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7 October 2026
The Federal Task Force to Combat Antisemitism Announces First Stop on the American Tour Against HateRead the Press Release
Today, the Department of Justice Task Force to Combat Anti-Semitism announced the first stop of the American Tour Against Hate will be in Southfield, Michigan on Wednesday, October 14. The Task Force’s national campaign reflects the Trump Administration’s steadfast commitment to eradicating antisemitism across the country. The Department of Justice, as the agency responsible for enforcing the nation’s civil rights laws, is carrying out the President’s mission. For more information and to register, please visit www.mizoa.org/events
The Tour is a first-of-its-kind federal initiative, bringing government resources and officials directly to local communities experiencing hate and discrimination.
“President Trump has made clear that this Administration will not tolerate antisemitism, and the Department of Justice is committed to implementing that directive,” said Attorney General Todd Blanche. “This national tour is an important step in ensuring communities across the country know the federal government stands ready to work with them to confront antisemitic threats, protect public safety, and uphold civil rights.”
"No American should live in fear of unjust discrimination or violence,” said Associate Attorney General Stanley E. Woodward, Jr. “The Department of Justice is working tirelessly to protect and defend all Americans’ right to freedom of speech and free exercise of religion. This event is sure to be a powerful evening.”
"I am grateful to the President for the honor of leading this Task Force and Tour,” said Leo Terrell, Chair of the Department of Justice Task Force to Combat Anti-Semitism. “We are spearheading the fight against hate and prejudice wherever it appears across the country. Particularly on a day that was so painful for so many Jewish men and women around the world, we are proud to announce this event and look forward to gathering with many of you in Michigan.”
You can follow @thejusticedept and @leoterrelldoj for more updates.
If you have been discriminated against, you can file a complaint with the Civil Rights Division at www.civilrights.justice.gov.
President Trump’s Executive Order on additional measures to combat antisemitism can be found at www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/01/additional-measures-to-combat-anti-semitism/.
Suspended Ann Arbor Commodities Trader Sentenced to 33 Months in Federal Prison After Defrauding Local Church and over 100 Other Victims in Multi-Million-Dollar Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
DETROIT – Brian Mitchell was sentenced today to 33 months in federal prison after having pleaded guilty to executing a multi-million-dollar commodities trading fraud scheme, United States Attorney Jerome F. Gorgon, Jr. announced.
Gorgon was joined in the announcement by Special Agent in Charge Jennifer Runyan, Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Mitchell, 44, of Ann Arbor, previously pleaded guilty to wire fraud and admitted that he defrauded multiple third-party investors, causing a loss of over $2.7 million.
“This defendant caused regular folks to lose millions of dollars. That was not enough for him, so he targeted a church to cover his scheme. He is shameless,” stated U.S. Attorney Gorgon.
“This defendant built a multi-million-dollar fraud scheme on lies, false promises, and the hard-earned money of people who trusted him. Those who make a business out of stealing from investors should expect the FBI to make a case out of them,” said Jennifer Runyan, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Detroit Field Office. “Our FBI Ann Arbor Resident Agency conducted a meticulous investigation that helped expose this scheme and bring justice for the victims.
According to court records, Mitchell acknowledged that he caused false representations to be made regarding the security, profitability, and use of investor funds. Mitchell used various entities to solicit investor money, including “Young Pros Investment Group” (“YPIG”) and “My Nest Egg.” As part of his scheme, Mitchell made—and caused—repeated misrepresentations that investor principal was protected against loss and was “guaranteed.” Mitchell also made, and caused, misrepresentations regarding future earnings. After suffering significant trading losses, Mitchell lied to investors about why their investment principal was no longer guaranteed, as he had previously claimed. Mitchell falsely told investors that the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (“CFTC”) had seized assets that he described as “back-up money.”
While executing his fraud scheme, Mitchell entered into a settlement with the CFTC relating to earlier violations of the Commodity Exchange Act that occurred between January 2018 and January 2019. Under that settlement, Mitchell was barred for three years from engaging in commodity futures trading activity and from soliciting, receiving, and accepting funds for such activity. Despite that ban, Mitchell continued to solicit, accept, and trade third-party investment funds in commodity futures and failed to disclose his trading bar to investors.
Mitchell solicited and obtained a $150,000 investment from a local church while he was suspended from trading activity. Mitchell falsely promised that church a 72% annual rate of return, which he claimed would result in investment earnings of $4,798,153 over five years.
Mitchell admitted that his conduct violated his prior settlement agreement with the CFTC and the regulatory requirements of the Commodity Exchange Act.
According to court records, Mitchell’s scheme victimized at least 128 individuals and organizations.
Mitchell was ordered to pay restitution of $2,749,210.60 and serve 2 years on supervised release following the completion of his custodial sentence.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Andrew J. Yahkind.Sun Prairie Man Sentenced to 1½ Years for Failing to Register as a Sex OffenderRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Chadwick M. Elgersma, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Tavares D. Jones, 50, Sun Prairie, Wisconsin, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge William M. Conley to 1½ years in federal prison for violating the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act. Jones pleaded guilty to this charge on August 25, 2026. His prison sentence will be followed by five years of supervised release.
In 1999, Jones committed a sex offense involving a minor in Chicago, Illinois. After serving his prison sentence, he moved to Wisconsin and failed to register as a sex offender for more than five years. For part of this time, he lived in a Sun Prairie residence that also violated the terms of his bond conditions in a pending state case. A minor lived in that home.
Explaining the sentence, Judge Conley said Jones’s failure to register presented a “serious public safety concern.” The judge further explained that Jones’s desire to avoid the collateral consequences of registering as a sex offender did not excuse the crime.
The charge against Jones was the result of an investigation conducted by the U.S. Marshals Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Megan Stelljes prosecuted this case.
This investigation was a part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat child sexual exploitation and abuse. 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.
South Bend Man Sentenced to 121 Months in Prison for Controlled Substance OffenseRead the Press Release
SOUTH BEND – Kumar Bishop, 47 years old, of South Bend, Indiana, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Damon R. Leichty after pleading guilty to conspiracy to distribute 500 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing methamphetamine.
Bishop was sentenced to 121 months in prison followed by 7 years of supervised release.
According to documents in the case, between September 2025 and November 2025, Bishop conspired with DeCarlos L. Smallwood and Sanena Williams to distribute methamphetamine to others in the Northern District of Indiana.
“Kumar Bishop will spend more than the next ten years in federal prison. This sentence holds him accountable for supplying large quantities of methamphetamine that poisoned our communities for profit. Methamphetamine is a destructive drug that tears families apart and ravages entire neighborhoods. Thanks to the relentless dedication of our partners on the Homeland Security Task Force, a major source of this poison has been removed from Northern Indiana. This office remains steadfast in its commitment to disrupting drug trafficking networks and protecting our communities from those who exploit addiction for personal gain,” said U.S. Attorney Adam L. Mildred.
“The Drug Enforcement Administration, along with its law enforcement partners, will continue to hold accountable those responsible for bringing drugs into our Indiana communities. Mr. Bishop maintained southwest border drug connections, which he used to supply the South Bend region with methamphetamine. His actions brought suffering and addiction to our neighbors and neighborhoods. Today, the South Bend region is safer and healthier with Mr. Bishop off the streets; he is no longer a threat to our communities.”
“Strong partnerships are at the heart of every successful law enforcement investigation. The more than ten-year sentence in this case demonstrates what is possible when we work collaboratively to investigate and prosecute drug traffickers which in turn disrupts the flow of dangerous drugs into our communities. ATF will continue to work closely with our HSTF partners towards our shared goal of reducing violent crime and making America safer.” – ATF Chicago Field Division Special Agent in Charge Christopher Amon
“Meth dealers should know this: You can’t hide from us, and you can’t profit from poisoning our neighborhoods without consequences,” said FBI Indianapolis Special Agent in Charge Timothy J. O’Malley. “The Homeland Security Task Force and our partners are going after the people who bring this poison into our communities. We will find them, we will put them out of business, and we will put them behind bars.”
The U.S. Postal Inspection Service works tirelessly with our federal, state and local partners to combat the distribution of illicit substances. The sentencing of Kumar Bishop is an example of law enforcement working together towards the common goal of securing our communities from dangerous individuals.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, including the DEA Merrillville District Office, DEA Chicago Special Response Team, DEA Detroit Special Response Team, DEA St. Louis Special Response Team, and DEA North Central Laboratory, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the United States Postal Inspection Service, with assistance from the Indiana State Police, South Bend Police Department, St. Joseph County Sheriff’s Office, Mishawaka Police Department, and the St. Joseph County Prosecutor’s Office. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Lydia T. Lucius and Joel Gabrielse.
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 Indianapolis comprises agents and officers from FBI, HSI, DEA, ATF, IRS, Indiana State Police, and other partners, with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Offices for the Northern and Southern Districts of Indiana.
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Sioux Falls Woman Sentenced to 20 Years in Federal Prison for Distribution of a Controlled Substance Resulting in DeathRead the Press Release
SIOUX FALLS - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced today that U.S. District Judge Karen E. Schreier has sentenced a Sioux Falls, South Dakota, woman convicted of Distribution of a Controlled Substance Resulting in Death. The sentencing took place on October 5, 2026.
Jessi Whaley, 27, was sentenced to 20 years in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Whaley was indicted for Distribution of a Controlled Substance Resulting in Death by a federal grand jury in June 2025. She pleaded guilty on July 23, 2026.
On November 9, 2024, Sioux Falls police officers responded to a report of people passed out in a vehicle at a business in south Sioux Falls. They found Shannon Groeneweg unresponsive in the vehicle and determined that she had likely used fentanyl. The officers were unable to revive Groeneweg and she passed away. The coroner determined Groeneweg died from fentanyl and carfentanil toxicity. Investigators reviewed surveillance video and Groeneweg’s phone to determine that Jessi Whaley had provided Groeneweg powder fentanyl on the day of her death shortly before she was found unconscious. Groeneweg ingested the fentanyl she obtained from Whaley and died as a result.
“I am heartbroken that we continue to lose lives to fentanyl and its illegal analogs,” said U.S. Attorney Parsons. “Powdered fentanyl is synthesized by Mexican drug cartels, using precursor chemicals acquired from China, and then smuggled across our border and distributed to every part of South Dakota by drug trafficking organizations that have their hooks into people in almost every community.”
“Fentanyl is sold in amounts small enough to disappear into a pocket, and lethal enough to erase a life in minutes,” U.S. Attorney Parsons continued. “It is a substance that does not negotiate. It does not distinguish between a first-time user and an addict in a longtime struggle. It simply stops your breathing and stops your heart, and then the people who loved you spend years trying to learn how to live around that silence. Today’s federal prison sentence cannot restore what was taken. It can, and does, hold the person who sold and profited from that poison accountable for the death and misery that followed, and it tells every dealer in the drug distribution chain who treats a fatal dose as inventory and victims as disposable customers, that this office will not.”
This case was investigated by the Sioux Falls Area Drug Task Force and the Drug Enforcement Administration. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Hodges prosecuted the case.
Whaley was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Sioux Falls Man Sentenced to 22 Years in Federal Prison for Possessing Methamphetamine Intending to Distribute ItRead the Press Release
SIOUX FALLS - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced today that Chief Judge Roberto A. Lange, U.S. District Court has sentenced a Sioux Falls, South Dakota, man convicted of Possession of a Controlled Substance with Intent to Distribute. The sentencing took place on October 5, 2026.
Bryan Bruins, 24, was sentenced to 22 years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Bruins was indicted for Possession of a Controlled Substance with Intent to Distribute by a federal grand jury in April 2026. He pleaded guilty on July 20, 2026.
Sioux Falls Police Officers responded to a report of an overdose at an apartment rented by Bryan Bruins in Sioux Falls. They later searched the apartment and discovered approximately two pounds of methamphetamine and a stolen pistol. Investigators found text messages on Bruins’ phone that showed he had been distributing methamphetamine in Sioux Falls. Bruins was on parole at the time the methamphetamine was found in his apartment.
This case was investigated by U.S. Postal Investigation Service and the Sioux Falls Area Drug Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Hodges prosecuted the case.
Bruins was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Sioux Falls Man Sentenced to 11 Years in Federal Prison for Conspiracy to Distribute MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
SIOUX FALLS - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced today that U.S. District Judge Karen E. Schreier has sentenced a Sioux Falls, South Dakota, man convicted of Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance. The sentencing took place on October 5, 2026.
Shawn Willis, 35, was sentenced to 11 years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Willis was indicted for Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance by a federal grand jury in October 2025. He pleaded guilty on July 23, 2026.
Sioux Falls Police Department officers encountered Willis after he was found passed out behind the wheel of a running vehicle. Officers eventually searched the vehicle and found approximately 350 grams of methamphetamine and a pistol. Investigators discovered that Willis was part of a methamphetamine distribution organization that obtained methamphetamine from Omaha and California and then distributed it in Sioux Falls. Investigators determined that Willis was responsible for distributing over two pounds of methamphetamine during his involvement in the conspiracy.
This case was investigated by the Sioux Falls Police Department, Sioux Falls Area Drug Task Force, and Homeland Security Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Hodges prosecuted the case.
Willis was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
San Joaquin County woman sentenced to 8 years in prison for her role in trafficking 130 pounds of methamphetamineRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Ong Thao, 37, of Lodi, was sentenced Tuesday by U.S. District Judge John A. Mendez to eight years in prison for conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine, heroin, and fentanyl, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced.
According to court documents, between July 2022 and November 2024, Thao conspired to distribute fentanyl, methamphetamine, and heroin to customers in Sacramento, Placer, San Joaquin, Butte, Shasta, and Siskiyou Counties. She also participated in the sale of nine ounces of 77% pure fentanyl, which the conspirators referred to as “death angel” fentanyl, to an undercover agent. At the time of her arrest, she possessed approximately 130 pounds of methamphetamine. Thao pleaded guilty on June 16, 2026.
The Drug Enforcement Administration, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Cameron L. Desmond and Nicole Vanek prosecuted the case.
This case is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF Sacramento is composed of agents and officers from Homeland Security Investigations, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Drug Enforcement Administration, Northern California High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area, Central Valley High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area, and the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of California.
Rio Grande City man convicted for transporting illegal aliens in cattle trailerRead the Press Release
CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – A 28-year-old Corpus Christi resident has been found guilty of transporting illegal aliens.
The jury deliberated for approximately two hours before convicting Jose Manuel Gomez following a two-day trial.
On July 2, Gomez drove a white Ford F-250 hauling a cattle trailer to the Border Patrol checkpoint near Falfurrias.
The jury heard that following a K-9 alert, authorities discovered eight illegal aliens hidden behind bales of hay.
Gomez claimed a friend asked him to move cattle and directed him to the trailer. He also claimed he did not know who owned it.
The investigation revealed the trailer had been sold on Facebook Marketplace to a buyer using the same phone number as Gomez’s wife.
The seller testified that Gomez, his wife, and their children arrived in a white F-250 to pick up the trailer in Melvin, Texas.
The jury also heard that Border Patrol checkpoint cameras captured the same white F-250 hauling the trailer approximately one week before the smuggling incident and again on the day of the offense.
U.S. District Judge Nelva Gonzalez Ramos presided over the trial and set sentencing for Jan. 6, 2027. At that time, Gomez faces up to 20 years in federal prison and a possible $250,000 maximum fine
Border Patrol and Brooks County Sheriff’s Office conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Zachary Bird and Ashley Martin are prosecuting the case.
Repeat Sex Offender Sentenced to 20 Years in Prison for Online Enticement of MinorsRead the Press Release
FORT SMITH – A Van Buren man was sentenced to 240 months in federal prison to be followed by lifetime supervised release after being convicted for Online Enticement of a Minor in violation of federal law. The Honorable John Thomas Shepherd presided over the October 5, 2026, sentencing hearing, which was held in the U.S. District Court in Fort Smith.
According to court documents, Brian Fay Jeremiah, age 66, a twice-convicted sex offender, messaged an online covert employee with the Federal Bureau of Investigation who was posing as a fourteen-year-old female. During the online conversations, Jeremiah asked the purported fourteen-year-old to create and send him sexually explicit images and to engage in sexually explicit video chats with him. Jeremiah was previously convicted and served prison time for similar offenses in the Western District of Arkansas in 2003 and in Colorado in 2015. Jeremiah was indicted by a Grand Jury in the Western District of Arkansas in December of 2025 and entered a plea of guilty in May of 2026.
"This sentence underscores our unwavering commitment to protecting children from those who repeatedly seek to exploit them," United States Attorney Kevin R. Holmes of the Western District of Arkansas said in making the announcement. "The defendant’s conduct represents a grave and ongoing threat, and our office will not hesitate to use every tool available to remove offenders like him from our communities. We will continue working with our state, local and federal partners to ensure that those who target our children face swift and uncompromising justice," Holmes added. Assistant United States Attorney Devon Still prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.
“Protecting the children of Arkansas is one of the FBI’s highest priorities, and we remain committed to working alongside our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners to hold those who target children accountable for their crimes,” said FBI Little Rock Special Agent in Charge Jason Van Goor. “Predators who seek to exploit our children have no place in our communities, and we will use every resource available to identify these offenders and bring them to justice.”
The Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Van Buren Police Department, and the Arkansas State Police investigated the case.
This case was prosecuted as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. 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.
Related court documents may be found on the Public Access to Electronic Records website at www.pacer.gov.
Repeat Offender Receives Prison Sentence in Fentanyl Trafficking CaseRead the Press Release
CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – A Clarksburg man with a long record of prior convictions will serve 33 months in federal prison after admitting to distributing fentanyl and p‑Fluorofentanyl, U.S. Attorney Matthew L. Harvey announced today.
William Joseph Russell, 52, turned his home into a hub for fentanyl sales, repeatedly supplying the drugs to a confidential informant during the investigation. Russell’s criminal history spans drug offenses, firearms violations, domestic battery, and financial fraud, underscoring a pattern of illegal conduct.
Following his prison term, Russell will serve 3 years of supervised release.
Assistant U.S. Attorney William Rhee prosecuted the case on behalf of the government.
The Greater Harrison Drug Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative, 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.
Chief U.S. District Judge Thomas S. Kleeh presided.
Raleigh Dealer Receives 27-Year Federal Prison Sentence for Fatal Fentanyl OverdoseRead the Press Release
RALEIGH, N.C. - A federal judge sentenced Kenneth Omar Roger Chung, also known as “Skully”, 53, of Raleigh, NC, to 27 years in federal prison for distributing fentanyl that led to the overdose death of a 26-year-old Raleigh man. In addition, he was also sentenced for conspiracy to possess with intent to sell fentanyl, meth, and cocaine. Chung pleaded guilty to the charges on May 20, 2026.
“When you sell drugs, you know people can die. This isn’t just everyday dealing. He chose profit over human life. Chung kept pushing poison even after he knew someone had died, just went right back out looking for his next customer. This 27-year federal sentence protects the people of the Eastern District of North Carolina for decades and delivers the serious punishment his actions deserved and demanded. The message is simple: Drugs kill. Prison follows. Do the right thing,” said U.S. Attorney Ellis Boyle.
On March 28, 2023, the Raleigh Police Department responded to a 911 call and found a 26-year-old man dead from a drug overdose. Officers seized heroin, purple fentanyl powder, and 11 Xanax pills from his backpack. An autopsy confirmed he died from a fentanyl overdose. Evidence on his cell phone showed Chung had delivered the drugs the night before. Soon afterward, law enforcement conducted several controlled drug buys, including purple fentanyl, directly from Chung and his co-defendant, Jermaine Robinson.
On October 7, 2023, Chung delivered crack cocaine to a man in Cary, who later died from an overdose.
On October 23, 2023, Raleigh Police Department officers responded to another 911 call at Chung’s apartment. Officers found his roommate unresponsive, and the roommate later died from an overdose.
Following these incidents, investigators intensified their efforts to determine the extent of Chung’s drug dealing activity. On October 25, 2023, Raleigh Police officers executed a search warrant at his apartment and seized 57 grams of marijuana, 29.06 grams of fentanyl, 5.09 grams of cocaine, 9.96 grams of heroin, 23.75 grams of meth, and four guns. Officers then arrested Chung, seizing additional drugs and $5,541 during the arrest.
“The dangers of illegal narcotics are absolutely real and often fatal,” said ATF Special Agent in Charge Alicia Jones. “Illegal possession of firearms adds to that danger and the threats against our community. ATF and our law enforcement partners are committed to identifying those that endanger our safety and shutting down their lawless operations.”
“The Raleigh Police Department extends its sincere gratitude to our exceptional public safety partners whose dedication and teamwork were instrumental throughout this investigation. Together, we worked to disrupt the illegal drug trade, remove dangerous drugs from our community, and protect the people we serve,” said Raleigh Police Chief Rico Boyce. “We are especially grateful for our strong partnership with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of North Carolina. This collaboration reflects our shared commitment to holding those responsible accountable, keeping dangerous drugs off our streets, and making our community safer.”
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.
W. Ellis Boyle, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge James C. Dever III. The ATF, the Raleigh Police Department, and the Cary Police Department investigated the case.
A copy of this press release is located on our website. Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for case number 5:25-CR-00124-D.
Punxsutawney Man Indicted for Social Security FraudRead the Press Release
JOHNSTOWN, Pa. – A resident of Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh on a charge of theft of government property, United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.
The one-count Indictment named George Grist, 65, as the sole defendant.
According to the Indictment, from on or about April 30, 2021, to July 16, 2025, in the Western District of Pennsylvania, Grist did embezzle, steal, purloin and knowingly convert to his own use property of the Social Security Administration to which Grist was not entitled. The Indictment alleges that Grist stole a total of approximately $68,048.71 in the form of more than 50 separate benefit payments made to another person.
The law provides for a maximum total sentence of up to 10 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, or both. Under the federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorney Arnold P. Bernard Jr. is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Social Security Administration Office of the Inspector General conducted the investigation leading to the Indictment.
On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division (Fraud Division). The Fraud Division is laser-focused on investigating and prosecuting those who commit fraud against the American people. The Department’s work to combat fraud supports President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs.
An indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Pryor man sentenced to 5 years in prison for keeping Child Sex Abuse Material on phoneRead the Press Release
BILLINGS – A Pryor man who had a video on his phone with sexually explicit material of a minor was sentenced today to five years in prison, followed by five years of supervised release, First Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Steger Smith said.
Melville Lee Stops, Jr., 23, pleaded guilty in June 2026 to receiving child pornography.
U.S. District Judge Susan P. Watters presided.
The government alleged in court documents that Child Sexual Abuse Material was discovered on Stops’s cell phone in 2022. Stops was at a house party in June 2022 and left his phone behind when he left the gathering.
One of the partygoers found the device and on it discovered “videos of underage girls.” She reported to law enforcement what she found. In December 2025, law enforcement served a search warrant on the phone and found the videos.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Kelsey Hendricks prosecuted the case. The FBI conducted the investigation.
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 Justice.gov/PSC.
Previously Convicted Killer Gets 15 Years for March 2025 Shooting, November 2025 Possession of ‘Ghost Gun’Read the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Abdul Fields, 30, a previously convicted felon residing in the District, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court to 180 months in federal prison in connection with a March 2025 street shooting and a separate November 2025 incident in which he possessed a loaded ghost gun, both while he was on supervised release for a prior manslaughter conviction, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
“Despite multiple prior convictions, Abdul Fields persistently and dangerously armed himself, endangered the community, and demonstrated a clear disregard for the law,” said U.S. Attorney Pirro. “Today’s sentence reflects the seriousness of his conduct and our commitment to protecting the residents of the District from violent gun offenders.”
Fields pleaded guilty on June 3, 2026, before U.S. District Judge Richard J. Leon to assault with a dangerous weapon and to possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, both in violation of D.C. Code, as well as unlawful possession of ammunition by a felon, a federal offense. In addition to the 180‑month prison term, Judge Leon ordered Fields to serve three years of supervised release.
According to court documents, Fields carried out two illegal firearms offenses within six months while he was on supervised release for a prior voluntary manslaughter conviction.
On March 24, 2025, about 12:26 a.m., Fields was in the crosswalk at the busy intersection of New York Avenue and North Capitol Street NW when he pulled out a pistol and fired it at the driver’s side of a passing vehicle. ShotSpotter detected the gunfire, and CCTV footage captured him pulling the firearm from his coat pocket and discharging a round as the vehicle made a routine right turn.
Ninety seconds later, Fields entered the nearby Tyler House Apartments, where he was living under GPS monitoring. Police recovered a nine-millimeter casing in the middle of the crosswalk and later linked it, through NIBIN analysis, to a ghost gun found in Fields’ residence during the execution of a search warrant.
On November 19, 2025, MPD officers arrested Fields on an outstanding warrant for simple assault after spotting him outside Tyler House Apartments. During a search incident to arrest, officers recovered a loaded ghost gun – an untraceable, privately manufactured firearm without a serial number -- tucked into his waistband.
Fields attempted to reach for the gun, struggled with officers, and headbutted one of them during the encounter. Moments after the gun was recovered, Fields told officers, referencing the recovery of the firearm, “S**t I’ll be back. That s**t ain’t nothing.” When the officer responded, “You’re a felon too,” Fields replied, “I don’t give a f**k. Eat my d**k…I’m superman.”
The firearm, which lacked a serial number, was loaded with one round in the chamber and 11 additional rounds in the magazine.
Fields’ convictions in this case mark at least his third and fourth gun related offenses since 2013. His criminal history includes a 2013 armed robbery and the 2014 killing of Donta Thrower behind Tyler House Apartments, for which he served more than eight years in prison. After his release in February 2024, Fields repeatedly violated supervision and continued to arm himself with illegal firearms.
This case was investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives - Washington Field Division.
The matter was prosecuted under the Make D.C. Safe and Beautiful initiative by Assistant U.S. Attorney Travis Wolf.
Make D.C. Safe and Beautiful supports President Trump's Executive Order that cracks down on gun violence, prioritizes federal firearms violations, pursues tougher penalties, and seeks detention for federal firearms violators.
Evidence photo of the ‘ghost gun’ discovered on Fields’ person on November 19, 2025
A surveillance camera captured an image of Fields shooting at a passing car at the intersection of New York Ave. and North Capital Street NW.
In this surveillance photo, Fields (circled) looks back at the vehicle prior to firing the shot
Police found the ghost gun from the shooting inside a shoe box in one of the apartment’s bedrooms.
25cr378
Portsmouth sex offender sentenced to over four years in prison for firearms possessionRead the Press Release
NORFOLK, Va. – A Portsmouth man was sentenced yesterday to four years and nine months in prison for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
According to court documents, after law enforcement conducted three controlled purchases of cocaine from Jamaro Lamont Fields, 37, on April 23, 2025, Portsmouth Police searched Fields’ residence. Detectives located ammunition, scales, cutting agents, and packaging material in the residence and recovered 11 grams of fentanyl from Fields’ person. From Fields’ vehicle, investigators recovered 14 grams of fentanyl, 12 grams of cocaine, and a handgun.
Fields was convicted in 2013 of aggravated sexual battery against a 6-year-old victim and in 2024 for failing to register as a sex offender. As a previously convicted felon, Fields cannot legally possess firearms or ammunition.
Theophani K. Stamos, First Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Anthony A. Spotswood, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Washington Field Division, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Mark S. Davis.
Special Assistant U.S. Attorneys Hannah E. Wirt and Nikolas Nelson 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. 2:26-cr-49.
Pontotoc County Resident Pleads Guilty to Assault with A Dangerous Weapon and Discharge of A Firearm While Committing A Crime of ViolenceRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Terrance Latrell Richardson, age 38, of Ada, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to one count of Assault with a Dangerous Weapon with Intent to do Bodily Harm in Indian Country, punishable by up to 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine, and one count of Use, Carry, Brandish, and Discharge of a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence, punishable by a minimum of 10 years consecutive to any other sentence imposed, and a $250,000 fine.
The Indictment alleged that on February 16, 2026, Richardson assaulted the victim with a dangerous weapon – a firearm -- with intent to do bodily harm, and that Richardson knowingly used, carried, brandished, and discharged a firearm during the assault.
The crimes occurred in Pontotoc County, within the boundaries of the Chickasaw Nation Reservation, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma.
The charges arose from an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Ada Police Department, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
The Honorable Gerald L. Jackson, Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, accepted the plea and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report.
A U.S. District Court Judge will determine the sentence to be imposed after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Richardson will remain in the custody of the United States Marshals Service pending sentencing.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Lewis M. Reagan represented the United States.
Pike County Man Sentenced to 18 Months’ Imprisonment for Possessing an Unregistered FirearmRead the Press Release
SCRANTON - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Jonny Contreras, age 36, of Pike County, Pennsylvania, was sentenced on October 2, 2026, to 18 months’ imprisonment by United States District Judge Malachy E. Mannion for possession of an unregistered firearm. The court also ordered Contreras to serve a two-year term of supervised release following his release from prison.
According to United States Attorney Brian D. Miller, on or about January 14, 2025, Contreras possessed an AR-15 style rifle with a barrel of less than 16 inches that was not registered to him in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record as required by law. The U.S. Attorney said that Contreras pleaded guilty in May 2026.
The charges stem from an investigation conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (“ATF”) and the Pike County District Attorney’s Office. Assistant United States Attorney Tatum Wilson prosecuted the case.
Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is the Department of Justice’s nationwide initiative that brings federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement, prosecutors, and other public safety partners together to coordinate efforts to combat violent crime and make communities safe. Coordinated by U.S. Attorneys’ offices in each of the 94 federal districts, PSN is tailored to particular communities to strategically address specific violent crime and public safety challenges. As a key component of Operation Take Back America, PSN serves a central role in the Department’s commitment to make our country safe. PSN emphasizes three core principles: rapid federal response to violent crime and criminal offenders; strong, strategic partnerships among law enforcement at all levels; and accountability and deterrence through the prosecution of the most serious, readily provable offenses and other strategies. These efforts complement and strengthen President Trump’s Homeland Security Task Forces, ensuring a comprehensive federal response to the most pressing public safety issues facing communities.
Philadelphia Man Sentenced to 10 Years and One Day in Prison for Armed Robbery and Shooting at City Convenience StoreRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that Larry Dempsey, 53, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, was sentenced today to 120 months and one day in prison, to be followed by supervised release, and $7,600 in restitution by United States District Judge John F. Murphy for committing an armed robbery and shooting at a city convenience store in October of 2024.
The defendant was charged by indictment in June 2025. In June of this year, he pleaded guilty to robbery which interferes with interstate commerce (Hobbs Act robbery) and using, carrying, and discharging a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence.
As detailed in court filings and admitted to by the defendant, on October 6, 2024, Dempsey entered a convenience store on the 2600 block of North 27th Street, armed with a firearm, and chased the store clerk out of the store at gunpoint. The defendant took money out of the register, and discharged his firearm twice, causing damage to the store.
This case was investigated by the Philadelphia Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Catherine S. Dos Santos and Special Assistant United States Attorney Meagan Gordon.
Pakistani national sentenced to 14 years in prison for scheme to defraud elderly victimRead the Press Release
AUGUSTA, Georgia: A Pakistani man living in Decatur has been sentenced to prison and ordered to pay restitution after pleading guilty to a wire fraud scheme.
The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Court Judge Dudley H. Bowen and announced by Margaret E. “Meg” Heap, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia.
Javed Ashiq, 52, of Decatur, Georgia, was sentenced to 168 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release and ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $886,799.84 after pleading guilty to Wire Fraud Conspiracy. Ashiq will be processed for deportation upon completion of his prison term.
There is no parole in the federal system.
As described in court documents and testimony, from July to August 2024, Ashiq acted as a courier for the conspiracy, in which he picked up gold bars and cash from the victim and delivered it to co-conspirators. He and his co-conspirators devised a scheme in which they led a victim to believe that their identity had been stolen and used for fraudulent purposes.
In doing so, Ashiq and his co-conspirators posed as federal agents with the Federal Trade Commission and convinced the victim to purchase cryptocurrency and gold to protect their assets. After the assets were purchased, Ashiq would take the assets to his co-conspirators leaving the victim empty handed.
“This case highlights the ruthless tactics scammers use to exploit senior citizens, including impersonating the very agencies meant to protect them,” said U.S. Attorney Heap. “We hope this significant sentence provides some measure of justice for the victim and serves as a stark warning to others. We remain fully committed to dismantling elder fraud networks and ensuring that those who rob seniors of their financial security are taken off our streets.”
If you are or have information about victims of elder financial abuse, visit: www.tips.fbi.gov/home or www.justice.gov/elderjustice/financial-exploitation.
“Defrauding an elderly victim of their life savings through deception and impersonation is reprehensible,” said Matthew Ploskunak, Supervisory Senior Resident Agent of FBI Atlanta’s Augusta office. “This sentence holds the defendant accountable for his role in exploiting a vulnerable victim, and the FBI and our law enforcement partners will continue working to identify and dismantle the criminal networks behind these elder fraud schemes.”
This case was investigated by the FBI, Columbia County Sheriff’s Office, and the Sandy Springs Police Department and prosecuted for the United States by Southern District of Georgia Assistant U.S. Attorney Kelsey L. Scanlon.
Owner of Florida Ransomware Remediation Company Charged with Defrauding ClientsRead the Press Release
BROOKLYN, NY – Earlier today, Zohar Pinhasi, also known as “Zack Silver” and “Zack Green,” was arraigned on wire fraud charges for allegedly defrauding clients of his ransomware remediation company, MonsterCloud LLC (MonsterCloud). Pinhasi, a national of the United States and Israel, was indicted by a grand jury in the Eastern District of New York on September 23, 2026. The proceeding was held in federal court in Brooklyn before United States Magistrate Judge Peggy Cross‑Goldenberg.
Joseph Nocella, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York; A. Tysen Duva, Assistant Attorney General, head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; and James C. Barnacle, Jr., Assistant Director in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI), announced the charges.
“As alleged in the indictment, by falsely claiming to decrypt ransomware without paying off the ransomers, the defendant re-victimized his clients while extracting a hefty profit for himself,” stated United States Attorney Nocella. “Our Office will vigorously prosecute ransomware attackers who prey on Americans from across the world and those who cynically profit from their criminal activity.”
Mr. Nocella thanked the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs for its assistance."As alleged, Zohar Pinhasi claimed to fix ransomware while never remediating the underlying threat. Instead, he turned the victim's crisis into his own profit center. This deception is unacceptable, and the FBI is committed to ensuring accountability for those who choose to victimize the very people who trusted them for help," stated FBI Assistant Director in Charge Barnacle.
The charges relate to Pinhasi’s claimed ability to decrypt ransomware without paying cybercriminals, purportedly using “proprietary tools” and “advanced decryption techniques” on behalf of distressed business owners who came to his company, MonsterCloud, for help after being victimized by cybercriminals. In fact, Pinhasi allegedly used a portion of his clients’ fees to pay off the ransomware attackers, and then kept the rest, often extracting a substantial markup.
As alleged in the indictment, Pinhasi claimed to prospective clients that MonsterCloud offered a principled alternative to paying off ransomware attackers. MonsterCloud’s website cautioned clients not to pay the ransom, and proclaimed that “our team specializes in helping businesses recover their data without succumbing to ransom demands.” MonsterCloud supposedly did this using “advanced decryption techniques and cutting-edge technology.”Instead, as alleged, Pinhasi had no special technology to decrypt data. Rather, Pinhasi contacted and paid the cybercriminals who had victimized MonsterCloud’s client, in exchange for a decryption key that MonsterCloud employees then used in an attempt to decrypt the client’s files. Pinhasi typically charged MonsterCloud’s clients a fee that was substantially higher than the ransom that MonsterCloud secretly paid. For example, in August 2023, Pinhasi made a ransom payment of approximately $8,200 to a cybercriminal and charged the client approximately $150,000.
MonsterCloud’s website included “testimonials,” including some from paid spokespersons. As alleged, in May 2019, one such spokesperson contacted Pinhasi to ask whether MonsterCloud truly had any proprietary software to decrypt encrypted data. Pinhasi responded: “Monstercloud doesn’t hold any Proprietary technology [to] decrypt the ransomware data.”
Over the course of the scheme, Pinhasi allegedly charged clients more than $19 million, and paid more than $8 million in ransom payments.
The charges in the indictment are allegations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. If convicted, the defendant faces a maximum sentence of up to 20 years in prison.
The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s National Security and Cybercrime Section. Assistant United States Attorneys Alexander Mindlin and Lindsey Oken are in charge of the case, along with Senior Trial Attorneys Brian Mund and Vasantha Rao of the Department of Justice’s Computer Crimes and Intellectual Property Section. Assistant United States Attorney Laura Mantell is handling forfeiture matters.
The Defendant:
ZOHAR PINHASI (also known as “Zack Silver” and “Zack Green’)
Age: 50
Hollywood, FloridaE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 26-CR-271 (RER)
ecf_no._1_26-cr-271_indictment.pdfOlney man sentenced to 40 years for producing child pornographyRead the Press Release
BENTON, Ill. – A district court judge sentenced an Olney man to 40 years in federal prison after he admitted to producing child pornography.
George T. Grove, 49, pleaded guilty to two counts of production of child pornography for creating child sexual abuse material of a 13-year-old victim.
“Sex crimes are vile offenses. There is no amount of prison time sufficient for those who violate children,” said U.S. Attorney Steven D. Weinhoeft.
According to court documents and information discussed at hearings, Grove admitted to creating two videos of child sexual abuse material with a cell phone of a 13-year-old victim in July 2024. During the investigation, officers discovered the defendant was exchanging alcohol, money and drugs with minors for nude photos and sex.
The Richland County Sheriff’s Office, the Olney Police Department and Homeland Security Investigations contributed to the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney David Sanders prosecuted the case.
Oklahoma County Resident Pleads Guilty to Theft in Indian CountryRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Jennifer Luann Hammer, age 52, of Edmond, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to one count of Theft in Indian Country, punishable by up to 5 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
The Indictment alleged that beginning in or about May 2019 and continuing until in or about December 2023, Hammer did take, and carry away with intent to steal and purloin, the personal property of another exceeding $1,000.00 in value.
The crime occurred in Carter County, within the boundaries of the Chickasaw Nation Reservation, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma.
The charge arose from an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
The Honorable D. Edward Snow, Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, accepted the plea and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report.
A U.S. District Court Judge will determine the sentence to be imposed after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Hammer will remain out of custody pending sentencing.
Assistant U.S. Attorney T. Cameron McEwen represented the United States.
Ogle County Man Sentenced to 14 Years in Federal Prison for Distributing Child Pornography via Social Media and Instant Messaging PlatformsRead the Press Release
ROCKFORD — An Ogle County man has been sentenced to fourteen years in federal prison for distributing child pornography via social media and instant messaging platforms.
RANDY WITHROW, 42, of Leaf River, Ill., admitted in a plea agreement earlier this year that he used multiple Instagram and Viber accounts to receive, upload, and distribute videos and images that he knew depicted child pornography. Withrow acknowledged that, in total, he knowingly possessed at least 1,447 videos and 1,406 images of child pornography on his electronic devices, including material involving the sexual abuse or exploitation of an infant or toddler.
On Oct. 1, 2026, U.S. District Judge Iain D. Johnston sentenced Withrow to a term of 14 years in federal prison and ordered that it be followed by 20 years of court-supervised release. Judge Johnston also ordered Withrow to pay $22,500 in restitution to his known victims.
The sentence was announced by Andrew S. Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and Matthew Scarpino, Special Agent-in-Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Chicago. The government was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Theodora Anderson.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood (PSC), a nationwide initiative to combat child sexual exploitation and abuse. PSC marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, while also providing critical services to victims.
If you believe you are a victim of sexual exploitation, you are encouraged to contact the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children by logging on to www.missingkids.com or by calling 1-800-843-5678. The service is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Oakland Man Sentenced for Possessing Stolen FirearmsRead the Press Release
BANGOR, Maine: An Oakland man was sentenced on October 6, 2026, in U.S. District Court in Bangor for possessing stolen firearms.
U.S. District Judge Stacey D. Neumann sentenced Cody Smith, 25, to two years in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release. He was also ordered to pay $6,995 in restitution. Smith pleaded guilty on May 5, 2026.
According to court records, early in the morning on August 10, 2025, Smith broke into a pawn shop in Waterville and stole 20 handguns. The break-in was captured on a video surveillance system inside the building, as well as exterior surveillance cameras at other area businesses. Within hours of the burglary, Smith was posting videos of himself on social media displaying some of the stolen firearms and admitting to the break-in.
The Waterville Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case.
Operation Take Back America: This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
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North Idaho Woman Sentenced to 33 Months in Prison for Wire Fraud After Stealing over One Million Dollars from Former EmployerRead the Press Release
COEUR D’ALENE – Tahnya Hyung Shafer, 48, of Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, was sentenced to 33 months in federal prison for wire fraud, U.S. Attorney Bart M. Davis announced today.
According to court records, Shafer was a human resources manager for a small business in Spokane Valley, Washington. In this role, she oversaw employee benefits, payroll, and, eventually, accounts payable.
For approximately two years between 2023 and 2025, Shafer stole from her employer using multiple fraudulent schemes, including inflating her paychecks and causing apparently legitimate payments to vendors to be sent to her bank accounts instead of the vendors. In total, the Defendant stole over one million dollars, the vast majority of which she spent at casinos in North Idaho. As a result, the employer fell behind on bills, and the owners had to tap their own funds to keep their employees paid.
Chief United States District Judge Amanda K. Brailsford ordered that Shafer be placed on supervised release for three years following completion of her prison sentence. Shafer was also ordered to pay $1,040,126.27 in restitution to her former employer.
U.S. Attorney Davis commended the work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, which led to the charges. Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam Johnson prosecuted this case.
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New York Health Care Provider Sentenced to 32 Months in Prison for Role in $11 Million Health Care Fraud Scheme Targeting Amtrak, Drug Distribution, and Unlawful Possession of FirearmRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A podiatrist formerly based in New York was sentenced today for his role in a health care fraud scheme targeting Amtrak’s health care plan, as well as for unlawful distribution of opioids and unlawful possession of a firearm, U.S. Attorney Robert Frazer announced.
Michael DeNicola, 64, pleaded guilty on June 29, 2022, before U.S. District Judge Madeline Cox Arleo in Newark federal court to conspiracy to commit health care fraud, unlawful distribution of controlled substances, and unlawful possession of a firearm. DeNicola was sentenced today to 32 months’ imprisonment, three years’ supervised release, and ordered to pay over $1.6 million in restitution and over $1.3 million in forfeiture.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
From 2019 to August 2021, DeNicola and his conspirators agreed to engage in a scheme to bill the Amtrak health care plan for fraudulent claims for services that either were never provided or were medically unnecessary. They would recruit Amtrak employees to participate in the scheme by paying them to allow the conspirators to use their patient and insurance information to submit false and fraudulent claims. DeNicola and his conspirators submitted false and fraudulent claims that caused Amtrak losses of more than $1.6 million.
DeNicola also provided oxycodone prescriptions to an individual in return for the individual’s agreement to allow his patient and insurance information to be used for the submission of fraudulent insurance claims. DeNicola provided oxycodone prescription to others at the direction of this individual and did so outside of the usual course of professional treatment and without legitimate medical purpose. From April 2017 through February 2018, DeNicola issued 64 oxycodone prescriptions in this manner. DeNicola also unlawfully possessed a firearm on Sept. 1, 2019, after previously having been convicted in a court of a crime punishable by a term of imprisonment exceeding one year.
The overall scheme targeting the Amtrak health care plan involved dozens of Amtrak employees and multiple health care providers, who paid hundreds of thousands of dollars in cash kickbacks to Amtrak employees over the course of the scheme. In total, the Amtrak health care plan paid over $11 million in fraudulent claims associated with providers connected to the scheme. The Amtrak health care plan paid out over $1.6 million for claims associated with DeNicola. The investigation has resulted in the prosecution of nineteen individuals, including DeNicola. All have pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit health care fraud.
U.S. Attorney Frazer credited special agents of the Amtrak Office of Inspector General, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge James Harper, the Amtrak Police Department, under the direction of Chief of Police James Cook, and special agents of the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Frank A. Tarentino III in New York, with the investigation.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Katherine M. Romano, Deputy Chief of the Bank Integrity, Money Laundering, and Recovery Unit in Newark.
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.
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Defense counsel: Lorraine S. Gauli-Rufo, Esq.
Maryland Man Facing Federal Indictment in Connection with Gift-Card ScamRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – The U.S. Attorney’s Office announced, today, a Maryland man is facing indictment in connection with a gift-card scheme.
Sharieff Tate Pierre, 36, of Randallstown, is charged with 21 counts of wire fraud and 21 counts of aggravated identity theft for using stolen credit cards to purchase gift cards. Pierre allegedly victimized 21 individuals, causing $53,300.49 in losses.
Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the indictment with Postal Inspector in Charge Damon E. Wood, U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) – Washington Division, Executive Special Agent in Charge Kathleen Woodson, U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General (USPS-OIG), Mid-Atlantic Area Field Office, and Chief Robert McCullough, Baltimore County Police Department (BCPD).
According to court documents, in July 2021, USPIS, USPS-OIG, and BCPD began investigating Pierre after a financial institution filed a complaint. The financial institution stated that some of its cardholders in Maryland did not receive their credit cards in the mail. Then unauthorized charges were subsequently made on those accounts.
As stated in the indictment, Pierre obtained credit cards from victim institutions intended for other individuals. He used the names and dates of birth of the credit-card holders, without lawful authority, and illegally purchased gift cards. Pierre then used Western Union to transfer the cash value balance of fraudulently purchased gift cards to cash. Additionally, Pierre used personally identifiable information to obtain lines of credit from financial institutions to purchase and register vehicles without the victim’s knowledge.
An indictment is not a finding of guilt. Individuals charged by indictment are presumed innocent until proven guilty at a later criminal proceeding.
If convicted, Pierre faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison for each count of wire fraud and up to two years for each count of aggravated identity theft. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge determines sentencing after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the USPIS, USPS-OIG, and BCPD for their work in the investigation. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Elliot Higgins and Colleen Elizabeth McGuinn who are prosecuting the federal case.
For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to report fraud, please visit justice.gov/usao-md and justice.gov/usao-md/report-fraud.
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Maryland Felon Admits to Selling Guns and Drugs to an Undercover OfficerRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – A Maryland man pled guilty to charges in federal court, today, after he unknowingly agreed to sell drugs and firearms to an undercover law-enforcement officer.
Robert William Garland, 33, of Elk Mills, is charged with possession of a firearm by a prohibited person. The charges stem from an undercover drugs and firearms investigation.
Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the guilty plea with Special Agent in Charge Charles Doerrer, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF); Alison M. Healey, Harford County State's Attorney; and Sheriff Jeff Gahler, Harford County Sheriff’s Office.
According to the guilty plea, in January 2025, an undercover Harford County Drug Task Force detective learned that Garland was looking to sell firearms. The detective then spoke with Garland about purchasing firearms over the phone. During the conversation, Garland agreed to sell the detective three rifles and a crossbow for $3,000.
Then Garland met the detective in a Harford County shopping-center parking lot to conduct the transaction. The detective entered Garland’s vehicle and observed the rifles on the rear seat wrapped in clothing. Garland removed the rifles and placed them in the detective’s trunk in exchange for $3,000. He also gave the detective two 30-round large capacity magazines, a range finder, and a crossbow. Garland is prohibited from possessing a firearm due to prior convictions.
Additionally, Garland offered to sell the detective drugs, including methamphetamine, cocaine, marijuana, and others. The detective arranged to purchase one ounce (28 grams) of methamphetamine for $350. Then on Feb. 5, Garland met the detective at a Harford County Royal Farms. Garland entered the detective’s vehicle and placed a bag of methamphetamine in the detective’s cupholder. In exchange, the detective gave Garland $350.
Garland faces a maximum of 15 years in prison for possession of a firearm by a prohibited person. U.S. District Judge Adam B. Abelson set sentencing for Tuesday, Jan. 26, 2027, at 10 a.m.
Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district judge determines sentencing after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the ATF and the Harford County Sheriff’s Office for their work in the investigation. Ms. Hayes also thanked the Assistant U.S. Attorney who is prosecuting this federal case.
For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit justice.gov/usao-md.
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Many and Leesville Men Sentenced in Federal Methamphetamine Conspiracy CasesRead the Press Release
SHREVEPORT / LAFAYETTE – On September 28, 2026, United States District Judge S. Maurice Hicks sentenced Marcello B. Hicks, 45, of Many, to 160 months (over 13 years) in federal prison for Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance, followed by five years of supervised release. Hicks pled guilty on April 15, 2026.
On October 1, 2026, United States District Judge Robert R. Summerhays sentenced Buford E. Sawyer, 60, of Leesville, to 60 months (five years) in federal prison for Conspiracy to Possess a Controlled Substance with Intent to Distribute, followed by four years of supervised release. Sawyer pled guilty on June 30, 2026.
On the same day, Judge Summerhays also sentenced Sevesta Sweet, 40, of Many, to 37 months (over three years) in federal prison for Conspiracy to Possess a Controlled Substance with Intent to Distribute, followed by four years of supervised release. Sweet pled guilty on June 16, 2026.
U.S. Attorney Zachary A. Keller for the Western District of Louisiana made the announcement.
HICKS
Between November 22, 2022, and January 23, 2023, Hicks conspired with others to distribute methamphetamine in various parts of the Western District of Louisiana. Agents conducted multiple controlled purchases from Hicks, including an undercover operation arranged by a confidential informant. Hicks directed the informant to a residence, entered the residence with $2,800, and later returned with 189 grams of methamphetamine.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Sabine Parish Tactical Narcotics Team (SPTNT). It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Samuel S. Crichton with assistance from Paralegal Specialist Emily Favrot.
SAWYER
Between July 11, 2024, and November 2, 2025, Sawyer conspired with others to acquire methamphetamine for distribution. A co-conspirator supplied Sawyer with 85 grams of methamphetamine during the conspiracy. Sawyer knowingly joined the unlawful agreement, understood its purpose, and took steps to advance the conspiracy. He also admitted that he knew the scheme involved at least 50 grams of methamphetamine.
This case was investigated by the FBI and Vernon Parish Sheriff’s Office (VPSO). It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney LaDonte Murphy with assistance from Legal Assistant Christy Angelle.
SWEET
Sweet also conspired with others to possess methamphetamine for distribution. On August 6, 2025, Sweet was part of an intercepted communication in which a co-conspirator discussed purchasing methamphetamine from another individual. Sweet was overheard discussing his own planned drug transaction. On August 7, 2025, Sweet met with another conspirator in order to complete the purchase. Later that day, during a traffic stop, Sweet fled into a wooded area carrying a black bag. Agents recovered the bag after apprehending him and found approximately 248 grams of methamphetamine.
This case was investigated by FBI and VPSO. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney LaDonte Murphy with assistance from Legal Assistant Christy Angelle.
These prosecutions were 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. 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.
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 http://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 http://www.lawd.uscourts.gov or at https://www.lawd.uscourts.gov/cmecf-pacer under the following case numbers: Hicks: 26 00009 01; Sawyer: 6:26 CR 00027 11; Sweet: 6:26 CR 00027 07.
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CONTACT: Public Affairs
(337) 262-6704
[email protected] www.justice.gov/usao-wdlaMan Sentenced to 71 Months’ Imprisonment for Unlawful Possession of a Machine GunRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – United States Attorney Daniel N. Rosen announced that Lazerrick Alante Stewart, 20, was sentenced to 71 months in prison for unlawful possession of a machinegun. The defendant previously pleaded guilty on February 19, 2026, and was sentenced before U.S. District Chief Judge Eric C. Tostrud on October 6, 2026.
According to court documents, on July 23, 2025, Brooklyn Park Police responded to a report of a robbery and vehicle theft at a convenience store by two individuals. The victim was returning to his vehicle after leaving the store when Stewart and another male approached him. Stewart was holding a Glock Model 19X 9mm handgun that was affixed with a machinegun conversion device, and he pointed the firearm at the victim with the purpose of taking the vehicle and the victim’s personal items. Stewart then took the victim’s car keys, and the other male stole the victim’s backpack which contained a small amount of cash. After Stewart and the other male left, the victim soon left his vehicle and the area of the robbery.
Approximately 40 minutes after the incident, Stewart and the other male returned to the scene and Stewart drove away with the vehicle. Law enforcement later located the victim’s vehicle less than a mile away, unoccupied.
Law enforcement later additionally found and apprehended the defendant along with the handgun that was used during the robbery, another handgun, the victim’s car keys, and backpack.
“I commend our federal and local law enforcement partners in this investigation. My office will continue to work to prosecute those who pose serious public safety threats to our communities,” said United States Attorney Daniel N. Rosen.
This case was the result of an investigation by the Brooklyn Park Police Department, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office, and other law enforcement partners.
Special Assistant United States Attorney Jeanne Semivan prosecuted this case.
Man Indicted by Federal Grand Jury for Sexual Abuse of a Ward While Under His AuthorityRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – United States Attorney Daniel N. Rosen announced that Albert Victor Freeman, 30, was indicted by a federal grand jury on three counts of sexual abuse of a ward. Freeman had his initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Elizabeth Cowan Wright on October 7, 2026.
According to the indictment, in or about June 2026, Freeman, a former federal correctional officer at Federal Correctional Institution (FCI)-Waseca, knowingly engaged or attempted to engage in sexual acts with three inmates he was responsible for guarding.
This case was the result of an investigation by the Department of Justice Office of the Inspector General.
Assistant United States Attorney Evan Gilead is prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Man Arrested and Charged for Role in Plotting to Conduct a Mass-Shooting Event in Support of ISIS at the Mall of AmericaRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – United States Attorney Daniel N. Rosen announced that Sheikhdoon Abdullahi Mohamud, 18, of Richfield, Minnesota, was charged today by complaint with one count of knowingly receiving a firearm and ammunition in order to commit a federal crime of terrorism.
The FBI arrested the defendant on October 6, and he made his initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Elizabeth Cowan Wright on October 7.
“This individual allegedly obtained a weapon he hoped to use in a mass casualty attack in support of ISIS, but this FBI arrested him and put a stop to his plans,” said FBI Director Kash Patel. “Once again this FBI is moving more effectively than we ever have before at stopping terrorists before they can attack Americans – with over 1,100 individuals prevented from conducting attacks, over 4,000 foreign terrorist organization related disruptions and arrests, a 38% increase, and more. We will continue to use every resource we have to detect and prevent acts of terrorism and wipe out their networks all over the country. Thank you to FBI Minneapolis who did an outstanding job in the investigation and likely saved lives.”
“Mohamud allegedly sought to carry out a mass-casualty shooting at the Mall of America, expressing a desire to emulate some of the most horrific ISIS-inspired attacks in the United States, including the atrocities at Pulse Nightclub and 2025 New Year’s Day attack in New Orleans,” said Assistant Attorney General for National Security John A. Eisenberg. “The National Security Division will continue to work closely with the FBI and Joint Terrorism Task Force to track down and prosecute ISIS-inspired terrorists in the United States.”
“As alleged in the criminal complaint, Mohamud took substantial steps to plot to murder innocent people in the name of ISIS,” said United States Attorney Daniel N. Rosen for the District of Minnesota. “Such threats are taken seriously, and I commend the committed public servants of the Joint Terrorism Task Force, the FBI, and my office, who work every day to stop them.”
According to the complaint, beginning in or about December 2024, Mohamud exchanged hundreds of messages through multiple social media and messaging applications with a confidential source. Mohamud expressed his desire to travel to Somalia to join a designated foreign terrorist organization to fight on its behalf. Mohamud also expressed a desire to commit a mass-casualty event in Minnesota by acquiring and using a firearm and ammunition. The defendant stated many times that if he was unable to travel overseas because of a lack of funds, he planned to carry out a mass-casualty event in Minnesota in support of ISIS.
In July 2026, Mohamud sent messages discussing his intent to carry out a mass-casualty shooting attack at the Mall of America because he claimed it was owned by Jews. He wrote that wanted to kill 30 to 60 people so no one would go there.
In August and September 2026, Mohamud continued to send messages discussing his intentions, including his plans to purchase a firearm and to recruit others to join him in committing the attack. Mohamud sent a selfie-style video of himself pledging allegiance to ISIS:
Screenshot of Mohamud’s Video Pledging Allegiance to ISIS
During the course of his communications, Mohamud stated that he wanted to commit an attack similar to those of the Pulse Nightclub mass-shooting in Orlando, the Bondi Beach mass-shooting in Australia, and the New Year’s Day vehicle-ramming attack in New Orleans.
In September 2026, Mohamud expressed a desire to kill “kuffar” — a term used to refer to a non-Muslim. Mohamud identified October 24 as the date of his planned attack. When the confidential source asked if there was a big gathering on October 24, Mohamud indicated that there were would be numerous Asians and other “kuffar” celebrating at the Mall of America. Mohamud then sent a link to a “Hmong Arts Celebration” at the Mall of America.
In September 2026, Mohamud continued to send propaganda videos to the confidential source. A still shot from one of the propaganda videos sent by Mohamud is depicted below:
Still Shot of Propaganda Video Sent by Mohamud
On October 6, the FBI arranged to sell to Mohamud, through an undercover FBI employee, an AK-47 assault rifle, four 30-round magazines, and approximately 200 rounds of ammunition. The FBI rendered the AK-47 rifle inert prior to the transaction. The FBI arrested Mohamud shortly after he paid about $600 cash for the rifle, magazines, and ammunition and had those items in his possession. During the sale of the firearm and ammunition, Mohamud reaffirmed his plan to use the firearm and ammunition to shoot people at the Mall of America.
This case was the result of an investigation by the FBI, the Joint Terrorism Task Force, and the Bloomington Police Department, with assistance from IRS Criminal Investigation.
This case is being prosecuted by Trial Attorney Ryan White of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin Bejar for the District of Minnesota.
A complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Note: View criminal complaint here.
Man Arrested and Charged for Role in Plotting to Conduct a Mass-Shooting Event in Support of ISIS at the Mall of AmericaRead the Press Release
Sheikhdoon Abdullahi Mohamud, 18, of Richfield, Minnesota, was charged today by complaint with one count of knowingly receiving a firearm and ammunition in order to commit a federal crime of terrorism.
The FBI arrested the defendant on Oct. 6, and he made his initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Elizabeth Cowan Wright on Oct. 7.
“This individual allegedly obtained a weapon he hoped to use in a mass casualty attack in support of ISIS, but this FBI arrested him and put a stop to his plans,” said FBI Director Kash Patel. “Once again this FBI is moving more effectively than we ever have before at stopping terrorists before they can attack Americans – with over 1,100 individuals prevented from conducting attacks, over 4,000 foreign terrorist organization related disruptions and arrests, a 38% increase, and more. We will continue to use every resource we have to detect and prevent acts of terrorism and wipe out their networks all over the country. Thank you to FBI Minneapolis who did an outstanding job in the investigation and likely saved lives.”
“Mohamud allegedly sought to carry out a mass-casualty shooting at the Mall of America, expressing a desire to emulate some of the most horrific ISIS-inspired attacks in the United States, including the atrocities at Pulse Nightclub and 2025 New Year’s Day attack in New Orleans,” said Assistant Attorney General for National Security John A. Eisenberg. “The National Security Division will continue to work closely with the FBI and Joint Terrorism Task Force to track down and prosecute ISIS-inspired terrorists in the United States.”
“As alleged in the criminal complaint, Mohamud took substantial steps to plot to murder innocent people in the name of ISIS,” said U.S. Attorney Daniel N. Rosen for the District of Minnesota. “Such threats are taken seriously, and I commend the committed public servants of the Joint Terrorism Task Force, the FBI, and my office, who work every day to stop them.”
According to the complaint, beginning in or about December 2024, Mohamud exchanged hundreds of messages through multiple social media and messaging applications with a confidential source. Mohamud expressed his desire to travel to Somalia to join a designated foreign terrorist organization to fight on its behalf. Mohamud also expressed a desire to commit a mass-casualty event in Minnesota by acquiring and using a firearm and ammunition. The defendant stated many times that if he was unable to travel overseas because of a lack of funds, he planned to carry out a mass-casualty event in Minnesota in support of ISIS.
In July 2026, Mohamud sent messages discussing his intent to carry out a mass-casualty shooting attack at the Mall of America because he claimed it was owned by Jews. He wrote that wanted to kill 30 to 60 people so no one would go there.
In August and September 2026, Mohamud continued to send messages discussing his intentions, including his plans to purchase a firearm and to recruit others to join him in committing the attack. Mohamud sent a selfie-style video of himself pledging allegiance to ISIS:
Screenshot of Mohamud’s Video Pledging Allegiance to ISISDuring the course of his communications, Mohamud stated that he wanted to commit an attack similar to those of the Pulse Nightclub mass-shooting in Orlando, the Bondi Beach mass-shooting in Australia, and the New Year’s Day vehicle-ramming attack in New Orleans.
In September 2026, Mohamud expressed a desire to kill “kuffar” — a term used to refer to a non-Muslim. Mohamud identified Oct. 24 as the date of his planned attack. When the confidential source asked if there was a big gathering on Oct. 24, Mohamud indicated that there were would be numerous Asians and other “kuffar” celebrating at the Mall of America. Mohamud then sent a link to a “Hmong Arts Celebration” at the Mall of America.
In September 2026, Mohamud continued to send propaganda videos to the confidential source. A still shot from one of the propaganda videos sent by Mohamud is depicted below:
Still Shot of Propaganda Video Sent by MohamudOn Oct. 6, the FBI arranged to sell to Mohamud, through an undercover FBI employee, an AK-47 assault rifle, four 30-round magazines, and approximately 200 rounds of ammunition. The FBI rendered the AK-47 rifle inert prior to the transaction. The FBI arrested Mohamud shortly after he paid about $600 cash for the rifle, magazines, and ammunition and had those items in his possession. During the sale of the firearm and ammunition, Mohamud reaffirmed his plan to use the firearm and ammunition to shoot people at the Mall of America.
This case was the result of an investigation by the FBI, the Joint Terrorism Task Force, and the Bloomington Police Department, with assistance from IRS Criminal Investigation.
This case is being prosecuted by Trial Attorney Ryan White of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin Bejar for the District of Minnesota.
A complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Man Admits Dealing Meth and Robbing Two St. Louis County BanksRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – A convicted felon on Wednesday admitted possessing about 25 kilograms of meth and robbing two St. Louis County banks.
Otis Frazier, 37, pleaded guilty in two separate cases: to one count of bank robbery in one case and in the other to one count of possession with the intent to distribute methamphetamine and one count of possession of firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
On Feb. 6, 2025, a St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department Anti-Crime Task Force detective targeting stolen vehicles spotted a white Genesis GV70 that appeared to have been stolen. The detective followed the Genesis, but stopped when the driver began to drive erratically. The next day, the detective located the vehicle again and confirmed the license plate was a stolen dealer plate. When Frazier parked at a store on Jennings Station Road, officers detained him after a brief struggle and found two handguns, about 4.7 kilograms of methamphetamine and about 14.31 grams of fentanyl in the vehicle.
In an interview with Drug Enforcement Administration agents the next day, Frazier said he was a large-scale drug distributor and had more meth and two guns at a friend’s house. There the DEA found the guns and a little over 20 kilograms of meth.
Frazier was indicted in U.S. District Court in St. Louis on March 12 and a warrant for his arrest was issued.
On July 31, 2025, Frazier robbed a bank on North Highway 67 in St. Louis County. Frazier said something along the lines of, “It’s happening,” while gripping the butt of what appeared to be a handgun in his pocket. He forced two employees into the back of the bank and demanded entry to the vault. Frazier threatened employees, telling them if the police arrived, everyone would die, his plea says. After stealing cash, Frazier fled on a bicycle, discarding the clothing he was wearing in a nearby dumpster.
On Sept. 24, 2025, Frazier entered a bank on Dunn Road in St. Louis County and said, “You know what this is, right,” while keeping his hand in his pocket. When bank employees told Frazier the vault was locked, a frustrated Frazier made threats before accepting cash from a teller’s cash drawer. He fled the scene on a motorized scooter.
Frazier was arrested and a court-approved search of Frazier’s girlfriend’s home found a 9mm pistol gun with his DNA on it.Frazier is scheduled to be sentenced on the bank robbery charge on January 7. Bank robbery is punishable by up to 20 years in prison. He will also be ordered to repay the money. Both the U.S. Attorney’s office and Frazier’s lawyer have agreed to recommend a sentence of 15 years for the drug case, which is set to be sentenced on January 13.
The St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the FBI, and the St. Louis County Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Nichole Frankenberg and Dane Rennier are prosecuting the case.
Lincoln County, Missouri Man Admits Child Pornography ChargesRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – A man from Lincoln County, Missouri on Wednesday admitted producing and receiving child sexual abuse material.
The investigation of Michael Anthony Lynch, now 24, began with a CyberTipline Report to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children that was triggered when three files containing child sexual abuse material (CSAM) were detected on one of Lynch’s online accounts. A court-approved search of the account uncovered more CSAM, and a search of his home uncovered more CSAM and evidence that he had produced CSAM involving one underage girl.
Lynch pleaded guilty Wednesday in U.S. District Court in St. Louis to one count of production of child pornography and one count of receiving child pornography.
He is scheduled to be sentenced on January 14. Both the U.S. Attorney’s office and Lynch’s lawyer have agreed to recommend a sentence of 18 years in prison.
The St. Charles County Cyber Crime Task Force, the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office and the FBI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jillian Anderson prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Department of Justice Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Leader of $55 Million Check Fraud Ring Sentenced to Eight Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Jamie McDonald, announced today that MICHAEL EDWARDS, a/k/a “Only1Giela,” was sentenced today to eight years in prison by U.S. District Judge John G. Koeltl for orchestrating an expansive scheme to steal and fraudulently alter millions of dollars in checks before depositing the checks or posting them for sale on his Telegram channel, after which he obstructed justice by deleting evidence of his crimes. On November 13, 2025, EDWARDS pled guilty to conspiring to commit bank fraud, unlawfully possessing a stolen postal key and conspiring to unlawfully possess a postal key, stealing mail and conspiring to steal mail, and committing aggravated identity theft.
“For more than two years, Michael Edwards criminally utilized the U.S. mail system to steal millions of dollars from Americans who rely on it by obtaining postal keys, stealing thousands of checks from the mail, washing those checks, and depositing the fraudulent checks or posting them for sale on Telegram,” said U.S. Attorney Jamie McDonald. “Even after his arrest, Edwards kept operating his illicit business on Telegram and obstructed justice by deleting his Telegram posts. Today’s prison sentence is indicative of the result awaiting those who breach the U.S. mail system to steal from everyday Americans.”
According to the charging documents and other filings and statements made in court proceedings:
Between approximately January 2022 and July 2024, EDWARDS orchestrated a scheme to steal millions of dollars in checks from U.S. Postal Service collection boxes in New York and elsewhere. As part of the scheme, EDWARDS coordinated with others to purchase postal keys that would unlock collection boxes in affluent neighborhoods in Manhattan. After the checks were stolen, EDWARDS and his co-conspirators fraudulently altered the payees and, in some instances, the check amounts. EDWARDS also coordinated with and directed others to recruit third parties to provide their bank account information, and supervised the deposit of millions of dollars in fraudulently altered checks into bank accounts in Connecticut, Florida, Pennsylvania, and South Carolina.
EDWARDS was arrested in July 2023 after New York City Police Department (“NYPD”) officers caught EDWARDS and a co-conspirator stealing mail, during which EDWARDS and the co-conspirator nearly struck an NYPD officer while fleeing in their getaway vehicle. Even after his arrest, EDWARDS continued to perpetrate his fraud scheme, including by posting approximately $32 million in stolen checks on his Telegram channel “Only1Giela.”
In August 2024, shortly after EDWARDS was charged with continuing to commit crimes on pre-trial release based in part on evidence found on his Telegram channel, EDWARDS obstructed justice by deleting the contents of his Telegram channel.
Ultimately, EDWARDS’ fraud scheme involved more than 2,600 stolen checks and resulted in a total intended loss of more than $55 million, of which more than $18 million was deposited into co-conspirator accounts.
* * *
In addition to the prison term, EDWARDS, 31, of Bridgeport, Connecticut, was sentenced to three years of supervised release, ordered to forfeit $18,840,084.45, and ordered to pay restitution.
Mr. McDonald praised the outstanding investigative work of the USPIS. Mr. McDonald also thanked the Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations and the NYPD for their assistance with the investigation.
The case is being handled by the Office’s General Crimes Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jerry J. Fang and William K. Stone are in charge of the prosecution.
Las Vegas Man Sentenced to 40 Months in Prison for Distributing Methamphetamine and HeroinRead the Press Release
Las Vegas Man Sentenced to 40 Months in Prison for Distributing Methamphetamine and Heroin
LAS VEGAS – A Las Vegas man who admitted to selling methamphetamine and heroin was sentenced today by Chief United States District Judge Andrew P. Gordon to 40 months in prison followed by 3 years of supervised release. The government recommended a sentence of 60 months in prison.
“Our office remains fiercely committed to removing dangerous drug traffickers from our communities,” said First Assistant United States Attorney Sigal Chattah for the District of Nevada. “This sentence sends a clear, definitive message that individuals who profit from fueling addiction in Nevada will be held fully accountable under federal law.”
“While methamphetamine remains one of the deadliest drugs, heroin has not gone away,” said David S. Olesky, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration Los Angeles Field Division, which covers Nevada. “These two highly destructive drugs threaten the health and safety of our community. The DEA stands united with our law enforcement partners in pursuing drug traffickers whose poison brings harm to Americans. Today’s sentencing proves that no drug criminal—regardless of their role in the supply chain—is above the law.”
Between August 2024, and October 3, 2024, Juan Carlos Barrera-Cortez, also known as “Rafael,” and co-conspirators Jesus Lomeli-Lopez and Eduardo Perez were part of a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and heroin in Las Vegas. As part of the drug conspiracy, Lomeli-Lopez would accept the drug orders by phone from customers, and he and Barrera-Cortez would then meet with the customers to sell the methamphetamine and heroin. Perez would provide Barrera-Cortez and Lomeli-Lopez with the drugs to sell the customers. Over the course of the conspiracy, Barrera-Cortez distributed approximately 3.4 pounds of methamphetamine, and approximately 8.951 grams of heroin. Methamphetamine is a Schedule II controlled substance, and Heroin is a Schedule I controlled substance
Barrera-Cortez pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and heroin. Lomeli-Lopez pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and heroin. He was sentenced to five years in prison. Perez is awaiting a jury trial set to begin on January 25, 2027.
First Assistant United States Attorney Sigal Chattah for the District of Nevada and Special Agent in Charge David Olesky for the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Los Angeles Field Division, which oversees Nevada, made the announcement.
The DEA investigated the case. Assistant United States Attorney Joshua Brister prosecuted the case.
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Lackawanna company to pay $1.5 million to resolve False Claims Act allegations related to improper receipt of PPP fundsRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, N.Y. – U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Welded Tube USA, Inc. has agreed to pay $1,500,000 to resolve allegations that it improperly obtained a Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan from the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), which it was not eligible to receive. This action is part of the Trump Administration’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud.
The PPP loan program, enacted in March 2020, provided emergency financial assistance to small businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic. The program allowed eligible small businesses to receive loans guaranteed by the federal government. Regulations provided various eligibility requirements for the PPP, including limitations on the applicants’ number of employees, including employees of the applicants’ foreign affiliates. Specifically, applicants for second draw PPP loans were required, generally, to have 300 or fewer employees.
The United States contends that Welded Tube obtained a forgiven PPP loan that it was not eligible for because it exceeded the size restrictions for a second draw PPP loan. In 2021, when Welded Tube obtained a second draw PPP loan, it was a wholly owned subsidiary of Welded Tube of Canada Corp., a Canadian company. Welded Tube of Canada Corp. and its affiliates collectively had over 300 employees at the time of Welded Tube’s PPP loan.
“We continue to work tirelessly to recover taxpayer dollars that were improperly obtained by ineligible entities,” said U.S. Attorney DiGiacomo. “Through our affirmative civil enforcement efforts, we recovered over $10 million during the 2026 fiscal year related to PPP fraud.”
On April 7, 2026, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division (Fraud Division). The Fraud Division is laser-focused on investigating and prosecuting those who commit fraud against the American people. The Department’s work to combat fraud supports President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs.
This matter was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan W. Ferris and Investigator Margaret McFarland.
The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only; there has been no determination or admission of liability.
Read the settlement agreement here:
welded_tube_settlement_agreement.pdf# # # #
Known Cybersecurity Expert and Owner of Florida Ransomware Remediation Company Charged with Defrauding ClientsRead the Press Release
Zohar Pinhasi, 50, also known as “Zack Silver” and “Zack Green,” a U.S. and Israeli national, was arraigned today in the Eastern District of New York on wire fraud charges relating to Pinhasi’s false representations that he could decrypt ransomware without paying cybercriminals. Pinhasi claimed to prospective clients that his company, MonsterCloud, offered a principled alternative to paying off ransomware attackers.
“The defendant is charged with offering an alternative to ransom payments, but instead is alleged to have victimized the victim again and committed additional fraud, harming the victim again,” said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “This prosecution underscores the Department’s commitment to protecting ransomware victims, regardless of how these cyber ransoms occur.”
“As alleged in the indictment, by falsely claiming to decrypt ransomware without paying off the ransomers, the defendant re-victimized his clients while extracting a hefty profit for himself,” said U.S. Attorney Joseph Nocella, Jr. for the Eastern District of New York. “Our Office will vigorously prosecute ransomware attackers who prey on Americans from across the world and those who cynically profit from their criminal activity.”
“As alleged, Zohar Pinhasi claimed to fix ransomware while never remediating the underlying threat. Instead, he turned the victim's crisis into his own profit center,” said Assistant Director James C. Barnacle Jr. of the FBI. “This deception is unacceptable, and the FBI is committed to ensuring accountability for those who choose to victimize the very people who trusted them for help.”
According to the indictment, Pinhasi made misrepresentations to distressed business owners who came to his company, MonsterCloud, for help after being victimized by cybercriminals. MonsterCloud’s website cautioned clients not to pay the ransom and claimed that his team specialized in helping businesses recover their data without succumbing to ransom demands. Pinhasi represented that he had access to “proprietary tools” and “advanced decryption techniques.” He allegedly had no special technology to decrypt data but instead contacted and paid the cybercriminals who had victimized MonsterCloud’s client in exchange for a decryption key that MonsterCloud employees then used in an attempt to decrypt the client’s files. Pinhasi typically charged MonsterCloud’s clients a fee that was substantially higher than the ransom that MonsterCloud secretly paid. For instance, in or around August 2023, he made a ransom payment of approximately $8,200 to a cybercriminal and charged the client approximately $150,000. Over the course of the scheme, he allegedly charged clients more than $19 million and paid more than $8 million in ransom payments.
Pinhasi is charged with two counts of wire fraud and one count of wire fraud conspiracy. If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 20 years on each count.
In joint guidance, the FBI and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) have advised that they do not recommend that ransomware victims pay ransom. Paying ransoms does not ensure that data is decrypted, that systems or data will no longer be compromised, or that data will not be leaked.
The FBI is investigating the case.
Senior Trial Attorneys Brian Mund and Vasantha Rao of the Justice Department’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Alexander Mindlin and Lindsey Oken for the Eastern District of New York are prosecuting the case.
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.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Kansas City Man Sentenced to 87 Months for Being a Felon in Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Kansas City, Mo. man has been sentenced in federal court for illegally possessing a firearm.
Marcos L. Fernandez, 39, was sentenced by Chief U.S. District Judge Brian C. Wimes to 87 months in federal prison without parole for being a felon in possession of a firearm. He also was sentenced to a concurrent 36-month term of imprisonment for being a violent felon in possession of body armor.
On May 17, 2025, North Kansas City Police Department officers conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle in which Fernandez was a passenger. During the stop, officers saw a firearm on the driver‑side floorboard and removed both occupants. Fernandez, a convicted felon, was prohibited from possessing firearms. A search of the vehicle revealed a loaded Taurus G2C 9mm handgun and a loaded drum‑style pistol magazine. DNA analysis later confirmed Fernandez’s DNA on the firearm.
Fernandez was arrested for being a felon in possession of a firearm. At the time of his arrest, he was also wearing body armor, which he is federally prohibited from possessing due to multiple prior robbery and armed criminal action convictions.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney James Kirkpatrick and investigated by the United States Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Jury finds Idaho man guilty of unlawfully possessing firearmsRead the Press Release
MISSOULA – An Idaho man who was accused of unlawfully possessing stolen firearms was found guilty by a federal jury Tuesday, First Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Steger Smith said.
Following a two-day trial, Jeremy Thomas Sepanski, 44, was found guilty of unlawfully possessing a firearm. Sepanski faces up to 15 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release.
U.S. District Judge William W. Mercer presided and will determine a sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Sentencing is set for Feb. 5, 2027. Sepanski was detained pending further proceedings.
The government alleged in court documents and at trial that Sepanski was barred from possessing firearms after convictions for multiple felonies between 2007 and 2025. In late August 2025, Sepanski, driving a blue Toyota sedan, stopped and talked to a man hosting a yard sale near Lima. He asked the man about staying in an outbuilding on his property and the man said yes. A few days later, the man noticed a number of his belongings, including his firearms, were missing from his property and that Sepanski was gone.
On Aug. 31, a motorcyclist pulled over to the side of the interstate near Monida to stretch his legs when he was approached by Sepanski in his blue Toyota sedan. Sepanski asked the motorcyclist if he wanted to buy some guns. The man was interested and the two drove to a nearby gas station so that the motorcyclist could get some cash. Before the man could pay Sepanski, Sepanski disappeared and left three pistols in the luggage rack of the man’s motorcycle. A Beaverhead County Sheriff’s deputy was at the gas station, so the motorcyclist reported what had happened to the deputy and handed over the firearms.
At some point on the same day, a woman driving near Lima approached an intersection when she saw a blue sedan run the stop sign. She honked at the car and continued on her way. The next day, she saw the same blue car follow her around, eventually driving by her house multiple times and then pulling into her driveway that evening. The woman’s husband walked out of the house with a rifle, telling the driver to leave. The driver, who was later identified as Sepanski, told the husband he also had guns and showed him a pistol. Sepanski left and the couple called 911 to report what happened.
Shortly after, Sepanski, in his blue Toyota sedan, was spotted by a Beaverhead County Sheriff’s deputy, who attempted to pull him over. Sepanski sped off, leading the deputy on a chase until his car was ultimately disabled and Sepanski was arrested. Afterward, another Lima resident approached deputies and reported that Sepanski had also come to his house and showed him various guns.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case. The investigation was conducted by the ATF and Beaverhead County Sheriff’s Office.
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.
Jury Finds Man Guilty of 2021 Murder and Robbery AttemptRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Michael Sanders, 32, of Washington, D.C., was found guilty yesterday in the Superior Court for the District of Columbia, on charges related to the shooting death of 30-year-old Youness Zarouaki, during an attempted robbery in February 2021 in Northwest, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
Sanders was found guilty of first-degree felony murder while armed, conspiracy to commit robbery while armed, attempted robbery while armed, assault with a dangerous weapon and unlawful possession of a firearm and three counts of possession of a firearm during a crime of violence before Superior Court Judge Michael Ryan. A sentencing date will be scheduled on a later date. The jury was unable to reach a verdict regarding co-defendant Darnell Resper, 33 (2024 CF1 003740).
According to the government’s evidence, on February 18, 2021, at approximately 3:13 p.m., 1060 Thomas Jefferson Street, NW, served as a location for marijuana parties. These parties were advertised on Instagram and by word of mouth. Surveillance footage captured a black Honda Accord driving in the area. A third co-defendant had driven the two men to the location for the marijuana pop-up shop. Shortly after entering the pop-up shop, one of the defendants ordered a security guard to the ground at gunpoint and the other suspect brandished his firearm and demanded that the occupants of the house give him “the stuff,” i.e., drugs and cash. Gunshots rang out and both Sanders and Resper fled the area: one jumped over the backyard rear fence, and another ran back out the front entry gate on Thomas Jefferson Street. Surveillance footage captured an individual identified as Michael Sanders fleeing the area but did not capture Darnell Resper.
MPD officers were called to the scene for the report of a shooting. Upon arriving, they located Mr. Youness Zarouaki, on the sidewalk in front of the building, suffering from an apparent gunshot wound to the neck. Mr. Zarouaki succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced dead approximately 30 minutes later.
Sanders was arrested on September 14, 2023. Resper was arrested on April 22, 2024. Both defendants have been in custody since.
Joining the announcement was Interim Chief Jeffery Carroll of the Metropolitan Police Department.
This case was investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Natalie Hynum and Lauren Miller.
2023 CF1 006587
Judge Sentences Morganton Methamphetamine Trafficker to over 17 YearsRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – U.S. District Judge Matthew E. Orso sentenced Reginald Curtis, 47, of Morganton, to 210 months in prison followed by five years of supervised release today for distributing large quantities of methamphetamine, announced Russ Ferguson, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina.
“People like Curtis, who traffic methamphetamine by the kilogram, are supplying the drug dealers,” said U.S. Attorney Russ Ferguson. “Getting wholesale drug distributors off the street is a key step in making our communities safer, and the community won’t have to worry about Curtis for another 17 years.”
According to court records, law enforcement determined that Curtis was trafficking large quantities of methamphetamine in Burke and Catawba Counties. During an undercover controlled purchase in December 2023, Curtis sold an undercover officer nearly half a kilogram of methamphetamine. During a second controlled purchase in January 2024, the undercover officer purchased from Curtis approximately a kilogram of methamphetamine. In August 2024, officers with the Burke County Sheriff’s Office conducted a traffic stop on Curtis’s vehicle. During a subsequent search of the vehicle, the deputies located approximately 1.2 kilograms of methamphetamine inside the vehicle.
In October 2025, Curtis pleaded guilty to distribution of methamphetamine and aiding and abetting.
This investigation was led by Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Burke County Sheriff’s Office.
Assistant U.S. Attorney William Wiseman of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte 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.
Jonathan Spalletta Convicted for Defrauding Crypto Exchange of over $50 Million in HacksRead the Press Release
United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Jamie McDonald, announced the conviction by jury of JONATHAN SPALLETTA, a/k/a “Cthulhon,” a/k/a “Jspalletta,” for computer fraud and money laundering in connection with his hacks of the decentralized cryptocurrency exchange Uranium Finance (“Uranium”). SPALLETTA was convicted on all counts of the Indictment following a six day jury trial before U.S. District Judge Jed S. Rakoff.
“As a unanimous Manhattan jury has found, Jonathan Spalletta repeatedly exploited vulnerabilities in the code of a decentralized cryptocurrency platform to steal tens of millions of dollars,” said U.S. Attorney Jamie McDonald. “Spalletta’s own words are indicative of his dangerously misguided indifference for his victims and the hardships he caused, saying: ‘Crypto is just fake internet money anyway.’ As Spalletta’s many victims know, those words could not be further from the truth. Spalletta’s crimes cost real people to lose real money—over $50 million dollars—and caused an entire crypto platform to collapse. Our prosecutors of the Office and our agency partners have done outstanding work to ensure Spaletta’s virtual world criminal conduct ended in his real-world criminal conviction.”
According to the Indictment, public filings, and evidence presented at trial:
Uranium was a decentralized cryptocurrency exchange that allowed users to deposit and exchange different kinds of cryptocurrencies via liquidity pools. In April 2021, SPALLETTA committed two separate hacks of Uranium.
In the first hack, on April 8, 2021, SPALLETTA engaged in a deceptive series of transactions with Uranium’s smart contract that SPALLETTA used to withdraw far more “rewards” in cryptocurrency than he was authorized to receive. He repeated those transactions over and over until he had drained the liquidity pool of nearly all its rewards tokens. In total, SPALLETTA successfully extracted cryptocurrency worth approximately $1.4 million in the first hack. Approximately two weeks after he fraudulently obtained the funds, SPALLETTA told another individual in writing, “I did a crypto heist of $1.5MM a couple of weeks ago . . . There was a bug in a smart contract, and I exploited it . . . Crypto is all fake internet money anyway.” SPALLETTA subsequently extorted Uranium into agreeing to allow him to keep approximately $386,000 of the money he stole as a sham “bug bounty” to help him evade prosecution in exchange for return of the remainder of the stolen money to Uranium.
In the second hack, on April 28, 2021, SPALLETTA exploited an error in the Uranium smart contract that governed how much cryptocurrency he could withdraw in a liquidity pool on Uranium. SPALLETTA exploited that issue across multiple separate Uranium liquidity pools, fraudulently obtaining approximately $53.3 million in cryptocurrency and causing Uranium to shut down due to lack of funds.
SPALLETTA then laundered the funds he had fraudulently obtained from Uranium through a complex series of cryptocurrency transactions, including by using the cryptocurrency mixer Tornado Cash.
After laundering the funds, SPALLETTA used the money he had fraudulently obtained to purchase personal collectable items, including but not limited to (i) rare cards for the trading card game Magic: The Gathering (“Magic Cards”); (ii) rare cards for the trading card game Pokémon (the “Pokémon Cards”); and (iii) antique Roman coins (the “Antique Coins”), among other items. In particular, SPALLETTA used the fraudulently obtained funds to purchase: (i) a “Black Lotus” Magic Card for approximately $500,000; (ii) 18 packs of sealed “Alpha Booster” Magic Cards for approximately $1,512,500; (iii) one sealed box of first edition “Booster” Pokémon Cards for approximately $257,500; (iv) one first edition complete base set of Pokémon Cards for approximately $750,000; (v) a piece of fabric from the original Wright brothers’ airplane that was subsequently transported to the surface of the moon by astronaut Neil Armstrong on the first moon landing, for approximately $137,500; (vi) one “Eid Mar Denarius,” an Antique Coin commemorating the assassination of Julius Caesar, for approximately $601,545.
Photographs of the Black Lotus Magic Card, the piece of fabric from the original Wright brothers’ airplane that was subsequently transported to the surface of the moon by astronaut Neil Armstrong, and certain of the Antique Coins, all of which were seized from the residence of SPALLETTA pursuant to a judicially-authorized search warrant, are below.
In addition, on February 24, 2025, law enforcement seized pursuant to a judicially-authorized seizure warrant cryptocurrency worth approximately $31 million at the time of seizure that SPALLETTA had fraudulently obtained from Uranium.
If you believe you have been a victim of the Uranium hack, please contact [email protected].
* * *
SPALLETTA, 36, of Rockville, Maryland, was convicted of one count of computer fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison; and one count of money laundering, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.
The maximum potential sentences in this case are prescribed by Congress and provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by a judge.
Mr. McDonald praised the outstanding work of HSI.
The case is being prosecuted by the Office’s Complex Frauds and Cybercrime Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kevin Mead, William C. Kinder, and Shaun Werblow are in charge of the prosecution.
Jamaican National Sentenced to Federal Prison for Role in Telemarketing Lottery Scam Targeting Elderly VictimsRead the Press Release
FLORENCE, S.C. — Alando Gentles, 43, of Jamaica, has been sentenced to three years in federal prison for wire fraud conspiracy involving a telemarketing lottery scam targeting elderly victims.
Investigators with Homeland Security Investigations and the United States Postal Inspection Service learned that individuals in Myrtle Beach, were operating a cash award/lottery telemarketing scam with domestic and international connections, targeted at elderly victims, that occurred from around June 2015 until around May 2022. The investigation revealed the scheme involved a total of at least 115 victims.
The investigation identified Alando Gentles as an individual who participated in the scheme in Jamaica. As part of the scheme, Gentles and co-conspirators contacted elderly victims via phone and mail and falsely informed the victims they were the winner of a sweepstakes. Gentles and co-conspirators then told the victims they must pay taxes and fees to claim or receive their winnings. The victims then purchased prepaid cards, USPS money orders, and bank money orders; mailed cash or personal checks; made deposits into co-conspirator’s bank accounts; or sent wire transfers to co-conspirator’s bank accounts. In addition to calling victims, Gentles received wire transfers of funds obtained from the scheme in Jamaica and made ATM withdrawals in Jamaica from an account containing funds obtained from the scheme. Following his indictment, Gentles was extradited from Jamaica for federal prosecution.
Chief United States District Judge Sherri A. Lydon sentenced Gentles to 36 months’ imprisonment, to be followed by a three-year term of court-ordered supervision. There is no parole in the federal system. The Court also ordered Gentles to pay $349,433.75 in restitution to the victims of his crime.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the United States Postal Inspection Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lauren Hummel prosecuted the case.###
International law enforcement operation leads to seizure of websites used to traffic child sexual abuse material and non-consensual intimate imagesRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia, in partnership with the FBI Washington Field Office and the Cybercrime Division of France’s Parquet de Paris, announced today the seizure of two websites as part of a coordinated law enforcement action taken against the dissemination of child sexual abuse material (CSAM) and the non-consensual publication of intimate images.
According to the seizure warrant, the United States obtained court authorization to seize two domains associated with NudeLeaksTeens (NLT), which advertised for sale leaked (i.e., hacked and stolen), sexually explicit images and videos depicting young women and girls. Law enforcement’s investigation of NLT revealed that despite website warnings against CSAM, the site also offered for sale sexually explicit images and videos of children.
NLT advertised and sold its content in “albums” and “collections.” While the content of albums and collections varied, many included personal identifying information of victims, pictures of victims in various stages of undress, and pictures of victims engaged in sexually explicit conduct. Some of the victims have been identified and confirmed to be minors at the time the visual depictions were created. NLT also advertised a collection named for the website, “Nudeleaksteens Collection,” which it boasted contained “6200 private nude files leaked of teenagers or adults (mostly American) from hacked snapchats, Instagram, tiktok, facebook accounts[.]” This collection also contained CSAM.
French law enforcement simultaneously arrested a 25-year-old man living in Northern France who is suspected to have been the main administrator of NLT.
Theophani K. Stamos, First Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Darren Cox, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI Washington Field Office; and Charles “Andy” Penn, Arlington County Chief of Police, made the announcement.
The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs provided significant assistance.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys April Russo, Lauren Halper, and Meredith Clement are representing the United States.
Victims of the non-consensual publication of intimate images on NLT or elsewhere online are encouraged to file a report with the FBI at ncii.ic3.gov.
Illegal alien sentenced for being a courier in an investment scamRead the Press Release
BENTON, Ill. – A district judge sentenced a Chinese national to 27 months in federal prison for acting as a courier in an investment scam.
Shenghan Jin, 27, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and one count of wire fraud.
“A Chinese national who should have been gone in 2022 was still here in 2025, abusing our immigration system and helping fleece a Belleville man of his life savings. After Jin finishes his well-deserved prison sentence, he will be immediately deported,” said U.S. Attorney Steven D. Weinhoeft.
Uncharged members of the conspiracy began speaking with the victim online in May 2024. Court documents explain the conspirators gained the victim’s trust and then began discussing investment strategies and opportunities. Conspirators instructed the victim to wire money to fake accounts and purchase gold bars. Jin was arrested when he arrived at the victim’s home to pick up gold in July 2025.
“Anyone who is succeeds in using lies and tricks to lure seniors into phony investments deserves prison. We count every fraudster who is caught and imprisoned a win for the American people,” said IRS Criminal Investigation Special Agent in Charge William Steenson of the Kansas City Field Office.
In total, the victim is estimated to have lost approximately $2.5 million through cryptocurrency, wire transfers and physical gold transactions.
Jin was in the country on a student visa that expired in 2022. Following imprisonment, Jin will be deported.
IRS Criminal Investigation and the U.S. Secret Service contributed to the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kathleen Howard prosecuted the case.
Illegal alien sent to prison for role in smuggling nearly 200 illegal aliensRead the Press Release
CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – A 35-year-old Honduran national who illegally resided in Houston has been ordered to federal prison for conspiring to transport illegal aliens.
Eliseo Henriquez-Joya, aka Cheyo, pleaded guilty April 28.
U.S. District Judge David S. Morales ordered Henriquez-Joya to serve 72 months in federal prison. As an illegal alien, he is expected to face removal proceedings following his imprisonment.
At the hearing, the court enhanced his sentence after hearing evidence that Henriquez-Joya was a leader of the organization and coordinated the smuggling of approximately 188 illegal aliens. Henriquez-Joya asked the court for forgiveness.
Instead, Judge Morales said Henriquez-Joya should seek forgiveness from the 188 people transported in extremely dangerous conditions, calling it “a wonder nobody died.”
The investigation revealed that Henriquez-Joya was part of a human smuggling organization that transported illegal aliens in box trucks, refrigerated trucks, and tractor-trailers.
Authorities tied Henriquez-Joya to multiple smuggling events dating back to October 2024. Over the course of the investigation, law enforcement stopped vehicles at checkpoints and discovered hidden compartments and false walls built into the cargo areas to conceal large numbers of illegal aliens. The compartments were sealed shut, had little to no ventilation or air conditioning, and provided no way for those inside to escape.
Forensic evidence recovered from seized cell phones linked Henriquez-Joya to each smuggling event. The phones revealed he recruited drivers and coordinated each trip, including the number of occupants, payments, and pickup and drop-off locations.
Henriquez-Joya will remain in custody pending transfer to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joseph Griffith and John Lamont 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 immigrants, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations, and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
Illegal Alien Indicted in D.C. for Fentanyl and Cocaine TraffickingRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – A two-count Indictment was unsealed yesterday in U.S. District Court in the District of Columbia charging Moussa Konte, 32, a Senegalese citizen, with unlawful possession with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl and unlawful possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
“This defendant, Moussa Konte, who was in this country illegally, turned a one‑bedroom apartment into a drug warehouse stocked with fentanyl, cocaine, cash, money counters and ammo, creating a direct threat to public safety,” said U.S. Attorney Pirro. “He is now in custody. This case demonstrates how traffickers can operate quietly and boldly in our own neighborhoods. But they need to understand this: the District is not open for their business. We will find them, shut them down, and take their profits off the table.”
Konte, a resident of the District, was ordered to be detained following a hearing today before Magistrate Judge Matthew J. Sharbaugh.
According to a previously filed criminal complaint, Konte participated in a FaceTime call on June 23 during which he displayed kilogram-sized quantities of suspected narcotics.
On August 25, 2026, about 6 a.m., law enforcement executed a search warrant at Konte’s one bedroom apartment and recovered three bags of blue pills stamped with “M30” weighing 739.37 grams suspected of containing fentanyl, a heat-sealed bag containing a pressed brick of white powder weighing 513.57 grams suspected of containing cocaine, and two plastic baggies containing pressed and loose white powder weighing about 420.65 grams suspected of containing cocaine. Konte subsequently was arrested.
Other items seized from Konte’s apartment included:
• Approximately three pounds of marijuana.
• A vacuum sealer.
• A digital scale covered in white powder residue.
• Approximately $8,000 cash.
• A money counter.
• A kilogram press used to pack powdered substances
• Two handgun magazines, one of which was extended.
• 16 rounds of ammunition.
This case is being investigated by the FBI Washington Field Office, the Montgomery County Police Department, with valuable assistance from the United States Customs and Border Patrol.
This investigation is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion.
The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders.
The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF Washington D.C. comprises agents and officers from numerous federal agencies with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia.
Law enforcement recovered three baggies of blue pills believed to contain fentanyl at the apartment.
Law enforcement recovered nearly a kilo of suspected cocaine from the apartment.
Images of the press used to pack powdered substances recovered from the apartment.
Law enforcement recovered approximately $8,000 in cash from the apartment.
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