceedings:
In February 2024, while MEDINA was living in a truck with his then-girlfriend (“Female-1”) and Female-1’s two minor children (the “Victims”), he coerced and encouraged the Victims to engage in sexual acts with their mother, Female-1, including vaginal, oral, and anal sex. MEDINA recorded child pornography videos depicting these crimes. After MEDINA and Female-1 ended their relationship in September 2024, MEDINA returned home to the Bronx, New York, where he distributed the child pornography videos to at least three individuals, including a family friend who promptly reported MEDINA to child protective services. Further investigation revealed that MEDINA had been physically, emotionally, and sexually abusing the Victims, while they were in his and Female-1’s care.
At the time MEDINA coerced the Victims to engage in sexual acts with Female-1, he was already a registered sex offender, based on a prior conviction for raping a 14-year-old girl.
* * *
In addition to the prison term, MEDINA, 57, of the Bronx, New York, was sentenced to five years of supervised release.
Mr. Clayton praised the outstanding investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
The prosecution is being handled by the Office’s General Crimes Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorney Remy Grosbard is in charge of the prosecution.
Bridgeport Man Sentenced to 5 Years in Federal Prison for Trafficking FentanylRead the Press Release
David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that JAIME SANTIAGO, 44, of Bridgeport, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Victor A. Bolden in New Haven to 60 months of imprisonment and four years of supervised release for distributing fentanyl.
According to court documents and statements made in court, in 2024, the FBI’s Bridgeport Safe Streets Task Force and Bridgeport Police Department investigated an open-air drug market that was operating in the area of Noble Avenue and Shelton Street in Bridgeport. Between March and September 2024, investigators made 11 controlled purchases of narcotics from various sellers. The investigation, which also included court-authorized wiretaps and physical surveillance, revealed that Santiago and others supplied fentanyl to the drug sellers.
Santiago was arrested on February 12, 2025. On January 22, 2026, he pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute, and to distribute, 40 grams or more of fentanyl.
Santiago, who is released on a $25,000 bond, is required to report to prison on September 24.
This investigation has been conducted by the FBI Bridgeport Safe Streets Task Force, the Bridgeport Police Department, and the Stratford Police Department. The Task Force is composed of personnel from the FBI, Connecticut State Police, and the Bridgeport, Norwalk, and Trumbull Police Departments. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Lauren C. Clark.
Bozeman man sentenced to 14 months for threatening elected state, federal officialsRead the Press Release
MISSOULA – A Bozeman man who threatened elected officials online and at the state capitol was sentenced today to 14 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release, Acting U.S. Attorney Mark Steger Smith said.
Daniel Alan Verbanec, 47, pleaded guilty in February 2026 to one count of threatening to murder or assault a United States official.
U.S. District Judge Dana L. Christensen presided.
The government alleged in court documents that Verbanec made aggressive, threatening online statements at elected representatives in Washington, D.C., and in Montana.
A special agent with the United States Capitol Police contacted the FBI in January 2025 to report that a man in Bozeman had made a number of violent threats on the social media platform X directed at Rep. Jim Jordan of Ohio.
The FBI contacted Verbanec, who told agents that the government was trying to kidnap and kill his family, including him. He also told agents that the FBI had contacted him before when he threatened then U.S. Sen. Jon Tester and that the Secret Service had contacted him after Verbanec had threatened Pres. Joe Biden.
Months later, in October 2025, Verbanec traveled to Helena, arriving at the state capitol building and demanding to speak to Gov. Greg Gianforte. Verbanec told Gianforte’s staff that the governor was trying to kill him and his family and that the governor was responsible for the murder of Charlie Kirk. He also told staff that he had made threats toward the governor before. Verbanec then told staff that he would not leave the building unless he spoke either to the governor, was arrested, or was forced out by police.
At that point, Verbanec learned the governor was in Bozeman attending a summit and announced that he planned to travel to Bozeman to confront him. Officers then escorted Verbanec from the building and contacted the governor’s security detail.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case. The FBI conducted the investigation.
Billings man sentenced to 16 months in prison for unlawfully possessing a firearmRead the Press Release
BILLINGS – A Billings man who was prohibited from possessing a firearm following a felony strangulation conviction was sentenced today to 16 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release, Acting U.S. Attorney Mark Steger Smith said.
Patrick Hunter Shaver, 34, pleaded guilty in January 2026 to one count of prohibited person in possession of a firearm.
U.S. District Judge William W. Mercer presided.
The government alleged in court documents that Shaver, a convicted felon prohibited from owning a firearm, was found at work with a handgun in his vehicle.
Shaver was convicted in March 2025 in Yellowstone County of felony strangulation of a partner or family member. As part of his conviction, he’s prohibited from possessing a firearm. On July 31, 2025, Billings police received a tip that a man named Pat Shaver had a gun. Police followed up the next day, contacting Shaver at work and asking him about the firearm. He acknowledged to the officers that he had a .32 caliber Beretta Tomcat in his vehicle along with seven rounds of ammunition.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case. The Billings Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives conducted the investigation.
Anchorage man sentenced for illegally trafficking firearms, including 3D printed firearm and machinegun conversion devicesRead the Press Release
ANCHORAGE, Alaska – An Anchorage man was sentenced today to 4.75 years in prison for trafficking firearms and illegally possessing a machine gun.
According to court documents, starting in January 2025, Kendon Rowcroft-Ivy, 20, began communicating via text message with an individual to arrange the sale of firearms. On Jan. 31, 2025, Rowcroft-Ivy met with the individual and sold them two machine gun conversion devices for $1,000. On Feb. 4, 2025, Rowcroft-Ivy sold the same individual 10 other conversion devices and a pistol with a silencer. Two days later, Rowcroft-Ivy sold the individual a 3D printed machinegun with a conversion device and ammunition for $700.
Machine gun conversion devices, aka “switches”, shoot automatically more than one shot, without manual reloading, by a single pull of the trigger. None of the firearms Rowcroft-Ivy sold to the individual were registered to him and the defendant never possessed a federal firearms license to deal firearms legally.
In total, Rowcroft-Ivy sold two firearms, 13 machinegun conversions devices (“MCDs”), and a silencer to two individuals over the course of 10 days for a total of $12,500.
In March 2025, a federal grand jury indicted Rowcroft-Ivy on three counts of trafficking in firearms, one count of unlicensed dealing in firearms, three counts of illegal possession of machine guns and one count of possession of a firearm with an obliterated serial number. Rowcroft-Ivy was placed on pretrial release with conditions that prohibited him from possessing firearms and controlled substances, including marijuana, but rearrested following a search of his residence and vehicle in September 2025.
Law enforcement learned that Rowcroft-Ivy was not living at the address he provided to pretrial services, and that he continued his criminal behavior while on pretrial release. Rowcroft-Ivy’s social media accounts revealed he continued to possess firearms, and advertise firearms and marijuana for sale.
During a search of his residence and vehicle on Sept. 18, 2025, law enforcement found multiple firearms, ammunition, and distribution level quantities of marijuana.
On March 12, 2026, Rowcroft-Ivy pleaded guilty to three counts of trafficking in firearms and one count of illegal possession of a machine gun. At sentencing, the Court also ordered Rowcroft-Ivy to serve three years on supervised release upon completion of his prison sentence.
“The defendant sold over a dozen firearms, including machinegun conversions devices and a 3D printed firearm, putting the Anchorage community at significant risk, as 3D printed firearms are extremely dangerous, increasingly abundant and difficult to track,” said U.S. Attorney Michael J. Heyman for the District of Alaska. “Multiple violations of his pretrial supervision and boasting posts on social media showcased Mr. Rowcroft-Ivy’s complete disregard for the law and accountability of his crimes. The message is simple, if you traffic illegal firearms, switches and ghost guns, you face time in federal prison.”
“The dangerousness of illegal machineguns and machinegun conversion devices cannot be overstated,” said Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Seattle Division Special Agent in Charge Jonathan Blais. “By distributing these items in bulk quantities, Mr. Rowcroft-Ivy became a direct threat to public safety, putting both law enforcement officers and Alaskans at risk. There will be no refuge for those who traffic these illegal firearms, and we will leverage every available resource to bring them to justice.”
The ATF Seattle Division investigated the case, with assistance from the Drug Enforcement Administration Seattle Field Division and Anchorage Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Mac Caille Petursson prosecuted the case.
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A Mexican National Unlawfully Residing in the United States Charged with Drug and Firearm OffensesRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Ore.—A Mexican national unlawfully residing in the United States has been indicted after investigators seized over 17.5 pounds of narcotics, firearms, and cash, announced U.S. Attorney Scott E. Bradford for the District of Oregon.
Baltazar Plata Bringas, 31, has been charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl, possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and unlawful possession of a firearm.
According to court documents, on May 26, 2026, investigators arrested Plata Bringas during a drug deal and found approximately 17 bags of methamphetamine in his car. In total, Plata Bringas had more than 8 kilograms of methamphetamine. Investigators searched Plata Bringas’ residence and found firearms and approximately $25,000.
Plata Bringas was arraigned on June 24, 2026, in federal court, pleaded not guilty, and ordered detained pending further court proceedings.
The Drug Enforcement Administration is investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Scott Kerin is prosecuting the case.
This case was investigated and prosecuted by the Oregon Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) as part of Operation Take Back America. HSTFs, which were established by President Trump in Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion, are joint operations led by the Department of Justice and the Department of Homeland Security. Operation Take Back America is a nationwide federal 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 more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN.
An indictment is only an accusation of a crime, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
A Lenoir County Social Services Employee Sentenced to Federal Prison for Stealing over $100k from SNAP BenefitsRead the Press Release
WILMINGTON, N.C. –A federal judge sentenced Deshaune White, a Wayne County man, to 6 months in federal prison and 6 months home confinement, followed by 3 years of supervised release for his role in a scheme to defraud more than $100k in Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits administered by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and managed by the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services, and county Division of Social Services (DSS). He also must pay a Forfeiture Money Judgment of $102,733.80.
On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division. The core mission of the Fraud Division is to zealously investigate and prosecute those who steal or fraudulently misuse taxpayer dollars. Department of Justice efforts to combat fraud support President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs.
“We are proud to prosecute this case as a part of the President’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud. This office will continue to hold accountable anyone who defrauds any of our taxpayer funded programs. This SNAP benefits fraudster is now a felon and will have to pay back his ill-gotten gains. Hopefully, he has learned the lesson – Cheaters. Never. Win.” said U.S. Attorney Ellis Boyle.
“It is an unconscionable betrayal of the public trust for a county employee responsible for administering federal food assistance to needy North Carolinian families to exploit his privileged access to recipient information to steal from those in need for his personal gain. USDA OIG is committed to working with the White House Task Force to Eliminate Fraud under VP Vance’s leadership to hold everyone who defrauds American taxpayers and exploits the vulnerable to account. OIG will relentlessly pursue insider threats who try to abuse their position for profit.” – Inspector General John Walk.
White, using his position and privileges as a Lenoir County Social Services case worker, unlawfully accessed the SNAP accounts of qualified individuals and converted $102,733.80 in government funds for his own personal benefit and use.
Ellis Boyle, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, made the announcement after Chief U.S. District Judge Richard E. Myers II sentenced the defendant. The USDA-OIG and the Lenoir County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case.
A copy of this press release is located on our website. Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 4:25-CR-48-M.
22-Year-Old Austin Man Sentenced to 20 Years in Federal Prison for Fentanyl DeathRead the Press Release
AUSTIN, Texas – An Austin man was sentenced to 240 months in federal prison for distribution of fentanyl resulting in death, announced U.S. Attorney Justin R. Simmons for the Western District of Texas.
According to court documents, Keithrick Carter, 22, was a drug dealer who primarily sold blue “M30” fentanyl pills and marijuana. On March 23, 2023, a 24-year-old male living in Leander was found deceased in his apartment. In the man’s bathroom, Leander Police found an unlabeled pill bottle containing one blue “M30” pill and some marijuana. The autopsy and toxicology determined the cause of death as “drug toxicity: fentanyl.” A review of the deceased man’s phone revealed a text exchange between the victim and Carter.
An investigation by the Austin Police Department confirmed that Carter was dealing fentanyl in the form of blue “M30” pills. Carter was indicted for one count of distribution of fentanyl resulting in death on May 6, 2025. He was arrested on May 21, 2025, and pleaded guilty on Feb. 19, 2026. U.S. District Judge Robert Pitman sentenced Carter on June 24.
“This administration has made clear that protecting Americans from the fentanyl crisis is a national priority, and we are at the front of that fight every day in this district,” said U.S. Attorney Simmons. “Keithrick Carter knowingly sold poison in a pill bottle to a young man in our community. He was held directly responsible for that young man’s death and will now spend the next 20 years of his life in federal prison. However, no measure of manmade justice can assuage the pain felt by the victim’s family in this case. The best we can do is to remove the defendant from society so that he cannot inflict the same level of grief on any other families in our community. I’m proud of AUSA Keith Henneke and our law enforcement partners for making that happen in this case.”
“Fentanyl remains the deadliest drug threat facing our nation, devastating families and claiming the lives of young people across the country,” said Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration San Antonio Division, Miguel Madrigal. “That is why the DEA remains committed to holding those who traffic this deadly substance into our communities accountable and to protecting the safety and well-being of our citizens.”
The Drug Enforcement Administration, Leander Police Department, and the Austin Police Department investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Keith Henneke prosecuted the case.
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Wednesday 24 June 2026
West Oahu Man Sentenced to over 15 Years in Prison for Purchasing over 100 Pounds of Methamphetamine, Cocaine, and Heroin from an Undercover Officer in Homeland Security Task Force OperationRead the Press Release
HONOLULU – United States Attorney Ken Sorenson announced that Bryson Couch, 42, of Honolulu, Hawaii, was sentenced on June 23, 2026 by U.S. District Court Chief Judge Derrick K. Watson to 188 months in prison, followed by 5 years of supervised release for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, cocaine, and heroin.
According to court records, in July 2023, Couch was introduced to an undercover federal investigator posing as a large-scale drug supplier from the continental United States. In subsequent meetings, Couch arranged to purchase 100 pounds of methamphetamine, two kilograms of cocaine, and approximately one kilogram of heroin from the undercover officer for $134,000. On November 29, 2023, the defendant met the undercover officer at a Honolulu hotel with $134,000 in cash. He then accepted three suitcases containing the agreed upon controlled substances and left the hotel room where he was arrested by law enforcement.
“The lesson to drug traffickers in Hawaii from Bryson Couch’s sentencing should be clear: there is nowhere for you to run and hide. We are proactively working with our law enforcement partners to hunt down and bring to justice anyone trafficking dangerous narcotics into our islands,” said U.S. Attorney Ken Sorenson. “Dealer by dealer, supplier by supplier, we are tirelessly working to disrupt and dismantle any drug trafficking operations infecting our state.”
“The 15-year sentence handed down to Bryson Couch is a clear reminder that drug trafficking is a losing gamble. It’s only a matter of time before the person you’re making these deals with is working with us,” said CJ Ammons, Acting Special Agent in Charge at Homeland Security Investigations.
Homeland Security Investigations investigated the case with assistance from the Drug Enforcement Administration, United States Postal Inspection Service, and Honolulu Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Albanese prosecuted the case.
This prosecution was part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF Hawaii comprises agents and officers from ICE-HSI, FBI, ATF, CBP, CGIS, DCIS, DEA, DSS, IRS-CI, NCIS, USMS, USPIS and HHIDTA with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Hawaii.
Walton Man Pleads Guilty to Receipt of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Jerry N. Butler III, 20, of Walton, New York pled guilty yesterday to receiving child pornography. First Assistant United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III and Craig L. Tremaroli, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), made the announcement.
As part of his guilty plea, Butler admitted that in January and February 2025, he used a social media messaging application to receive child sexual abuse material (CSAM) from an out-of-state minor victim. Butler exchanged approximately 20,000 messages with the victim in which Butler persuaded the victim to create and send to Butler sexually explicit depictions of herself. Butler accomplished this by, at times, implying to the victim that he would distribute and/or “leak” sexually explicit content of her or would otherwise publicly embarrass her if she did not comply with Butler’s demands.
In addition to those admissions the investigation into Butler revealed that he was involved in a nihilistic violent extremist (NVE) network, whose members seek to corrupt and exploit vulnerable populations, including minors. Butler was the administrator of an online offshoot of the “764” NVE group that operated across multiple social media channels and whose members engaged in extortion of minors, coercive self-harm, harm to animals, and the production and dissemination of CSAM.
Those involved with “764” and related NVE networks methodically target vulnerable, underage populations by using social media to encourage the possession, production, and sharing of extreme gore media and child sexual abuse material (CSAM). Members of NVE groups, including 764, seek to desensitize young people to violence and break down societal norms regarding violence. They normalize the possession, production, and sharing of explicit CSAM and gore material to corrupt and groom their victims toward future violence, gain notoriety among other members of the network, and spread fear for the purpose of accelerating chaos under the NVE ideology with an aim toward the disruption of society.
“When FBI Special Agent in Charge Tremaroli brought this case to my attention, I immediately deployed the resources of the U.S. Attorney’s office, to pick up a case that had been neglected by previous administrations,” said First Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarcone. “Those involved with Nihilistic Violent Extremist (NVE) groups such as this defendant, exhibit among the most reprehensible behavior and will be met with justice. Thanks to the diligent work of our investigative partners, Mr. Butler can no longer hide behind a screen to harm children. Instead, he now faces a federal prison term of up to 20 years. My office, and our investigative partners will relentlessly pursue anyone engaged in such grotesque conduct.”
FBI Special Agent in Charge Tremaroli stated: "Mr. Butler’s days of forcing minors to send CSAM and sowing chaos online are over. Nihilistic Violent Extremist (NVE) networks pose a troubling threat to our most vulnerable, but the FBI continues to dedicate every resource necessary to aggressively investigate the predators connected to these violent networks and ensure they are sent to prison for their heinous actions."
At his sentencing on October 16, 2026. Butler faces a term of imprisonment of at least 5 years and up to 20 years in prison. Butler also faces a fine of up to $250,000 and a term of supervised release of at least 5 years and up to life. Butler will also be required to register as a sex offender upon his release from prison. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statutes the defendant is convicted of violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other factors.
This case was investigated by FBI with the assistance of the New York State Police, Walton Police Department, Broome County Sheriff’s Office, and the FBI Atlanta and Milwaukee field offices. Assistant United States Attorney Geoffrey J. L. Brown is currently prosecuting the case as part of Project Safe Childhood. Former Assistant United States Attorney and PSC Coordinator Michael Gadarian prosecuted the case.
Project Safe Childhood is a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
Venezuelan Illegal Alien Sentenced to Twenty-Seven Months in Federal Prison for Possession of FirearmsRead the Press Release
Gainesville, Florida – Robinson Abraham Esparragoza Regalado, 27, a citizen of Venezuela who resided in Miami, Florida, was sentenced to 27 months in federal prison for possession of a firearm by an illegal alien. The sentence was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “Under the leadership of President Donald J. Trump and acting Attorney General Todd Blanche, Operation Take Back America was launched to devote the substantial resources of the Department of Justice toward capturing and removing the violent illegal aliens who threaten the safety of our communities. My office continues to aggressively prosecute criminal illegal aliens, like this defendant, to keep the citizens of the Northern District of Florida safe.”
Court documents reflect that the defendant is an illegal alien unlawfully present in the United States, and is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition. On November 25, 2025, Florida Highway Patrol pulled over the defendant’s vehicle in Alachua County, and during a subsequent search of the vehicle law enforcement located a bag containing a Glock 9mm pistol. The firearm was equipped with a 33-round extended magazine, which was almost fully loaded with ammunition.
“An illegal alien found in possession of a loaded firearm poses a significant threat to public safety,” said ICE Miami interim Field Office Director Matthew Elliston. “This case underscores the importance of strong partnerships among Florida’s law enforcement agencies, whose coordinated efforts continually ensure the safety and security of our communities through the identification and apprehension of individuals unlawfully possessing firearms.”
The case involved a joint investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, U.S. Immigration Customs and Enforcement, and the Florida Highway Patrol. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Adam Hapner.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndfl.
Utah Man Sentenced to 15 Years After Selling Fentanyl Laced Pills that Resulted in DeathRead the Press Release
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – A Weber County man was sentenced to 180 months’ imprisonment, five years of supervised release, and ordered by the court to pay $9,983 in restitution to the victim’s family after he distributed fentanyl to another person who was later found dead as a result of fentanyl intoxication.
Cullin Anthony Bullen, 39, of Roy, Utah, pleaded guilty to distribution of fentanyl on April 10, 2026.
According to Bullen’s change of plea and sentencing hearings, he admitted that on December 19, 2023, in the District of Utah, he knowingly and intentionally distributed fentanyl, a highly addictive and dangerous controlled substance, to another person. As a result, on December 20, 2023, the person he sold fentanyl to was found dead by law enforcement. Bullen admitted that the victim who was found dead would not have died but for the ingestion of the fentanyl he sold. He further admitted to having sold the victim 25-30 small blue pills marked “M30” on the night before he was found dead. Bullen told law enforcement that he was suspicious about the pills he sold because the pills were “shinier” and “harder” than pills he typically received. He also described the M30 stamp as being unusually crisp. Despite these misgivings, Bullen sold the pills representing that they were “Roxicodone.” Bullen’s criminal history includes a number of convictions for controlled substance offenses dating back to 2009.
“There is no measure of justice that can ever make up for the loss of a life,” said U.S. Attorney Melissa Holyoak for the District of Utah. “In the United States’ view, few federal crimes—short of intentional homicide or offenses involving children—are more serious than the offense to which Bullen has admitted guilt. We hope the victim’s family, who has been profoundly impacted by the death of their loved one, can find some measure of peace knowing that Bullen is now behind bars.”
“Let the judicial outcome in this investigation be a warning: if you cause death in our communities through trafficking fentanyl, we will find you, we will arrest you, and we will do everything in our power to see you are held accountable,” said DEA Rocky Mountain Field Division Special Agent in Charge David Olesky. “Our goal at DEA is a Fentanyl Free America. Far too many lives have been lost. The work done by the investigative and prosecutorial team demonstrate our commitment that we will not forget those impacted by the fentanyl epidemic.”
This case was investigated jointly by the United States Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the Tremonton City Police Department.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) and Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN).
United States Reaches $1 Million Settlement over Waived Pharmacy CopaysRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Missouri has finalized a civil settlement to resolve allegations that SSM Health Care, at its Saint Louis University Hospital’s pharmacy, improperly waived patient copays, causing Medicare and the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program (FEHBP) to overpay for prescriptions.
SSM has agreed to pay $939,290, or double the amount of the restitution owed. SSM will also pay $150,000 in attorneys’ fees and costs to the whistleblower who filed a qui tam suit in U.S. District Court in St. Louis in 2023 (4:23-cv-1396). The whistleblower will receive $159,210 of the settlement amount.
The settlement contains no admission of liability by SSM, which fully cooperated in the investigation and took appropriate remedial action.
The qui tam suit alleged that from Sept. 1, 2020, through Feb. 28, 2023, employees of the retail pharmacy at SSM-SLUH, including the pharmacist-in-charge, routinely waived and failed to collect copays. Routine waivers of copays are improper because they are viewed as improperly inducing patients to use a specific pharmacy. They also misrepresent the actual cost of the prescription, resulting in Medicare and FEHBP paying inflated costs for the prescriptions in violation of the False Claims Act.
“Consistently failing to collect patient copays in any instance, other than a well-documented case of financial hardship, violates federal law and inflates the prescription costs that federal health care programs must pay,” said U.S. Attorney Thomas C. Albus. “Without the willingness of whistleblowers to shed light on allegations of fraud, preserving government funds would be far more challenging.”
“Routinely waiving copays is not a minor oversight—it misrepresents the true cost of prescriptions and leads Medicare to pay improperly inflated amounts,” said Special Agent in Charge Linda T. Hanley of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “These improper financial incentives undermine fair competition and weaken federal program safeguards. HHS-OIG will continue to pursue individuals and entities whose actions compromise the integrity of the Medicare program.”
This civil settlement was a result of the combined work of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Missouri and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General.
Under the qui tam or whistleblower provisions of the False Claims Act, a private party can file a civil action on behalf of the United States, thereby bringing allegations of fraud to the Government’s attention, and share in any financial recovery.
United States Pays Approximately $17M Settlement for Nearly 630 Plaintiffs in Red Hill Jet Fuel SpillsRead the Press Release
On June 22, the Department of Justice, Civil Division, issued payments to 629 Plaintiffs in Feindt v. United States and Hughes v. United States who brought claims against the United States under the Federal Tort Claims Act (FTCA) as a result of the 2021 jet fuel spills at the Red Hill Bulk Fuel Storage Facility, located at Joint Base Pearl Harbor Hickam (2021 Red Hill Spills). Settlements totaling approximately $17 million were approved by the U.S. District Court for the District of Hawaii on May 19.
“This Justice Department is proud to announce the fair and efficient resolution of claims relating to the Red Hill jet fuel spills,” said Associate Attorney General Stanley Woodward. “These latest settlements show that we strive to handle all potential settlements justly, and according to the public interest, without exception.”
“These settlements are the latest example of the United States’ good faith efforts to resolve the over 6,500 FTCA claims arising from the 2021 Red Hill Spills,” said Assistant Attorney General Brett A. Shumate of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “The settlements represent a fair and just resolution of claims and we look forward to paying additional claims once they are approved.”
In 2024, following extensive discovery, the claims of 17 Plaintiffs went to trial. Based on the results of that trial, the Civil Division has reached settlements with approximately 3,600 civilian Plaintiffs, including the 629 Plaintiffs who recently received payment.
The Civil Division continues to process settlements and has filed several additional motions for settlement approval, which are pending with the Court for approval or with the Treasury Department for payment. The Civil Division is prepared to file additional motions for settlement approval as soon as Plaintiffs provide sufficient proof of eligibility and signed releases. Currently, there are more than 300 Feindt and Hughes Plaintiffs that have met all settlement criteria and need only provide a signed release.
Additionally, the Civil Division is waiting on sufficient proof of settlement eligibility from approximately 400 Feindt and Hughes Plaintiffs who accepted the United States’ settlement offer as long ago as October 2025. Once these documents are provided, the Civil Division will file additional motions for settlement approval and, once they are approved, pay additional claims.
Note: The first quotation has been updated from a previous version.
Union County Man Admits Role in Armed Carjacking with an Assault RifleRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A Union County, New Jersey, man on June 23, 2026 admitted his role in an armed carjacking involving an assault rifle, U.S. Attorney Robert Frazer announced.
Elijah Lott, 28, of Scotch Plains, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Madeline Cox Arleo in Newark federal court to three counts of an indictment charging him with one count of carjacking, one count of conspiracy to commit carjacking and one count of conspiracy to use and carry a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
On August 6, 2020, Lott and two accomplices committed a gunpoint carjacking with an assault rifle in Irvington, New Jersey. During the carjacking, the accomplices ordered the victims to get out of the car while pointing firearms at them. Then, one of Lott’s accomplices got into the car and drove away.
The conspiracy to commit carjacking offense carries a maximum potential penalty of 5 years in prison. The carjacking and conspiracy to use and carry a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence offenses each carry maximum potential penalties of 20 years in prison. Sentencing is scheduled for October 21, 2026.
U.S. Attorney Frazer credited special agents and members of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Stefanie Roddy in Newark; members of the Newark Police Department, under the direction of Public Safety Director Emanuel Miranda and Chief of Police Sharonda Morris; and members of the Irvington Police Department, under the direction of Public Safety Director Tracy Bowers, with the investigation leading to the charges and guilty plea.
The investigation was conducted as part of the Newark Violent Crime Initiative (VCI). The Newark VCI was formed in August 2017 by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey, the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office, and the City of Newark’s Department of Public Safety for the sole purpose of combatting violent crime in and around Newark. As part of this partnership, federal, state, county, and city agencies collaborate and pool resources to prosecute violent offenders who endanger the safety of the community. The VCI is composed of the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the FBI, the ATF, the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) New Jersey Division, Homeland Security Investigations, the U.S. Marshals, the Newark Department of Public Safety, the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office, the Essex County Sheriff’s Office, New Jersey State Parole, Union County Jail, New Jersey State Police Regional Operations and Intelligence Center/Real Time Crime Center, New Jersey Department of Corrections, the East Orange Police Department, and the Irvington Police Department.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin Levin, Chief of the Cybercrime Unit in Newark, and Assistant United States Attorney Vincent D. Romano of the National Security Unit in Newark.
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Defense counsel: Christopher D. Adams, Esq.
whiteheadlott.indictment.pdfUSAO-KS gives “comfort donations” to charity that helps abused childrenRead the Press Release
WICHITA, KAN. – In the spirit of Freedom 250, a celebration of the 250th anniversary of the United States of America, U.S. Attorneys’ Offices across the country are taking part in charity drives to benefit their local communities. In the District of Kansas (USAO-KS), we sought to give small tokens of joy to Kansas children struggling emotionally after physical and/or sexual abuse by donating to a non-profit agency which helps abused children.
The Children’s Advocacy Centers of Kansas (CAC) supports 19 local child advocacy centers throughout the state of Kansas. CAC’s mission is to provide an immediate and compassionate response for child abuse victims by facilitating coordination among law enforcement, child protection services, mental health providers, as well as parents and caregivers.
USAO-KS organized a collection drive for CAC. Staff in the Wichita, Topeka, and Kansas City, Kansas offices bought books, toys, blankets, snacks and other items which will be given to children who arrive at the centers.
“When they come to a CAC, they are kind of handling some of the harshest days in the midst of crisis,” said Klarissa Ponce of the CAC. “To be able to greet them with either a snack or leave them with an item of appreciation for their time, just brings that moment of joy back to a sensitive and really traumatic experience for them. We’re very excited that we are able to have some fun items to bring back that childhood spirit.”
“I would like to thank USAO employees for their generosity in helping the CAC accomplish its important work on behalf of the children of Kansas,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan A. Kriegshauser. “Placing service above self is one of the pillars on which our nation was founded 250 years ago, and I’m proud to see our staff continue that legacy.”
If you want to learn more about the Children’s Advocacy Centers of Kansas and the invaluable services it provides, click on this link https://www.kscac.org/
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U.S. Attorney Eric Grant Warns the Public That Scammers Are “Spoofing” the U.S. Attorney’s Office Phone Number to Try to Obtain Money or Personal InformationRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of California is warning the public about spoofed phone calls that according to Caller ID originate from the U.S. Attorney’s Office and appears to display the Office’s number. The scammers pose as the Department of Justice investigators, using fake names and case numbers to demand money for supposed attorney fees. In some cases, they reference personal details taken from public records or social media to sound credible.
These are government impersonation scams, in which criminals pretend to be government officials and often threaten physical or financial harm. They are increasingly sophisticated and frequently target both younger and older victims.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office will never request money or personal information by phone.
According to the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3), 32,424 people reported government impersonation scams in 2025, with losses of about $797 million.
To protect yourself, avoid answering calls from unknown numbers, never send money to people you don’t know, and never share personal or financial information over the phone. Suspected scams should be reported at www.ic3.gov. More information on government impersonation and other fraud schemes is available at https://www.fbi.gov/scams-and-safety/common-fraud-schemes.
U.S. Attorney Announces Major Health Care Fraud Cases in Western District of TexasRead the Press Release
SAN ANTONIO – United States Attorney Justin R. Simmons announced criminal charges against Christina Charles, 52, in connection with an alleged scheme to defraud Medicare. The charges filed in federal court are part of the Department of Justice’s 2026 National Health Care Fraud Takedown.
Charles is charged by indictment with conspiracy to defraud the United States and to solicit and receive health care kickbacks in connection with a hospice fraud scheme. As alleged in the indictment, Charles received illegal kickbacks in return for referring patients to multiple San Antonio area hospice companies. Based on those referrals, Charles caused the submission of over $9 million in claims for hospice services that were procured through illegal kickbacks and bribes and ineligible for Medicare reimbursement. Medicare paid approximately $3 million based on those claims. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin Chung of the Western District of Texas.
“Americans place a lot of trust in their healthcare providers,” said U.S. Attorney Simmons. “When those in the healthcare field engage in fraudulent conduct, it erodes that trust. Here in the Western District of Texas, we have and will continue to hold providers accountable, both civilly and criminally, when they attempt to defraud federal healthcare programs and steal from the American taxpayer.”
The charges announced by U.S. Attorney Simmons are part of a strategically coordinated, nationwide law enforcement action that resulted in charges against 455 defendants, including 90 doctors and other licensed medical professionals, for their alleged participation in health care fraud and opioid abuse schemes involving over $6.5 billion in false claims and significant patient harm, including death.
The Takedown represents a new era in federal, state, and international cooperation to combat health care fraud: cases in 56 federal districts and 45 U.S. states and territories, with 50 state Medicaid Fraud Control Units participating, the most in Department history.
In addition, unprecedented international cooperation over the two-week Takedown resulted in the apprehension and return to the United States of the following health care fraudsters: one defendant in Kyrenia in connection with an over $3.7 billion scheme; two defendants in Estonia in connection with a previously charged $10.6 billion scheme; and, in the Philippines, one of FBI’s Most Wanted Fraudsters in connection with a previously-charged $1.2 billion telemedicine fraud scheme.
The Takedown involved the cutting-edge use of data analytics to target the worst actors; the seizure of over $182 million in cash, luxury vehicles, jewelry, and other assets; and full-spectrum accountability for all criminal actors from doctor’s offices to corporate boardrooms.
This coordinated enforcement action involves a whole-of-government approach, including:
- Actions by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to suspend 1,079 providers and revoke billing privileges for 1,403 providers.
- 48 Civil Monetary Payment settlements amounting to over $73 million, over 1,400 provider exclusions, and 25 actions by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General (“HHS-OIG”) under the Civil Monetary Penalties Law seeking more than $10 billion in payments to the Medicare Trust Fund from payments that CMS caught and suspended before the funds were paid to the fraudulent providers.
- Civil charges against 13 defendants for $14.8 million in health care fraud schemes, as well as civil settlements with 31 defendants totaling $23 million.
- 928 administrative cases by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) seeking the revocation of authority to handle and/or prescribe controlled substances since October 1, 2025.
Also, as part of the Department of Justice’s 2026 National Health Care Fraud Takedown, Ellen B. Duncan, M.D., of Boerne, and her practice entity, Ellen Boyle Duncan, PLLC d/b/a Duncan Medical Group, located in San Antonio, reached a civil settlement in the amount of $3,440,538.65 to resolve allegations that Dr. Duncan: (i) caused the submission of claims to Medicare and TRICARE for injections of Fluid Flow, aka Fluid GF, an amniotic-based product that is considered an experimental, unapproved biologic; and (ii) upon being later informed this product was not eligible for reimbursement, took steps to avoid repayment of the reimbursements. The case was settled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Erin M. Van De Walle of the Affirmative Civil Enforcement Unit for the Western District of Texas.
In Killeen, Trevor’s Place LLC, an applied behavioral analysis clinic located in Killeen, Texas, agreed to entry of a $430,280.79 civil consent judgment to resolve allegations the company submitted inflated claims for reimbursement to the TRICARE program by misrepresenting and billing for services not provided. The case was settled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas Parnham for the Western District of Texas.
Descriptions of each case from Districts across the country involved in the Health Care Fraud enforcement action are available on the Department’s website here.
An indictment, information, or complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only, and there has been no determination of liability.
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