Latest Records
Newest first across public DOJ and U.S. Attorney press releases.
5 August 2026
Former Denver Man Sentenced to 42 Months for Complex Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
DENVER –The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado announces that Heath Posey, 39, formerly of Denver, was sentenced to 42 months in federal prison, more than $6.2 million in restitution to victims and the IRS, a $10,000 fine, and three years of supervised release for his role in operating a multi-million-dollar fraudulent investment scheme.
According to court documents and statements made in court, from approximately December 2022 through May 2024, Posey was the Chief Financial Officer of the ROI Cash Flow Fund, a fraudulent investment scheme. The ROI Cash Flow Fund was founded in June 2022 by Timothy McPhee. In late December 2022, McPhee hired Posey to serve as the fund’s Chief Financial Officer. In December 2025, McPhee was sentenced to 151 months in prison and ordered to pay more than $59 million in restitution to the IRS and victims of the investment fraud scheme.
The ROI Cash Flow Fund was advertised to prospective investors as an opportunity to earn a 3% monthly return on a principal investment. Investors were told that the ROI Cash Flow Fund generated the 3% monthly returns by lending investor funds to a borrower who engaged in foreign exchange currency (forex) trading to generate a profit. As the fund’s CFO, Posey tracked the money moving in and out of the ROI Cash Flow Fund bank accounts, circulated fund materials, and initiated monthly payments to investors.
In February 2023, unbeknownst to investors, the ROI Cash Flow Fund stopped sending investor funds to the borrower because the borrower was not paying returns as expected. To keep the fund running, McPhee and Posey started using investor funds to make 3% monthly payouts to certain investors. They continued to solicit investments into the fund. Although Posey knew that as of March 2023 the ROI Cash Flow Fund was not operating as advertised, he nevertheless helped McPhee conceal and carry out this fraud scheme until around May 2024. During this time, Posey repeatedly made false statements to investors, including that investors’ funds would be sent to a borrower who engaged in forex trading. Posey also helped recruit investors into the ROI Cash Flow Fund despite knowing that the fund was running out of money.
From January 2023 until its collapse in February 2024, the ROI Cash Flow Fund generated a total of about $8 million in investments. McPhee and Posey used more than $5 million in investor funds to make 3% monthly payouts to certain investors, and Posey helped McPhee siphon off more than $2.2 million in investor funds for McPhee’s own financial gain. Both men also used investor funds to pay Posey’s salary and fund-related expenses, though investors were told their money would not be used to pay salaries, fees, or fund expenses. In total, the ROI Cash Flow Fund scheme caused a loss to investors of approximately $6 million.
“It’s good news for our community that these swindlers are no longer able to hurt trusting clients with their schemes,” said United States Attorney for the District of Colorado Peter McNeilly. “The Department of Justice is committed to holding fraudsters who abuse the trust of others accountable.”
“This defendant played a substantial role in orchestrating an elaborate Ponzi scheme that cost investors millions of dollars,” said FBI Denver Special Agent in Charge Amanda Koldjeski. “Pursuing his own greedy ends, the defendant lied repeatedly to investors and led to numerous individuals losing their life savings, retirement funds, and peace of mind. The FBI aggressively pursues fraudsters who try to benefit themselves by stealing from others.”
“This defendant will spend years in prison for participating in a conspiracy that defrauded investors out of their hard-earned savings,” said Todd Wacaser, Special Agent in Charge, IRS Criminal Investigation's Denver Field Office. “Criminals who prey on hardworking people for their own financial gain should expect to be held accountable. IRS Criminal Investigation will continue to protect taxpayers and investors, safeguard the integrity of our financial system, and work with our law enforcement partners to bring those responsible to justice.”
United States District Judge Charlotte N. Sweeney presided over the sentencing.
The FBI Denver Field Office and the IRS Criminal Investigation Denver Field Office investigated the case.
Assistant United States Attorney Amanda R. Scott for the District of Colorado and former Trial Attorney Lauren K. Pope of the Criminal Division’s Tax Section handled the prosecution.
Case Number: 24-CR-352-CNS-2
Final defendant sentenced to 21 years for distributing fentanyl resulting in fatal overdose in Homeland Security Task Force caseRead the Press Release
ANCHORAGE, Alaska – A Fairbanks woman was sentenced today to 21 years in prison for her role in distributing fentanyl that resulted in the overdose death of a local man in 2022.
According to court documents, from May to July 2022, Samantha Pearson, 39, and Edward Ginnis, 40, of Fairbanks, conspired together and with others to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute drugs in the Fairbanks area. Specifically, Ginnis distributed drugs to Pearson, who then sold the substances to others. Ginnis and Pearson’s actions were a small part of a larger drug trafficking enterprise allegedly being directed by an inmate in a California prison.
On or about June 11, 2022, Ginnis received a shipment of drugs through the mail that contained fentanyl. Later that day, Ginnis sent text messages to several distributors asking if they had potential purchasers. Pearson offered to help sell drugs. On June 25, Adam Sakkinen, 32, an individual who struggled with heroin usage, messaged Pearson asking to purchase drugs. Around noon, Pearson agreed to sell drugs to Sakkinen. Sakkinen sent Pearson $50.00 before messaging that he was on his way. At 12:34 p.m., Sakkinen called Pearson.
Later, at 12:58 p.m. that same day, local fire and emergency medical services responded to a single car accident on the side of a road in Badger, Alaska. First responders found Sakkinen unconscious behind the wheel of a car with drug paraphernalia in his hands and near him. Law enforcement officials tested the paraphernalia, and it tested positive for fentanyl.
First responders administered six doses of Narcan to Sakkinen and he regained a pulse. Sakkinen was transported to two hospitals and was put on life support at a hospital in Anchorage. Sakkinen spent 11 days in the intensive care unit before he passed away. A sample of Sakkinen’s blood was sent for testing and lab results found that he had 20 nanograms per milliliter of fentanyl in his bloodstream at the time of his death. Reports show that the average lethal level of fentanyl in the bloodstream is eight nanograms per milliliter.
On Jan. 18, 2025, Pearson and Ginnis were indicted on federal drug trafficking charges. Pearson and Ginnis both pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances resulting in death on April 20, 2026, and April 3, 2025, respectively. On July 8, 2025, Ginnis was sentenced to 22 years in prison.
In handing down Pearson’s sentence, the Court recognized the devastating impact fentanyl has had in Alaskan communities, stating that “this was more of a poisoning than an overdose.” The Court also emphasized the need for general deterrence by stating that the public should know that if someone sells an illegal substance and another person dies, the sentence imposed will be harsh.
“This sentence is the conclusion of a multi-year investigation and prosecution to hold Ms. Pearson and Mr. Ginnis accountable for their greed-motivated decision to distribute the drugs that took an innocent life,” said U.S. Attorney Scott E. Bradford for the District of Oregon. “I commend the phenomenal investigatory and prosecutorial efforts put forth by the Assistant U.S. Attorneys and law enforcement in Alaska throughout this case. It takes all of us to dismantle the drug pipeline targeting our country.”
“Fentanyl traffickers who choose profit over human life will be held accountable,” said Robert A. Saccone, Special Agent in Charge, Drug Enforcement Administration Seattle Field Division. “The defendant’s role in distributing the fentanyl that killed a member of the Fairbanks community underscores the deadly consequences of this poison. Through Fentanyl Free America, DEA is relentlessly disrupting the criminal networks driving this crisis, reducing the availability of fentanyl, and protecting American lives. DEA and our law enforcement partners will not stop until those responsible are brought to justice.”
“Those who traffic fentanyl in Alaska endanger entire communities and destroy families,” said Colonel Maurice Hughes, Director of the Alaska State Troopers. “This sentence reinforces a simple point: drug traffickers will be held accountable for the destruction that they cause. The Alaska State Troopers, alongside our local, state, and federal partners, will continue to relentlessly pursue these criminals, disrupt their operations, and protect Alaskans from the deadly impact of these illicit substances.”
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Alaska has been recused from this case with the exception of certain personnel. Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven D. Clymer from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of New York has been appointed as Special Attorney to the United States Attorney General to assist with this and other recused cases. He reports to and acts under the direction of the Deputy Attorney General, or his delegee, or U.S. Attorney Bradford in these cases. Special Attorney Clymer supervises personnel from the District of Alaska who have been exempted from the recusal.
The DEA Seattle Field Division and Anchorage District Office, Alaska State Troopers, North Slope Borough Police Department, North Pole Police Department and Fairbanks Police Department investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Stephan Collins, Chris Schroeder and Alana Weber are prosecuting 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 Region One comprises agents and officers from Federal Bureau of Investigation; U.S. Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Homeland Security Investigations – Seattle; the United States Attorney’s Office(s) for the Districts of Alaska, Idaho, Oregon, Eastern Washington, and Western Washington; the Drug Enforcement Administration; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives; U.S. Marshals Service; Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigation Division; U.S. Postal Inspection Service; U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP); CBP – Office of Field Operations; CBP – Air & Marine Operations; U.S. Border Patrol; U.S. Coast Guard, Coast Guard Investigative Service; and Transportation Security Administration, Law Enforcement/Federal Air Marshal Service, with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Alaska.
###
Final Defendant Sentenced in Montgomery Dry Cleaning Business Robbery CaseRead the Press Release
The final defendant has been sentenced for his role in the violent robbery of a Montgomery dry cleaning business, bringing the federal prosecution of all four participants in the March 10, 2025, crime to a close.
On August 5, 2026, a federal judge sentenced Clinton Thompson, 56, of Birmingham, Alabama, to 121 months in federal prison after he pleaded guilty on April 13, 2026, to one count of Hobbs Act robbery. Following his prison term, Thompson will serve three years of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
United States Attorney Thomas Govan and Special Agent in Charge Christopher R. Flowers with the FBI Mobile Field Office made the announcement.
“Violent crime has no place in our communities, and those who commit these offenses should expect substantial federal prison sentences,” said United States Attorney Govan. “This was a calculated and violent robbery that left a hardworking business owner injured and traumatized. With the sentencing of the final defendant, every member of this robbery crew has now been brought to justice. Together, the defendants received nearly 53 years in federal prison, a result that reflects the severity of their conduct and the outstanding work of our law enforcement partners.”
“Today’s sentencing of Clinton Thompson ends the final, real-life chapter of something you would only expect to find in a true crime story,” said Special Agent in Charge Flowers. “This brazen group of criminals pre-planned a robbery, then executed that plan with violence and intimidation, and stole not only the victim’s cash, but also the victim’s car. What this robbery crew did not expect was the relentless tenacity of federal, state, and local law enforcement. The FBI and our partners worked quickly and aggressively to investigate this case, and ensured these violent offenders were held accountable.”
According to his plea agreement and other court records, Thompson joined co-defendants Zedekiah Sykes, Spirit Hooks, and Spencer Thomas in carrying out the robbery of the Montgomery business located on East South Street. After shattering the front door with a rock, the four men forced their way inside and confronted the business owner.
During the robbery, Thomas brandished what appeared to be a handgun, pointed it at the victim’s head, and demanded that the safe be opened. The weapon was later determined to be a BB gun. When the victim struggled to remember the safe’s combination, Hooks struck him in the left eye, causing visible bruising and swelling. The group ultimately gained access to the safe and stole approximately $8,000 in cash. Before fleeing, the men zip-tied the victim’s hands and feet, stole his cell phone and car keys, and escaped in the victim’s vehicle.
Thompson is the fourth and final defendant to be sentenced in the case. Sykes, the organizer and ringleader of the robbery, was sentenced to 195 months in federal prison on October 23, 2025. Hooks was sentenced to 175 months in federal prison, and Thomas received a sentence of 144 months in federal prison, both on January 13, 2026. Sykes, Hooks, and Thomas were also ordered to pay $9,598.74 in restitution to the victimized business. Thompson was ordered to pay restitution jointly and severally with his co-defendants.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Montgomery Police Department, Alabama Law Enforcement Agency (ALEA) State Bureau of Investigation (SBI), and the Metro Area Crime Suppression (MACS) Unit investigated this case, with assistance from the Montgomery County District Attorney’s Office. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Joel Feil.
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.
Fentanyl Near Playground Leads to Ohio Man’s ConvictionRead the Press Release
WHEELING, WEST VIRGINIA — A Canton, Ohio man has admitted to having more than 40 grams of fentanyl near a playground in Ohio County, West Virginia, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew L. Harvey.
Jaylen Jawaun Lashawn Martin, also known as “Money,” age 29, pleaded guilty to one charge of possession with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl within 1,000 feet of a protected location. According to statements made in court, Martin was staying at a hotel in the Elm Grove section of Wheeling. While under investigation for drug trafficking, officers observed Martin exit a vehicle and go inside his room. Officers arrested Martin and conducted a lawful search of the vehicle, seizing a shopping bag containing nearly 72 grams of fentanyl and drug paraphernalia. The hotel is within 1,000 feet of Overbrook Playground.
Martin faces a mandatory minimum of 5 years and up to 80 years in federal prison. A federal district court judge will determine the sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Clayton Reid is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government.
The Ohio Valley Drug Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative, and the Drug Enforcement Administration investigated.
Fentanyl has been designated by President Donald Trump as a weapon of mass destruction due to its extreme lethality which poses a grave threat to public safety, even in trace amounts. This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime, and repel the invasion of illegal immigration.
U.S. Magistrate Judge James P. Mazzone presided.
Federal Jury Finds Columbia County Man Guilty of Knowingly Providing a False Statement to a Federally Licensed Firearms DealerRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – A federal jury has found Bryan Steven Etheridge (40, Columbia County) guilty of providing a false statement to a federally licensed firearms dealer. Etheridge faces a maximum penalty of five years in federal prison. His sentencing hearing is scheduled for November 16, 2026. U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.
According to evidence presented at trial, on May 10, 2025, Etheridge attempted to purchase a .40 caliber pistol from a firearms dealer in Columbia County. When completing a Firearms Transaction Record (ATF Form 4473), Etheridge knowingly provided a false statement by denying that he was subject to a court order restraining him from stalking, harassing, or threatening an intimate partner or child of an intimate partner. In fact, in 2024, Etheridge’s wife and mother of their six children sought a domestic violence injunction against him and the court imposed an injunction through early 2026.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Rick Lasseter and David Mesrobian.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the Department of Justice’s nationwide initiative that brings federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement, prosecutors, and other public safety partners together to coordinate efforts to combat violent crime and make communities safe. Coordinated by U.S. Attorneys’ offices in each of the 94 federal districts, PSN is tailored to particular communities to strategically address specific violent crime and public safety challenges. As a key component of Operation Take Back America, PSN serves a central role in the Department’s commitment to make our country safe. PSN emphasizes three core principles: rapid federal response to violent crime and criminal offenders; strong, strategic partnerships among law enforcement at all levels; and accountability and deterrence through the prosecution of the most serious, readily provable offenses and other strategies. These efforts complement and strengthen President Trump’s Homeland Security Task Forces, ensuring a comprehensive federal response to the most pressing public safety issues facing communities.
Federal Jury Finds Armed Career Criminal Guilty of Firearm PossessionRead the Press Release
Memphis, TN – After a two-day federal trial, a jury found Rodriquez Henley, 33, of Memphis, guilty of possession of a firearm as a convicted felon and made a special finding that Henley’s extensive criminal history qualified him for enhanced punishment as an Armed Career Criminal (ACC). United States Attorney D. Michael Dunavant, of the Western District of Tennessee, announced the verdict today.
According to information presented in court, on May 19, 2025, officers with the Memphis Police Department located Henley at the Know-It-All Market on Park Avenue while responding to a disturbance call. Upon detaining Henley based on an outstanding warrant, officers recovered a black Ruger .380 caliber handgun from his front waistband.
During the trial, the jury heard evidence of Henley’s criminal history, which includes two separate convictions for Aggravated Robbery as well as a conviction for Aggravated Burglary. The jury found Henley guilty of being a felon in possession of a firearm and made a finding that he had committed at least three violent felonies on different occasions, triggering the enhanced sentencing penalties under the Armed Career Criminal Act (ACCA).
A sentencing hearing is scheduled to be held on November 10, 2026 before Chief U.S. District Court Judge Sheryl H. Lipman. As a result of the verdict and ACC designation, Henley faces a mandatory minimum sentence of at least 15 years in federal prison.
U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant said, “Henley’s lifestyle of lawlessness has finally caught up with him. He has devoted most of his life to repeated violent crimes, and now the federal system will do what should have been done a long time ago – impose a real consequence that will prevent him from victimizing anyone else for years to come.”
The case was investigated by the Memphis Police Department (MPD) as part of the Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) initiative.
Special Assistant United States Attorneys Yosef Hochheiser and Kesha Zaffino, both of the United States Air Force Judge Advocate General’s (JAG) Corps, prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is the Department of Justice’s nationwide initiative that brings federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement, prosecutors, and other public safety partners together to coordinate efforts to combat violent crime and make communities safe. Coordinated by U.S. Attorneys’ offices in each of the 94 federal districts, PSN is tailored to particular communities to strategically address specific violent crime and public safety challenges. As a key component of Operation Take Back America, PSN serves a central role in the Department’s commitment to make our country safe. PSN emphasizes three core principles: rapid federal response to violent crime and criminal offenders; strong, strategic partnerships among law enforcement at all levels; and accountability and deterrence through the prosecution of the most serious, readily provable offenses and other strategies. These efforts complement and strengthen President Trump’s Homeland Security Task Forces, ensuring a comprehensive federal response to the most pressing public safety issues facing communities.
###
For more information, please contact the media relations team at [email protected]. Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office on Facebook or on X at @WDTNNews for office news and updates.
Federal Inmate Convicted of Voluntary Manslaughter in the Death of CellmateRead the Press Release
HARRISBURG– The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Rudy Mendoza, age 41, was convicted on July 31, 2026, of voluntary manslaughter in the death of his cellmate following a five-day jury trial before United States District Judge Keli M. Neary. Sentencing has not yet been scheduled.
According to United States Attorney Brian D. Miller, on July 30, 2019, the Bureau of Prison’s staff found Mendoza’s cellmate dead in their cell within the Special Housing Unit at United States Penitentiary, Canaan, Waymart, PA. The correctional officers found blood in various locations throughout the cell and the victim had multiple injuries to his head and face. The cause of death was cardiorespiratory collapse secondary to physical trauma.
The matter was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Bureau of Prisons. Assistant United States Attorneys Scott Ford, Stephen Dukes, and William Behe prosecuted the case.
The maximum penalty for these offenses is 15 years imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. A sentence following the finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
# # #
Federal Corrections Officer and Wife Plead Guilty to Smuggling Contraband, Including Drugs, to Lompoc InmateRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – A correctional officer at a federal prison in Santa Barbara County and his wife pleaded guilty today to smuggling contraband – including a drug used to treat opioid addiction – to a prison inmate in exchange for a total of $6,650 over several months.
Paul Betancourt, 38, and Sylvia Betancourt, 49, of Lompoc, each pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to provide contraband to a federal inmate.
According to their plea agreements, Paul Betancourt was employed by the Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) as a correctional officer at Federal Correction Complex, Lompoc. From May 2023 to September 2023, Paul Betancourt agreed to provide contraband to an FCC Lompoc inmate. Sylvia Betancourt received payment and contraband from the inmate through the inmate’s intermediaries, which she then delivered to her husband.
The defendants admitted that on at least 13 occasions, they met with, or received payment from, a Lompoc inmate or one of the inmate’s intermediaries for the delivery of contraband, including controlled substances such as suboxone. The payments ranged from $100 to as much as $1,500, according to court documents.
In total, the inmate paid the defendants $6,650 to provide contraband to him at FCC Lompoc.
The BOP has indefinitely suspended Paul Betancourt.
United States District Judge Anne Hwang scheduled sentencing hearings for January 27, 2027, at which time the defendants will each face a statutory maximum sentence of five years in federal prison.
The United States of Department of Justice Office of the Inspector General investigated this matter.
Assistant United States Attorneys Christopher C. Kendall and Patrick Castañeda of the Transnational Organized Crime Section are prosecuting this case.
Falconer man pleads guilty to production of child pornography shortly after federal trial beginsRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Yusef E. Malik Myrick, 27, of Falconer, NY, pleaded guilty to four counts of production of child pornography before U.S. District Judge John L. Sinatra, Jr. following opening arguments in his federal jury trial. The charges carry a mandatory minimum penalty of 15 years in prison, a maximum of 30 years, and a $250,000 fine.
Between September 2020, and December 19, 2021, Myrick communicated with several minor females on various social media platforms, including Facebook, Snapchat, and Instagram, coercing four minor victims to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purposes of producing visual depictions of such conduct.
During the investigation, law enforcement officers discovered that in December 2021, Myrick instructed co-defendant Lily A. Brandow to locate his cell phone, which he hid in their home in an attempt to conceal it from law enforcement. He also instructed Brandow to access and delete several Google accounts and a Snapchat account which he knew were subjects of the investigation and prosecution. On January 31, 2022, during the arrest of Brandow, Myrick’s cell phone was seized and found to contain child pornography.
The investigation further determined that Myrick engaged in a sexually explicit conversation with a victim on Snapchat, during which he asked the minor victim to send him a sexually explicit photo. Myrick also accessed the victim’s Snapchat account and posted a video to her public Snap Story, depicting the victim engaged in sexual activity with another known minor. In addition, Myrick engaged in sexual activity with three other minor victims and recorded the activity on his cell phone. He sent the sexually explicit videos from two of the victims to other individuals.
The plea is the result of an investigation by the Chautauqua County Sheriff’s Office, under the direction of Sheriff James B. Quattrone; the Jamestown Police Department, under the direction of Chief Scott Forster; Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Acting Special Agent-in-Charge Anthony Patrone, and the Ellicott Police Department, under the direction of Chief Daniel Ingrao. Additional assistance was provided by the Rome, Georgia Police Department, and the Child Advocacy Program of Chautauqua County.
Sentencing will be scheduled at a later date before Judge Sinatra.
# # # #
East St. Louis Felon Admits Shooting Homeless ManRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – A convicted felon from East St. Louis on Tuesday admitted shooting a homeless man in 2024.
Travion X. Cutler, 34, pleaded guilty to one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm. He admitted that on Oct. 21, 2024, he was walking around a tent in downtown St. Louis when the man who shared the tent returned from showering at a friend’s house. The victim’s tentmate was inside the tent. Cutler fired a single shot, striking the victim in the abdomen. Police quickly located Cutler, who turned and ran, dropping a .40 caliber handgun after he fell into some bushes. He was then arrested. Cutler is a felon and is thus barred from possessing firearms.
Cutler is scheduled to be sentenced on November 4. The charge carries a potential penalty of up to 15 years in prison.
The St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Phillip Voss is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the Department of Justice’s nationwide initiative that brings federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement, prosecutors, and other public safety partners together to coordinate efforts to combat violent crime and make communities safe. Coordinated by U.S. Attorneys’ offices in each of the 94 federal districts, PSN is tailored to particular communities to strategically address specific violent crime and public safety challenges. As a key component of Operation Take Back America, PSN serves a central role in the Department’s commitment to make our country safe. PSN emphasizes three core principles: rapid federal response to violent crime and criminal offenders; strong, strategic partnerships among law enforcement at all levels; and accountability and deterrence through the prosecution of the most serious, readily provable offenses and other strategies. These efforts complement and strengthen President Trump’s Homeland Security Task Forces, ensuring a comprehensive federal response to the most pressing public safety issues facing communities.
Dover Man Indicted as Armed Career Criminal for Federal Gun and Drug OffensesRead the Press Release
WILMINGTON, Del. – A federal grand jury has returned an indictment charging a Dover man with unlawfully possessing fentanyl, cocaine, and a handgun.
According to the indictment, Romone Allen, 43, stored a loaded 9mm pistol and distribution quantities of fentanyl and cocaine inside an open electronic safe in a Dover hotel room he was renting, along with cash and a digital scale. The indictment alleges that Allen committed these offenses after previously being convicted of three serious drug offenses dating back to 2001.
Allen is charged with one count of possession of a firearm by a prohibited person, one count of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, one count of possession with intent to distribute cocaine, and one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime. If convicted, Allen faces a mandatory minimum of 20 years in prison and a maximum possible sentence of life. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
U.S. Attorney Benjamin L. Wallace, FBI Baltimore Special Agent in Charge Jimmy Paul, and Dover Police Department Chief Thomas Johnson, Jr., and made the announcement. The FBI’s Delaware Violent Crime and Safe Streets Task Force and the Dover Police Department investigated the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Delaware. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the District of Delaware or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:26-cr-109-RGA.
The charges contained in the indictment are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Delco Man Pleads Guilty to Stalking by Mail, Witness TamperingRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that Stephen M. Cilurso, 73, of Aldan, Pennsylvania, entered a plea of guilty today before United States District Judge Gail A. Weilheimer to one count of stalking by use of the mail and one count of witness tampering.
The defendant was charged by information last month, following his arrest on a criminal complaint and warrant in March. With today’s plea, he has waived prosecution by indictment.
As detailed in court filings and admitted to by the defendant, between about May 31, 2019, and March 21, 2026, in Delaware County and Philadelphia County, Cilurso mailed a number of letters containing threats and homophobic slurs to Victim 1.
Upon being confronted by law enforcement on March 3, 2026, the defendant admitted that he sent such letters to Victim 1. Following that encounter with agents, the defendant sent Victim 1 four additional letters, in which he provided his true name and repeatedly stated that Victim 1 should discontinue any involvement in the criminal investigation and that the defendant’s life was in Victim 1’s hands.
On March 17, 2026, the defendant was told by law enforcement agents not to contact Victim 1 again. Despite being expressly told to discontinue contacting Victim 1, the defendant then sent Victim 1 two more letters. In one, the defendant wrote, “I will not go back to jail.” He further threatened to kill himself, adding “drop the charges against me” and “let me live.” In the second letter, the defendant stated, “I do not ever want to go back to prison ... don’t let the FBI put me back there.”
The defendant is scheduled to be sentenced on November 17 and faces a maximum possible term of eight years in prison.
This case was investigated by the FBI, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and Philadelphia Police Department and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michelle Morgan.
Denham Springs Accountant Pleads Guilty to Wire FraudRead the Press Release
Anisha Devall Hunter, age 48, of Denham Springs, Louisiana, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Court Judge John W. deGravelles to two counts of wire fraud, announced U.S. Attorney Kurt L. Wall.
According to admissions made as part of her guilty plea, Hunter worked as a senior accountant for a business located in the Middle District of Louisiana in 2023. In her capacity as an accountant, she had access to company credit cards and bank account information. She also had the authority to pay off the credit card statements and make entries into the business’s accounting journal.
As part of her scheme, Hunter used company credit cards to pay for her own personal expenses. These unauthorized charges included rental payments to her Denham Springs apartment complex, among numerous others. She would then disguise these charges by making false entries into the business’s accounting journal, indicating the purchases were legit business expenses.
Each wire fraud count is punishable by a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a fine of $250,000, or twice the gross gain derived from the offense, whichever is greater.
U.S. Attorney Kurt L. Wall praised the work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen Vick leads the prosecution.
Cranston Man Charged in Federal Criminal Complaint Arising from ICAC InvestigationRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE – On August 4, 2026, a federal criminal complaint was filed charging Michael Gallo, age 33, of Cranston, in connection with an investigation conducted by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Rhode Island Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force, and the Somerset, Massachusetts Police Department. Gallo is charged with two counts of production of child sexual abuse material (CSAM), three counts of enticement of a minor to engage in sexual activity, one count of interstate travel to engage in illicit sexual conduct, and one count of receipt of CSAM.
According to an affidavit filed in support of the criminal complaint, an HSI Special Agent assigned to the ICAC Task Force alleges that between June 2025 and March 2026, Gallo used online communications platforms to attempt to entice multiple minors. The affidavit further alleges that Gallo traveled from Rhode Island to Massachusetts with the intent to engage in illicit conduct with a minor, and that he produced and received CSAM involving multiple minor victims. The affidavit describes separate periods of alleged conduct involving three minor victims.
Gallo was taken into custody and is currently being held pending further court proceedings.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Lee Vilker.
The investigation was conducted by HSI Providence, with assistance from the Rhode Island ICAC Task Force, the Somerset, Massachusetts Police Department, and additional law enforcement partners.
A criminal complaint is merely an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.
Court Sentences Mobile County Man for Possessing a Firearm as a Convicted FelonRead the Press Release
MOBILE, Ala. – On August 4, 2026, United States District Judge William H. Steele sentenced Andre Jerrard Davis, Sr., to 46 months in federal prison for possessing a firearm after having previously been convicted of multiple felony offenses.
According to court documents, on May 14, 2025, officers with the Citronelle Police Department responded to a residence within the city to assist with a theft investigation. Although Davis was present at the scene, he was not involved in the theft investigation.
Officers recognized Davis from prior encounters and knew he had prior felony convictions. During their interaction with him, officers observed a firearm protruding from his pants pocket. They removed and secured the firearm, which was identified as a Glock Model 45, 9mm pistol.
Federal law prohibits convicted felons from possessing firearms. At the time of the offense, Davis had previously been convicted of seven felony offenses:
- First-Degree Aggravated Robbery (Hennepin County, Minnesota, October 1, 2001);
- Check Forgery (Hennepin County, Minnesota, October 14, 2003);
- Domestic Assault by Strangulation (Ramsey County, Minnesota, April 6, 2005);
- Voter Registration Fraud (Hennepin County, Minnesota, February 12, 2007);
- Forgery (Lake County, Indiana, February 6, 2008);
- Theft—Take/Use/Transfer Movable Property (Ramsey County, Minnesota, April 28, 2016); and
- Terroristic Threats—Reckless Disregard of Risk (Ramsey County, Minnesota, April 28, 2016).
U.S. Attorney Sean P. Costello of the Southern District of Alabama made the announcement.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the City of Citronelle Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Elizabeth P. Stepan and George F. May prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.
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 Homeland Security Task Forces (HSTF) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
Convictions through Guilty Pleas and Sentencings in Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) Prosecutions (July 27 through July 31, 2026)Read the Press Release
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Puerto Rico, Héctor Ramírez-Carbó, Acting United States Attorney, in conjunction with our partner agencies in the Homeland Security Task Force (“HSTF”) announce the following prosecutorial results for the week of July 27 through July 31, 2026. The HSTF is a permanent, interagency law enforcement task force created by executive order to combat transnational criminal organizations—including cartels, trafficking networks, and foreign terrorist organizations.
Convictions through Guilty Pleas:
- On July 29, 2026, Junior Alcántara-Escoboso pleaded guilty to Count One in Criminal Case number 25-272 (SCC). According to the indictment, the defendant was charged with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances and possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking crimes. Defendant was arrested on July 10, 2025. The court set defendant’s sentencing date for October 28, 2026. AUSAs Laura Díaz-González and Andrés Orr are in charge of the prosecution of the case.
- On July 29, 2026, Estefanny Parra-Rosa pleaded guilty to Count One in Criminal Case number 25-272 (SCC). According to the indictment, the defendant was charged with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances. Defendant was arrested on July 10, 2025. The court set defendant’s sentencing date for October 29, 2026. AUSAs Laura Díaz-González and Andrés Orr are in charge of the prosecution of the case.
- On July 29, 2026, Emanuel Antigua Evangelista pleaded guilty to Count One in Criminal Case 26-202 (SCC). According to the indictment, the defendant was charged with reentry of removed alien after a felony conviction. Defendant was arrested on May 5, 2026. The court set defendant’s sentencing date for September 16, 2026. SAUSA Steven Liong-Rodríguez is in charge of the prosecution of the case.
- On July 30, 2026, Bryan Abdiel Camarena-Rodríguez pleaded guilty to Counts One and Seven in Criminal Case number 25-272 (SCC). According to the indictment, the defendant was charged with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances and possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking crimes. Defendant was arrested on July 10, 2025. The court set defendant’s sentencing date for October 29, 2026. AUSAs Laura Díaz-González and Andrés Orr are in charge of the prosecution of the case.
Sentencings:
- On July 30, 2026, Augusto Quilarte-Brito was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Silvia Carreño-Coll to 34 months of imprisonment for conspiring to import more than five kilograms of cocaine into the United States, jettisoning property subject to forfeiture, and related charges. According to court documents, defendant was indicted on March 6, 2025, in Criminal case number 25-114 (SCC), and pleaded guilty on February 13, 2026. AUSA Lani Lear is in charge of the prosecution of the case.
- On July 30, 2026, Luis Natanael Hernández-Corporán was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Silvia Carreño-Coll to a term of 27 months of imprisonment for aiding and assisting entry of an aggravated felon to the United States. According to court documents, defendant was indicted on September 18, 2025, in Criminal Case 25-387 (SCC), and pleaded guilty on April 16, 2026. SAUSA Steven Liong-Rodríguez is in charge of the prosecution of the case.
These prosecutions are 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 San Juan comprises agents and officers from the following federal partners: FBI, ICE-HSI, CBP (OFO, AMO and Border Patrol), the U.S. Marshals Service for Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, DEA, ATF, IRS, U.S. Coast Guard, U.S. Coast Guard Investigative Service, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Department of State, and the U.S. Secret Service, the Puerto Rico/U.S. Virgin Islands HIDTA, TSA, FAA, and the U.S. Attorney’s Offices for the Districts of Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
The HSTF also has the following state and local law enforcement partners as participating agencies: the Puerto Rico Police Department; the San Juan, Carolina, Guaynabo, Barceloneta, and Ponce Municipal Police Departments, the Puerto Rico National Guard – Counter Drug Program; the Puerto Rico Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation; the Puerto Rico Internal Revenue Service (Hacienda); the Puerto Rico Port Authority; and the Virgin Islands Police Department.
###
Convicted Felon Sentenced to over 17 Years in Federal Prison for Drug Trafficking OffensesRead the Press Release
Tallahassee, Florida – Antonio Carlos Shine, 38, of Dania, Florida, was sentenced to 17 years and five months in federal prison for possession with intent to distribute more than 50 grams of methamphetamine and marijuana. The sentence was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “This serial felon’s lengthy criminal record amply demonstrates that the only way we can prevent him from continuing to terrorize our communities with his criminality is by keeping him incarcerated. This successful prosecution and long prison sentence should be a warning to other would-be drug peddlers that the Northern District of Florida has zero-tolerance for these crimes.”
Court documents reflect that in August 2024, law enforcement officers intercepted a package containing nearly two pounds of methamphetamine addressed to a Tallahassee residence. Law enforcement conducted a controlled delivery at the residence, and the defendant took possession of the package and brought it into the residence. Shortly thereafter, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant on the residence. The defendant did not answer the door, requiring officers to breach the door, after which the defendant fled through the back door with the package of methamphetamine, where he was immediately taken into custody. Law enforcement searched the residence and located a digital scale, various narcotics paraphernalia, and 44 grams of marijuana packaged for sale. The defendant had previously been convicted of aggravated battery with a deadly weapon, aggravated assault with a firearm, and possession of cocaine with intent to sell/deliver, and had served several prior terms in Florida state prison.
“This significant prison sentencing should serve as a deterrent to anyone attempting to use the US Mail for narcotics trafficking” said Bladismir Rojo, Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service’s Miami Division. “The Postal Inspection Service will continue to work with the Tallahassee Police Department and all of our law enforcement partners to keep these poisons out of our communities.”
Shine’s term of imprisonment will be followed by ten years of supervised release. Thus, once Shine is released from prison, if Shine were to violate any conditions of his release, he could potentially face an additional period of incarceration related to violating his supervision.
The case was investigated by the United States Postal Inspection Service and the Tallahassee Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Meredith L. Steer 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.
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 available 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.
Convicted Drug Trafficker Sentenced for Violating Federal Controlled Substances ActRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – YILEI ZHOU, age 36, a Chinese national, was sentenced today by United States District Judge Greg G. Guidry to 24 months’ imprisonment, 4 years of supervised release, and a $100.00 mandatory special assessment fee, after previously pleading guilty to conspiracy to distribute, and possess with intent to distribute, a mixture and substance containing one hundred (100) kilograms or more of a detectable amount of marijuana, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(B), and 846.
According to court documents, on April 14, 2025, DEA Special Agents observed an individual identified as ZHOU pick up Hanjie Wu, a known marijuana distributor, from an airport in Houston, Texas and drive him to a residence in Katy, Texas, where they picked up Zihang Zeng and drove to Denham Springs, Louisiana. The following day, two other individuals, Wei Bin Chen and Like Chen, left Denham Springs, traveled to a nearby storage facility and retrieved multiple large trash bags from a storage unit. They then drove to another storage facility in Slidell, Louisiana. ZHOU and Wu then drove to same facility in Slidell where they all met with an individual identified as Aaron Steele. Wei Bin and Like Chen then loaded the large trash bags into Steele’s vehicle and all parties left the storage facility.
Forrest County Sheriff’s deputies conducted a traffic stop of Chen’s vehicle on Interstate 59 headed towards Hattiesburg, Mississippi. A consensual search of the vehicle resulted in the seizure of approximately 43.5 kilograms of marijuana.
Additionally, Mississippi Police Department officers conducted a traffic stop of Steele’s vehicle on Interstate 59 in Picayune, Mississippi. A consensual search of his vehicle resulted in the seizure of approximately 22.7 kilograms of marijuana.
Based on the seizures that occurred in Slidell and Mississippi, Livingston Parish officers obtained search warrants for the residence and storage facility in Denham Springs. When the officers arrived at the residence, Zeng ran from the residence and was arrested. Inside the residence, officers located $1,552.00 in currency, hundreds of rubber bands, a vacuum sealer and a money counter. From the storage unit, officers seized 38.5 kilograms of marijuana.
The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, St. Tammany Parish Sheriff’s Office, Livingston Parish Sheriff’s Office, Forrest County Mississippi Sheriff’s Office, and the Picayune, Mississippi Police Department. The prosecution was handled by Assistant United States Attorneys André Jones and Nolan D. Paige of the Narcotics Unit.
This prosecution is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF New Orleans comprises agents and officers from the Department of Homeland Security, Federal Bureau of Investigations, Drug Enforcement Administration and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Louisiana.
* * *
Columbia City Man Sentenced to 120 Months in Prison and 120 Months Supervised Release for Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
FORT WAYNE – Derek Gaff, 45 years old, of Columbia City, Indiana, was sentenced by United States District Court Chief Judge Holly A. Brady after pleading guilty to Possession of Child Pornography, announced United States Attorney Adam L. Mildred.
Gaff was sentenced to 120 months in prison followed by 10 years of supervised release. Gaff was ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $13,000.00, however further restitution will be determined at a later date.
“A recidivist Defendant possessed child pornography between September 2023 and April 2025. The Defendant had previously been convicted of Possession of Child Pornography in Whitley County. The Defendant has traded the next ten years in prison for his choice to possess these deplorable materials and will be supervised for an additional ten years when he gets out to protect the children in our community. Offenders who possess CSAM take their delight in the victimization and violation of children and that is nothing short of evil. They also contribute to the perpetual victimization of the innocent so long as it is in circulation, whether or not the Offenders participate in it themselves. Thanks to the efforts of the Department of Homeland Security-Homeland Security Investigations, with assistance from the Indiana State Police and the Whitley County Sheriff’s Office in partnership with the Whitley County Prosecutor’s Office led by D.J. Sigler, the case was able to be prosecuted by Lesley J. Miller Lowery as part of Project Safe Childhood. Our children are safer with him behind bars,” said U.S. Attorney Adam L. Mildred.
The case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood. In 2006, the Department of Justice created Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
Collin County man sentenced to over 20 years in federal prison for trafficking methamphetamine, firearms violation in the Eastern District of TexasRead the Press Release
PLANO, Texas – An Anna man has been sentenced to over 20 years in federal prison for drug trafficking and firearms violations in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs.
Pedro Rodriguez, 36, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime and was sentenced to 248 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Sean D. Jordan on August 5, 2026.
According to information presented in court, an investigation into methamphetamine trafficking in the area led to Rodriguez. It was determined that from at least September 2024, Rodriguez was conspiring with others to distribute methamphetamine in the Eastern District of Texas, and elsewhere. Rodriguez was also found to be in possession of a firearm during his drug trafficking activities.
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 U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and the Collin County Sheriff’s Office and was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Lesley D. Brooks.
###
Casper man sentenced to over 12 years on meth distribution chargesRead the Press Release
CASPER, CASPER, Wyo. — A Casper man will serve more than 12 years in federal prison for his role as a primary distributor in a multicounty drug trafficking ring, federal officials said.
Bryan James Hackleman, 44, of Casper, was sentenced to 151 months in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. U.S. District Court Judge Scott W. Skavdahl imposed the sentence July 28 in Casper.
According to federal court documents, the Wyoming Department of Criminal Investigation (DCI), with assistance from the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and multiple state and local agencies, investigated a drug trafficking organization operating in Wyoming and Colorado. Investigators identified Hackleman as one of the conspirators selling large quantities of methamphetamine in and around Natrona County.
Law enforcement intercepted Hackleman Nov. 10, 2025, near Casper. A search of his vehicle found scales, syringes and nearly half a pound, or about 205 grams, of methamphetamine. Agents determined Hackleman distributed more than 16 pounds of methamphetamine during the conspiracy.
Hackleman was arrested Nov. 10, 2025, on related state charges that were later dismissed. A federal complaint was filed Jan. 23, and he was taken into federal custody Jan. 27. Hackleman pleaded guilty to an information May 4. The DCI, with assistance from the DEA, HSI and multiple state and local law enforcement agencies in Wyoming and Colorado, investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Z. Seth Griswold prosecuted the case.
U.S. Attorney Darin Smith said, “Cases like this demonstrate our commitment to disrupting the flow of dangerous drugs into Wyoming communities and holding repeat offenders accountable. Methamphetamine trafficking fuels addiction, violence and instability, and today’s sentence reflects the seriousness of those harms. This outcome underscores the importance of strong partnerships between federal, state and local agencies working together to protect the safety and well-being of the public.”
Canadian pleads guilty to hacking U.S. cloud storage provider and extorting its customers for millionsRead the Press Release
Seattle – Connor Riley Moucka, 26, of Kitchener, Ontario, pleaded guilty today to a widespread computer hacking conspiracy that resulted in the compromise of over 165 victim organizations, the theft of billions of sensitive customer records and the extortion of numerous victims.
“Connor Moucka hacked over 150 companies and organizations, obtained extremely sensitive information, and extorted the victims for millions of dollars,” said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Moucka was arrested just six months after these breaches began, demonstrating this Department’s firm commitment to investigating and prosecuting sophisticated cybercriminals who cause extensive harm to American businesses and consumers. Today’s guilty plea serves as a reminder to all cybercriminals, regardless of where they live, that they cannot hide behind a wall of anonymity. You will be found and brought to justice.”
“As this case demonstrates, the cybercrimes unit in the Western District of Washington acts quickly and with precision when these hacks and intrusions impact victims in our district and around the world,” said First Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles Neil Floyd for the Western District of Washington. “I commend the work of the FBI and our counterparts in the Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section in DC for the teamwork that resulted in Mr. Moucka taking responsibility today for his actions.”
“Hiding behind a screen is no shield from justice,” said Assistant Director Brett Leatherman of the FBI’s Cyber Division. “Connor Moucka learned that when he was arrested just months after he began targeting U.S. companies, stealing sensitive information, and extorting victims for millions of dollars. His guilty plea highlights the FBI’s commitment to protecting American businesses and consumers from cybercrime and reflects our strong partnership with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police and other international law enforcement agencies. The FBI will continue to identify, locate, and hold cybercriminals accountable, wherever they operate.”
“Today’s guilty plea sends a clear message to cybercriminals: you cannot hide from justice, no matter how hard you may try to cover your tracks.,” said Special Agent in Charge W. Mike Herrington of the FBI Seattle field office. “Connor Moucka’s threats and re-extortion tactics were calculated and predatory, and his actions did real harm to his victims, be they companies targeted for theft and extortion or the millions of everyday people who are their customers. Ultimately, though, Mr. Moucka’s schemes were no match for the tenacity of FBI Seattle and this international investigative team. I am incredibly proud of their work. Let this outcome serve as a reminder: actions have consequences, and the FBI will continue to relentlessly pursue those who target American businesses and individuals in cyberspace, wherever they may be.”
According to court documents, between February and October 2024, Moucka and his co-conspirators used stolen login credentials to compromise cloud-hosted data belonging to at least 165 customers of a U.S.-based software-as-a-service company. Moucka and others used their unauthorized access to these customers’ computer systems to steal billions of sensitive customer records and download terabytes of information, including individuals’ non-content call and text history records, banking and other financial information, payroll records, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) registration numbers, driver’s license numbers, passport numbers, social security numbers and other personally identifiable information. They then extorted victims by threatening to publish data online.
The conspirators profited from the scheme, receiving over $2.5 million in ransom payments. In at least one instance, Moucka re-extorted a victim with threats of further disclosure of the victim’s stolen data. Moucka used the stolen data of a government officer and members of a then-former government officer’s immediate family in this re-extortion attempt.
In addition to extorting victims, Moucka and his co-conspirators advertised the victims’ data for sale online, including on the cybercrime forums BreachForums, Exploit.in and XSS.is, as well as on Telegram. Through these actions, Moucka personally obtained at least $495,000. The harm to the conspirators’ victims was much greater, with victim companies suffering over $9.5 million in actual losses — a number that does not include losses suffered by the companies’ customers, totaling at least 100 million individuals.
Moucka pleaded guilty to four counts of the indictment, including computer fraud, wire fraud, aggravated identity theft, and a related conspiracy. He is scheduled to be sentenced on Oct. 27 and faces a mandatory minimum penalty of two years in prison on the aggravated identity theft count and a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison on the remaining counts. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The FBI investigated the case.
Trial Attorneys Louisa K. Becker and George S. Brown of the Justice Department’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Sok Tea Jiang for the Western District of Washington are prosecuting the case. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs provided substantial assistance in obtaining the arrest and July 2025 extradition of Moucka from Canada.
Several foreign law enforcement agencies provided substantial assistance in the investigation and arrest of Moucka, including the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, the Australian Federal Police, Spain’s Guardia Civil, the Security Service of Ukraine and the Turkish National Police.
CCIPS investigates and prosecutes cybercrime and intellectual property (IP) crime in coordination with domestic and international law enforcement agencies, often with assistance from the private sector. Since 2020, CCIPS has secured the conviction of over 180 cyber and IP criminals, and court orders for the return of over $350 million in victim funds.
This action is part of Operation Riptide, an FBI campaign targeting the criminal actors, infrastructure, and financial networks behind cybercrime, cyber-enabled crime, and fraud against the American people. Last year, Americans reported over $20 billion in losses to cybercrime, a 26 percent single-year increase. Operation Riptide is the FBI’s sustained enforcement response to that threat.
Canadian Man Pleads Guilty to Hacking U.S. Cloud Storage Provider and Extorting Its Customers for MillionsRead the Press Release
Connor Riley Moucka, 26, of Kitchener, Ontario, pleaded guilty today to a widespread computer hacking conspiracy that resulted in the compromise of over 165 victim organizations, the theft of billions of sensitive customer records and the extortion of numerous victims.
“Connor Moucka hacked over 150 companies and organizations, obtained extremely sensitive information, and extorted the victims for millions of dollars,” said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Moucka was arrested just six months after these breaches began, demonstrating this Department’s firm commitment to investigating and prosecuting sophisticated cybercriminals who cause extensive harm to American businesses and consumers. Today’s guilty plea serves as a reminder to all cybercriminals, regardless of where they live, that they cannot hide behind a wall of anonymity. You will be found and brought to justice.”
“As this case demonstrates, the cybercrimes unit in the Western District of Washington acts quickly and with precision when these hacks and intrusions impact victims in our district and around the world,” said First Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles Neil Floyd for the Western District of Washington. “I commend the work of the FBI and our counterparts in the Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section in DC for the teamwork that resulted in Mr. Moucka taking responsibility today for his actions.”
“Hiding behind a screen is no shield from justice,” said Assistant Director Brett Leatherman of the FBI’s Cyber Division. “Connor Moucka learned that when he was arrested just months after he began targeting U.S. companies, stealing sensitive information, and extorting victims for millions of dollars. His guilty plea highlights the FBI’s commitment to protecting American businesses and consumers from cybercrime and reflects our strong partnership with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police and other international law enforcement agencies. The FBI will continue to identify, locate, and hold cybercriminals accountable, wherever they operate.”
“Today’s guilty plea sends a clear message to cybercriminals: you cannot hide from justice, no matter how hard you may try to cover your tracks,” said Special Agent in Charge W. Mike Herrington of the FBI Seattle field office. “Connor Moucka’s threats and re-extortion tactics were calculated and predatory, and his actions did real harm to his victims, be they companies targeted for theft and extortion or the millions of everyday people who are their customers. Ultimately, though, Mr. Moucka’s schemes were no match for the tenacity of FBI Seattle and this international investigative team. I am incredibly proud of their work. Let this outcome serve as a reminder: actions have consequences, and the FBI will continue to relentlessly pursue those who target American businesses and individuals in cyberspace, wherever they may be.”
According to court documents, between February and October 2024, Moucka and his co-conspirators used stolen login credentials to compromise cloud-hosted data belonging to at least 165 customers of a U.S.-based software-as-a-service company. Moucka and others used their unauthorized access to these customers’ computer systems to steal billions of sensitive customer records and download terabytes of information, including individuals’ non-content call and text history records, banking and other financial information, payroll records, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) registration numbers, driver’s license numbers, passport numbers, social security numbers and other personally identifiable information. They then extorted victims by threatening to publish data online.
The conspirators profited from the scheme, receiving over $2.5 million in ransom payments. In at least one instance, Moucka re-extorted a victim with threats of further disclosure of the victim’s stolen data. Moucka used the stolen data of a government officer and members of a then-former government officer’s immediate family in this re-extortion attempt.
In addition to extorting victims, Moucka and his co-conspirators advertised the victims’ data for sale online, including on the cybercrime forums BreachForums, Exploit.in and XSS.is, as well as on Telegram. Through these actions, Moucka personally obtained at least $495,000. The harm to the conspirators’ victims was much greater, with victim companies suffering over $9.5 million in actual losses — a number that does not include losses suffered by the companies’ customers, totaling at least 100 million individuals.
Moucka pleaded guilty to four counts of the indictment, including computer fraud, wire fraud, aggravated identity theft, and a related conspiracy. He is scheduled to be sentenced on Oct. 27 and faces a mandatory minimum penalty of two years in prison on the aggravated identity theft count and a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison on the remaining counts. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The FBI investigated the case.
Trial Attorneys Louisa K. Becker and George S. Brown of the Justice Department’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Sok Tea Jiang for the Western District of Washington prosecuted the case. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs provided substantial assistance in obtaining the arrest and July 2025 extradition of Moucka from Canada.
A number of foreign law enforcement agencies provided substantial assistance in the investigation and arrest of Moucka, including the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, the Australian Federal Police, Spain’s Guardia Civil, the Security Service of Ukraine and the Turkish National Police.
CCIPS investigates and prosecutes cybercrime and intellectual property (IP) crime in coordination with domestic and international law enforcement agencies, often with assistance from the private sector. Since 2020, CCIPS has secured the conviction of over 180 cyber and IP criminals, and court orders for the return of over $350 million in victim funds.
This action is part of Operation Riptide, an FBI campaign targeting the criminal actors, infrastructure, and financial networks behind cybercrime, cyber-enabled crime, and fraud against the American people. Last year, Americans reported over $20 billion in losses to cybercrime, a 26 percent single-year increase. Operation Riptide is the FBI’s sustained enforcement response to that threat.
Brooklyn Man Charged with Distribution of Cocaine Base and CocaineRead the Press Release
BURLINGTON – The Office of the United States Attorney for the District of Vermont announced that on June 25, 2026, a federal grand jury returned an indictment charging Tyquan Washington, a/k/a “Bones,” 36, of Brooklyn, New York, with distribution of 28 grams or more of cocaine base (crack cocaine) and a quantity of cocaine.
Washington was arrested in New Jersey on June 11, 2026, pursuant to a warrant issued in connection with a criminal complaint filed in 2024 that charged Washington with the same distribution offense. Washington thereafter appeared before a United States Magistrate Judge in the District of New Jersey, where he was detained, and ordered transported to the District of Vermont. Upon arrival in Vermont, Washington was arraigned before United States Magistrate Judge Kevin J. Doyle on Monday, August 3, 2026.
According to court records, on February 22, 2024, agents with Homeland Security Investigations made a controlled purchase of more than 29 grams of cocaine base and a quantity of powder cocaine from Washington in Burlington, Vermont. Court records also indicate that the government has collected evidence that Washington is responsible for leading a drug trafficking organization that began operating in Vermont no later than 2023.
The United States Attorney’s Office emphasizes that an indictment contains allegations only and that Washington is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty. Washington faces a mandatory minimum of 5 years’ imprisonment, and up to 40 years’ imprisonment if convicted. The actual sentence, however, would be determined by the District Court with guidance from the advisory United States Sentencing Guidelines and the statutory sentencing factors.
First Assistant United States Attorney Jonathan A. Ophardt commended the investigatory efforts of Homeland Security Investigations.
The prosecutor is Assistant United States Attorney Michelle Arra. Washington is represented by Attorney William E. Kraham.
Bridgeport Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Federal Prison for Drug and Firearm OffensesRead the Press Release
David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that MOETIES BROWN, 32, of Bridgeport, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Vernon D. Oliver in Hartford to 120 months of imprisonment and four years of supervised release for narcotics distribution and firearm possession offenses.
According to court documents and statements made in court, in 2024, the FBI’s Bridgeport Safe Streets Task Force and Bridgeport Police Department learned that Brown was selling narcotics in the vicinity of his residence on Maple Street in Bridgeport. On November 20, 2024, investigators observed Brown and others engaging in suspected drug sales. Brown was arrested on state charges after a search of his person revealed a distribution quantity of marijuana, and a search of his vehicle and residence revealed more than 100 grams of fentanyl, two handguns, and ammunition.
Brown’s criminal history includes nine felony convictions, including convictions for committing five gunpoint robberies of delivery workers and cashiers.
Brown has been detained since his federal arrest on May 9, 2025. On May 19, 2026, he pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl, and unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition by a felon.
This investigation was 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, Fairfield, Norwalk, Trumbull, and Westport Police Departments. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Mary G. Vitale and Daniel George.
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.
Bridgeport Man Guilty of Multiple Child Exploitation OffensesRead the Press Release
David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that a federal jury in Hartford has found ONAI KEDAR WILBERT WRIGHT, 27, of Bridgeport, guilty of child exploitation offenses.
According to the evidence introduced during the trial, on March 14, 2025, an Online Covert Employee (OCE) with the FBI’s Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force in Cleveland, Ohio, monitored a live video stream on the internet application “Fambase” and observed Wright engaging in sexually explicit activity with a 15-year-old female (“minor victim”). Analysis of mobile communications and geo-location data, and information from AirBnB, led investigators to a residence located in Norwich, Connecticut, where they took Wright into custody. The minor victim and two adult females were also present in the residence.
An investigation revealed that Wright met the minor victim when she was 14, and that they sometimes recorded themselves engaging in sexual activity and shared the recordings with each other. Wright also created an OnlyFans account, uploaded sexually explicit videos of the minor victim to the account, and pressured the minor victim to create content for the account. In early March 2025, Wright and the minor victim traveled to Ohio with the intent on creating more sexually explicit online conduct. On March 6, 2025, police in Vermilion, Ohio, acting on a tip, conducted a welfare check on the minor victim. Vermilion Police subsequently contacted the FBI.
Today, the jury found Wright guilty of one count of transportation of a minor with intent to engage in prostitution or criminal sexual activity, one count of production of child pornography, two counts of receipt of child pornography, and one count of transportation of child pornography.
At sentencing, which is not scheduled, Wright faces a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of 15 years and a maximum term of imprisonment of life.
Wright been detained since his arrest on related state charges on March 14, 2025.
This investigation has been conducted by the FBI in New Haven and Cleveland, with the assistance of the Norwich Police Department, Bridgeport Police Department, Cromwell Police Department, Ansonia Police Department, the New London State’s Attorney’s Office, the Vermilion (Ohio) Police Department, and the Norwalk (Ohio) Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Angel M. Krull and Katherine E. Boyles.
This prosecution is part of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Project Safe Childhood Initiative, which is aimed at protecting children from sexual abuse and exploitation. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
To report cases of child exploitation, please visit www.cybertipline.com.
Bridgeport Man Charged with Dumping Used Oil at Abandoned Property in HartfordRead the Press Release
David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that a federal grand jury in Bridgeport has returned an indictment charging HARRY BATCHELOR, JR., 29, of Bridgeport, with illegal transport and disposal of used oil.
The indictment alleges that on or about May 12, 2025, Batchelor and others violated federal and state environmental laws by transporting to, and disposing of, 11 55-gallon drums containing used oil, among other substances, at an abandoned property at 203-205 Homestead Avenue in Hartford. The location was not an approved recycling or disposal facility for used oil. The drums leaked used oil onto the neighboring property of a non-profit community organization at 255 Homestead Avenue, which necessitated an environmental cleanup by the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection.
The indictment was returned on July 22, 2026. Batchelor, who is currently detained in federal custody for alleged violations of his supervised release from a prior federal conviction, appeared today in Hartford federal court and entered a plea of not guilty to the charge.
If convicted of the offense, Batchelor faces a maximum term of imprisonment of two years.
U.S. Attorney Sullivan stressed that an indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. Charges are only allegations, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This matter is being investigated by the Environmental Protection Agency – Criminal Investigation Division and the Department of Transportation – Office of Inspector General, with assistance provided by the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Hal Chen.
Belarusian leader of international ransomware scheme known as “Ransom Cartel” sentenced to 16 years in prisonRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A Belarusian national was sentenced today to 16 years in prison for conspiracy to commit offenses against the United States, conspiracy to commit wire fraud, and aggravated identity theft.
According to court documents, Maksim Silnikau, 40, was the creator and administrator of the Ransom Cartel ransomware strain, created in 2021. Silnikau had been a member of Russian-speaking cybercrime forums since at least 2005 and was a member of the notorious cybercrime website Direct Connection from 2011 to 2016, when the site was shuttered after the arrest of its administrator.
Beginning in May 2021, Silnikau developed a ransomware operation and began recruiting participants from cybercrime forums. On various occasions, Silnikau distributed information and tools to Ransom Cartel participants, including information about compromised computers, such as stolen credentials, and tools such as those designed to encrypt or “lock” compromised computers. Silnikau also maintained a hidden website where he and his co-conspirators could monitor and control ransomware attacks; communicate with each other; communicate with victims, including sending and negotiating payment demands; and manage distribution of funds between co-conspirators.
From 2021 to 2023, Silnikau’s Ransom Cartel conspirators executed ransomware attacks on at least 18 companies around the world, including companies based in California, New York, Nebraska, and countries other than the United States. The hackers stole data and demanded monetary payments in exchange for the key to unlock the stolen data, or in exchange for a promise not to publish the victim’s data. Ransom Cartel’s growth was disrupted by the arrest of Silnikau in July 2023.
Silnikau was extradited from Poland to face prosecution in the Eastern District of Virginia and the District of New Jersey.
Theophani K. Stamos, First Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Acting Special Agent in Charge Andrew Forrest, US Secret Service Criminal Investigative Division; Chris Ormerod, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Kansas City Field Office; and Craig L. Tremaroli, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Albany Field Office, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Rossie D. Alston Jr.
The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs provided substantial assistance in the extradition of Silnikau and the collection of evidence. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey and the Computer Crime and Intellectual Property section also provided assistance.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan S. Keim and former Assistant U.S. Attorney Zoe Bedell prosecuted the case.
Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:23-cr-108.
Baltimore Man Sentenced for Drug Trafficking and Firearm Possession ChargesRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – A Baltimore man received a sentence of more than eight years in federal prison, today, for drug trafficking and firearm charges in connection with a local drug trafficking investigation.
U.S. District Judge Matthew Maddox sentenced Davon Taylor, 35, to 97 months in prison, followed by five years of supervised release, for possession with the intent to distribute controlled substances and possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking. Taylor also agreed that this offense violated the conditions of his federal supervised release.
Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the sentence with Special Agent in Charge Charles Doerrer, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), and Commissioner Richard Worley, Baltimore Police Department (BPD).
According to court documents, on April 9, 2025, law enforcement agents used a surveillance camera to monitor a large Northwest Baltimore parking lot, known as “the panyard.” Agents observed Taylor arrive at the panyard and engage in hand-to-hand drug transactions before removing an object from his waistband. He then placed the object inside of a pizza box on top of a recycling bin.
Law enforcement arrested Taylor and then agents recovered a handgun, loaded with a magazine containing 12 rounds of live ammunition, that was reported stolen in May 2022. Agents also searched the area and found a bag containing additional plastic bags with numerous vials and jugs of fentanyl, cocaine, and cocaine base, along with a digital scale with white residue on it. Additionally, law enforcement found $1,549 in cash.
Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is the Department of Justice’s nationwide initiative that brings federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement, prosecutors, and other public safety partners together to coordinate efforts to combat violent crime and make communities safe. Coordinated by U.S. Attorneys’ offices in each of the 94 federal districts, PSN is tailored to particular communities to strategically address specific violent crime and public safety challenges. As a key component of Operation Take Back America, PSN serves a central role in the Department’s commitment to make our country safe. PSN emphasizes three core principles: rapid federal response to violent crime and criminal offenders; strong, strategic partnerships among law enforcement at all levels; and accountability and deterrence through the prosecution of the most serious, readily provable offenses and other strategies. These efforts complement and strengthen President Trump’s Homeland Security Task Forces, ensuring a comprehensive federal response to the most pressing public safety issues facing communities.
U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the ATF and BPD for their work in the investigation. Ms. Hayes also thanked Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Kathleen Godwin who is prosecuting this federal case.
For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, visit justice.gov/usao-md.
# # #
Bahamian Drug Trafficker Faces Federal Cocaine Charges Following At-Sea Rescue from Plane CrashRead the Press Release
ATLANTA – An indictment unsealed today in the Northern District of Georgia charges Jonathan Eric Gardiner, a convicted felon and Bahamian national, with federal drug importation and conspiracy offenses. U.S. officials arrested Gardiner after rescuing him from the Atlantic Ocean following a plane crash on May 14, 2026.
“Operating from The Bahamas, Gardiner allegedly coordinated the delivery of massive quantities of cocaine into the Northern District of Georgia and elsewhere,” said U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg. “Because of the quick action and dedication of federal law enforcement in Atlanta’s Homeland Security Task Force, this recidivist felon, alleged high-level drug trafficker, and priority target will be held accountable for his crimes.”
“International cocaine trafficking fuels addiction, violence, and organized criminal activity that impacts communities across the United States,” said Jae W. Chung, Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Atlanta Field Division. “DEA remains steadfast in working alongside our law enforcement partners to identify, investigate, and hold accountable those charged with bringing dangerous drugs into our country.”
“This indictment alleges Gardiner peddled cocaine into Atlanta and across the region for years,” said FBI Atlanta Special Agent in Charge Marlo Graham. “Our fight against international drug traffickers who spread poison into our communities requires all hands-on deck. Thanks to the collaboration of federal, state, and local agencies, Gardiner will face justice for his alleged crimes.”
“The arrest of this individual underscores the relentless pursuit of transnational criminal organizations by Homeland Security Investigations,” said Steven N. Schrank, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Georgia and Alabama. “HSI remains committed to leveraging our interagency partnerships to dismantle drug networks that threaten the safety of our communities, regardless of where the perpetrators attempt to operate.”
According to U.S. Attorney Hertzberg, the charges, and other publicly available information: From approximately December 2022 to May 2026, Gardiner, who resided in The Bahamas, allegedly supplied large quantities of cocaine to drug trafficking organizations in the Northern District of Georgia and elsewhere. Gardiner could allegedly distribute more than 2,000 kilograms at a time. When the cocaine arrived in metro Atlanta, the organization then allegedly distributed the drugs to multiple states. More than twenty alleged members of the drug trafficking organization were previously charged, and thirteen have pleaded guilty.
In May 2026, Gardiner and ten other people were traveling on a private plane near the coast of Florida when the plane crashed into the Atlantic Ocean. The U.S. Coast Guard rescued all of the passengers, including Gardiner, who was in possession of $30,000 in Bahamian currency.
Nearly 20 years ago, Gardiner was convicted in the Southern District of Florida of conspiracy to import cocaine into the United States and was sentenced to over 18 years in federal prison.
On June 9, 2026, a grand jury in the Northern District of Georgia returned an indictment charging Jonathan Eric Gardiner, a/k/a Player, 58, of Long Island, Bahamas, with conspiracy to import a controlled substance into the United States and conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute a controlled substance. Gardiner is presently in the custody of the United States Marshals Service awaiting trial on additional drug charges in the Southern District of New York. He will appear in the Northern District of Georgia at a later date.
Members of the public are reminded that the indictment only contains charges. The defendant is presumed innocent of the charges, and it will be the government’s burden to prove the defendant’s guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial.
This case is being investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Department of Homeland Security’s Homeland Security Investigations, with valuable assistance provided by the Fayette County Sheriff’s Office, the United States Coast Guard, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York.
Assistant United States Attorneys John T. DeGenova and Dwayne A. Brown Jr. are prosecuting the case.
The indictment is a result 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. The Atlanta Wilhelm HSTF comprises agents and officers from ATF, CGIS, DEA, FBI, ICE-HSI, IRS-CI, DOL-OIG, DSS, USMS, USPIS, and USSS, as well as numerous state and local agencies, with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia.
For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at [email protected] or (404) 581-6185. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.
BCSO Investigator Receives Freedom 250 Hometown Hero Award from U.S. Attorney for the Western District of TexasRead the Press Release
SAN ANTONIO – In celebration of Freedom 250, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Texas Justin R. Simmons presented Bexar County Sheriff’s Office Violent Crimes Sergeant Che Lopez with the Freedom 250 Hometown Hero Award.
In honor of America’s 250 years of independence, the Hometown Hero award is being presented by U.S. Attorneys across the country. The award recognizes public officials who have demonstrated steadfast commitment to service in their communities and who embody the spirit upon which our Nation was founded.
“Here in the Western District of Texas, we pride ourselves on our partnerships between federal, state, and local law enforcement,” said U.S. Attorney Simmons. “Sergeant Lopez’s work exemplifies the same pride in partnership and has led to a safer community. This Freedom 250 Hometown Hero Award serves as a token of gratitude from the United States for Lopez’s selfless service and dedication as a law enforcement officer.”
Sgt. Che Lopez (left), Bexar County Sheriff’s Office, receives the Freedom 250 Hometown Hero Award from U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Texas Justin R. Simmons (right) at the U.S. Attorney’s Office in San Antonio, Aug. 5, 2026.“Sergeant Lopez spearheads multi-agency investigations, collaborating closely with our local, state and federal law enforcement partners,” said Bexar County Sheriff Javier Salazar. “His professionalism, effective communication, and commitment to teamwork embody the values of the Bexar County Sheriff’s Office.”
For more information on the award and the Freedom 250 initiative, visit the Department of Justice news page or White House Freedom 250 Page.
###
Alexandria Man Indicted for Murder of Federal Agent, Attempted Murder of Another Federal Agent, and Related Firearm CrimesRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA/LAFAYETTE – On August 5, 2026, a press conference was held at the Rapides Parish Sheriff’s Office to discuss the return of the federal indictment against Clarence A. Frazier, 48, of Alexandria, who is charged with the murder of Deputy U.S. Marshal Drew Hanson and the attempted murder of a U.S. Marshals Service task force officer, along with related firearm crimes. Frazier faces up to life imprisonment or death if convicted. This indictment returned by a federal grand jury follows the U.S. Attorney’s Office charging Frazier by criminal complaint with the murder of Deputy Marshal Hanson.
TPDuring the press conference, U.S. Marshal Brian H. Barber, Rapides Parish Sheriff Mark Wood, FBI Special Agent in Charge Jonathan Tapp, and Rapides Parish District Attorney Phillip Terrell also delivered remarks honoring the life, service, and sacrifice of Deputy Marshal Hanson. Also in attendance were representatives of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, Louisiana State Police, and the Alexandria Police Department.
According to court documents, Deputy Marshal Hanson was murdered on July 14, 2026, while performing his official duties alongside federal and state law enforcement personnel attempting to apprehend Frazier following his failure to appear in state court on a sexual battery charge. Officers from the Rapides Parish Sheriff’s Office and the United States Marshals Service approached Frazier’s residence to execute lawful warrants. Upon the officers’ entry, Frazier allegedly barricaded himself in a bedroom and opened fire, fatally striking Deputy Marshal Hanson and endangering additional officers on the scene. Hanson was a husband and father of two.
U.S. Attorney Zachary A. Keller for the Western District of Louisiana made the announcement.
The United States Marshals Service, Rapides Parish Sheriff’s Office, Federal Bureau of Investigation, and Rapides Parish District Attorney’s Office investigated this case. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Daniel Vermaelen, John W. Nickel, and Elliott Cassidy with assistance from Paralegal Specialists Joanne Henry‑Mills and Denise Duhon.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
You may find a copy of this press release (and any updates) on the website of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Louisiana at www.justice.gov/usao-wdla. Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Western District of Louisiana at www.lawd.uscourts.gov or at https://www.lawd.uscourts.gov/cmecf-pacer. The case number for this matter is 6:26‑cr‑00293-01.
###
CONTACT: Public Affairs
[email protected]
United States Attorney’s Office www.justice.gov/usao-wdla
Western District of Louisiana
Twitter @USAO_WDLA
4 August 2026
Yamhill County Photographer Sentenced to 40 Years in Federal Prison for Production of Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Ore.—A Carlton, Oregon man was sentenced to federal prison today for 8 counts of production of child sexual abuse material announced U.S. Attorney Scott E. Bradford.
Robert Koester, 59, was sentenced to 40 years in federal prison and lifetime supervised release.
“Koester’s crimes against children are among the worst this district has seen. His violent abuse of these girls created scars they will carry their entire lives, and the images of that abuse will haunt them. I hope today’s sentence brings a measure of justice and healing for the victims. I am grateful for the work of the many investigative agencies that worked tirelessly to bring this terror against these teens to an end. The sentence of 40 years provides safety to Oregon and California and is emblematic of the violent crimes he committed.” said Scott E. Bradford, U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon
“Today’s sentence underscores how seriously the FBI and our partners take crimes against children,” said FBI Portland Special Agent in Charge Doug Olson. “Koester used his role as a photographer to gain the trust of young people who were simply looking for a chance to pursue their dreams, and he exploited that trust. The courage these victims showed in coming forward made this outcome possible, and we stand with them as they continue to heal. We’re grateful for the work of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Oregon in bringing this case to the finish line. What happened here caused real harm, and there is no place for this behavior in our community.”
According to court documents, Koester used his professional position as a photographer to meet and earn the trust of teenage girls who were pursuing careers in modeling. He exploited that trust by drugging, molesting, strangling, and raping the victims. He recorded much of this abuse and sold the child sexual abuse material (CSAM) to others.
Koester was a professional photographer who took photographs of aspiring models and did photography work for modeling agencies. Over the course of four years, from early 2015 through late 2018, Koester lured numerous teenage girls to his residence and other locations across California and Oregon. He enticed the girls with the promise of a career in the fashion industry through his modeling agency, Frank Model Management. He encouraged them to travel to his residence in Oregon, even paying for their flights. The children would stay in his residence for multiple days and participate in photo shoots.
During this time, Koester offered the victims alcohol and drugs, including marijuana and cocaine. He coerced them to do nude photo shoots by first showing them images of naked models, then convincing them to remove their clothes. He photographed the victims in revealing positions, sometimes using hidden cameras to capture more explicit angles without the victims’ knowledge. Koester further used GHB and other intoxicants to drug the girls, rendering them unconscious. He then abused the unconscious children sexually and physically and recorded the assaults. Koester often became violent in these assaults, strangling and slapping the girls. After the drugged assaults, he left the victims to wake up alone. Some of the victims were also coerced into engaging in sexual acts with him while awake. He recorded this abuse as well. Koester maintained a large collection of this self-produced CSAM, which included thousands of images. Koester was in his late forties and early fifties when these crimes occurred, and the girls were as young as fifteen.
Multiple children reported that Koester showed them the images of their own abuse and laugh while displaying the images of the abusive acts to them.
In addition to criminally prosecuting Koester, the U.S. Attorney’s Office forfeited his Oregon residence in a civil forfeiture case, netting $750,000 in the sale. The criminal case also forfeited a large amount of photographic and digital equipment.
On November 13, 2018, Koester was arrested by California authorities.
Koester has pleaded guilty to related conduct in San Diego, California, and was sentenced to 25 years in prison.
Koester also pleaded guilty to related conduct in Yamhill County, Oregon, and was sentenced to 50 years in prison. He will serve those sentences concurrently with the federal sentence imposed today.
On July 16, 2019, a federal grand jury in Portland returned a 6-count indictment charging Koester with production of child sexual abuse material.
On August 19, 2020, Oregon adopted, from the District of Southern California, a 2-count information charging Koester with production of child sexual abuse material.
On March 10, 2026, Koester pleaded guilty to all 8 counts of production of child sexual abuse material in the two federal cases.
This case was investigated by FBI San Diego, FBI Portland, Carlsbad Police Department, and Yamhill County Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Gary Sussman, Kate Rochat, Mira Chernick, and Julia Jarett.
This case was brought in collaboration with Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Anyone who has information about the physical or online exploitation of children are encouraged to call the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI (1-800-225-5324) or submit a tip online at tips.fbi.gov.
Federal law defines child pornography as any visual depiction of sexually explicit conduct involving a minor. It is important to remember child sexual abuse material depicts actual crimes being committed against children. Not only do these images and videos document the victims’ exploitation and abuse, but when shared across the internet, re-victimize and re-traumatize the child victims each time their abuse is viewed. To learn more, please visit the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children at www.missingkids.org.
West Tennessee Couple Sentenced to Decades in Federal Prison for Child Exploitation OffenseRead the Press Release
Jackson, TN – A married couple, who previously resided in Gibson County, Tennessee, was sentenced to prison last week for sexually exploiting a minor in early 2022. United States Attorney D. Michael Dunavant, of the Western District of Tennessee, announced the sentences today.
The investigation in this case revealed that Barry Keith Stephens, Jr., 40, and Melinda Rachelle Stephens, 36, transported a minor from Minnesota to Tennessee in January 2022 and committed various sexual acts against the minor in violation of Tennessee law after arriving here.
The investigation further revealed that the Stephens’s had committed similar sexually assaultive conduct against another minor in New Mexico in 2008, which resulted in federal convictions of both defendants for possession of child pornography.
In May 2023, the defendants were charged in federal court in Jackson with transporting a minor in interstate commerce with intent that the minor engage in sexual activity. Following the defendants’ guilty pleas to this offense, United States District Court Judge S. Thomas Anderson sentenced Barry Stephens to 264 months of imprisonment and 10 years of supervised release, and Melinda Stephens to 180 months of imprisonment and five years of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
Both defendants will also be required to register as a sex offender under the Sex Offender Registration & Notification Act (SORNA).
U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant said, “Cases involving repeat violations of child sexual exploitation are heartbreaking and demonstrate the need for significant punishment to incapacitate traveling predators. These despicable sex offenders will now be held fully accountable with decades in federal prison.”
“Protecting children from exploitation and abuse is a top priority for the FBI,” said Special Agent in Charge Terence G. Reilly of the FBI Nashville Field Office. “I am proud of the hard work and diligence of the Jackson Resident Agency and our partners involved in bringing these offenders to justice. These sentences should serve as a warning to anyone who exploits children and a strong reminder that the FBI is committed to identifying and holding accountable those who victimize innocent children.”
“This case underscores the strength of collaboration and determination demonstrated by the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation and our local, state, and federal partners in holding accountable those who prey on innocent children,” said TBI Director David Rausch. “We trust that this sentence sends a clear message that we will continue to dedicate every necessary resource to identify and apprehend individuals who victimize our most vulnerable citizens.”
This case was investigated by members of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI), the Tennessee Department of Children’s Services (DCS), the Milan Police Department, and the Lea County, New Mexico Sheriff’s Department.
Assistant United States Attorneys Josh Morrow and Lauren Delery prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
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.
###
For more information, please contact the media relations team at [email protected]. Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office on Facebook or on X at @WDTNNews for office news and updates.
West Park Man Sentenced to More Than 26 Years in Federal Prison for Kidnapping and Carjacking Hired Driver at GunpointRead the Press Release
MIAMI – A West Park man was sentenced to 319 months in federal prison for kidnapping a hired driver at gunpoint and forcing the victim to drive him and his associates away from the scene of a shooting.
U.S. District Judge K. Michael Moore imposed the sentence on Bakari Jahiem Dixson, 24, of West Park, following a jury trial conviction on one count of kidnapping, one count of carjacking, and one count of brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence.
“After shooting a woman multiple times, Bakari Jahiem Dixson turned a hired driver into his getaway driver at gunpoint and threatened to kill him if he did not comply,” said U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones. “This was a terrifying act of violence that showed complete disregard for human life. The more than 26-year sentence imposed holds Dixson accountable and protects the public from a dangerous armed offender.”
According to court records and evidence presented at trial, on Aug. 2, 2025, Dixson hired a chauffeur service in Fort Lauderdale. While waiting for transportation, the driver witnessed an altercation involving Dixson which culminated in Dixson shooting a woman multiple times.
Immediately after the shooting, Dixson and several associates entered the victim’s vehicle. Brandishing a firearm, Dixson ordered the driver to “drive or be killed.” Fearing for his life, the driver complied and drove Dixson and the others from Fort Lauderdale to West Park before dropping them off at Dixson’s residence.
Eleven days later, Dixson was arrested in Omaha, Nebraska.
U.S. Attorney Reding Quiñones and Special Agent in Charge Jason Stankiewicz of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Miami Field Division, made the announcement.
The ATF Miami Field Office investigated the case with substantial assistance from the Fort Lauderdale Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Camille Smith and Justin McCormack prosecuted the case.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov, under case number 25-cr-60281.
###
WMATA Train Operator Sentenced in Four-Year Scheme to Defraud AFLAC Insurance of More Than $360,000Read the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Michelle Shropshire, 55, of Waldorf, Maryland, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court to 24 months in prison in connection with a four-year scheme to defraud AFLAC insurance company of hundreds of thousands of dollars, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
“Michelle Shropshire turned her own coworkers into accomplices, forged the signatures of doctors who had nothing to do with her lies, and built a four-year fraud operation on the backs of injured workers,” said U.S. Attorney Pirro. “Health care fraud steals from every honest policyholder who pays their premiums, and this office will keep prosecuting those who exploit that trust.”
Shropshire was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Rudolph Contreras to two years in prison, followed by three years of supervised release. Judge Contreras also ordered Shropshire to pay restitution of $362,035.14 to AFLAC and entered a forfeiture money judgment of $80,520.36. Federal prosecutors had requested a prison term of 41 months.
According to court papers, Shropshire worked as a train operator for the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA). For about four years, Shropshire orchestrated a scheme in which she and numerous WMATA employees submitted fraudulent disability and health care claims to AFLAC, claiming injuries they never suffered.
Shropshire prepared and submitted the fraudulent claims on behalf of herself and her co-conspirators, fabricating medical records and forging the signatures of real doctors to support the false claims. She and her co-conspirators continued to work and collect their regular WMATA paychecks throughout the periods they claimed to be disabled.
In exchange, each co-conspirator paid Shropshire a kickback of about 20 percent of the fraudulent insurance payout. Shropshire was responsible for defrauding AFLAC of at least $362,035.14, and personally profited by about $80,520.36.
Codefendant Harlisha Jones pleaded guilty to the same conspiracy charge and is scheduled to be sentenced Aug. 6, 2026. Six other WMATA employees have also pleaded guilty to related health care fraud offenses arising from the investigation.
Joining U.S. Attorney Pirro in today’s announcement was FBI Assistant Director in Charge Darren B. Cox and Inspector General Michelle Zamarin of the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority.
This investigation was conducted by the FBI Washington Field Office and the WMATA Office of Inspector General.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brian P. Kelly and Diane G. Lucas.
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.
25cr174
Venezuelan National Pleads Guilty to Attempted Production of Child Sexual Abuse Material and Attempted Transfer of Obscene Material to a MinorRead the Press Release
Ocala, Florida – Yoandris Jose Ruiz Bello (32, Venezuela) has pleaded guilty to attempted production of child sexual abuse material and attempted transfer of obscene material to a minor. Ruiz Bello faces a mandatory minimum penalty of 15 years, up to 30 years, in federal prison for the attempted production offense; and a maximum penalty of 10 years’ imprisonment for the attempted transfer of obscene material to a minor offense. U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.
According to the plea agreement, on August 21, 2024, Ruiz Bello engaged in a sexually explicit conversation with someone whom he believed was a 13-year-old girl. During the conversation, Ruiz Bello asked the minor to create a sexually explicit video of herself and send it to him. Ruiz Bello also sent an explicit photograph of male genitalia to the minor. In actuality, Ruiz Bello was communicating with an undercover Homeland Security Investigations special agent.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations with assistance from the Marion County Sheriff’s Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Sarah Janette Swartzberg.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
United States Attorney’s Office Joining Law Enforcement, Community Leaders and Residents for National Night Out EventsRead the Press Release
HARRISBURG - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania will join their law enforcement partners, neighbors, and communities for National Night Out Events in cities across the state.
National Night Out is an annual community-building campaign that promotes partnerships and camaraderie between law enforcement and the communities they serve to make our neighborhoods safer places to live. Millions of people take part in National Night Out across thousands of communities throughout the country on the first Tuesday of August in most areas of the country.
National Night Out was established in 1984 with funding from the Bureau of Justice Assistance of the U.S. Department of Justice. The program is administered by the National Association of Town Watch, a nationwide non-profit organization.
Coordinated by local law enforcement and trained volunteers, National Night Out provides an opportunity to bring police and neighbors together under positive circumstances. Neighborhoods host block parties, cookouts, festivals, parades, safety demonstrations, seminars, youth events, visits from emergency personnel and more. National Night Out sends a message that neighbors are united and working together to keep their communities and each other safe. For more information, visit https://natw.org/.
Below is a list of National Night Out Events that the U.S. Attorney’s Office will be attending, all hosted by local participating law enforcement agencies.
Scheduled Events:
- Swatara Township Police Department National Night Out
Tuesday, August 4, 2026, from 6:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.
Vanatta Park
- Scranton Police Department National Night Out Against Crime
Tuesday, August 4, 2026, from 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
Scranton High School
- Plains Township Police Department National Night Out
Tuesday, August 4, 2026, from 5:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
Birchwood Park
# # #
United States Attorney's Office Joining Law Enforcement, Community Partners, and Residents for National Night Out Events in Rhode IslandRead the Press Release
Providence – The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Rhode Island will join law enforcement partners, residents, and communities across the state on Tuesday, August 4, 2026, in celebration of National Night Out.
“National Night Out provides an important opportunity to connect with the residents we serve and strengthen relationships that are essential to public safety,” said First Assistant United States Attorney Charles C. Calenda. “We are proud to join our law enforcement and community partners across Rhode Island and to continue working together to make our neighborhoods stronger.”
National Night Out is an annual community-building campaign that promotes partnerships and camaraderie between law enforcement and the communities they serve to make our neighborhoods safer places to live. Millions of people take part in National Night Out across thousands of communities throughout the country on the first Tuesday of August.
National Night Out was established in 1984 with funding from the Bureau of Justice Assistance of the U.S. Department of Justice. The program is administered by the National Association of Town Watch, a nationwide non-profit organization.
Personnel from the U.S. Attorney’s Office will participate in National Night Out events hosted by Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN) partner agencies in communities across Rhode Island. The events bring together law enforcement and an array of our community partners, consisting of school personnel, Substance Use Prevention Coalitions, Family Care Community Partnership, Family Services RI, PSN Strategic Committee members, and an array of social service agencies.
U.S. Attorney’s Office personnel plan to visit the following National Night Out events:
Pawtucket Police Department
5:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
Payne Park
225 West Avenue, PawtucketCentral Falls Police Department
5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.
Jenks Park/Veterans Memorial Park
416 Hunt Street, Central FallsProvidence Police Department
5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.
Joslin Park
40 Florence Street, ProvidenceWoonsocket Police Department
5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.
World War II Memorial Park
Social Street, WoonsocketFor more information, visit https://natw.org/
United States Attorney's Office Joining Law Enforcement, Community Leaders and Residents for National Night Out Events in New JerseyRead the Press Release
NEWARK, NJ – The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey will join their law enforcement partners, neighbors, and communities for National Night Out events in Jersey City, Newark, Westfield, Scotch Plains, Verona, Cedar Grove, Fairview, Rahway, South Orange, Mansfield, Trenton, Haddon Township, Mount Olive, Salem and Wall across the District of New Jersey.
“National Night Out reminds us that the foundation of effective public safety strategies are the partnerships between neighbors, law enforcement, and the community coming together. Safe communities are built through relationships, respect, and neighbors looking out for one another. We honor law enforcement who courageously serve on the front lines of public safety and welcome the opportunity to work alongside our communities to prevent crime, support victims, and help neighborhoods thrive throughout New Jersey.”
- U.S. Attorney Robert Frazer
National Night Out is an annual community-building campaign that promotes partnerships and camaraderie between law enforcement and the communities they serve to make our neighborhoods safer places to live. Millions of people take part in National Night Out across thousands of communities throughout the country on the first Tuesday of August in most areas of the country.
National Night Out was established in 1984 with funding from the Bureau of Justice Assistance of the U.S. Department of Justice. The program is administered by the National Association of Town Watch, a nationwide non-profit organization.
Coordinated by local law enforcement and trained volunteers, National Night Out provides an opportunity to bring police and neighbors together under positive circumstances. Neighborhoods host block parties, cookouts, festivals, parades, safety demonstrations, seminars, youth events, visits from emergency personnel and more. National Night Out sends a message that neighbors are united and working together to keep their communities and each other safe.
For more information, visit https://natw.org/.
###
Umatilla County Man Sentenced in Armed Casino RobberyRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Ore.—A Umatilla County man was sentenced to federal prison today for interference with commerce by robbery, felon in possession of a firearm with an armed career criminal enhancement, and attempt to commit murder.
Javier Vigil, 55, was sentenced to 20 years in federal prison and 5 years’ supervised release. He was also ordered to pay $2,040.71 in restitution to the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Reservation.
“Vigil gambled and lost when he chose to rob this casino with a gun. His violent actions endangered innocent employees, patrons, and a law enforcement officer. He deserved and received the full consequences under federal law. Our tribal communities are incredibly important to me, and I will use every available federal resource to protect them and pursue justice on their behalf. I am also extremely grateful to the law enforcement officer, who risked his life that day to stop this defendant from harming anyone else.” Scott E. Bradford, U.S. Attorney
According to court documents, on August 17, 2022, Javier Vigil went to the Wildhorse Resort and Casino on the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation, in Pendleton, Oregon and passed a note demanding $1,000,000 from the cash cage teller. He then drew a pistol and pointed it at the teller. While the tellers gathered cash, he made threatening statements.
After he received over $69,000, he walked out of the casino.
Upon seeing a tribal police officer Vigil raised his firearm and shot at the officer.
Vigil and the officer exchanged gunfire, which resulted in Vigil being shot and falling to the ground. Vigil was then arrested on federal charges for this crime. A bystander outside the casino was also injured from a stray bullet.
Investigators learned that Vigil acquired the firearm around August 3, 2022, about two weeks prior to the robbery and shooting.
On December 19, 2023, a federal grand jury in Portland returned a 6-count superseding indictment charging Vigil with interference with commerce by robbery, two counts of use and carry of a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence, felon in possession of a firearm with an armed career criminal enhancement, attempt to commit murder, and assault with a dangerous weapon.
On April 7, 2026, on the second day of trial, Vigil pleaded guilty to interference with commerce by robbery, felon in possession of a firearm with an armed career criminal enhancement, and attempt to commit murder.
This case was investigated by the FBI and the Umatilla Tribal Police Department, with the assistance of ATF, the Hermiston Police Department, the Pendleton Police Department, Oregon State Police, Umatilla County Sheriff’s Office, and Morrow County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Cassady Adams and Arin Heinz prosecuted the case.
U.S. Attorney’s Office for Western District of Kentucky Joining Law Enforcement, Community Leaders and Neighbors for National Night OutRead the Press Release
Louisville, KY – Today, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Kentucky is joining law enforcement partners, community leaders and neighbors at the Louisville Metro Police Department’s National Night Out events across Louisville to promote stronger, safer communities. The office will also host an information booth featuring crime prevention tips and safety resources for families at LMPD’s Eighth Division event at Warren Walker Park in the Douglass Hills neighborhood.
United States Attorney Kyle Bumgarner stated, “Our prosecutors have devoted their careers to making our communities safer. National Night Out is an important event for members of our office to build camaraderie with people we serve and to have a lot of fun.”
National Night Out is an annual community-building campaign that promotes partnerships and camaraderie between law enforcement and the communities they serve to make our neighborhoods safer places to live. Millions of people take part in National Night Out across thousands of communities throughout the country on the first Tuesday of August in most areas of the country.
Coordinated by local law enforcement and trained volunteers, National Night Out provides an opportunity to bring police and neighbors together under positive circumstances. Neighborhoods host block parties, cookouts, festivals, parades, safety demonstrations, seminars, youth events, visits from emergency personnel and more. National Night Out sends a message that neighbors are united and working together to keep their communities and each other safe.
National Night Out was established in 1984 with funding from the Bureau of Justice Assistance of the U.S. Department of Justice. The program is administered by the National Association of Town Watch, a nationwide non-profit organization.
For more information, visit https://natw.org/.
###
Two Men Plead Guilty to 2023 Crime SpreeRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Deondre Rogers, 20, and Hanif Brown, 20, both of Washington, D.C., pleaded guilty yesterday to armed carjacking, armed robbery, and related charges stemming from a 2023 crime spree, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
Both Rogers and Brown pleaded guilty to one count each of carjacking, armed robbery, robbery, possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, and two counts of carrying a pistol without a license. Sentencing is scheduled for September 25, 2026, before Superior Court Judge Jason Park. This plea agreement resolves an 87-count indictment filed against the defendants. Both Rogers and Brown were 17 years old at the time of the offenses. The government is requesting 17 years’ incarceration for each defendant for the carjacking, armed robbery and robbery charges.
According to the government’s evidence, on April 7, 2023, at approximately 2:00 p.m., Rogers and Brown rear-ended a white Jeep inside the Third Street Tunnel while driving a stolen Mercedes sedan. The defendants exited the Mercedes sedan, and each pointed a firearm at the two occupants of the white Jeep, demanding that they exit the vehicle. The victims complied, and the defendants entered the Jeep and drove away.
On April 16, 2023, at approximately 12:45 a.m., Rogers and Brown robbed another victim at gunpoint in the 1600 block of 5th Street NW. The victim was walking with a friend when the defendants pulled alongside them in a white Chevrolet sedan. One of the defendants exited the vehicle, pointed a firearm at the victim, and demanded his keys and cell phone. Meanwhile, the second defendant remained seated in the Chevrolet sedan. While held at gunpoint, the victim handed over his vehicle keys and cell phone. The defendants drove away in the Chevrolet sedan and the victim’s vehicle.
Finally, on May 4, 2023, at approximately 12:09 a.m., the defendants robbed two victims at gun point in the 1400 block of U Street NW. Specifically, Rogers and Brown got out of a white sedan carrying handguns and demanded the victims’ property. The defendants took two necklaces, an iPhone, a Louis Vuitton belt, a rose/white gold Audemars watch valued at approximately $40,000, and a gold and silver Rolex valued at approximately $7,000.
The same night of the robbery, Rogers posted videos and photographs to Instagram that showed him wearing the stolen Audemars watch. In the days following the robbery, both defendants posted multiple videos and appeared in a music video wearing both the stolen Audemars and Rolex watches.
This case was investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Travis Wolf, Valerie Tsesarenko, and Brian Hanley.
2025 CF3 003623; 2023 CF3 004265
Two Men Plead Guilty for Roles in Drug Trafficking OperationRead the Press Release
CONCORD – Two individuals pleaded guilty in federal court today for their participation in a drug trafficking organization that brought cocaine and fentanyl into New Hampshire, United States Attorney Erin Creegan announces.
Jose Cordero Ortiz, 40, of Jamaica Plain, Massachusetts pleaded guilty to one count of Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Drug. He is scheduled to be sentenced on December 9, 2026.
Jhonattan A. Jimemenz, 39, of Boston, Massachusetts pleaded guilty to one count of Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Drug. He is scheduled to be sentenced on November 12, 2026.
The charging statute provides a sentence of no greater than 20 years in prison, at least three years of supervised release, and a maximum fine of $1,000,000. 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.
According to documents and statements made in court, the leader of the organization, Juan Ramon Soto Baez, 55, was sentenced on July 1, 2025 to 100 months in prison with 3 years of supervised release for his role in the drug trafficking operation. The organization was run like a business, operating “dispatch” telephone lines where customers could call in to order narcotics. Soto Baez, or a trusted member of the conspiracy working for him, would take customer orders on the phone, and then Soto Baez would either deliver the order himself or send a runner to conduct the drug sale at an arranged meeting location. In addition to Soto Baez, Ortiz, and Jimenez, more than 10 others have been convicted as part of this operation.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Drug Enforcement Administration led the investigation. Valuable assistance was provided by the Manchester Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Cesar Vega is prosecuting 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 New Hampshire comprises agents and officers from FBI, HSI, IRS, DEA, ATF, USMS, and DSS with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of New Hampshire.
Two MS-13 Gang Members Indicted for a 2016 Murder in Brentwood and 2023 Murder of Long Island Man in MarylandRead the Press Release
Today, Edwin Chavez-Garay, also known as “Spooky” and “Cruger,” and Jairo Diaz-Gamez, also known as “Cameleon” and “Antonimo,” who are both members of the Vegas Locos Salvatruchas (Vegas) subgroup or “clique” of the MS-13, a violent transnational organization, were arraigned in federal court in Central Islip on a second superseding indictment charging them with racketeering offenses in connection with two murders—the February 19, 2016 murder of Miguel Garcia-Moran in Brentwood, New York, and the August 19, 2023 murder of Carlos Lemus Interiano in Fort Washington, Maryland—and with other charges including murder, conspiracy to commit murder, and narcotics trafficking conspiracy (the Superseding Indictment). The Superseding Indictment, returned by a federal grand jury on July 30, 2026, also contains allegations against six previously charged defendants, all members of the MS-13, related to two additional murders on Long Island and other crimes. United States Magistrate Judge Anne Y. Shields ordered both defendants detained pending trial.
Joseph Nocella, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York; Pete Gizas, Acting Special Agent in Charge, Homeland Security Investigations, New York (HSI New York); James C. Barnacle, Jr., Assistant Director in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI); and Kevin Catalina, Commissioner, Suffolk County Police Department (SCPD), announced the arrests and charges.
“The charges in the Superseding Indictment demonstrate the commitment by our Office and our law enforcement partners to hold vicious transnational organized crime groups like MS-13 accountable for their crimes, no matter how long it takes,” stated United States Attorney Nocella. “Too many families in our community have been permanently separated from their loved ones at a young age because of the ruthless and senseless violence of the MS-13, and we will not stop investigating until everyone is held accountable.”
Mr. Nocella expressed his grateful appreciation to the Washington and Baltimore Field Offices of the FBI, the New York City Police Department, ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations New York, the Prince George’s Police Department, the Montgomery County Police Department, the Maryland-National Capital Park Police, the Prince William County Police Department, and the United States Marshal Service, for their valuable assistance and partnership in this case.
“Two families spent years carrying the unbearable weight of unanswered questions while these accused MS-13 killers continued their lives as though they had not helped leave devastation in their wake. The charges announced today lay bare the brutality of these crimes: a 15-year-old boy allegedly lured into the woods in Brentwood and beaten to death with metal rods, and a Long Island man allegedly taken to Maryland and killed after falling out of favor with the gang. HSI New York, as a co-leader of the Homeland Security Task Force, remains steadfast in its mission to pursue violent transnational gangs, support our law enforcement partners, and help deliver long-overdue accountability for victims and their families,” stated HSI New York Acting Special Agent in Charge Gizas.
“The FBI condemns the brutal violence carried out by MS 13, including two murders that have deeply shaken our community,” stated FBI Assistant Director in Charge Barnacle. “Working closely with our partners, we remain unwavering in our pursuit of justice for the victims and their families. Protecting the people of New York is our top priority, and we will continue to take decisive, coordinated action to disrupt, dismantle, and hold accountable any group that threatens public safety.
“Thanks to the dedicated efforts of law enforcement and our partners at EDNY, this pair is now being held accountable for a series of crimes dating back a decade, proving that we do not relent in our pursuit of justice," stated SCPD Commissioner Catalina. “The killings carried out by these gang members were barbaric and senseless. The victims’ families have endured unimaginable loss, and we will continue working with our partners to dismantle criminal networks and prevent others from suffering the same pain and fear.”
As alleged in the Superseding Indictment, Chavez-Garay and Diaz-Gamez participated in the murder of Garcia-Moran, a 15-year-old boy, who the defendants wrongly believed was a member of a rival gang. On February 19, 2016, the defendants lured the victim to a wooded area in Brentwood, behind 80 Emjay Boulevard, where they beat him to death with metal rods. On September 21, 2016, members of the FBI and the SCPD, who were looking for evidence in connection with another MS-13 victim whose body was recovered in the same area, located skeletal remains which were later identified as those of Garcia-Moran. Years later, Chavez-Garay and Diaz-Gamez, who continued to rise in rank in the Vegas clique, lured Lemus Interiano, a resident of Huntington, New York, to Maryland so that he could be killed. Lemus Interiano, a member of the Vegas clique, had fallen out of favor with the gang, and was targeted for death by not only the Vegas clique but also co-defendant Gervin Barrera-Perez, a member of the Huntington clique. On August 19, 2023, Chavez-Garay and Diaz-Gamez drove Lemus Interiano to Maryland, where he was shot and killed in a wooded area. In February 2025, law enforcement in Maryland, while searching for another body, recovered Lemus Interiano’s arm bone at Piscataway Stream Valley Park in Fort Washington, Maryland. A subsequent search and excavation led to the discovery of additional evidence, including more human remains, clothing, and a bullet. Between the end of 2023 and March 2025, Chavez-Garay and Diaz-Gamez participated in the conspiracy to murder Carlos Lopez-Lopez, who was eventually stabbed to death and drowned after being attacked on the beach in Blue Point, New York. Lopez-Lopez, a former member of the MS-13, was targeted because the gang members believed that he was cooperating with law enforcement. Three co-defendants in this case were previously charged with having committed that murder.
Finally, the Superseding Indictment charges Chavez-Garay and Diaz-Gamez with conspiring to distribute cocaine and marijuana. These charges stem from the MS-13 cliques’ street-level sales of cocaine and marijuana on Long Island, the proceeds of which were used to help finance the MS-13’s criminal operations, including purchasing firearms, ammunition, and other weapons, and sending money to MS-13 leadership in the United States and Central America.
The Superseding Indictment is the latest in a series of federal prosecutions by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York targeting members of the MS-13, a violent transnational criminal organization. The MS-13 is comprised primarily of immigrants from Central America, and it has leaders in El Salvador, Honduras, Mexico, and the United States, with thousands of members all over the world. With numerous branches, or “cliques,” the MS-13 is the most violent criminal organization on Long Island. Since 2003, hundreds of MS-13 members, including dozens of clique leaders, have been convicted on federal felony charges in the Eastern District of New York. A majority of those MS-13 members have been convicted on federal racketeering charges for participating in murders, attempted murders, and assaults. Since 2010 alone, this Office has obtained indictments charging MS-13 members with carrying out more than 75 murders in the Eastern District of New York, and it has convicted dozens of MS-13 leaders and members in connection with those murders. These prosecutions are the product of extensive collaboration with numerous law enforcement agencies, including HSI, FBI, and local and state partners.
The charges in the Superseding Indictment are allegations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. If convicted, each of the defendants faces up to life in prison, or the possibility of the death penalty.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a Department of Justice initiative aimed at eradicating transnational criminal organizations, combating violent crime, and restoring the rule of law.
This case is also part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of U.S. law enforcement towards identifying, investigation, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States.
The government’s case is being handled by the Criminal Section of the Office’s Long Island Division. Assistant United States Attorneys Megan E. Farrell and Paul G. Scotti are in charge of the prosecution.
New Defendants:EDWIN CHAVEZ-GARAY (also known as “Spooky” and “Cruger”)
Age: 25
Brentwood, New YorkJAIRO DIAZ-GAMEZ (also known as “Cameleon” and “Anonimo”)
Age: 27
Bayshore, New YorkE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 25-CR-209 (S-2) (GRB)
25-cr-209_s-2_orellana-aleman_et_al.indictment.pdf 2026.08.03_s2_detention_letter_final.pdfTwo Houston Gang Leaders Convicted at Trial for Ordering Drive-by Murder of Innocent BystanderRead the Press Release
A federal jury has convicted the last of six members of the violent 103 street gang charged for ordering a retaliatory shooting that ended the life of an innocent bystander.
Shaquille Richards, 32, and Alexandra Nicks, 32, both of Houston, were convicted of using a firearm to kill during a racketeering murder and murder in aid of racketeering.
“The gang war that these defendants engaged in plagued Houston’s Third Ward community for years,” said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Based on yesterday’s convictions, these violent criminals are facing long prison sentences that will keep them off the streets of Houston and hold them accountable for the innocent life they took. The Department of Justice has zero tolerance for the scourge and societal ills caused by gang violence. We are aggressively prosecuting violent gang members and continuing to restore law and order to America’s cities.”
“These gangbangers turned a Houston neighborhood into a battlefield, ordering killers to hunt down and murder their rivals, and an innocent man paid for their violence with his life,” said U.S. Attorney Aaron Reitz for the Southern District of Texas. “If you wage war on our streets, terrorize our communities, and put innocent Texans in the crosshairs, my office will come for you. We will dismantle violent gangs, prosecute the criminals who lead them, and put them behind bars where they belong. Houston’s neighborhoods belong to law-abiding citizens, not to violent gangs.”
“The convictions of these two local career gang members are exactly the kind of results we hoped for when the Department of Justice launched the Violent Crimes Initiative in Houston,” said Special Agent in Charge Jason Hudson of the FBI Houston Field Office. “Too often, turf wars between violent neighborhood gangs claim innocent victims. When we leverage our federal resources and law enforcement partnerships, we not only double down on the war against violent crime happening on our streets and front yards, we also procure justice for entire communities terrorized by these criminals.”
Richards and Nicks were leaders of the violent 103 street gang that was involved in a gang war in the Third Ward with rival gang Young Scott Block, or YSB.
Defendant Nicks, left, displaying 103 gang sign with Defendant Richards making shooting motion.After numerous murders and shootings between the two gangs, Richards and Nicks ordered lower ranking members and associates of the 103 gang to retaliate by committing a drive by shooting in YSB territory. On Oct. 16, 2017, fellow 103 gang members Deandre Watson, Mertroy Harris, Marcus Christopher, and Marquis Erskin drove to opposing gang territory to find a rival gang member to kill. They were armed with firearms containing numerous rounds of ammunition, including some loaded into 50 and 100-bullet drum magazines.
Watson, Harris, Erskin and Christopher opened fire when they saw a rival gang member on a street corner. The intended target was shot but survived and ran away. A 53 year old non-gang member was standing in the front yard of a residence, was shot and died of his injuries.
The 103 members crashed their car into a ditch as they fled. Watson, Erski, and Christopher then carjacked a woman who had an infant in her vehicle and fled the scene. Harris ran into the neighboring stores and discarded his firearm and clothing but was arrested shortly thereafter.
Jail phone calls, social media postings, and testimony showed that Richards and Nicks ordered the shooting and threatened to oust anyone in the gang who did not go looking for rivals to shoot.
Sentencing is set for Nov. 4. A federal district judge will determine their sentences after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Watson, Harris, Christopher and Erskin have each pleaded guilty and will be sentenced on Sept. 2. All defendants face up to life in prison.
The FBI, The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Houston Police Department investigated the case, with substantial assistance from the Harris County District Attorney’s Office.
Trial Attorney Jodi Anton of the Criminal Division’s Violent Crime and Racketeering Section and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kelly Zenon Matos and Anh-Khoa Tran for the Southern District of Texas prosecuted the case.
This case is part of the Criminal Division’s Violent Crime Initiative to prosecute violent crimes in Houston. The Criminal Division and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Texas have partnered, along with local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies, to confront violent crimes committed by gang members and associates through the enforcement of federal laws and use of federal resources to prosecute the violent offenders and prevent further violence in the Houston area.
Two Companies Agree to Pay over $2.3 Million to Resolve False Claims Act Allegations Relating to Paycheck Protection Program LoansRead the Press Release
WILMINGTON, Del. – Mobile Programming LLC (“Mobile Programming”), a Wyoming corporation with its principal place of business in California, and A-1 Technology, Inc. (“A-1 Technology”), a Delaware corporation with its principal place of business in New York, have agreed to pay $2,353,391.06 to resolve allegations that they improperly obtained Paycheck Protection Program (“PPP”) loans from the U.S. Small Business Administration (“SBA”) for which they were not eligible.
PPP was an emergency loan program established by Congress in March 2020 under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act, and administered by the SBA. The program was created to support small businesses and to help them continue to pay employees and meet other business expenses during the COVID-19 pandemic. A second round of loans was authorized in early 2021. To be eligible for these Second Draw PPP loans, a business was required to certify that it had no more than 300 employees, including employees of all domestic and foreign affiliates.
Mobile Programming applied for and received a $1,326,949 Second Draw PPP loan. A-1 Technology applied for and received a $184,287 Second Draw PPP loan. On their respective Second Draw loan applications, Mobile Programming and A-1 Technology certified that they, together with their affiliates, had fewer than 300 employees. Mobile Programming and A-1 Technology subsequently applied for (and ultimately received) forgiveness of their Second Draw loans. However, Mobile Programming and A-1 Technology, together with their domestic and foreign affiliates, had more than 300 employees.
U.S. Attorney Benjamin L. Wallace announced the settlement. Assistant United States Attorney Claudia L. Pare handled the case.
The civil settlement includes the resolution of claims brought under the qui tam or whistleblower provisions of the False Claims Act. Under those provisions, a private party—known as a relator—can file an action on behalf of the United States and receive a portion of any recovery. In this case, the relator will receive a share of the settlement.
Individuals with information about allegations of fraud involving COVID-19 are encouraged to report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
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.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Delaware. The settlement agreement is attached to this press release. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the District of Delaware or on PACER by searching for Case No. 25-cv-367-GBW.
The claims resolved by the settlement are merely allegations. There has been no determination of liability.
Torrington Man Pleads Guilty to Narcotics Trafficking Charge, Admits Violating Supervised ReleaseRead the Press Release
David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that MICHAEL CABASSA, 48, of Torrington, pleaded guilty yesterday before U.S. District Judge Victor A. Bolden in New Haven to a narcotics trafficking offense and also admitted that he violated the conditions of his supervised release from a prior federal conviction.
According to court documents and statements made in court, in January 2007, Cabassa was sentenced in New Haven federal court to 240 months of imprisonment and 10 years of supervised release for trafficking crack cocaine. He was released from prison after receiving an executive grant of clemency on January 17, 2025. Connecticut State Police arrested Cabassa on December 27, 2025, after he was involved in a one-car motor vehicle accident while driving under the influence, and a search of his vehicle revealed distribution quantities of cocaine and fentanyl.
Cabassa pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute controlled substances, which, based on his prior federal drug conviction, carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 30 years. He faces additional penalties for violating the conditions of his supervised release.
Cabassa has been detained since his federal arrest on May 21, 2026. A sentencing date is not scheduled.
This matter is being investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Connecticut State Police. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jocelyn Courtney Kaoutzanis.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
Three Missouri Men Charged in Cryptocurrency Robbery SchemeRead the Press Release
David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that three Missouri men have been charged by indictment for their alleged involvement in an attempted robbery of Bitcoin in August 2024.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on August 25, 2024, Danbury Police arrested six Florida men who were involved in a violent carjacking and the beating and kidnapping of two occupants of the vehicle on that date. The investigation revealed that the kidnapping victims are the parents of an individual who participated in the theft of hundreds of millions of dollars in Bitcoin.
It is alleged that, in an attempt to steal some of that Bitcoin, the individuals who coordinated the attempted robbery and kidnapping first recruited SEDRIC LOUIS, 32, JOHN DAVIS, 34, and MARTEL WILLIAMS, 27, all of St. Louis, Missouri, to carry out the plan. Between approximately August 21 and August 24, 2024, Louis, Davis, Williams, and others traveled to Connecticut and obtained rental vehicles and supplies, including air rifles and walkie talkies. They then stalked the intended target and his parents over the course of two days, waiting for the opportunity to force their way into their home where they would threaten the target and demand that he transfer the stolen cryptocurrency into accounts controlled by the scheme’s coordinators. Fearing that they had been captured on home security cameras and frustrated by the plan and a lack of communication with their co-conspirators, Louis, Davis, and Williams left Connecticut. Shortly thereafter, another crew from Florida arrived to carry out the plan.
On May 22, 2026, a grand jury in New Haven returned a second superseding indictment charging Louis, Davis, and Williams with conspiracy to interfere with commerce by robbery (“Hobbs Act Robbery”), an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years.
Louis and Davis have been detained since each was arrested on June 25, 2026. On July 30, 2026, they each appeared in Bridgeport federal court and enter a plea of not guilty. Williams appeared in Bridgeport federal court on July 17, 2026, entered a plea of not guilty, and was released on bond.
U.S. Attorney Sullivan stressed that an indictment is not evidence of guilt. Charges are only allegations, and each defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This matter is being investigated by the FBI New Haven Violent Crimes Task Force, FBI Los Angeles, FBI St. Louis, and the Danbury Police Department. The FBI Task Force includes members from the Connecticut State Police and several local police departments. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Karen L. Peck and Daniel George.
U.S. Attorney Sullivan thanked the U.S. Attorney’s Offices for the Central District of California, the Eastern District of Missouri, the District of Columbia, and the District of New Jersey, and the State’s Attorney’s Office for the Judicial District of Danbury, for their assistance in the investigation and prosecution of this matter.
Three Defendants Indicted for Alleged Multi-State Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
Co-conspirators allegedly posed as federal agents to lure victims into converting retirement savings into gold
GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN – U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Michigan Timothy VerHey today announced that three defendants, two from New Jersey and one from India, were indicted on federal criminal charges related to alleged wire fraud. Christian Jalan Matthews, Taylor Nicole Mitchell-Meeks, and Sudeep Khurana are charged with one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud for an alleged scheme to defraud victims out of their savings and retirement funds.
The indictment charges that the three defendants were part of a plan, along with other bad actors, to convince victims—most of whom are elderly—that their identities or financial accounts were at risk. After luring victims in with false promises of helping them “secure” these accounts, the co-conspirators convinced them to convert their money to gold or other currency. Posing as federal agents, the co-conspirators then set up meetings with the victims where they would hand over their money for apparent “safekeeping.” The indictment alleges that the conspiracy resulted in the fraudulent receipt or attempted receipt of more than $3 million from at least five victims.
If convicted, Matthews, Mitchell-Meeks, and Khurana face a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison.
U.S. Attorney VerHey said, “The allegations are that these defendants posed as federal agents to prey on our elders. Well, now they have had the chance to meet some real federal agents, and will get to see how the federal criminal justice system works. I look forward to proving to a jury the full extent of their criminal conduct so that we can get justice for the victims.”
“HSI is committed to protecting vulnerable members of our community especially seniors from scammers posing as federal agents,” said HSI Detroit Special Agent in Charge Jared Murphey. “We take these schemes seriously and will ensure that our seniors who have worked and saved all their lives don’t have the rug pulled out from under them.”
Kent County Sheriff's Office Undersheriff Bryan Muir said, “These criminals deliberately targeted older adults by creating fear and impersonating trusted government officials. Law enforcement will never ask you to withdraw money, purchase gold, or turn over assets for ‘safekeeping', and we urge families to discuss these warning signs before a loved one is targeted. I am especially proud of our Sheriff’s Office team for turning a report into a proactive operation and working with Homeland Security Investigations to protect the victim and catch the suspects as the crime was unfolding.”
Homeland Security Investigations Grand Rapids and the Kent County Sheriff’s Office are investigating this case, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Clint Westbrook is prosecuting it.
The charges in an indictment are merely accusations, and a defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty.