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Thursday 18 June 2026
Former Bellevue social worker sentenced to prison for stealing benefits from a vulnerable victimRead the Press Release
Seattle – A 48-year-old former Bellevue, Washington woman was ordered into custody yesterday to serve five months in prison for stealing the Social Security benefits intended for a disabled minor – a member of the Snoqualmie Tribe, announced First Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles Neil Floyd. Akeatha Diane Akintola pleaded guilty yesterday to theft of public funds for the $17,638 she stole from the tribal member. At the sentencing hearing, Magistrate Judge S. Kate Vaughan said she was struck by the fact that Akintola “targeted a vulnerable victim” – there is “no one more vulnerable” than the victim in this case. The crime was an “ethical breach beyond imagining,” Judge Vaughan said.
According to records filed in the case, Akintola became a social worker for the Snoqualmie Tribe in January 2023. In September 2023, Akintola applied by telephone to be the Social Security Representative Payee for a minor child with intellectual disabilities who was a ward of the Tribe. The child’s mother had died leaving survivor benefits to the child. The Tribe prohibits its social workers from becoming a representative payee for any child under its care. Nevertheless, Akintola used the child’s Social Security number and her own to apply to be the minor child’s representative payee and, once appointed as such, had the benefits intended for the child deposited into a bank account she controlled. Akintola spent the money that was deposited in the account for her own benefit, including a purchase at a North Bend retailer.
In July 2024, after Akintola had been collecting the benefits for at least five months, she went with her supervisor to the Social Security Administration to determine what had happened to the victim’s funds. When Social Security reported that Akintola was the representative payee, Akintola denied it to her supervisor. She resigned from her position with the Snoqualmie Tribe the next day.
Speaking to the impact of the theft, a Tribal representative told the court, “In our profession, a social worker is meant to be a safekeeper. A protector for children who have been stripped of their safety, family, and stability. Ms. Akintola did not just fail in that duty; she weaponized her position of power to systematically steal from a grieving, autistic child … her future independence…. This money was not a luxury. It was a lifeline…. The defendant did not just steal money; she manufactured a false relationship of safety with a traumatized child, exploiting that unearned trust for financial gain.”
The plea and sentencing hearing was originally scheduled for May 22, 2026, but Akintola failed to appear. Prosecutors learned she had left the U.S. on May 20, 2026, and traveled to Togo in West Africa using a passport issued in a different last name.
Akintola appeared for the plea and sentencing hearing yesterday, and Judge Vaughan ultimately ordered her into custody to begin serving the sentence immediately.
Akintola must pay $17,638 in restitution to the Social Security Administration. She is precluded from becoming a Social Security Representative Payee for anyone in the future.
The case was investigated by the Social Security Administration Office of Inspector General (SSA-OIG) and the Snoqualmie Tribal Police.
The case was prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica M Ly. Ms. Ly is an attorney with the Social Security Administration specially designated to prosecute Social Security fraud in federal court.
Former Admissions Director for Emmanuel College Sentenced to 12 Years in Prison for Soliciting a College Applicant to Engage in Commercial Sex and CyberstalkingRead the Press Release
BOSTON – The former Assistant Admissions Director for Emmanuel College in Boston was sentenced for soliciting an underage college applicant to engage in commercial sex with him as well as cyberstalking an 18 year old.
Jacob Tyler Henriques, 27, of Boston, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Myong J. Joun to 12 years in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release. In November 2025, Henriques pleaded guilty to one count of attempted sex trafficking of a minor and one count of cyberstalking. Henriques was arrested and charged in May 2025.
“When applying to colleges, the last thing on an applicant’s mind should be their safety. As the Assistant Admissions Director, Henriques’s focus should have been on the well-being of the applicants, not his own sick perversions,” said United States Attorney Leah B. Foley. “The United States Attorney’s Office is dedicated to protecting the community from predators like Henriques, and we will continue to hold them accountable for their actions.”
“A college admissions director soliciting underage college applicants to engage in commercial sex with him is the stuff of parents’ nightmares — and an instant priority for the FBI,” said Ted E. Docks, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigations Boston Division. “Jacob Tyler Henriques is a clear danger and has earned every minute behind bars to which he’s been sentenced. Our Child Exploitation – Human Trafficking Task Force works around the clock to identify, investigate, and lock up predators like him— and, sadly, there are many. We’d urge adults to remind the kids in their lives that not everyone is who they say they are online.”
Henriques victimized a staggering number of girls and young women online between the ages of 12 and 18 years old. At the same time, Henriques used his position as an Assistant Admissions Director to gain access to the personal information of various admitted or prospective students who he later contacted to solicit to engage in commercial sex with him. Specifically, Henriques met with multiple admitted or prospective students. After meeting or speaking with at least eight such students, Henriques used his access to their personal information and began contacting them, offering to “pay them for some fun,” offering to provide them with pornography, and, in some instances, sending them pornographic videos or images. Henriques began contacting one such victim after she formally committed to attend the college on April 25, 2025.
Henriques also attempted to traffic a 17-year-old prospective student after meeting her and reviewing her tour registration form which contained her date of birth. Henriques asked the victim what grade she was in and the victim told Henriques what local high school she attended. Within hours of finishing the tour, Henriques began texting the victim on her phone number provided on her admissions form. Henriques offered to pay the victim $400 for “some fun” and told her that he had pornographic videos and pictures for her. Henriques continued to contact the minor victim that night, refusing to tell her who he was or how he got her number. He told the victim that “porn” and “$” was ready for her. Henriques then sent the minor victim five pornographic videos depicting men and women engaged in sex acts and asked whether she wanted to participate in a “gangbang” and to have sex with him. Despite the victim rejecting Henriques’s offer multiple times, Henrique continued to text the victim telling her to let him know if she changed her mind and that he would buy her anything she wanted. Between April 25, 2025, and April 28, 2025, Henriques accessed the minor’s profile multiple times after business hours and from his personal cell phone. After the victim blocked his phone number, Henriques began soliciting the victim via email.
U.S. Attorney Foley and FBI SAC Docks made the announcement. Valuable assistance was provided by Emmanuel College Campus Police and the Boston, Ware, Lunenburg, Agawam, Springfield, Ludlow and Easthampton Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorney Craig E. Estes of the Human Trafficking & Civil Rights Unit prosecuted the case.
If you have information or questions about this investigation, or someone you know may be impacted or experiencing commercial sex trafficking or child exploitation, please contact [email protected].
Florida Man Sentenced to 36 Months in PrisonRead the Press Release
HAMMOND – Justyn Arch, 40 years old, of Florida, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Philip P. Simon after pleading guilty to health care fraud, aggravated identity theft, and tax evasion, announced United States Attorney Adam L. Mildred.
Arch was sentenced to 36 months in prison and ordered to pay $520,897 in restitution.
“The Defendant bilked Indiana Medicaid out of money set aside to help members of our community with their medical bills and the Internal Revenue Service of over half a million dollars combined. As the vice president of a dental practice that had locations in Chesterton, Indiana, and Crown Point, Indiana, he violated that position of importance and trust over a period of over two and a half years by submitting claims to Indiana Medicaid by falsely billing for hundreds of dental surgeries that were never actually performed. To carry out this scheme, the Defendant used, without authorization, the personal identifiers of patients to support payment for the fraudulent claims. To conceal the illegal income from this scheme, he also committed tax evasion. Thanks to the combined efforts and partnership of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Indiana Attorney General’s Office Medicaid Fraud Control Unit, Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation Division, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the Northern Indiana Region 10 Office of the U.S. Trustee, the Porter County Prosecutor’s Office led by Gary S. Germann, and AUSA Philip C. Benson and AUSA Kevin F. Wolff, this fraudster has been sent to prison and ordered to pay back his ill-gotten gains,” said U.S. Attorney Adam L. Mildred.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Indiana Attorney General’s Office Medicaid Fraud Control Unit, Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation Division, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Porter County Prosecutor’s Office, and the Northern Indiana Region 10 Office of the U.S. Trustee. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Philip C. Benson and Kevin F. Wolff.
On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division. The core mission of the Fraud Division is to zealously investigate and prosecute those who steal or fraudulently misuse taxpayer dollars. Department of Justice efforts to combat fraud support President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs.
Florida Man Indicted for Attempted Mass Shooting Targeting Jewish VictimsRead the Press Release
A federal grand jury in the Southern District of Florida has returned an indictment charging a Florida man with federal hate crime and firearm offenses for allegedly attempting a mass shooting targeting Jewish victims because of their race and religion.
According to court records, Forrest Kendall Pemberton, 27, of Gainesville, armed himself with an AR-15-style rifle equipped with a silencer and traveled to the office of a non-profit organization dedicated to lobbying the U.S. government in support of Israel. On Dec. 23, 2024, he allegedly attempted to carry out a mass shooting targeting the organization’s employees because they were Jewish.
Pemberton is charged with attempted hate crime, using and carrying a firearm during a crime of violence, and possession of a short-barreled rifle. If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of life in prison on the attempted hate crime count, a mandatory consecutive sentence of up to 30 years in prison on the firearm count, and a maximum penalty of five years in prison on the possession count.
Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida, and Special Agent in Charge Jason Carley of the FBI Jacksonville Field Office made the announcement.
FBI Jacksonville is investigating the case, with assistance from FBI Miami; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Miami Field Office; the Gainesville Police Department; and the Tallahassee Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Abbie D. Waxman of the National Security Division for the Southern District of Florida and Special Litigation Counsel Christopher J. Perras and Trial Attorney Manpreet “Monica” Uppal-Gupta of the Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division are prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Fentanyl Trafficker Who Hid Drugs in Home Where His Children Slept Is Sentenced to 66 Months After Undercover StingRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON — Fredrick Crawford, 33, of Upper Marlboro, Maryland, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court to 66 months in connection with trafficking nearly 10 ounces of fentanyl to an undercover officer in Northeast Washington, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
“Crawford sold fentanyl, one of the deadliest substances on earth. He did it a half-dozen times with an undercover officer and was negotiating a seventh deal for half a kilo more. All the while, he was stashing his poison in the same home where his young children slept,” said U.S. Attorney Pirro. “Fentanyl kills. Dealers who flood our streets with it will face the full force of federal prosecution.”
Crawford, aka “Playboy,” pleaded guilty on Feb. 20, 2026, before Judge Amit P. Mehta to one count of unlawful distribution of 40 grams or more of fentanyl. In addition to the 66-month prison sentence, Judge Mehta ordered Crawford to serve 48 months of supervised release. Federal prosecutors had requested a 78-month prison term.
According to court documents, beginning in April 2025, Crawford conducted sales of fentanyl inside a vehicle parked at a lot on the 2400 block of Market Street NE. Four of Crawford’s six transactions involved 40 grams or more of the narcotic. Between April and August 2025, Crawford sold a combined total of about 278 grams, worth about $15,000.
In September 2025, Crawford began negotiations with the undercover officer for a seventh transaction for a much larger quantity: a half kilogram of fentanyl for $17,500.
On Oct. 1, 2025, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Crawford's Upper Marlboro residence, which he had used as a stash location. Officers recovered more than $10,000 in cash, a large quantity of ammunition of various calibers, a drum magazine containing 40 rounds, and five types of drugs in distribution quantities that included fentanyl, crack cocaine, powder cocaine, marijuana, and the narcotic cough syrup, Promethazine.
A substance that field-tested positive for fentanyl and cocaine was found in a dresser alongside drug packaging materials, a digital scale, a cutting agent used to prepare drugs for distribution, and additional Promethazine. About 21 grams of crack cocaine in loose rock form was recovered from a basement toilet, consistent with an attempt to destroy evidence. Crawford's two young children, both under 10, were in the basement at the time.
The investigation was conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration – Washington Field Office.
The matter was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Leah Paisner, with valuable assistance from Assistant U.S. Attorneys Nihar Mohanty and Anthony Scarpelli.
Crawford as he made his sixth sale of fentanyl to an undercover officer on Aug.15, 2025.
Evidence photos of the six quantities of fentanyl purchased from Crawford during the controlled buys.
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Federal Inmate Sentenced to an Additional 10 Months in Prison for Indecent ExposureRead the Press Release
TUCSON, Ariz. – Raphel Samone Crosby, 34, an inmate in the United States Bureau of Prisons, was sentenced on June 9, 2026, by U.S. Magistrate Judge Eric J. Markovich to 10 months in prison for exposing himself to correctional officers. Crosby’s sentence will run consecutive to his current jail term, which was previously set to end in October 2029, and will now end in August 2030. Crosby previously pleaded guilty to two counts of indecent exposure.
The investigation showed that on multiple occasions Crosby exposed his genitalia to correctional officers employed at the Federal Correctional Complex – Tucson.
The United States Bureau of Prisons conducted the investigation in this case. The U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, Tucson, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: 23-MJ-2855
RELEASE NUMBER: 2026-097_Crosby# # #
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.Farmington Trio Charged with Federal Drug Trafficking and Firearms OffensesRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – Three people in Farmington are accused of participating in a drug trafficking organization after investigators seized cocaine, methamphetamine, firearms, ammunition and thousands of dollars in suspected drug proceeds.
According to court records, on June 9, 2026, federal agents and members of the Region II Narcotics Task Force executed a search warrant at a Farmington residence occupied by Alex Scott Rowland, 18, Marco Antonio Villegas Avilez, 46, and Karyle Leanne Rowland, 65. During the search, agents recovered multiple firearms, including AK and AR style rifles, a short barreled rifle, handguns, a machine gun conversion device, approximately 430 grams of cocaine, suspected methamphetamine, marijuana, mushrooms, ammunition, and approximately $14,700 in cash.
A table displaying several boxed firearms, stacks of cash, and small clear evidence bags. A table displaying several boxed firearms, stacks of cash, and small clear evidence bags.Alex Rowland, Villegas Avilez and Karyle Rowland are charged with possession with intent to distribute cocaine and using and carrying a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime and will remain in custody pending trial, which has not yet been scheduled. If convicted of the current charges, the defendants face five to 20 years in prison.
First Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison and Justin A. Garris, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today.
The Farmington Resident Agency of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Region II Narcotics Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jesse Pecoraro is prosecuting the case.
This case was brought forth through FBI’s Operation Steadfast Promise which is a comprehensive surge of resources to address a wide range of violent crime threats including gangs and criminal enterprises, violent crimes against children, and fugitive apprehension cases while working to improve public safety in Tribal communities.
A criminal complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Dubuque Man Pleads Guilty to Possessing Firearm as Domestic AbuserRead the Press Release
A man who unlawfully possessed a loaded and stolen gun in a car with a child pled guilty today in federal court in Cedar Rapids. Hombra Montrell Williams, age 30, from Dubuque, Iowa, was convicted of possession of a firearm by a person convicted of domestic violence.
Evidence at a prior hearing demonstrated that on April 14, 2025, officers stopped a car in Dubuque. Williams was in the front passenger seat, and a child was in the back seat. Officers searched the car and found a stolen and loaded gun on the floorboard near where Williams had been sitting. Williams’s DNA and fingerprint were on the gun. Williams has a 2021 conviction for domestic abuse assault causing injury. Officers searched Williams’s Snapchat account and found recent videos that Williams had posted of drugs, of Williams holding multiple guns, and of Williams firing a gun into the air.
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.
Sentencing before United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Williams remains in custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing. Williams faces a possible maximum sentence of 15 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and three years of supervised release following any imprisonment.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Devra T. Hake and was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives and the Dubuque Police Department. Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl. The case file number is 26-CR-1007. Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.
Dow City Man Sentenced to Thirty-Five Years in Federal Prison for Child ExploitationRead the Press Release
Bryce White, 42, from Dow City, Iowa, was sentenced in federal court in Sioux City, on June 18, 2026, to 35 years’ imprisonment. White pled guilty January 21, 2026, to one count of sexual exploitation of a child and one count of receipt of child pornography.
Between August 2023 and August 2024, White coerced dozens of minor females into sending him depictions of themselves engaged in sexually explicit conduct. White used Snapchat to pose as a minor and solicited and received nude images and videos of minor females from across the United States and overseas. In September 2023 a Midland, Michigan, law enforcement agency began investigating White based on a complaint from a minor female’s parents. The parents discovered inappropriate messages on Snapchat between their daughter and White. Law enforcement traced the Snapchat account back to White in Dow City. Agents in Iowa obtained and executed search warrants for White’s electronics. Forensic examination revealed White had sent over 95,000 messages to over 1,400 unique users in over a dozen states. Evidence showed White received 14 videos, 180 images of child sexual abuse material, and over 20,000 images of child erotica. White had also communicated with at least one of the minors that “when she was legal” he would “come get her.” The images and videos involved material that portrayed sadistic or masochistic conduct, as well as prepubescent children and toddlers.
United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand sentenced White to 420 months’ imprisonment along with a 10-year term of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system. White remains in custody of the United States Marshal until he can be transported to a federal prison.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab “resources.”
The case was investigated by the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation, Midland County Michigan Sheriff’s Office, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kraig R. Hamit.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 24-4079. Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.
District of Arizona Charged 323 Individuals for Immigration-Related Criminal Conduct Last WeekRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – During the week of enforcement operations from June 6 through June 12, 2026, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona brought immigration-related criminal charges against 323 individuals. Specifically, the United States filed 151 cases in which aliens illegally re-entered the United States, and the United States also charged 144 aliens for illegally entering the United States. In its ongoing effort to deter unlawful immigration, the United States filed 23 cases against 28 individuals responsible for smuggling illegal aliens into and within the District of Arizona.
These cases were referred or supported by federal law enforcement partners, including U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE-ERO), ICE- Homeland Security Investigations (ICE-HSI), U.S. Border Patrol, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the FBI, the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS), and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).
Recent matters of interest include:
United States v. Carlos Lorenzo-Oliveras. Carlos Lorenzo-Oliveras was charged by criminal complaint on June 9, 2026, with Transportation of an Illegal Alien for Profit, Placing in Jeopardy the Life of Any Person. On June 8, 2026, Lorenzo-Oliveras drove through the primary inspection lane at the Border Patrol Immigration Checkpoint on State Route 86. Border Patrol Agents (BPAs) ordered Lorenzo-Oliveras to stop several times, but he did not comply. BPAs tried to use a tire deflation device, but Lorenzo-Oliveras sped away from the checkpoint, leading BPAs on a vehicle pursuit with their lights and sirens activated. Lorenzo-Oliveras briefly stopped and four individuals got out of his car and ran into the desert. Several BPAs pursued the fleeing individuals on foot while other agents followed Lorenzo-Oliveras until he eventually came to a stop and was taken into custody. Agents also apprehended the four subjects that had fled on foot and determined that they were citizens of Mexico or Guatemala, unlawfully present in the United States. [Case Number: 26-MJ-09251]
United States v. Steven Garcia. On June 11, Steven Garcia was charged by criminal complaint with Transportation and Harboring of an Illegal Alien. On June 9, 2026, BPAs responded to a report from a concerned citizen about several individuals who had been lying in the back of a parked Jeep for over two hours at a nearby motel, with outside temperatures exceeding 100 degrees Fahrenheit. When agents arrived at the scene, the Jeep was unoccupied. BPAs observed that the back seats were missing, and that in their place were multiple sleeping bags and blankets. Through additional investigation, agents learned that the Jeep belonged to Steven Garcia, who was staying in the motel. Inside Garcia’s motel room, agents found 13 people. BPAs confirmed that all 13 were citizens from Mexico, Vietnam, or Nicaragua, unlawfully present in the United States. Agents also learned that Garcia transported the aliens to the motel room and that he did not offer them food or water. [Case Number: 26-MJ-01477]
United States v. Jose Carlos Rodelo-Arvizu. On June 5, 2026, Jose Carlos Rodelo-Arvizu was charged by criminal complaint with Transportation of an Illegal Alien. On June 4, 2026, a Coolidge Police Officer conducted a traffic stop on Rodelo-Arvizu. After speaking with Rodelo-Arvizu and his passenger, the officer suspected Rodelo-Arvizu was engaged in human smuggling. Border Patrol agents later determined that the passenger was a citizen of Mexico, unlawfully present in the United States. [Case Number: 26-MJ-3181]
These cases are part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
A criminal complaint is a formal accusation of criminal conduct. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
RELEASE NUMBER: 2026-098_June 12, 2026 Immigration Enforcement
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For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.Dedham Man Sentenced to 10 Months in Prison for Submitting Multiple Fraudulent Bank Loan ApplicationsRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Dedham, Mass. man was sentenced on June 11, 2026 in federal court in Boston for bank fraud and money laundering.
Wyoming Killingbarrows, 31, who was born with the name Patricio Junio Brito Pontes Barros, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Allison D. Burroughs to 10 months in prison, to be followed by two years of supervised release. Killingbarrows was also ordered to pay $329,002 in restitution. In July 2025, Killingbarrows pleaded guilty to four counts of bank fraud and one count of money laundering. Killingbarrows was charged in April 2025.
Between June 2, 2021 and July 17, 2021, Killingbarrows submitted 18 fraudulent bank loan applications. In the various loan applications, Killingbarrows used his birth name of Patricio Barros, misrepresented his income and submitted fraudulent paystubs from a company in support of his applications. Based on these misrepresentations, various banks issued loans to Killingbarrows totaling $329,002. Killingbarrows failed to pay back any of the loans and used the money for various personal expenses, including investments.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Mason Brayman, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Secret Service, Boston Field Office; and Thomas Demeo, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation, Boston Field Office made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian J. Sullivan of the Narcotics & Money Laundering Unit prosecuted the case.
On April 7, 2026, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division. The Fraud Division is investigating and prosecuting those who commit fraud against the American people. The Department’s work to combat fraud supports President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs.
Dayton man pleads guilty to dealing drugs while on federal supervised releaseRead the Press Release
DAYTON, Ohio – Marcus Gullatte, Sr., 38, of Dayton, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court today to conspiring to possess with intent to distribute fentanyl and methamphetamine. He faces at least 10 years and up to life in prison.
Gullatte was on supervised release when he engaged in drug transactions. He has two prior federal drug trafficking convictions for which he was sentenced to 36 months and 60 months in prison respectively.
According to court documents, throughout the summer of 2024, Gullatte acquired bulk amounts of fentanyl and methamphetamine from a source of supply in the Dayton area and then resold the drugs for cash.
Gullatte was indicted by a federal grand jury in November 2024.
Sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the Court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors at a future hearing.
Dominick S. Gerace II, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, and Jason Cromartie, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division, announced the guilty plea entered today before Senior U.S. District Judge Thomas M. Rose. Deputy Criminal Chief Tabacchi is representing the United States in this case.
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D.C. Felon Sentenced for Illegal Possession of Firearm Near U.S. CapitolRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON — Timothy Clark, 31, a previously convicted felon residing in the District of Columbia, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court to 14 months in prison in connection with the illegal possession of a loaded handgun found in his vehicle when police stopped him near the U.S. Capitol, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
Clark, aka “Dontae Clark,” pleaded guilty on March 12, 2026, before Judge Beryl A. Howell to one count of unlawful possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. In addition to the 14-month prison term, Judge Howell ordered him to serve three years of supervised release. Federal prosecutors had requested a 14-month prison term.
According to court documents, on May 10, 2024, U.S. Capitol Police (USCP) stopped Clark on the 100 block of Constitution Avenue NW after noticing an expired Maryland temporary registration tag on the Nissan Pathfinder he was driving. Clark failed to provide a valid driver’s license or vehicle registration, and a subsequent records check revealed he had no valid driving privileges.
USCP officers arrested Clark and during a search of the Pathfinder, discovered a loaded .22 caliber handgun inside a backpack in the rear cargo area. They found Clark’s ID card nearby.
Clark had two prior felony convictions at the time of his arrest: a 2015 conviction for possession with intent to distribute PCP and a 2022 Maryland conviction for illegal possession of a firearm. He also had an outstanding arrest warrant arising from a probation violation related to the Maryland conviction.
The investigation was conducted by the U.S. Capitol Police and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives – Washington Field Division. The matter was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Adam P. Barry and Jared English. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Tortorice provided substantial assistance.
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Convicted Felon Sentenced to 30 Months for Drug Trafficking and Illegal Possession of Multiple FirearmsRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Robert Spriggs, 38, of the District of Columbia, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court to 30 months in connection with his role in a conspiracy to distribute marijuana and for his unlawful possession of multiple firearms, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
Spriggs pleaded guilty on March 3, 2026, to conspiracy to distribute marijuana and to unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon. In addition to the 30-month prison term, U.S. District Judge Dabney L. Friedrich ordered Spriggs to serve three years of supervised release. Federal prosecutors had requested a 50-month prison term.
According to court documents, beginning in October 2023 and continuing through May 2024, Spriggs and his co-conspirators made multiple trips between the Baltimore-Washington area and Los Angeles to obtain marijuana for distribution. On one such trip in February 2024, law enforcement intercepted Spriggs and two co-conspirators at BWI Airport upon their return. Agents found 54.5 pounds of marijuana packed in vacuum-sealed bags in Spriggs’s two suitcases.
Spriggs and his co-conspirators stored and sold their marijuana from an apartment in the 1900 block of C Street SE, which they referred to among themselves as the “Spot.” Between April and October 2024, agents observed daily hand-to-hand drug transactions outside the building. Text messages recovered by law enforcement showed Spriggs coordinating drug sales and, in one exchange, telling associates that he made far more money as “Spot Manager” than he ever expected to earn from a conventional job.
On Oct. 30, 2024, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Spriggs’s residence in the 500 block of 49th Street SE. Inside the apartment, agents recovered an AK-style rifle, a Springfield XD pistol, and a Kahr .45-caliber pistol, along with accompanying magazines and ammunition. Spriggs admitted to possessing the firearms.
The investigation was conducted by the FBI Washington Field Office and the Drug Enforcement Administration – Washington Division Office.
The matter was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Nihar Mohanty and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Isabelle Sun.
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Concord Man Indicted for Child Exploitation and Distribution of Child Sex Abuse MaterialsRead the Press Release
Concord Man Indicted for Child Exploitation and
Distribution of Child Sex Abuse Materials
CONCORD – A Concord man was indicted yesterday for child exploitation and distribution of child sex abuse materials (CSAM), U.S. Attorney Erin Creegan announces.
Casey Murphy, 33, was indicted by a federal grand jury on one count of child exploitation and one count of distribution of child sex abuse materials. Murphy is currently detained in state custody on separate CSAM possession charges and will make an initial appearance in federal court on a later date.
According to the charging documents and public record, in March 2025, Murphy had a minor child send him CSAM. Murphy also distributed CSAM to others, including minors. Law enforcement arrested Murphy last December and found a significant amount of CSAM on his electronic devices.
The charge of child exploitation carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years and a maximum person term of 30 years. The charge of CSAM distribution carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 5 years and a maximum person term of 20 years. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
Homeland Security Investigations and the Concord Police Department are leading the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexander S. Chen is prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the indictment are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
The case is brought as part of Project Safe Childhood. In 2006, the Department of Justice created Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov/.
Co-Leader of Violent Spree Targeting Pharmacies and Phone Stores Sentenced to 224 MonthsRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – D’Marrell Mitchell, 36, of the District of Columbia, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court to 224 months in federal prison for his role in a violent multi-state robbery spree that targeted pharmacies and cell phone stores in the District, Maryland, Virginia, and New Jersey, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
“D'Marrell Mitchell and his crew turned pharmacies and cellphone stores into hunting grounds, terrorizing workers and customers all to feed a criminal enterprise that treated other people's safety as an acceptable cost of doing business,” said U.S. Attorney Pirro. “He didn't just participate in these robberies. Mitchell planned them, recruited others to carry them out, and pocketed the proceeds. That is the definition of a dangerous predator, and today's sentence reflects it.”
Mitchell, aka “Baby,” was found guilty on Oct. 28, 2025, following a six-week jury trial of conspiracy to interfere with interstate commerce by robbery (Hobbs Act robbery), of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances, and of nine counts of Hobbs Act Robbery. In addition to the 224-month prison term, Judge Amy B. Jackson ordered Mitchell to serve three years of supervised release. Federal prosecutors had requested a 327-month prison term.
Surveillance image captured Nov. 6, 2020, during the robbery of a T-Mobile store on D Street, Southeast Washington D.C.
According to court papers, between May 2020 and May 2021, Mitchell and his co-conspirators committed at least 19 robberies, targeting pharmacies for opioids and cellphone stores for devices that they then resold in the District. The conspiracy terrorized more than 40 victims and netted over $300,000 in stolen narcotics and cellphones.
Mitchell was not only one of the conspiracy’s principal organizers, but he also personally entered stores and assaulted employees during multiple robberies, including at a CVS in Neptune, N.J., a T-Mobile in College Park, Md., a pharmacy in Glen Echo, Md., and a CVS in Pasadena, Md.
Surveillance image captured during the May 9, 2020, robbery of a CVS in Neptune, New Jersey.
During the Glen Echo robbery on Nov. 12, 2020, Mitchell went behind the pharmacy counter, ordered an employee to his knees, struck him on the head, and grabbed another employee by the neck before filling a duffel bag with narcotics.
Surveillance image captured during the June 20, 2020, robbery of a CVS in Nottingham, Maryland.During the final robbery at a CVS in Pasadena, Mitchell forced an employee to open the pharmacy's narcotics safe and ultimately bound their hands with zip ties. Police arrived as the conspirators fled, and Mitchell was apprehended on the rooftop of a nearby restaurant.
Mitchell used a juvenile co-conspirator in multiple robberies and ostensibly exercised control over at least one other conspirator through cellphone communications. Photos recovered from Mitchell's cellphone showed firearms consistent with those used in several of the robberies.
On October 25, 2020, Mitchell sent a photo of two handguns, only twelve days before the D Street armed robbery.
Mitchell has an extensive prior criminal history, including convictions for assault with significant bodily injury and multiple theft offenses across D.C., Virginia, and Maryland.
Sentencing for co-defendant and co-leader of the conspiracy, Ashley Gause, is scheduled for August 20, 2026. Gause, 33, was found guilty of conspiracy to interfere with interstate commerce by robbery (Hobbs Act Robbery), conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances from the pharmacy robberies, and eight counts of Hobbs Act Robbery.
Joining in the announcement of today's sentencing were FBI Assistant Director in Charge Darren B. Cox of the Washington Field Office, and Interim Chief Jeffery Carroll of the Metropolitan Police Department.
This case was investigated by the FBI’s Washington Field Office with valuable assistance from the Metropolitan Police Department, Alexandria Police Department, Anne Arundel County Police Department, Baltimore County Police Department, Henrico County Police Division, Laurel Police Department, Montgomery County Police Department, Neptune Township, N.J., Police Department, and Prince George’s County Police Department.
The matter is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Levy with valuable assistance from former Assistant U.S. Attorneys Josh Gold, Cameron Tepfer, and Sarah Martin.
Surveillance captured on June 9, 2020, during the robbery of a T-Mobile in College Park, Maryland.
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Citrus County Man Indicted for Attempting to Meet a 13-Year-Old to Engage in Sexual Activity and Produce Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
Ocala, Florida – Brian James Verka (39, Beverly Hills) has been charged by indictment with attempted enticement of a minor to engage in sexual activity and attempted production of child sexual abuse material. If convicted, he faces a minimum prison sentence of 10 years, up to life, on the attempted enticement offense, and a minimum sentence of 15 years, up to 30 years, for the attempted production offense. U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.
According to court documents, between May 27 and June 2, 2026, Verka communicated online with someone whom he believed was a 13-year-old girl. The minor, however, was an undercover Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) special agent. During the conversation, Verka described his desire to engage in sexual activity with the minor. Verka also asked the minor to produce sexually explicit images of herself and send them to him.
Verka was arrested on June 2, 2026, when he traveled to a location in Marion County to meet the minor to engage in sexual activity. He is currently detained pending the resolution of the criminal proceedings.
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the Marion County Sheriff’s Office. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Sarah Janette Swartzberg.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Chinese nationals sentenced after pleading guilty in Georgia drug trafficking conspiracyRead the Press Release
WAYCROSS, Georgia: Six defendants in a southern Georgia drug trafficking operation have been sentenced to prison in federal court.
The sentences were imposed by U.S. District Court Judge Lisa Godbey Wood and announced by Margaret E. “Meg” Heap, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. They include:
- Chen Hui Shu, 36, of Hunan, China, was sentenced to 30 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release after pleading guilty to Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute a Controlled Substance.
- Jin Peng Ma, 35, of Taishan City, Guangdong, China, was sentenced to 29 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release after pleading guilty to Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute a Controlled Substance.
- Lecai Huang, 68, of Taishan City, was sentenced to 30 months in prison after pleading guilty to Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute a Controlled Substance.
- Wei Sheng Deng, 41, of Guangzhou, China, was sentenced to 30 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release after pleading guilty to Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute a Controlled Substance.
- Zhu Sheng Bing, 65, of Taishan City, was sentenced to 30 months in prison after pleading guilty to Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute a Controlled Substance.
- Zhi Yong Ma, 54, of Taishan City, was sentenced to 29 months in prison after pleading guilty to Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute a Controlled Substance.
There is no parole in the federal system. Upon completion of their prison terms, each defendant will be delivered to a duly authorized Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer for deportation proceedings.
“This case highlights how the actions of steadfast law enforcement officers led to the discovery and dismantling of a massive drug distribution operation in southern Georgia,” said U.S. Attorney Heap. “Our exceptional partners in law enforcement have contributed greatly to their community by eliminating this large-scale, illegal marijuana growing factory.”
As described in court documents and testimony, after multiple reports of the smell of marijuana originating from a specific property in Pierce County, an investigation was launched in July 2023, which thereafter expanded to another property Brantley County.
During the course of the investigation, including extensive surveillance, a search of the properties revealed two large-scale indoor marijuana grows, complete with irrigation, grow lights, and multi-stage production facilities. In total, between the properties in Pierce and Brantley Counties, law enforcement seized approximately 15,000 marijuana plants. The proceeds of this operation were traced internationally. The properties located in Pierce and Brantley Counties were subsequently forfeited to the United States in March 2026.
“The successful takedown of this network sends a clear message that our law enforcement partners remain united and unwavering in the effort to identify, investigate, and dismantle organizations that threaten the safety of our neighborhoods,” said Jae W. Chung, Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Atlanta Field Division. “This operation highlights the power of collaboration at the federal, state, and local levels.”
The Drug Enforcement Agency, Brantley County Sheriff’s Office, and Pierce County Sheriff’s Office assisted in the investigation of these cases, which were prosecuted for the United States by Southern District of Georgia Assistant U.S. Attorneys Patricia G. Rhodes, Tara M. Lyons, J. Bishop Ravenel, and Darron J. Hubbard.
Chicago Man Found Guilty for Distributing Methamphetamine in Cedar RapidsRead the Press Release
A man who distributed ice methamphetamine on multiple occasions during the summer of 2025 was convicted by a jury today, after a three-day trial in federal court in Cedar Rapids.
Jonathan Quinn Carter, age 37, from Chicago, Illinois, was convicted of eight counts of distribution of methamphetamine and aiding and abetting the distribution of methamphetamine. The verdict was returned this afternoon following about five hours of jury deliberations.
The evidence at trial showed that during the summer of 2025, Carter frequently traveled between Chicago and Cedar Rapids. During these trips, Carter transported multiple pound quantities of ice methamphetamine back to the Cedar Rapids area. He then eventually distributed the drugs to customers. For example, in November 2024, law enforcement officers located four pounds of ice methamphetamine in a car headed back to Iowa that Carter was traveling in. In August 2025, Carter arrived in Iowa City after taking a bus back from Chicago. Law enforcement officers observed him get into a ride share and head towards Cedar Rapids. During a traffic stop of the ride share, officers located two pounds of methamphetamine in Carter’s backpack. Law enforcement officers also purchased half-pound quantities of ice methamphetamine from Carter on five different occasions and Carter assisted with arranging three other similar drug transactions.
Sentencing before United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Carter remains in custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing. Carter faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years’ imprisonment and a possible maximum sentence of life imprisonment, a $20,000,000 fine, and at least ten years of supervised release following any imprisonment.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Lisa C. Williams and Dillan Edwards and was investigated by a Federal Task Force composed of the Waterloo Police Department, Federal Bureau of Investigation, and Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms assisted by the Black Hawk County Sheriff’s Office and Cedar Falls Police Department as well as the Cedar Rapids Police Department, Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, Illinois State Patrol, Drug Enforcement Administration, Johnson County Sheriff’s Office, Iowa City Police Department, and Coralville Police Department.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 24-CR-0073.
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Canadian Man Charged by Federal Complaint for Child Exploitation OffensesRead the Press Release
Bowling Green, KY – On June 15, 2026, a Canadian man was arrested and charged by complaint, following an Investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, with distribution of child pornography and attempted online enticement of a minor.
U.S. Attorney Kyle G. Bumgarner of the Western District of Kentucky and Special Agent in Charge Olivia Olson of the FBI Louisville Field Office made the announcement.
The complaint alleges that on or about and between May 6, 2026, to June 15, 2026, Alexander Towns, 44, used an online messaging application to communicate with an undercover officer regarding his intention of engaging in sexual acts with a purported minor child. During their communications, Towns distributed child sexual abuse materials to the undercover officer and made sexually explicit statements regarding his intentions with the purported minor. On June 15, 2026, Towns traveled from Ottawa, Canada to Nashville, Tennessee, for the purpose of engaging in sexual acts with the purported minor. Towns was arrested by FBI agents upon arrival at Nashville International Airport.
United States Attorney Kyle Bumgarner stated, “The FBI did tremendous work in investigating and apprehending Towns. We will aggressively prosecute anyone accused of traveling to sexually abuse a minor. This is one of the most disturbing crimes that crosses my desk.”
FBI Special Agent in Charge Olivia Olson said, "To child predators who think you are anonymously preying upon vulnerable, innocent children through online applications, know that there's a good chance the FBI is on the other end. While this one perpetrator has been caught, the FBI will continue fighting every day to protect America's children from those who seek to exploit them."
If convicted as charged in the complaint, Towns faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years and a maximum sentence of life in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors.
There is no parole in the federal system.
This case is being investigated by the FBI.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Danielle M. Yannelli is prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. For more information about internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab “resources.”
A complaint merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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California Man Sentenced for Conspiracy to Commit Interstate Transportation of Stolen Property and Interstate Transportation of Stolen Property from Metairie BusinessRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – PATRICK GARLAND (“GARLAND”), 40, California resident, was sentenced on June 10, 2026, for conspiracy to commit interstate transportation of stolen goods, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 371, and interstate transportation of stolen goods, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 2314, announced United States Attorney David I. Courcelle.
According to the indictment, GARLAND, and others, conspired to transport stolen cigarettes that had been stolen during the burglary of a warehouse facility on November 21, 2024. The group then traveled out of state before being apprehended in Fort Stockton, Texas the following day, while still in possession of the cigarettes. The group was further implicated in similar burglaries in North Carolina and Georgia in February of 2024.
United States District Judge Sarah S. Vance sentenced GARLAND to a total of 40 months of imprisonment, 3 years of supervised release, and payment of a $100 mandatory special assessment fee.
U.S. Attorney Courcelle praised the work of the Department of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms; Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office, Knightdale Police Department, Atlanta Police Department, Rockmart Police Department, the Texas Department of Public Safety, and Fort Stockton Police Department in investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Paul J. Hubbell of the General Crimes Unit is in charge of the prosecution.
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Brothers Plead Guilty in $8 Million Armed Cryptocurrency Kidnapping CaseRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – U.S. Attorney Daniel N. Rosen announced today that the Garcia brothers pleaded guilty in connection with their roles in a September 2025 armed robbery of a family in Grant, Minnesota and the theft of more than $8 million in digital assets.
This afternoon, before U.S. District Judge Ann D. Montgomery, Isiah Angelo Garcia, 25, and Raymond Christian Garcia, 24, both of Waller, Texas, entered guilty pleas to one count each of Interference with Commerce by Robbery.
According to court documents, on the morning of September 19, 2025, the Garcia brothers, who had traveled from Texas to Minnesota for the purpose of executing the scheme, kidnapped Victim 1 and his family at gunpoint at their home. During the offense, the defendants demanded access to the victim’s cryptocurrency accounts, zip-tied Victim 1 and his family, and held the family at gunpoint for over 8 hours. Isiah Garcia, aided and abetted by his brother, abducted Victim 1 to the family’s cabin in northern Minnesota, where he forced Victim 1 to retrieve additional cryptocurrency storage devices and transfer the funds contained therein. The Garcia brothers ultimately forced Victim 1 to transfer more than $8 million in cryptocurrency funds in the course of the scheme. After the victim’s son called 911, the Garcias fled the area. Law enforcement responded to the family home, where they found numerous items left behind by the defendants. Law enforcement then used those items to identify the Garcias and locate them near Houston, Texas, where they were arrested.
In their guilty pleas, both defendants admitted to using firearms to threaten the victims and facilitate the robbery. They agreed to pay over $8 million in restitution and each face a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison. Sentencing hearings will be scheduled at a later date.
“Violent schemes carried out for financial gain undermine the safety and security of our communities. When individuals resort to intimidation and force, they can expect a swift and unified law enforcement response. The guilty pleas entered today reflect our commitment to holding the defendants accountable for the choices they made,” said U.S. Attorney Daniel N. Rosen.
“No one should ever feel unsafe in their own home," said FBI Minneapolis Field Office Special Agent in Charge Christopher D. Dotson. "The kinds of violence and greed displayed by Raymond and Isiah Garcia will always be aggressively investigated by the FBI and our law enforcement partners. Thanks to the seamless partnership between the FBI, Washington County Sheriff's Office, and state and local law enforcement agencies from here to Texas, these defendants will now face sentencing in federal court. Home invasions, kidnapping, and robberies carry lasting impacts on victims and our communities. We hope this conviction will bring some measure of peace to the victims of this horrendous crime.”
“This crime struck close to home for many people in our area. It shook not only the victims involved, but it disrupted lives, created fear, and left residents wondering how something so violent could happen here. I’m proud of the work done by our investigators, deputies, law enforcement partners, and prosecutors who helped move this case forward. Today’s proceedings mark an important step toward accountability and justice for our community,” said Washington County Sheriff Dan Starry.
This matter is the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI and the Washington County Sheriff’s Office.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Rebecca E. Kline is prosecuting the case.
Note: A previous press release on this case can be found here.
Bridgeport Resident Pleads Guilty to Violating Federal Sex Offender Registration and Notification ActRead the Press Release
David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that GAYRAAN LANIER GAITER, 44, pleaded guilty yesterday in New Haven federal court to failing to register as a sex offender.
The Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (“SORNA”) provides a comprehensive set of minimum standards for sex offender registration and notification in the United States and seeks to strengthen the nationwide network of sex offender registration and notification programs. In part, SORNA requires registered sex offenders to register and keep their registration current in each jurisdiction in which they reside, work, or go to school.
According to court documents and statements made in court, in 2000, Gaiter was convicted in Dade County, Florida, of multiple counts related to the sexual abuse of a minor and was sentenced to 20 years of incarceration. Following his release from prison, Gaiter registered as a sex offender in Galveston County, Texas, in July 2021, and, without notifying Texas authorities, in January 2022 in Lee County, Florida. In December 2025, the U.S. Marshals Service in Connecticut was notified that Gaiter was being sought in both jurisdictions for failing to comply with sex offender registration requirements, and that he was believed to be living in Connecticut. The investigation revealed that Gaiter was residing in Bridgeport and that he failed to register as a sex offender in Connecticut.
Gaiter was arrested on March 18, 2026, and has been detained since his arrest.
The charge of failure to register as a sex offender carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years. A sentencing date has not yet been scheduled.
This matter has been investigated by the U.S. Marshals Service’s District of Connecticut Violent Fugitive Task Force and Southern District of Texas Gulf Coast Violent Offender Fugitive Task Force. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Rahul Kale.
Bridgeport Man Sentenced to 5 Years in Federal Prison for Drug-Related Firearm OffenseRead the Press Release
David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that FEDRICK GEORGE CHAPMAN, 37, of Bridgeport, was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Judge Stefan R. Underhill in New Haven to 60 months of imprisonment and two years of supervised release for a drug-related firearm offense.
According to court documents and statements made in court, between December 2023 and August 2024, Chapman mailed at least eight packages containing controlled substances to addresses in Naples and Fort Myers, Florida. On August 20, 2024, a court-authorized search of a package that Chapman mailed contained approximately 10 grams of fentanyl.
On August 27, 2024, a search of Chapman’s Bridgeport residence and his vehicle revealed a loaded .380 caliber handgun, approximately 50 grams of fentanyl, 486 methamphetamine pills, approximately 30 grams of cocaine, approximately four kilograms of marijuana, and $76,262 in cash. Chapman was arrested on state charges on that date.
The case was adopted for federal prosecution and, on September 29, 2025, Chapman pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
Chapman, who is released on a $100,000 bond, is required to report to prison on August 12, 2026.
This matter was investigated by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Connecticut State Police, the Bridgeport Police Department, and the Shelton Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kenneth L. Gresham.
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.
Boston Man Sentenced to One Year and a Day in Prison for Smuggling Drugs into Massachusetts PrisonRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A member of the violent Boston-based gang, H-Block, was sentenced on June 15, 2026 in federal court in Boston for drug conspiracy charges.
Dominique Carpenter-Grady, a/k/a “8 Zipp,” a/k/a “Eight,” “a/k/a “Eighty,” 36, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Indira Talwani to 12 months and one day in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release. In February 2026, Carpenter-Grady pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute PCP, synthetic cannabinoids (K2).
Carpenter-Grady was one of 10 H-Block gang members and associates charged in August 2024 following a multi-year investigation of H-Block in response to an uptick in gang-related drug trafficking, shootings and violence. Over 500 grams of cocaine, cocaine base (crack cocaine) and fentanyl, as well as over 20,000 doses of drug-laced paper were seized during the investigation.
Originally formed in the 1980s as the Humboldt Raiders in the Roxbury section of Boston, the gang re-emerged in the 2000s as H-Block. Current members of H-Block have a history of violent confrontation with law enforcement, including an incident in 2015 when a member shot a Boston Police officer at point blank range without warning or provocation.
Carpenter-Grady was a long-time H-Block gang member and one of three members and associates of H Block charged with a conspiracy to smuggle illegal drugs into a Massachusetts prison. Carpenter-Grady facilitated intercepted calls coordinating the smuggling of drugs on saturated papers into the prison where alleged co-conspirators were incarcerated. Several sheets of paper containing PCP (Phenylcyclidine) and illegal K2 were seized over the course of the investigation. It is estimated that a single sheet of such paper would be worth as much as $80,000 inside the prison.
According to court documents, the Massachusetts Department of Correction has seen a significant increase in the smuggling of synthetic cannabinoids, a/k/a “K2,” and other dangerous substances into the prison system. A common method of introducing the drugs is by exploiting the Department of Correction’s inmate mail policies, which prohibit delivery to inmates of original copies of any materials contained in incoming mail except for legal mail, original copies of which are inspected and delivered via the U.S. postal system. Sheets of paper are saturated or sprayed with liquid narcotics, dried, printed with fake legal correspondence and then mailed to inmates in an envelope marked as legal mail, in an effort to deliver the drug-laced paper undetected.
Carpenter-Grady is the seventh defendant to be sentenced in the case.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Jarod A. Forget, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Division; Mark Comorosky, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Secret Service, Boston Field Office; Ted E. Docks, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; Boston Police Commissioner Michael Cox; and Russell W. Cunningham Special Agent in Charge of the Department of Justice Office of the Inspector General Mid-Atlantic Region made the announcement. The investigation was supported by the Massachusetts State Police; Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office; Massachusetts Department of Corrections; and the Braintree, Quincy, Randolph and Watertown Police Departments. Assistant United States Attorney John T. Dawley of the Organized Crime & Gang Unit and Jeremy Franker of the Justice Department’s Violent Crime & Racketeering Section are prosecuting the cases.
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 Boston is comprised of agents and officers from HSI, FBI, DEA, ATF, USMS, IRS-CI, USPIS, DOL-OIG and DSS, as well as several state and local law enforcement agencies, with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Massachusetts.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The remaining defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Border enforcement efforts result in 160 more cases filed in the Southern District of TexasRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – A total of 161 individuals have been charged in immigration and border-security related matters from June 12-17, announced Acting U.S. Attorney John G.E. Marck.
Of those, 33 people face illegal entry charges, while another 104 allegedly reentered the United States after prior removal. Many have prior felony convictions related to narcotics trafficking, immigration offenses, violent crimes and more. An additional 21 people allegedly engaged in human smuggling, while the remaining three cases involve other immigration crimes.
Among the newly filed complaints, Guatemalan national Rodolfo Belisario Mendez-Mencho was allegedly removed from the United States March 29. However, authorities discovered him again illegally in the country near Sullivan City, according to the charges. The criminal complaint alleges he has a prior conviction for abuse/abandonment/cruelty.
Three others - Jose Robledo Cruz, Jose De Jesus Garcia-Andrade and Eduardo Lopez-Figueroa, all Mexican nationals - were also allegedly found in the McAllen area despite having been previously removed. According to the charges, they have various convictions of felony assault by strangulation, DWI (3 or more) and/or trafficking of a controlled substance.
All four men lacked legal authorization to be in the United States and face up to 20 years in federal prison upon conviction.
In addition to the new cases, two men were sentenced to federal prison for separate alien smuggling offenses that involved assaults on Border Patrol agents. Mexican national Adrian Isaac Pimentel-Garcia assaulted an agent while attempting to evade arrest after guiding illegal aliens through a residential area. Juan Carlos Lopez Jr. led agents on a vehicle pursuit before driving toward an agent and striking a patrol vehicle. Both received 36-month prison sentences.
In Houston, Marco Antonio Zuniga, an illegal alien from Mexico, received a 27-month federal prison sentence for unlawfully reentering the country. He had previously been convicted of meth trafficking and was serving a term of supervised release when authorities encountered him in Houston without authorization to be in the United States.
The cases are referred or supported by federal law enforcement partners, including Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations, ICE - Enforcement and Removal Operations, BP, Drug Enforcement Administration, FBI, U.S. Marshals Service and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives with additional assistance from state and local law enforcement partners.
The cases are part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
Under current leadership, public safety and a secure border are the top priorities for this district. Enhanced enforcement both at the border and in the interior of the district have yielded aliens engaged in unlawful activity or with serious criminal histories, including convictions for human trafficking, sexual assault and violence against children.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Texas remains one of the busiest in the nation. It represents 43 counties and more than 10 million people covering 44,000 square miles. Assistant U.S. Attorneys from all seven divisions including Houston, Galveston, Victoria, Corpus Christi, Brownsville, McAllen and Laredo work directly with our law enforcement partners on the federal, state and local levels to prosecute the suspected offenders of these and other federal crimes.
An indictment or criminal complaint is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence. A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.
Billings man sentenced to 10 years for firing handgun after attempting to rob gas stationRead the Press Release
BILLINGS – A Billings man who fired his handgun while pointing it at the sky after trying to rob a convenience store was sentenced Wednesday to 10 years in prison, followed by five years of supervised release, Acting U.S. Attorney Mark Steger Smith said.
Thyssen River Grable, 21, pleaded guilty in February 2026 to one count of discharging a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence.
U.S. District Judge Susan P. Watters presided.
The government alleged in court documents that Grable attempted to rob several cases of BuzzBallz, a brand of alcohol, from a Billings convenience store. Grable then fired his handgun in an effort to dissuade his pursuers from chasing him.
Thyssen Grable and a companion walked into a Circle K convenience store on Grand Avenue in Billings on Jan. 20, 2025. After spending time walking around the aisles, they grabbed four cases of BuzzBallz and ran out the door. The store clerk tried to stop the pair, chasing them outside and telling them he was going to call the police. Grable retorted, “Do you wanna get shot?” and the clerk ducked back into the store.
Grable and his companion jumped into a van with two others and told the driver to go. At that moment a security guard pulled his car in front of the van, blocking its exit from the parking lot. The security guard got out and told the driver to shut off the van. Grable urged the driver to pull away, but the driver shut off the engine. Grable and his companion jumped out and ran off down the road. As he ran, Grable fired several shots from a Beretta 9mm handgun into the air to stop the security guard from chasing him.
Billings police officers arrived shortly after and searched the area, finding a number of spent 9mm shell casings. A call from a Montana State University Billings police officer alerted the BPD officers that he’d found Grable and his companion on Alderson Avenue and the two were arrested. Sometime later a neighbor called BPD to say they’d found a Beretta handgun in their yard.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Colin Rubich prosecuted the case. The Billings Police Department conducted the investigation.
Belleville Man Receives Maximum Sentence of 30 Years for Production of Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
LITTLE ROCK—Victor Ramirez-Mora, 20, of Belleville, was sentenced to 360 months in federal prison for production of child sexual abuse material (CSAM), conduct which included producing CSAM images of multiple toddlers. Jonathan D. Ross, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas, announced the sentence, which was handed down today by United States District Judge Brian S. Miller.
On December 3, 2024, Ramirez-Mora was indicted by a federal grand jury in an Indictment charging him with 13 counts of production of CSAM. On February 4, 2026, Ramirez-Mora pleaded guilty to one count of production of CSAM. In addition to the 30-year sentence, which is the maximum allowed by law, Judge Miller also ordered Ramirez-Mora to serve 10 years’ supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
On May 29, 2024, a social media platform flagged a user for violating the terms of service because the user uploaded a video depicting CSAM. The social media platform reported the violation to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children and on August 26, 2024, special agents from Homeland Security Investigations received a Cybertip regarding a sexually explicit photograph of a minor child and an adult male. Through an investigation of the IP address and subscriber information, agents identified Ramirez-Mora as a suspect.
On September 26, 2024, officers went to Ramirez-Mora’s residence and observed him arriving at the residence with a small child. After Ramirez-Mora handed over the child to its mother, officers advised Ramirez-Mora of his Miranda rights and he waived them. Ramirez-Mora was advised that law enforcement was at his residence due to CSAM being uploaded on a social media platform. Ramirez-Mora admitted that he had seen CSAM on his social media account and that the sexual acts depicted involved minors who were under the age of 14.
Ramirez-Mora was also questioned about any inappropriate activity with a minor child that was in his care and he admitted that he recorded the minor child nude while he was on the bed but did not send the video to anyone. Ramirez-Mora stated he has four videos of the minor child depicted in a sexually explicit manner. Officers seized Ramirez-Mora’s phone and after obtaining a search warrant, observed multiple videos of Ramirez-Mora engaging in sexual contact with two toddler minors, both under the age of four.
The investigation was conducted by Homeland Security Investigations with assistance from the Arkansas State Police and the Yell County Sheriff’s Office. This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kristin Bryant, U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Arkansas.
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 and led by the U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Divisions Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), it marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc. Parents are encouraged to always monitor your children’s online activity.
# # #
Additional information about the office of the
United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas, is available online at
https://www.justice.gov/edar
X (formerly known as Twitter):
@USAO_EDAR
Bangor Man Pleads Guilty to Bank Fraud Conspiracy and Aggravated Identity TheftRead the Press Release
BANGOR, Maine: A Bangor man pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in Bangor to conspiracy to commit bank fraud, bank fraud, and aggravated identity theft.
According to court records, between July and October 2024, Scott Bagley, 61, conspired with others to fraudulently obtain money by entering banks, impersonating legitimate bank account holders, and using fictitious identification cards to gain access to their bank accounts and withdraw funds. Through fraud, Bagley was able to obtain approximately $85,100 from customer accounts. During the investigation, law enforcement seized a fictitious Maine driver’s license in the name of a law enforcement officer with Bagley’s image on it.
Bagley faces up to 30 years in prison, a maximum fine of $1 million, and up to five years of supervised release on the bank fraud charges. For aggravated identity theft, he faces a mandatory prison term of two years, consecutive to any other sentence imposed, a $250,000 fine, and up to one year of supervised release. He will be sentenced after the completion of a presentence investigative report by the U.S. Probation Office. A federal district judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The FBI investigated the case with assistance from the Bangor Police Department, Maine Drug Enforcement Agency, and Maine Bureau of Motor Vehicles – Enforcement Services Division.
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Atkins Man Sentenced to More Than 19 Years in Federal Prison for Production of Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
LITTLE ROCK—James Baker will spend 235 months in federal prison for production of child sexual abuse material (CSAM). Jonathan D. Ross, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas, announced the sentence, which was handed down on Wednesday, June 17, 2026, by United States District Judge Brian S. Miller.
On August 5, 2025, Baker, 28, of Atkins, was indicted by a federal grand jury in a 14-count Indictment on seven counts of production of CSAM and seven counts of receipt of CSAM. On March 4, 2026, Baker pleaded guilty to one count of production of CSAM. Judge Miller also sentenced Baker to five years’ supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
On June 30, 2025, following a report to the child abuse hotline advising of inappropriate text messages between a 12-year-old minor female victim and a 27-year-old male, later identified as Baker, law enforcement initiated an investigation into Baker. Law enforcement discovered that Baker received numerous nude photographs and videos of the minor female victim. Officers also discovered text messages from Baker requesting the minor female victim send him sexually explicit photographs and videos.
Between July 5, 2025, and August 4, 2025, Baker conversed with a second minor female victim. The 16-year-old minor female victim and Baker discussed moving in together in a camper. Baker and the minor female victim also exchanged sexually explicit photographs. Baker, in one conversation, told the minor female victim that he would love to marry her after she turned 18. He further told the minor female victim that he lied to his friend because his friend would inform the police if he knew the minor female victim’s age.
In a meeting with his probation officer, Baker admitted that he was involved in an inappropriate relationship with a female he knew to be 12 years old and with another who was 16 years old. He also admitted that he sent and received nude photographs and videos. Baker further stated that he did not know why, but that he was attracted to younger girls.
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 and led by the U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Divisions Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), it marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc. Parents are encouraged to always monitor your children’s online activity.
The investigation was conducted by the Department of Homeland Security with assistance from the Sebastian County Sheriff’s Office and the Arkansas State Police. This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kristin Bryant, U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Arkansas.
# # #
Additional information about the office of the
United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas, is available online at
https://www.justice.gov/edar
X (formerly known as Twitter):
@USAO_EDAR
Aquatherm. L.P. Agrees to Pay $1.35 Million to Resolve False Claims Act Allegations Relating to Paycheck Protection Program LoansRead the Press Release
Wilmington, Del. – Aquatherm, L.P. (“Aquatherm”), a Delaware limited partnership based in Lindon, Utah, has agreed to pay $1,351,575.84 to resolve allegations that it improperly obtained a Paycheck Protection Program (“PPP”) loan from the U.S. Small Business Administration (“SBA”) for which it was not eligible.
PPP was an emergency loan program established by Congress in March 2020 under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act, and administered by the SBA. The program was created to support small businesses and to help them continue to pay employees and meet other business expenses during the COVID-19 pandemic. To be eligible for a PPP loan, a business was required to certify that it had no more than 300 employees, including employees of all domestic and foreign affiliates.
Aquatherm is 99% owned by Aquatherm Besitzgesellschaft mbH & Co. KG, a German company, and manufactures polypropylene piping for pressurized mechanical and plumbing systems.
In March of 2021, Aquatherm applied for and received an $864,982 PPP loan after falsely certifying that it, together with its affiliates, had fewer than 300 employees. Aquatherm later sought and obtained full forgiveness of that loan from SBA. Aquatherm was ineligible for the loan, however, because together with its domestic and foreign affiliates, it had over 300 employees.
U.S. Attorney Benjamin L. Wallace announced the settlement. Civil Chief Dylan J. Steinberg handled the case.
The civil settlement includes the resolution of claims brought under the qui tam or whistleblower provisions of the False Claims Act. Under those provisions, a private party—known as a relator—can file an action on behalf of the United States and receive a portion of any recovery. In this case, the relator will receive a share of the settlement.
Individuals with information about allegations of fraud involving COVID-19 are encouraged to report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division (“Fraud Division”). The Fraud Division is investigating and prosecuting those who commit fraud against the American people. The Department’s work to combat fraud supports President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Delaware. The settlement agreement is attached to this press release. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the District of Delaware or on PACER by searching for Case No. 25-413-CFC.
The claims resolved by the settlement are merely allegations. There has been no determination of liability.
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aquatherm_settlement_agreement_v.5.pdfAlabama Defense Contractor Agrees to Pay $507,144 to Resolve False Claims Act Liability Relating to Cybersecurity ViolationsRead the Press Release
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Defense contractor LOGZONE Inc. of Huntsville, Alabama has agreed to pay $507,144 to resolve its liability under the False Claims Act for knowingly failing to comply with cybersecurity requirements in contracts with the Department of the Navy.
“Government contractors that obtain sensitive defense information in administering their contracts must follow required cybersecurity standards,” said Assistant Attorney General Brett A. Shumate of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “The Justice Department will continue to investigate potential violations of these cybersecurity requirements in order to protect this critical information from external threats.”
“The protection of sensitive defense information by government contractors is critical to national security,” said U.S. Attorney Phillip W. Williams Jr. for the Northern District of Alabama. “Adherence to the cybersecurity provisions of contracts with the federal government must be a priority for all contractors, and this enforcement action should serve as a reminder of that.”
“The cybersecurity provisions of federal contracts are critical to protecting sensitive information that may be transmitted in carrying out the mission of the contracts,” said Navy Vice Admiral Stephen Tedford, Director of the Defense Contract Management Agency. “DCMA will continue to ensure that contractors are fulfilling these obligations.”
The settlement resolves allegations under the False Claims Act that LOGZONE knowingly submitted false or fraudulent claims for payment on two Navy contracts for which LOGZONE had not complied with the contracts’ cybersecurity requirements. From May 2021 to March 2025, LOGZONE allegedly failed to implement certain cybersecurity controls in National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Special Publication (SP) 800-171 that, if not implemented, could lead to significant exploitation of the system or exfiltration of sensitive defense information. These issues were identified when the Defense Contract Management Agency assessed LOGZONE’s implementation of NIST SP 800-171 security controls, which resulted in LOGZONE receiving a score of -170, at the low end of the possible score range of -203 to 110.
The resolution obtained in this matter was the result of a coordinated effort between the Justice Department’s Civil Division, Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Alabama with assistance from the Department of the Navy Office of the General Counsel, NCIS, the Department of the Army Criminal Investigation Division, and the Defense Contract Management Agency’s Defense Industrial Base Cybersecurity Assessment Center.
This year the Administration launched the Task Force to Eliminate Fraud and the National Fraud Enforcement Division to enhance the Administration’s war on fraud, waste, and abuse in federal programs. When unscrupulous actors exploit these programs for their own financial gain, they defraud the government, harm the people these programs are designed to aid and protect, and undermine American businesses that play by the rules. The Civil Division’s FCA enforcement plays a critical role in combatting such fraudulent schemes, recovering billions of dollars for the American taxpayers, and holding wrongdoers accountable. FCA matters will continue to be on the forefront of the battle against fraud, and the Civil Division’s FCA work will support and advance the mission of the Task Force to Eliminate Fraud and the National Fraud Enforcement Division.
The matter was handled by Fraud Section Trial Attorney Graham D. Welch and Assistant U.S. Attorney Don Long for the Northern District of Alabama.
The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only, and there has been no determination of liability.
Alabama Defense Contractor Agrees to Pay $507,144 to Resolve False Claims Act Liability Relating to Cybersecurity ViolationsRead the Press Release
Defense contractor LOGZONE Inc. of Huntsville, Alabama has agreed to pay $507,144 to resolve its liability under the False Claims Act for knowingly failing to comply with cybersecurity requirements in contracts with the Department of the Navy.
“Government contractors that obtain sensitive defense information in administering their contracts must follow required cybersecurity standards,” said Assistant Attorney General Brett A. Shumate of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “The Justice Department will continue to investigate potential violations of these cybersecurity requirements in order to protect this critical information from external threats.”
“The protection of sensitive defense information by government contractors is critical to national security,” said U.S. Attorney Phillip W. Williams Jr. for the Northern District of Alabama. “Adherence to the cybersecurity provisions of contracts with the federal government must be a priority for all contractors, and this enforcement action should serve as a reminder of that.”
“The cybersecurity provisions of federal contracts are critical to protecting sensitive information that may be transmitted in carrying out the mission of the contracts,” said Navy Vice Admiral Stephen Tedford, Director of the Defense Contract Management Agency. “DCMA will continue to ensure that contractors are fulfilling these obligations.”
The settlement resolves allegations under the False Claims Act that LOGZONE knowingly submitted false or fraudulent claims for payment on two Navy contracts for which LOGZONE had not complied with the contracts’ cybersecurity requirements. From May 2021 to March 2025, LOGZONE allegedly failed to implement certain cybersecurity controls in National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Special Publication (SP) 800-171 that, if not implemented, could lead to significant exploitation of the system or exfiltration of sensitive defense information. These issues were identified when the Defense Contract Management Agency assessed LOGZONE’s implementation of NIST SP 800-171 security controls, which resulted in LOGZONE receiving a score of -170, at the low end of the possible score range of -203 to 110.
The resolution obtained in this matter was the result of a coordinated effort between the Justice Department’s Civil Division, Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Alabama with assistance from the Department of the Navy Office of the General Counsel, NCIS, the Department of the Army Criminal Investigation Division, and the Defense Contract Management Agency’s Defense Industrial Base Cybersecurity Assessment Center.
This year the Administration launched the Task Force to Eliminate Fraud and the National Fraud Enforcement Division to enhance the Administration’s war on fraud, waste, and abuse in federal programs. When unscrupulous actors exploit these programs for their own financial gain, they defraud the government, harm the people these programs are designed to aid and protect, and undermine American businesses that play by the rules. The Civil Division’s FCA enforcement plays a critical role in combatting such fraudulent schemes, recovering billions of dollars for the American taxpayers, and holding wrongdoers accountable. FCA matters will continue to be on the forefront of the battle against fraud, and the Civil Division’s FCA work will support and advance the mission of the Task Force to Eliminate Fraud and the National Fraud Enforcement Division.
The matter was handled by Fraud Section Trial Attorney Graham D. Welch and Assistant U.S. Attorney Don Long for the Northern District of Alabama.
The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only, and there has been no determination of liability.
Wednesday 17 June 2026
United States Attorney’s Office bids farewell to long time Federal Prosecutor David HerzogRead the Press Release
On June 12, 2026, Assistant United States Attorney David Herzog announced his departure from the Department of Justice to return to the private practice of law. During his 18 years of service, AUSA Herzog focused on child exploitation and human trafficking cases, including leading a nine-year investigation into the sexual exploitation of Cambodian girls by an American, which resulted in conviction at trial and a 70-year sentence. AUSA Herzog leaves DOJ as a nationally and internationally recognized expert in online child exploitation and sex trafficking. He has served in a number of supervisory roles in Los Angeles and Spokane, ultimately rising to Chief of Appeals in Spokane over the last several years.
A native of Spokane and graduate of the Garfield Apple program and Shaw Middle School, AUSA Herzog was co-valedictorian at Gonzaga Prep in 1993. He attended Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles, where he graduated summa cum laude in English while playing Division I soccer and violin in the university orchestra. After earning a Master of Philosophy degree in English Literature at the University of Glasgow, he graduated cum laude from law school at Georgetown. He clerked for several federal judges and was an associate at Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP in Los Angeles before joining DOJ in 2008. AUSA Herzog will be joining Clyde & Co., an international law firm based in London, where his practice will focus on commercial litigation and appeals. AUSA Herzog and his wife, Spokane County Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Emily Sullivan, will continue to raise their two children in Spokane.
“It has been the honor and privilege of a lifetime to stand up in court on behalf of the people of the United States—particularly for children and other victims of violent crimes who cannot often stand up for themselves,” Herzog said. “My job as a federal prosecutor has never been to win cases; it has always been to seek justice.” He noted that this responsibility remains the same, regardless of politics. “I have served proudly under Presidents, Attorneys General, and United States Attorneys of both parties, and the job has never changed: do the right thing, the right way, for the right reasons, every time. It is a unique responsibility held by all prosecutors, and I have done my level best to meet it.”
AUSA Herzog specifically complimented his colleagues: “The career prosecutors at the United States Attorney’s Office in the Eastern District of Washington are among the most professional, excellent, and ethical lawyers anywhere. They set incredibly high standards for themselves and the office, at large, and they meet it every day, in the face of significant challenges inside and outside the courtroom. What a gift it has been to stand shoulder to shoulder with them over the years. I will miss my friends and colleagues very much, and I will look on their work with pride as they continue to serve justice every day.”
At the same time, AUSA Herzog lamented the trend of former and current government officials publicly weighing in on cases without hearing the actual evidence presented to juries: “For 250 years, our society has relied on juries to resolve conflicts. When a jury receives evidence, evaluates whether the elements of a crime are met beyond a reasonable doubt, follows a court’s instructions, and speaks with a unanimous voice, justice is served – regardless of how a particular verdict comports with anyone’s personal views or political beliefs. That is what it means to follow the rule of law.”
Pete Serrano, First Assistant United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Washington, lamented losing AUSA Herzog as a prosecutor, but wished him well: “For nearly two decades, Dave Herzog has aggressively sought to protect the most vulnerable among us. He is a first class litigator and person, and the Spokane community can be proud that one of its own has dedicated so many years to keeping it safe. It would be easy to judge his success merely by the sheer number of years he has fought to protect our community. Our office will measure his service by the prosecutors he has helped train, the wisdom he has departed to his colleagues, the many, many documents he has authored or improved, and the convictions he has obtained at trial and sustained on appeal.”
Stephanie Van Marter, Executive Assistant United States Attorney, echoed those sentiments. “Our office, and I, will miss Dave very much as a colleague, but I know we will remain friends for life. Our dads went to college together at Gonzaga, we went to high school together, and we have worked closely as colleagues for years. His respect for the work of this office, for the rule of law, and for due process, are beyond reproach. If the test of leadership is leaving something better than you found it, Dave passes with flying colors—this office has been permanently enriched by his time here.”
The Spokane United States Attorney’s Offices wishes Dave Herzog the best and extends its gratitude on behalf of the Eastern District of Washington for his years of service and commitment to justice. Thank you, Dave!
U.S. Attorney’s Office Presents Hometown Hero Award to Sheriff Kevin McMahill in Recognition of His Dedication to Public ServiceRead the Press Release
LAS VEGAS - The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Nevada today presented Sheriff Kevin McMahill of the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department with a Hometown Hero Award.
As part of Freedom 250, the Hometown Hero Award commemorates the 250th anniversary of the United States’ founding. It honors the enduring ideals of Liberty, Service, and Civic Responsibility. This award is dedicated in recognition of a steadfast commitment to these ideals and an embodiment of the spirit upon which our nation was founded.
“This award was presented to Sheriff McMahill in recognition of his law enforcement career, transformative leadership, and forward-looking innovations in modern policing,” said First Assistant U.S. Attorney Sigal Chattah for the District of Nevada. “As Sheriff of one of the largest counties in the country, Sheriff McMahill has worked closely with local and federal partners to oversee numerous high-profile cases and to strengthen relationships with the community. Congratulations and thank you for your decades of service.”
Sheriff McMahill began his law enforcement career after serving in the United States Army, joining the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department (LVMPD) in 1990 as a patrol officer. Through sustained excellence and commitment to community safety, he rose through every rank of the Department—sergeant, lieutenant, captain, deputy chief, assistant sheriff, and undersheriff—before being elected Sheriff in 2022.
As Sheriff, McMahill has led the LVMPD during a period marked by measurable reductions in crime, while simultaneously implementing innovative strategies that have positioned the Department as a national leader in public safety. Notably, he established the LVMPD Wellness Bureau, demonstrating a deep commitment to officer mental health and resiliency by fostering a culture of wellness and significantly reducing officer suicides. In addition, he spearheaded the development of one of the most advanced Drone as First Responder programs in the world, leveraging technology to enhance response times, improve situational awareness, and better protect both officers and the community.
Sheriff McMahill’s leadership is further distinguished by his investment in continuous professional development. He is a graduate of the FBI’s Leadership in Counter-Terrorism Program and the National Executive Institute, as well as the Harvard Kennedy School’s Senior Executives in State and Local Government Program—credentials that reflect his strategic vision and commitment to adopting best practices in law enforcement leadership.
Through a career defined by service, innovation, and a steadfast commitment to community safety, Sheriff McMahill exemplifies the qualities of a “Hometown Hero” and stands as a model for law enforcement agencies nationwide.
First Assistant U.S. Attorney Sigal Chattah presents Hometown Hero Award to Sheriff Kevin McMahill of the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department
Two Venezuelan Nationals Plead Guilty to SNAP Fraud ChargesRead the Press Release
BOSTON – Two Venezuelan nationals pleaded guilty on June 12, 2026 in federal court in Worcester to using fraudulent Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefit cards to illegally purchase food to stock a local restaurant. This criminal conduct is a part of a larger fraud scheme that used the stolen identities of more than 100 individuals to obtain $440,000 in SNAP benefits from Massachusetts and Rhode Island. The stolen identities were used to create 24 “households” in SNAP applications. All of these applications, submitted in the names of over 100 people, were listed as living in two single-family apartments in Providence, R.I.
Roman Vequiz Fernandez, 32, a Venezuelan national and Coralba Albarracin Siniva, 24, also a Venezuelan national, both residing in living in Leominster, Mass. have pleaded guilty to use, transfer, acquisition and possession of SNAP benefits in an Unauthorized Manner. U.S. District Court Judge Margaret R. Guzman scheduled sentencings for Sept. 22, 2026. The defendants were chargedin February 2026 along with Joel Vicioso Fernandez and Raul Fernandez Vicioso.
The defendants and their co-conspirators allegedly used the fraudulent SNAP benefits cards to purchase large quantities of expensive bulk food items (such as multiple-pound packages of chicken, beef and pork) at various local wholesalers and food markets to stock El Primo Restaurant at no expense. With their supplies obtained for free through fraudulent SNAP benefits, they prepared and then sold menu items at El Primo Restaurant at a complete profit, later wiring the fraud proceeds, among other places, to individuals living in Venezuela and the Dominican Republic.
On March 26, 2026, United States Attorney Leah B. Foley announced the creation of the Benefit & Voter Fraud Team, a district-wide initiative established in response to the rampant fraud being uncovered across Massachusetts. The Team is led by two senior federal prosecutors serving as Fraud Coordinators, whose mission it is to aggressively investigate and prosecute misuse of taxpayer-funded benefits in Massachusetts.
Members of the public are encouraged to report suspected benefit fraud in Massachusetts by calling 1-855-SCAM-MA-1 (855-722-6621).
On April 7, 2026, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division. The Fraud Division is investigating and prosecuting those who commit fraud against the American people. The Department’s work to combat fraud supports President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs.
The charge of illegal acquisition or use of SNAP benefits provides for a sentence of up to five or 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Charmeka Parker, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Agriculture - Office of Inspector General, Northeast Region; Anthony P. D’Esposito, Inspector General, Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General; Thomas Demeo, Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation, Boston Field Office; and Jeff Grimming, Acting Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Social Security Administration - Office of Inspector General; U.S. Department of Homeland Security - Office of Inspector General; U.S. Postal Inspection Service; U.S. Department of State - Diplomatic Security Service; Rhode Island Office of Internal Audit - Fraud Detection & Prevention Unit; Massachusetts State Police; the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Rhode Island; and the Fitchburg and Leominster Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorney Danial Bennett of the Worcester Branch Office is prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the charging document are allegations. The remaining defendants are presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in the court of law.
Two Gainesville Men Indicted for Drug ConspiracyRead the Press Release
Gainesville, Florida – Cleveland Tyrone Ferguson II, 54, and Damien Charles Curtis, 46, of Gainesville, Florida, have been indicted in federal court for conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute over 500 grams of cocaine. Additionally, Ferguson has been separately indicted for possession with the intent to distribute cocaine, while Curtis has been separately charged with distribution of 500 grams or more of cocaine and possession with the intent to distribute 5 grams or more of methamphetamine and crack cocaine. John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida, announced the charges.
Ferguson and Curtis appeared before United States Magistrate Judge Midori A. Lowry for their initial appearance at the United States Courthouse in Gainesville, Florida. Trial is scheduled for July 22, 2026, at 8:30 a.m., in Gainesville before Chief District Court Judge Allen C. Winsor.
If convicted, Ferguson faces a sentence of at least 10 years’ imprisonment and the possibility of life imprisonment for each charge. Curtis faces between 5 and 40 years’ imprisonment for each charge.
This case was investigated by the Gainesville-Alachua County Drug Task Force, the Alachua County Sheriff’s Office, and the Drug Enforcement Administration. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Adam Hapner.
An indictment is merely an allegation by a grand jury that a defendant has committed a violation of federal criminal law and is not evidence of guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial, during which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndfl.
Two Defendants, Including Former Correctional Facility Nurse, Plead Guilty to Racketeering Activity at Cambria County PrisonRead the Press Release
JOHNSTOWN, Pa. - A resident of Johnstown, Pennsylvania, and a resident of Phoenix, Arizona, both pleaded guilty in federal court on June 16, 2026, to charges of violating federal racketeering laws, United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.
Asiah Young-Atwell, 31, of Johnstown and Monique Valencia, 30, of Phoenix each pleaded guilty to Count One of the Indictment during separate hearings before United States District Judge Stephanie L. Haines.
In connection with the guilty plea, the Court was advised that, from in and around July 2023 to in and around December 2023, Young-Atwell and Valencia conducted and participated in the affairs of an enterprise through racketeering activity. Specifically, while employed as a medical staff nurse at the Cambria County Prison, Young-Atwell accepted bribes from inmates as an incentive to smuggle contraband—namely, cell phones and THC vape pens—into the prison. That contraband was then given to inmates, who sold the items to other inmates for a substantial profit. Valencia acted as a facilitator in the racketeering activities by sending and receiving payments on behalf of the inmates for the smuggled contraband.
Young-Atwell and Valencia are among 10 residents of Pennsylvania and Arizona indicted by a federal grand jury in July 2025 for their alleged participation in the racketeer-influenced corruption organization (RICO) conspiracy. Read the Indictment news release here.
Judge Haines scheduled sentencing for both defendants for October 29, 2026. The law provides for a maximum total sentence of up to 20 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, or both. Under the federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendants.
Assistant United States Attorney Maureen Sheehan-Balchon is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
Homeland Security Investigations, the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Safe Streets Task Force, the Cambria County District Attorney’s Office, and the Cambria County Prison conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of the defendants.
Texas man sentenced for attempting to illegally traffic firearms and ammunition in water heaters destined for Central AmericaRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – A 44-year-old Port Arthur man has been ordered to federal prison for smuggling goods from the United States, announced Acting U.S. Attorney John G.E. Marck.
Ismael Bernardez-Lacayo pleaded guilty Dec. 4, 2025.
U.S. District Judge Alfred H. Bennett has now ordered Bernardez-Lacayo to serve 30 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by one year of supervised release.
The investigation revealed Bernardez-Lacayo attempted to unlawfully ship dozens of firearms and hundreds of rounds of ammunition to Honduras in violation of United States law.
On April 5, 2024, he drove to a shipping company located in Humble and dropped off two water heater boxes in a shipping container which was transported to the Port of Houston. Law enforcement ultimately discovered a total of 37 firearms, 6,654 rounds of ammunition, 54 magazines and one rifle scope were hidden inside the water heaters.
Bernardez-Lacayo did not have a license to export firearms, ammunition, magazines or scopes from the Unites States nor did he have authorization for the shipment of firearms and ammunition to Honduras as required.
The pistols, rifles and scope in the shipment were classified as a controlled commodity on the Commerce Control List and are barred from being shipped to Honduras without an appropriate license.
The investigation further revealed Bernardez-Lopez had previously attempted to ship ammunition and a firearm to Honduras in 2010 and was aware that it was illegal to do so without the appropriate license as required by federal law.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation with assistance of Seaport Border Enforcement Security Task force and Customs and Border Protection.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Keri Fuller is prosecuting the case.
Texas Woman Sentenced to Nearly 2 Years in Federal Prison for Fraudulently Obtaining Eaton Fire FEMA Money and COVID BenefitsRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – A Texas woman was sentenced today to 21 months in federal prison for fraudulently obtaining more than $28,000 in federal disaster relief money by falsely claiming that she was a Pasadena resident living in a property damaged by the Eaton Fire and for fraudulently obtaining more than $54,000 in jobless benefits during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Joyce Turner, 56, of Rosharon, Texas, was sentenced by United States District Judge Michael W. Fitzgerald, who also ordered her to pay $82,555 in restitution.
Turner pleaded guilty in September 2025 to one count of fraud in connection with major disaster or emergency benefits and one count of mail fraud.
On January 7, 2025, the Eaton Fire ignited and burned through a residential area in Los Angeles County, killing 18 people and destroying more than 10,000 structures. A presidential disaster declaration was issued on January 8, making emergency federal financial assistance and benefits available to individuals and families affected by the Eaton Fire and to other wildfire victims in the Los Angeles area.
Victims who suffered losses because of the Eaton Fire, including renters who lost personal property and/or the use of their rental residences could qualify for benefits from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). The benefits included money for home repair, personal property damage, transportation, medical expenses, and housing assistance.
On January 10, 2025, Turner submitted a fraudulent disaster benefits application to FEMA, falsely claiming she lived in Pasadena in a rental property that had been damaged by the Eaton Fire. In fact, Turner did not live in California and did not qualify for the benefits.
FEMA, relying on Turner’s false and fraudulent claim, sent her $28,195 in wildfire disaster relief money.
Turner further admitted in her plea agreement that in August 2020 she submitted a fraudulent claim for California unemployment insurance falsely claiming she had been working in California and lost work because of the COVID-19 pandemic and was entitled to unemployment insurance benefits.
Following this false and fraudulent claim, California’s Employment Development Department (EDD) provided Turner with $54,360 in jobless benefits to which she was not entitled – providing these benefits through a debit card mailed to Turner at an address in Los Angeles.
The United States Department of Homeland Security Office of Inspector General investigated this matter.
Assistant United States Attorney Kerry L. Quinn of the Major Frauds Section prosecuted this case.
On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement 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.
Texas Man Sentenced to 30 Years in Prison for Sexual Exploitation of Seven MinorsRead the Press Release
Philip Taylor Sobash, 36, of Austin, Texas, was sentenced to serve 30 years in prison followed by five years of supervised release for sexually exploiting minors.
“Philip Sobash enticed seven minors to produce and send him child sexual abuse material, and then distributed five of those minors’ sexually explicit images online,” said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “The defendant took advantage of teenage girls. His depravity caused them long-lasting psychological trauma. The Department will pursue cases just like this to protect children from sexual exploitation.”
“Protecting children from sexual predators is among the highest priorities of our office and the Department of Justice,” said U.S. Attorney Braden H. Boucek for the Middle District of Tennessee. “Holding Sobash accountable for all of his offenses against all his victims is vitally important to the safety of children in our community and across the country.”
“The FBI’s commitment to protecting children from abuse knows no bounds,” said Assistant Director Heith Janke of the FBI’s Criminal Division. “We work relentlessly with our partners to hold perpetrators of the sexual exploitation of minors to account, and others engaging in criminal activity targeting the vulnerable should take today’s sentencing as a warning that they too will be forced to face the consequences of their actions.”
According to court documents, between October 2018 and May 2019, Sobash, then a practicing physician, engaged in an online sexually explicit relationship with Minor Victim 1, who resided in the Middle District of Tennessee. This online relationship began after they connected on a dating website that facilitates “sugar daddy” relationships. After their communications moved to text message, Minor Victim 1 informed Sobash that she was 17 years old and sent him a photo of her driver’s license, which confirmed her age.
Sobash requested that Minor Victim 1 produce and send him sexually explicit images of herself and provided her thousands of dollars in cash and gifts to entice her to do so. Over the course of more than seven months, Sobash received hundreds of sexually explicit photos and videos of Minor Victim 1, most of which constituted child sexual abuse material (CSAM).
In addition to sexually exploiting Minor Victim 1, Sobash admitted to sexually exploiting six other minors, aged 16 and 17, between 2017 and 2020. At Sobash’s direction, Minor Victims 2 through 7 created CSAM, which they sent to him. Sobash distributed CSAM depicting Minor Victims 1, 3, 4, 5, and 6, resulting in those victims’ images being sold online under their names.
The FBI’s Child Exploitation Operational Unit investigated the case with the assistance of FBI Nashville, Clarksville Resident Agency, and the U.S. Secret Service.
Trial Attorney Adam Braskich of the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Monica R. Morrison for the Middle District of Tennessee are prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the 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.
Texas Man Sentenced for Sexual Exploitation of Seven MinorsRead the Press Release
Nashville — Philip Taylor Sobash, 36, of Austin, Texas, was sentenced to serve 30 years in prison followed by five years of supervised release for sexually exploiting minors.
“Protecting children from sexual predators is among the highest priorities of our office and the Department of Justice,” said U.S. Attorney Braden H. Boucek for the Middle District of Tennessee. “Holding Sobash accountable for all of his offenses against all his victims is vitally important to the safety of children in our community and across the country.”
“Philip Sobash enticed seven minors to produce and send him child sexual abuse material, and then distributed five of those minors’ sexually explicit images online,” said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “The defendant took advantage of teenage girls. His depravity caused them long-lasting psychological trauma. The Department will pursue cases just like this to protect children from sexual exploitation.”
“The FBI’s commitment to protecting children from abuse knows no bounds,” said Assistant Director Heith Janke of the FBI’s Criminal Division. “We work relentlessly with our partners to hold perpetrators of the sexual exploitation of minors to account, and others engaging in criminal activity targeting the vulnerable should take today’s sentencing as a warning that they too will be forced to face the consequences of their actions.”
According to court documents, between October 2018 and May 2019, Sobash, then a practicing physician, engaged in an online sexually explicit relationship with Minor Victim 1, who resided in the Middle District of Tennessee. This online relationship began after they connected on a dating website that facilitates “sugar daddy” relationships. After their communications moved to text message, Minor Victim 1 informed Sobash that she was 17 years old and sent him a photo of her driver’s license, which confirmed her age.
Sobash requested that Minor Victim 1 produce and send him sexually explicit images of herself and provided her thousands of dollars in cash and gifts to entice her to do so. Over the course of more than seven months, Sobash received hundreds of sexually explicit photos and videos of Minor Victim 1, most of which constituted child sexual abuse material (CSAM).
In addition to sexually exploiting Minor Victim 1, Sobash admitted to sexually exploiting six other minors, aged 16 and 17, between 2017 and 2020. At Sobash’s direction, Minor Victims 2 through 7 created CSAM, which they sent to him. Sobash distributed CSAM depicting Minor Victims 1, 3, 4, 5, and 6, resulting in those victims’ images being sold online under their names.
The FBI’s Child Exploitation Operational Unit investigated the case with the assistance of FBI Nashville, Clarksville Resident Agency, and the U.S. Secret Service.
Trial Attorney Adam Braskich of the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Monica R. Morrison for the Middle District of Tennessee are prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the 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.
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Tallahassee Serial Felon Indicted on Gun ChargeRead the Press Release
Tallahassee, Florida – Willie Harris, III, 48, of Tallahassee, Florida, has been indicted in federal court for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida announced the charge.
Harris appeared in federal court for his arraignment before United States Magistrate Judge Martin A. Fitzpatrick in Tallahassee, Florida. Jury trial is scheduled for July 20, 2026, at 8:30 am before United States District Court Judge Mark E. Walker in Tallahassee, Florida.
If convicted, Harris faces a minimum of 15 years’ imprisonment.
The case is being investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Leon County Sheriff’s Office. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Meredith L. Steer.
An indictment is merely an allegation by a grand jury that a defendant has committed a violation of federal criminal law and is not evidence of guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial, during which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndfl.
St. Louis Felon Admits Being Caught with 17 Guns after Fleeing Police, StandoffRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – A convicted felon from St. Louis, Missouri on Wednesday admitted being caught with 17 guns after fleeing from police and triggering a standoff at his home.
Demond Spruill, 51, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in St. Louis Wednesday to one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm. On March 12, 2024, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives agents, assisted by members of the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department SWAT team, were planning to conduct a court-approved search of Spruill’s home in the 4400 block of Lexington Avenue. Prior to serving the search warrant, law enforcement encountered Spruill and pulled his red Dodge Charger over near the 2800 block of Marcus Avenue. Spruill refused to get out of the car and instead sped off. When officers and agents arrived at Spruill’s home, he was leaving the home and walking toward his car. Spruill then ran back inside the house and refused to leave. After negotiating with law enforcement via telephone, Spruill surrendered. During a search, officers and agents found 17 firearms, including two that were stolen. They also found five bullet-resistant vests and a large quantity of assorted ammunition inside his bedroom.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicholas Lake is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations, 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 and Project Safe Neighborhood.
St. Louis County Felon Sentenced to 47 Months in Prison for Crime Linked to Toddler’s Accidental ShootingRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge Audrey G. Fleissig on Wednesday sentenced a convicted felon who lied about the accidental shooting of a toddler to 47 months in prison.
On March 6, 2025, Rodrick Miller and his girlfriend cleaned an Anderson Manufacturing, AM-15 semiautomatic pistol and left it unattended on a couch in the girlfriend’s Wellston home. After the girlfriend’s son was shot in the calf, she and Miller took him to the hospital. On the way, Miller hid the gun behind a tree in a wooded area. They then told North County Police Cooperative officers that the boy had been shot by a stray bullet during a gun battle between two vehicles while the girlfriend was walking home. Police later recovered the gun.
Miller, 36, of Pine Lawn, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in St. Louis in March to one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm. As a convicted felon, he is barred from possessing firearms.
The North County Police Cooperative, the St. Ann Police Department and the St. Louis County Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Anthony Franks 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, 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 and Project Safe Neighborhood.
Springfield Man Sentenced for Firearms OffenseRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Springfield, Mo., man was sentenced in federal court yesterday for being a felon in possession of a firearm.
Calvin Eugene Harrell, 40, who has prior felony convictions for possession of a controlled substance and resisting arrest, pleaded guilty on Aug. 19, 2025. Harrell was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Brian C. Wimes to 53 months in federal prison without parole, to be followed by three years of supervised release.
On Dec. 3, 2024, Springfield Police Department (SPD), responded to Cox Medical Center South, in reference to a four-year-old with a gunshot wound to the hand. Through investigation, officers learned the four-year-old victim accidentally shot himself in the hand with a firearm possessed by Harrell. Due to having been convicted of multiple felonies, Harrell was prohibited from possessing firearms. After the victim shot himself, Harrell had a former paramour take the child to urgent care, rather than calling 911. The child was transferred to Cox Medical Center South as the injuries were too great for urgent care to treat. Offices called Harrell and attempted to have him come to the hospital. Harrell lied to officers on the phone about his location, what had occurred, the location of the gun, and refused to come to the hospital.
SPD responded to Harrell’s residence and established a perimeter. After a several-hour stand-off, Harrell eventually exited the residence. When officers conducted a search warrant for Harrell’s apartment, they found that Harrell had been attempting to hide evidence and clean the scene, including evidence that he had attempted to mop up blood. Investigators located a shell casing hidden in a trash can, and a loaded Taurus, 9-mm pistol underneath the stove.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephanie L. Wan. It was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Springfield, Missouri, Police Department.
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.
South Carolina Man Sentenced for Attempted Production of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
SIOUX FALLS - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced today that U.S. District Judge Karen E. Schreier has sentenced a Summerville, South Carolina, man convicted of Attempted Production of Child Pornography. The sentencing took place on June 15, 2026.
Robert DiOrio, age 36, was sentenced to 17.5 years in federal prison, five years of supervised release, and a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund in the amount of $100. Upon release from federal prison, DiOrio must register as a sex offender.
DiOrio was indicted by a federal grand jury in August of 2024. He pleaded guilty on March 23, 2026.
DiOrio started a conversation on Reddit, a popular communication/posting website, with a person he believed was a 14-year-old girl. The conversation turned sexual, and he asked the 14-year-old girl to meet up hoping to have a sexual encounter with her. DiOrio arrived at the meeting location where he was arrested by law enforcement. All along, unbeknownst to him, DiOrio had been communicating with an undercover law enforcement officer.
This case was brought as part of an undercover operation designed to identify individuals in the community who are seeking to have sex with minors. The case was also 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 the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force (ICAC), South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation, Sioux Falls Police Department, Watertown Police Department, Tea Police Department, Rapid City Police Department, Minnehaha County Sheriff’s Office, Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office, and South Dakota Highway Patrol. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth E. Ebert-Webb prosecuted the case.
DiOrio was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Sioux Falls Man Sentenced to over 4 Years in Federal Prison for Possessing a Firearm as a FelonRead 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 Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person. The sentencing took place on June 15, 2026.
Jesse Robert Buskol, 45, was sentenced to four years and two months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Buskol was indicted by a federal grand jury in October 2025. He pleaded guilty on March 16, 2026.
On July 30, 2025, law enforcement conducted a parole search of Buskol’s residence and found a semi-automatic pistol. Buskol was prohibited from possessing a firearm as a result of a prior felony conviction for First Degree Robbery. He was on supervised release for a prior conviction at the time of this offense.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN). Through PSN, the District of South Dakota seeks to bring together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce gun violence and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the Sioux Falls Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell prosecuted the case.
Buskol was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Sioux Falls Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Failing to Register as Sex OffenderRead 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 man from Sioux Falls, South Dakota, convicted of Failure to Register as a Sex Offender. The sentencing took place on June 15, 2026.
Eugene Leon Featherman, 37, was sentenced to one year and 11 months in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Featherman was indicted for Failure to Register as a Sex Offender by a federal grand jury in September 2025. He pleaded guilty on April 7, 2026.
Featherman was previously convicted of a federal sex offense. Because of his prior conviction, he is required to register as a sex offender. Featherman was aware of his obligation to register and to keep his registration current with officials within the county in which he resided. Nonetheless, from late June through September 2025, Featherman knowingly failed to register and update his registration.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Marshals Service. Supervisory Assistant U.S. Attorney Connie Larson prosecuted the case.
Featherman was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service to serve his federal sentence.
This case was brought as a 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 the U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Unit, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
Sequoyah County Resident Pleads Guilty to Two Counts of Sexual Abuse of A MinorRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Samuel Alexander Sevenstar, age 33, of Roland, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to two counts of Sexual Abuse of a Minor in Indian Country, each punishable by up to 15 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
The Indictment alleged that beginning in or about June 2019 and continuing until in or about April 2020, Sevenstar knowingly engaged in sexual acts with a victim who had attained the age of 12 years but had not attained the age of 16 years, and who was at least four years younger than Sevenstar.
The crimes occurred in Sequoyah County, within the boundaries of the Cherokee Nation Reservation, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma.
The charges arose from an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Sequoyah County Sheriff’s Office, and the Cherokee Nation Marshal Service.
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.
Sevenstar was remanded into the custody of the United States Marshals Service pending sentencing.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Emily Wittlinger represented the United States.