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Monday 15 June 2026
Man Sentenced to Five Years in Prison for Intentionally Setting Fire to San Jose Post OfficeRead the Press Release
SAN JOSE - Richard Tillman was sentenced today to five years in federal prison for arson. U.S. District Judge Edward J. Davila handed down the sentence.
Tillman, 45, was indicted by a federal grand jury on August 7, 2025. Tillman pleaded guilty to one count of Malicious Destruction of Government Property by Fire in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 844(f)(1) on February 9, 2026. According to the plea agreement, Tillman admitted to intentionally setting fire to the Almaden Valley United States Post Office located at 6525 Crown Boulevard in San Jose, California, on July 20, 2025.
Tillman admitted that he intentionally set the fire in order to “make a point to the United States government.” In preparation for the fire, Tillman purchased firelogs and lighter fluid. He then drove to the Post Office with firelogs in his vehicle, backed the vehicle through the building’s front door, exited the vehicle, spread lighter fluid throughout the vehicle, threw a lit match into the vehicle, and exited the Post Office. The fire quickly spread from the vehicle to the Post Office, completely destroying its lobby, as depicted in the photographs below. Prior to July 20, 2025, the lobby of the Post Office was open to the public during business hours for retail transactions and access to post office boxes. The fire rendered the lobby unusable, and it has not been available to the public since.
United States Attorney Craig H. Missakian, U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), San Francisco Division Inspector in Charge Stephen M. Sherwood, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) Special Agent in Charge John Wester, and Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Special Agent in Charge Scott Schelble made the announcement.
In addition to the prison term, Judge Davila also sentenced Tillman to a three-year period of supervised release, and ordered Tillman to pay restitution of $2,371,682 to the United States Postal Service. The defendant was immediately remanded into custody.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael G. Pitman is prosecuting the case with the assistance of Sahib Kaur. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the USPIS, ATF, FBI, and the San Jose Police Department. The U.S. Attorney’s Office appreciates the assistance of the Santa Clara County District Attorney’s Office.
Kanawha County Woman Pleads Guilty to Federal Drug Crimes in West Virginia and KansasRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Destiny Fair Weese, 34, of Elkview, pleaded guilty today to distribution of 50 grams or more of methamphetamine and possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on May 30, 2025, Weese sold 225.7 grams of methamphetamine to a confidential informant in Charleston after obtaining the controlled substance from her supplier. As part of her guilty pleas, Weese admitted that she conducted the transaction and that she also sold 142.4 grams of methamphetamine to a confidential informant at or near St. Albans, West Virginia, on June 24, 2025, after obtaining methamphetamine from her supplier.
On July 29, 2025, Weese traveled to Los Angeles, California, where she rented a car. Later that day, Weese purchased several items including a backpack in Moreno Valley, California. On July 30, 2025, law enforcement officers conducted a traffic stop of the rental car, in which Weese was a passenger, at or near Ellsworth, Kansas. Officers searched the vehicle and seized 35 bundles of methamphetamine, each weighing approximately 1 pound, with 15 bundles found in the backpack, 10 bundles located in the vehicle’s rear quarter panels, and 10 bundles located in the spare tire well. As part of her guilty pleas, Weese admitted that she and the driver of the rental car possessed the seized methamphetamine and intended to distribute 50 grams or more to others.
Weese is scheduled to be sentenced on September 29, 2026, and faces a mandatory minimum of 20 years and up to life in prison, at least five years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $20 million.
United States Attorney Moore Capito made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the West Virginia State Police, and the Kansas Highway Patrol.
United States District Judge Thomas E. Johnston presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Jeremy B. Wolfe is prosecuting the case in coordination with the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Kansas.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:26-cr-1.
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Joplin Man Sentenced for Child PornographyRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – Clinton John Gray, 48, of Joplin, Mo., was sentenced in federal court today for receiving and distributing child pornography, also referred to as “child sexual abuse material” or “CSAM.”
Gray was sentenced by Chief U.S. District Judge Brian C. Wimes to 200 months in federal prison without parole, followed by a lifetime term of supervised release for his conviction of receipt and distribution of child pornography.
According to court documents, Gray, who pleaded guilty on Sept. 22, 2025, used social media applications to solicit sexually explicit images from minors. Gray engaged in online communications with an undercover law enforcement officer who was posing as a 14-year-old girl on Facebook. During the exchange, Gray sent the agent pictures of his genitals and requested nude photos from a person he believed to be a minor. A forensic search of Gray’s phone located 1200 image files and 44 video files depicting child pornography. In addition to his sentence, Gray was ordered to pay $9,000 in restitution to the victims depicted in those CSAM images and videos.
Gray will be required to register as a sex offender upon his release from prison and will be subject to federal and state sex offender registration requirements, which may apply throughout his life.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney James J. Kelleher. It was investigated by the FBI, the Bureau of Indian Affairs, the Southwest Missouri Cybercrimes Task Force, and the Joplin Police Department.
Project Safe Childhood
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."
Irving man receives lengthy federal prison sentence as part of Homeland Security Task Force investigation for trafficking fentanyl in the Eastern District of TexasRead the Press Release
SHERMAN, Texas – An Irving man has been sentenced to over 13 years in federal prison as part of a Homeland Security Task Force investigation for trafficking fentanyl in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs.
Dulio Ariel De-La-O, 25, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl and was sentenced to 165 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Amos L. Mazzant on June 15, 2026.
According to information presented in court, during a drug trafficking investigation in 2022, it was determined that De-La-O was distributing “k-packs,” or 1,000 pill quantities of fentanyl, to individuals in the Eastern District of Texas. A search of De-La-O’s residence during the investigation resulted in the seizure of over 3,000 counterfeit Xanax pills laced with fentanyl and $91,799 in U.S. currency.
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 Dallas comprises agents and officers from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Dallas Field Office; U.S. Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Homeland Security Investigations - Dallas (ICE-HSI); Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Dallas Field Division; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Dallas Field Division; Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigations (IRS-CD; United States Postal Service, United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS); Transportation Security Administration, Federal Air Marshal Service (FAMS); United States Secret Service (USSS); Department of State, Bureau of Diplomatic Security (DSS); TEXOMA HIDTA; and U.S. Marshals Service (USMS) Eastern District of Texas with the prosecution being led by Eastern District of Texas Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew T. Johnson.
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Illegal alien living in Dallas sentenced to federal prison as part of Homeland Security Task Force investigation for trafficking methamphetamine in the Eastern District of TexasRead the Press Release
SHERMAN, Texas – An illegal alien has been sentenced to over 22 years in federal prison as part of a Homeland Security Task Force investigation for trafficking methamphetamine in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs.
Juan Lopez-Carmona, 32, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime and was sentenced to 270 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Amos L. Mazzant on June 15, 2026.
According to information presented in court, in 2021, federal law enforcement began investigating a drug trafficking organization that was responsible for moving large amounts of illegal narcotics from Mexico into the United States for redistribution. On October 4, 2022, while federal agents attempted to execute a search warrant at a Dallas residence, Lopez-Carmona, a Mexican national illegally living in Dallas, began firing on them from inside the house before fleeing on foot. Lopez-Carmona and another individual were quickly detained and a search of the residence revealed over 30 kilograms of methamphetamine, four firearms, and other drug trafficking supplies. The investigation resulted in multiple seizures of methamphetamine, cocaine, fentanyl, heroin, firearms, and large amounts of U.S. currency.
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 Dallas comprises agents and officers from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Dallas Field Office; U.S. Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Homeland Security Investigations - Dallas (ICE-HSI); Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Dallas Field Division; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Dallas Field Division; Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigations (IRS-CD; United States Postal Service, United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS); Transportation Security Administration, Federal Air Marshal Service (FAMS); United States Secret Service (USSS); Department of State, Bureau of Diplomatic Security (DSS); TEXOMA HIDTA; and U.S. Marshals Service (USMS) Eastern District of Texas with the prosecution being led by Eastern District of Texas Assistant U.S. Attorney Wes Wynne.
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Illegal Alien Felon Arrested for Flying Drone in World Cup Restricted Airspace after Prior DeportationsRead the Press Release
ATLANTA – Lorenzo Rojas-Martinez, an illegal alien from Mexico with a prior cocaine distribution conviction, faces federal charges for flying a drone over Centennial Olympic Park during the FIFA Fan Festival in Atlanta and for illegally reentering the United States after two prior deportations.
“Unauthorized drone operations in restricted airspace present a serious risk to public safety, particularly during major international events such as the FIFA World Cup,” said U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg. “This enforcement action reflects the coordinated efforts of our federal and local partners to detect, disrupt, and deter unlawful activity that could endanger spectators, athletes, and first responders.”
“FBI Atlanta's Counter UAV Task Force has seized 21 drones, including Rojas-Martinez's,” said Marlo Graham, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. “As these operators are putting the community at risk, our Ground Intercept Teams will continue to locate operators, seize drones, and pursue prosecution of those who violate the restricted airspace in place around FIFA World Cup activities.”
According to U.S. Attorney Hertzberg and the criminal complaint: on June 12, 2026, federal agents allegedly observed Lorenzo Rojas‑Martinez operating a drone in restricted airspace near Centennial Olympic Park during the 2026 FIFA Fan Festival in Atlanta while standing in a nearby parking area and recording video of the event. After requesting his identification and reviewing his driver’s license, agents allegedly confirmed that he was unlawfully present in the United States following two prior removals. Rojas-Martinez has a prior conviction for cocaine distribution among other charges.
Lorenzo Rojas-Martinez, 37, of Mexico was charged in a federal complaint on June 15, 2026, with operating a drone in a temporary flight restricted zone and illegal reentry by a removed alien. Members of the public are reminded that the complaint contains only charges. The defendant is presumed innocent of the charges, and it will be the government’s burden to prove the defendant’s guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial.
This case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
Assistant United States Attorney Dash A. Cooper is prosecuting the case.
This prosecution 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.
For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at [email protected] or (404) 581-6185. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.
Franklinton Woman Indicted for Illegal Voting and False Claim to CitizenshipRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – DENISE NATALY MIGLIORE (“MIGLIORE”),age 51, a resident of Franklinton, Louisiana, originally from Sydney, Australia, was charged on June 11, 2026 in a four-count indictment for making false statements in order to register to vote, and illegal voting in an election, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1015(f) and Title 52, United States Code, Section 20511(2)(B), announced U.S. Attorney David I. Courcelle.
According to the indictment, on or about October 6, 2022, and on or about October 22, 2024, MIGLIORE, at the time a legal permanent resident, knowingly made false claims to U.S. citizenship in order to register to vote in in a Federal election. On or about November 8, 2022, and November 5, 2024, MIGLIORE cast a ballot, which was obtained by falsely certifying that she was a U.S. citizen and eligible to vote, when, in fact, she was not eligible to vote because she was not a citizen of the United States.
If convicted, MIGLIORE faces a maximum penalty of five (5) years in prison, followed by three (3) years of supervised release. MIGLIORE also faces a fine of up to $250,000, and a $100.00 mandatory special assessment fee.
U.S. Attorney David I. Courcelle reiterated that the indictment is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.
U.S. Attorney Courcelle praised the work of Homeland Security Investigations and the Federal Bureau of Investigation in investigating this case. Special Assistant United States Attorney Rick Veters of the General Crimes Unit is in charge of the prosecution.
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Fort Myers Felon Sentenced to Prison for Illegally Possessing a FirearmRead the Press Release
Fort Myers, Florida – Jose Manuel Caraballo-Torres (39, Fort Myers) has been sentenced by U.S. District Judge Kyle C. Dudek to four years and three months in federal prison for possession of a firearm and ammunition as a convicted felon. Caraballo-Torres pleaded guilty on February 25, 2026. U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.
According to court documents, on September 27, 2025, a deputy from the Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office (CCSO) was patrolling State Road 31 in Punta Gorda when he observed a speeding truck. As the vehicle passed, the deputy initiated a traffic stop. Caraballo-Torres was one of multiple passengers in the truck which smelled of marijuana. The passengers were asked to step out of the vehicle for officer safety.
During the traffic stop, the deputy conducted a pat down of Caraballo-Torres, who moved his hand towards his right-side waist band. The deputy immediately grabbed Caraballo-Torres, pushed him against the truck, and pinned Caraballo-Torres’s hands against the vehicle. The deputy retrieved a firearm from the waistband area of Caraballo-Torres. CCSO central communications advised that the firearm retrieved from Caraballo-Torres’s had been reported stolen out of Orlando. Caraballo-Torres’s criminal history indicated that he was on federal supervised release until 2032 related to a case from the District of Puerto Rico.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Patrick Darcey and Jesus M. Casas.
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.
Former Idaho Resident Sentenced for Operating an Unlicensed Money Transmitting BusinessRead the Press Release
Coeur d’Alene – Former Idaho resident Susan White, a/k/a Susan Milne, was sentenced to 12 months and one day in federal prison for participating in a fraud scheme by acting as a money mule and transmitting fraud proceeds through her personal and third-party bank accounts, U.S. Attorney Bart Davis announced.
According to court records, beginning in late 2017 through approximately July 2018, White operated as a money mule for various fraud schemes, including business email compromise schemes and other internet-enabled fraud. White used her own personal bank accounts and recruited or utilized accounts belonging to other individuals to receive and move illicit proceeds from the various fraud schemes. In exchange for transmitting the funds, White retained a portion of the funds deposited into the various accounts.
Chief U.S. District Judge Amanda K. Brailsford also ordered White to serve 3 years of supervised release following her prison sentence and to pay $66,130.75 in restitution.
U.S. Attorney Davis made the announcement and commended the work of United States Secret Service, which led to the charges. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brittney Campbell prosecuted the case.
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Former Corrections Officer Pleads Guilty to Child Exploitation and Distributing Child Pornography as a Result of Operation Relentless JusticeRead the Press Release
Gainesville, Florida – Devin Scott Waldeck, 35, of Cross City, Florida, pleaded guilty in federal court to one count of child exploitation and one count of the distribution of child pornography. The plea was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “The sexual exploitation of a child is a horrific crime, and the distribution of child sexual abuse material is a continuing offense that has the effect of re-victimizing the innocent child each and every time those disturbing images and videos are shared. Our state and federal law enforcement partners are relentlessly pursuing the sexual predators who seek to victimize and sexually exploit children, and my office will continue to aggressively prosecute those sick individuals to ensure they are locked away and unable to harm our kids.”
Court documents reflect that, in November 2025, law enforcement became aware the defendant, posing as the mother of a minor child, was using the online Reddit platform to discuss the sexual exploitation of that minor child. In online communications with another Reddit user, the defendant offered the minor child to the Reddit user and graphically described ways the user could sexually exploit the minor. The defendant saved explicit videos and pictures of the minor child in a secret app on his cell phone along with other sexually explicit videos and photos of other named individuals. The defendant had hundreds of communications with other Reddit users discussing sexual “hookups,” including more than a dozen conversations where he stated he had sexual encounters or wanted to have sexual encounters with minors.
The defendant faces a mandatory minimum of fifteen years’ imprisonment and up to thirty years’ imprisonment for the child exploitation count, and a mandatory minimum of five years’ imprisonment and up to twenty years’ imprisonment for distribution of child pornography. Both counts include up to a lifetime of supervision upon release.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation with assistance from the Dixie County Sheriff’s Office. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Christie S. Utt.
Sentencing for is scheduled for August 25, 2026, at 2:00 pm, at the United States Courthouse in Tallahassee, Florida before Chief United States District Judge Allen C. Winsor.
This case was a result of Operation Relentless Justice, a coordinated enforcement effort to identify, track and arrest child sex predators. For more information, please visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-edva/pr/justice-department-announces-results-operation-relentless-justice.
These operations underscore the Department’s unwavering commitment to protecting children and combating child sexual exploitation. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit Justice.gov/PSC.
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 for the Northern District of Florida, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndfl.
Former CFO Charged in Embezzlement Scheme and Immigration FraudRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland announced, today, that a former Maryland-based chief financial officer (CFO), who worked for a multinational company, is facing indictment stemming from an embezzlement scheme and immigration fraud.
Teresa Desy Majo, 42, a legal permanent resident from Italy, residing in Annadale, Virginia, is charged with wire fraud, aggravated identity theft, and possession of a perjured immigration document in connection with the scheme. Majo served as CFO for the North American arm of Officine Maccaferri S.p.A, an Italian company, which is comprised of two subsidiaries: a U.S.-based entity, Maccaferri, Inc, and a Canadian-based entity, Maccaferri Canada Ltd. Officine Maccaferri is a geotechnical engineering solutions manufacturer and supplier specializing in soil stabilization. The former CFO used multiple Maccaferri executives’ identities to fraudulently approve alleged employment benefits and compensation to enrich herself.
Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the indictment with Special Agent in Charge Jimmy Paul, FBI Baltimore Field Office.
According to the indictment, beginning in January 2021, and continuing through May 2024, Majo devised a scheme to defraud both Maccaferri USA and Maccaferri Canada. As part of the scheme, Majo created multiple fabricated documents that supposedly authorized extra employment compensation and benefits. Additionally, Majo modified emails from executives to fraudulently authorize other unwarranted employment compensation and benefits. Majo submitted the counterfeit documents to Maccaferri USA and Maccaferri Canada’s payroll departments. After Maccaferri fired her, Majo withheld her termination from, and otherwise lied to, immigration authorities to obtain legal permanent resident status.
An indictment is not a finding of guilt. Individuals charged by indictment are presumed innocent until proven guilty at a later criminal proceeding.If convicted, Majo faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison for wire fraud, along with a mandatory consecutive sentence of two years for aggravated identity theft. Majo is also facing a maximum of 10 years for possessing a perjured immigration document.
U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the FBI for their work in the investigation. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jared M. Beim and Jared W. Murphy who are prosecuting this federal case.
For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to report fraud, please visit justice.gov/usao-md and justice.gov/usao-md/report-fraud.
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Five Individuals Arrested on Drug Distribution and Firearms Trafficking ChargesRead the Press Release
TRENTON, N.J. – Five individuals were arrested on charges of conspiracy to distribute cocaine, conspiracy to traffic firearms, and possession with the intent to distribute cocaine, U.S. Attorney Robert Frazer announced.
The charges are the result of a months-long investigation conducted by the Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations, into narcotics and firearms trafficking in Trenton, New Jersey.
“As this investigation makes clear, our office is laser focused on ensuring public safety for the people of New Jersey. The conduct alleged by these individuals involved the interstate transportation of firearms sold for profit and large quantities of cocaine delivered on demand. I am proud of the unrelenting efforts of our law enforcement partners through the Homeland Security Task Force as we identify and dismember groups that threaten our communities.”
– U.S. Attorney Robert Frazer
“These charges highlight the commitment of Homeland Security Investigations and our federal, state, and local partners to disrupt and dismantle criminal organizations that pose a threat to our communities. “This extensive Homeland Security Task Force investigation, led by our special agents in Trenton, focused on individuals alleged to have orchestrated a complex narcotics and firearms trafficking operation spanning Ohio and New Jersey. We remain steadfast in our mission to pursue those who endanger public safety and to protect the communities we serve,” said HSI Newark Acting Special Agent in Charge Spiros Karabinas.
Kenny Scaley-Sandoval, 32, a Guatemalan citizen without legal status in the U.S. residing in Trenton, New Jersey; Kelvin Tavarez, 30, of Trenton, New Jersey, Enoc Pimentel, 39, of Clifton, New Jersey, and Andy Nazario, 44, of Clifton, New Jersey, all had their initial court appearances on June 10, 2026, before U.S. Magistrate Judge Justin T. Quinn in Trenton federal court. Scaley-Sandoval, Tavarez, and Pimentel were detained.
Timothy Rios, 32, of Lorain, Ohio, was arrested in Virginia and had an initial court appearance on June 10, 2026, before U.S. Magistrate Judge Summer L. Speight in the Eastern District of Virginia. Rios was detained and is pending transportation to New Jersey.
Defendant Name
Charge(s)
Kenny Scaley-SandovalConspiracy to distribute cocaine and
Conspiracy to traffic firearms
Kelvin TavarezConspiracy to distribute cocaineEnoc PimentelConspiracy to distribute cocaineTimothy RiosConspiracy to traffic firearmsAndy NazarioPossession with intent to distribute cocaineAccording to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
In August 2025, law enforcement began investigating certain drug distribution and firearms trafficking activities in and around Trenton, New Jersey. HSI obtained over 3.8 kilograms of cocaine related to the drug distribution conspiracy involving Scaley-Sandoval, Tavarez, and Pimentel. HSI also obtained 16 handguns and rifles related to the firearms trafficking conspiracy involving Scaley-Sandoval and Rios. In addition, while executing a court-authorized search warrant on June 10, 2026, officers recovered a quantity of cocaine along with drug distribution materials and cash from Nazario’s attic.
The count charging Scaley-Sandoval, Tavarez and Pimentel with conspiracy to distribute cocaine carries a maximum potential penalty of 40 years’ imprisonment, a mandatory minimum term of five years’ imprisonment, and a maximum fine of $5 million.
The count charging Scaley-Sandoval and Rios with conspiracy to traffic firearms against carries a maximum potential penalty of 15 years’ imprisonment and a maximum fine of $250,000.
The count charging Nazario with possession with intent to distribute cocaine carries a maximum potential penalty of 20 years’ imprisonment and a maximum fine of $1 million.
U.S. Attorney Robert Frazer credited special agents with the Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations – Newark, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Spiros Karabinas, with the investigation leading to the charges. He also thanked the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Towanda R. Thorne-James, the United States Marshals Service, under the direction of Acting U.S. Marshal Nicholas A. Ricigliano, Jr., the New Jersey State Police, under the direction of Acting Superintendent Jeanne Hengemuhle, the Hunterdon County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Prosecutor Renée M. Robeson, and the Mount Laurel Police Department, under the direction of Chief of Police Tim Hudnall, for their assistance in the investigation.
These arrests are part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan S. Garelick of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Criminal Division in Trenton.
The charges and allegations contained in the complaints are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
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Defense counsel:
Kenny Scaley Sandoval: Andrea G. Aldana, Esq.
Kelvin Tavarez: Suzanne Axel, Esq.
Enoc Pimentel: Mark Davis, Esq.
Timothy Rios: TBD
Andy Nazario: John Holliday, Esq.
scaleysandovaletal.complaint.pdf nazario.complaint.pdfFinal Defendant in ATM Robbery Sentenced to 60 Months in PrisonRead the Press Release
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – The final defendant from Texas involved in the robbery of an ATM that belonged to a credit union in Salt Lake County, Utah, was sentenced today to five years’ imprisonment, and three years of supervised release.
Jevaunte Reese, 33, of Houston, Texas, pleaded guilty on March 30, 2026, to credit union robbery. His co-defendants Lashawn Charleswell, Tiras Jack, Harold Oliver, and Calvin Brantley also pleaded guilty and were sentenced in 2025. In addition to their sentences, Judge David Sam ordered they pay $4,309.00, jointly and severally.
According to court documents and statements made at Reese’s sentencing and change of plea hearings, on September 11, 2024, Taylorsville Police Department and special agents from the FBI responded to the Mountain America Credit Union in Taylorsville, Utah, for an ATM robbery. Upon arrival, law enforcement spoke to an ATM technician who was present during the robbery. The technician was contracted through a company that repairs ATM machines and had access to the cash stored inside. Reese admitted that he and his codefendants had previously disabled the ATM and waited in their vehicles for the technician to arrive and repair the ATM. When the ATM technician arrived, he was pushed to the ground and the cash box containing $200,000 was stolen. Law enforcement identified the vehicles and took the defendants into custody at a rest stop in Paragonah, Utah.
The case was investigated jointly by the Taylorsville Police Department, and the FBI Salt Lake City Field Office.
Assistant United States Attorney Carlos A. Esqueda of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
Federal and State Law Enforcement Raise Alarm About Financial Exploitation Targeting Older Adults in New HampshireRead the Press Release
Federal and State Law Enforcement Raise Alarm About Financial Exploitation Targeting Older Adults in New Hampshire
CONCORD – In recognition of Elder Abuse Awareness Day, observed annually on June 15, U.S. Attorney Erin Creegan and New Hampshire Attorney General John M. Formella highlight the ongoing efforts of New Hampshire’s federal, state, and local law enforcement partners to protect older adults from fraud, financial exploitation, and other forms of elder abuse.
Older adults are increasingly targeted by sophisticated scams involving imposters, investment fraud, romance scams, cryptocurrency schemes, and other forms of financial exploitation that can result in devastating losses. Many incidents go unreported, making public awareness and prevention critical components of protecting vulnerable residents. In recent years, investigators have seen a sharp increase in fraud schemes involving cryptocurrency transactions, fraudulent investment opportunities, government imposter scams, and online relationships designed to manipulate victims into sending money. Criminals often use pressure tactics, secrecy, and urgency to convince victims to act before consulting family members, financial institutions, or law enforcement.
“Older adults throughout New Hampshire deserve to live with dignity, security, and independence,” said U.S. Attorney Creegan. “Our Elder Justice Team works closely with law enforcement, financial institutions, victim advocates, and community partners to investigate crimes against older adults, recover stolen funds whenever possible, and hold offenders accountable. We encourage anyone who suspects elder abuse or financial exploitation to report it immediately. Early reporting can make all the difference.”
“Financial exploitation can rob older adults not only of their savings, but also of their sense of security and trust,” said Attorney General Formella. “Protecting New Hampshire's older residents is a priority for the New Hampshire Department of Justice. Through our Elder Abuse and Financial Exploitation Unit, we work every day to investigate reports of abuse, support victims and families, and educate communities about emerging threats. By working together across all levels of government, we can better prevent victimization and bring offenders to justice.”
The U.S. Attorney’s Office Elder Justice Team and the New Hampshire Department of Justice Elder Abuse and Financial Exploitation Unit collaborate regularly with federal, state and local law enforcement agencies, Adult Protective Services, financial institutions, prosecutors, victim advocates, and community organizations to identify and respond to cases involving elder abuse and exploitation. The U.S. Attorney’s Office and New Hampshire Department of Justice are actively taking steps to combat elder fraud, including prosecuting those who target the elderly, recovering funds stolen from victims, and participating in outreach events such as the Financial Abuse Specialty Team elder justice conference held earlier this month at the New Hampshire Institute of Politics.
Officials encourage older adults and their loved ones to:
- Be skeptical of unsolicited phone calls, emails, text messages, and social media contacts requesting money or personal information.
- Never send money, purchase gift cards, or deposit funds into cryptocurrency kiosks at the direction of someone you do not know.
- Verify requests for money independently, even when they appear to come from a trusted person, business, or government agency.
- Consult a trusted family member, friend, financial institution, or law enforcement officer before making significant financial transactions prompted by unexpected communications.
- Report suspected scams and exploitation as soon as possible.
Anyone who believes they or a loved one may be the victim of elder abuse or financial exploitation should contact local law enforcement, the Bureau of Adult and Aging Services (nheasy.nh.gov), and the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (ic3.gov) and report the incident promptly. Quick reporting may improve the chances of recovering stolen funds and prevent additional victimization.
World Elder Abuse Awareness Day serves as a reminder that protecting older adults is a shared responsibility. Federal, state, and local partners remain committed to ensuring that New Hampshire's older residents are protected, supported, and empowered to recognize and report abuse and exploitation.
Federal Jury Convicts Former Correctional Officer of Civil Rights Violation that Resulted in Inmate’s DeathRead the Press Release
A federal jury has convicted a former detention deputy at the Garvin County Jail (GCJ) in Pauls Valley, Oklahoma, for her role in being deliberately indifferent to the serious medical needs of pretrial detainee Kayla Turley, resulting in bodily injury to Ms. Turley and her death. Paula Kelley was convicted of one count of violating 18 U.S.C. § 242.
“This guilty verdict holds this former correctional officer accountable for her shocking failure to protect a vulnerable inmate in her care,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “By ignoring the victim’s serious medical needs, the defendant betrayed the most basic duties of her position and violated the victim’s civil rights. The Civil Rights Division has no tolerance for such abuses.”
“Correctional officers have a legal and moral obligation to ensure that individuals in their custody receive necessary medical care,” said U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester for the Western District of Oklahoma. “When that duty is deliberately ignored, resulting in serious harm or death, there must be accountability. This conviction, and the guilty pleas of four other correctional employees and one correctional nurse, affirms the importance of protecting the constitutional rights of those held in our detention facilities.”
“The correctional officers in this case failed to obtain clearly needed medical care for a pretrial detainee, resulting in her death. This failure to act to protect someone in their custody undermines the respect and reputation of all law enforcement,” said Special Agent in Charge Doug Goodwater of the FBI Oklahoma City Field Office. “This conviction, and the five other guilty pleas in this case, are a reminder that the FBI will vigorously investigate violations of civil rights to bring justice for the victims, and their friends and families.”
On June 12, 2026, following a jury trial in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Oklahoma, Kelley was found guilty of violating 18 U.S.C. § 242.
As established at trial, Kelley was on duty as a GCJ detention deputy when she learned that pretrial detainee Kayla Turley was facing serious medical needs. Despite knowing and observing Ms. Turley’s serious medical needs, Kelley willfully failed to take any reasonable steps to abate those needs. Due to the failure to act by Kelley and other GCJ staff, Ms. Turley suffered bodily injury and ultimately died.
Kelley faces a maximum penalty of life in prison and a fine of up to $250,000.
Four other former detention deputies and one former GCJ nurse previously pleaded guilty to violations of 18 U.S.C. § 242 for their roles in being deliberately indifferent to a substantial risk of serious harm to Ms. Turley. Detention Deputy Jennifer Baxter and former GCJ nurse Lynsee Noel each pleaded guilty to violating 18 U.S.C. § 242 based on their failure to take reasonable measures to help Ms. Turley get medical care for her serious medical needs. In addition, defendants Baxter and Noel – along with former Detention Deputies Vincent Matthews and Alesha Ingram – have each pleaded guilty to being deliberately indifferent to Ms. Turley’s safety when they failed to intervene and stop other inmates from assaulting Ms. Turley after the inmates became frustrated with Ms. Turley’s cries for help.
Former Detention Deputy Melissa Melton pleaded guilty to one violation of 18 U.S.C. § 242 for being deliberately indifferent to a substantial risk of serious harm to Ms. Turley due to her serious medical needs, resulting in bodily injury to Ms. Turley.
According to their plea agreements, Baxter, Noel, Matthews, Ingram, and Melton face a maximum penalty of ten years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000.
This case was investigated by the FBI’s Oklahoma City Field Office.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Julia E. Barry for the Western District of Oklahoma and Deputy Chief Christine M. Siscaretti and Trial Attorney Sarah Armstrong of the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section are prosecuting the case.
Federal Jury Convicts Former Correctional Officer of Civil Rights Violation that Resulted in Inmate's DeathRead the Press Release
OKLAHOMA CITY — A federal jury has convicted a former detention deputy at the Garvin County Jail (GCJ) in Pauls Valley, Oklahoma, for her role in being deliberately indifferent to the serious medical needs of pretrial detainee Kayla Turley, resulting in bodily injury to Ms. Turley and her death. PAULA KELLEY was convicted of one count of violating 18 U.S.C. § 242.
“This guilty verdict holds this former correctional officer accountable for her shocking failure to protect a vulnerable inmate in her care,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “By ignoring the victim’s serious medical needs, the defendant betrayed the most basic duties of her position and violated the victim’s civil rights. The Civil Rights Division has no tolerance for such abuses.”
“Correctional officers have a legal and moral obligation to ensure that individuals in their custody receive necessary medical care,” said U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester for the Western District of Oklahoma. “When that duty is deliberately ignored, resulting in serious harm or death, there must be accountability. The six convictions in this case affirm the importance of protecting the constitutional rights of those held in our detention facilities.”
“The correctional officers in this case failed to obtain clearly needed medical care for a pretrial detainee, resulting in her death. This failure to act to protect someone in their custody undermines the respect and reputation of all law enforcement,” said FBI Oklahoma City Special Agent in Charge Doug Goodwater. “This conviction, and the five other guilty pleas in this case, are a reminder that the FBI will vigorously investigate violations of civil rights to bring justice for the victims, and their friends and families.”
On June 12, 2026, following a jury trial in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Oklahoma, Kelley was found guilty of violating 18 U.S.C. § 242.
As established at trial, Kelley was on duty as a GCJ detention deputy when she learned that pretrial detainee Kayla Turley was facing serious medical needs. Despite knowing and observing Ms. Turley’s serious medical needs, Kelley willfully failed to take any reasonable steps to abate those needs. Due to the failure to act by Kelley and other GCJ staff, Ms. Turley suffered bodily injury and ultimately died.
Kelley faces a maximum penalty of life in prison and a fine of up to $250,000.
Four other former detention deputies and one former GCJ nurse previously pleaded guilty to violations of 18 U.S.C. § 242 for their roles in being deliberately indifferent to a substantial risk of serious harm to Ms. Turley. Detention Deputy JENNIFER BAXTER and former GCJ nurse LYNSEE NOEL each pleaded guilty to violating 18 U.S.C. § 242 based on their failure to take reasonable measures to help Ms. Turley get medical care for her serious medical needs. In addition, defendants Baxter and Noel – along with former Detention Deputies VINCENT MATTHEWS and ALESHA INGRAM – have each pleaded guilty to being deliberately indifferent to Ms. Turley’s safety when they failed to intervene and stop other inmates from assaulting Ms. Turley after the inmates became frustrated with Ms. Turley’s cries for help.
Former Detention Deputy MELISSA MELTON pleaded guilty to one violation of 18 U.S.C. § 242 for being deliberately indifferent to a substantial risk of serious harm to Ms. Turley due to her serious medical needs, resulting in bodily injury to Ms. Turley.
According to their plea agreements, Baxter, Noel, Matthews, Ingram, and Melton face a maximum penalty of ten years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000.
This case was investigated by the FBI’s Oklahoma City Field Office.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Julia E. Barry for the Western District of Oklahoma and Deputy Chief Christine M. Siscaretti and Trial Attorney Sarah Armstrong of the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section are prosecuting the case.
Dallas Man Sentenced to 30 Years in Federal Prison for Sex TraffickingRead the Press Release
A Dallas man who trafficked nine young women was sentenced today to 30 years in federal prison, announced United States Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Ryan Raybould.
Chase Anthony Young, 34, pled guilty to federal charges of sex trafficking through force, fraud, or coercion in October 2025. He was sentenced today to 30 years in federal prison by Senior U.S. District Judge David C. Godbey.
According to plea documents, Young admitted to causing three adult victims to engage in commercial sex by force, threats of force, fraud, or coercion. Young admitted to placing online ads for the victims, renting hotel rooms, taking the proceeds from the commercial sex acts performed by the victims, and setting pricing and rules for the victims.
At today’s sentencing, the prosecutor asked the Court to consider that Young had a total of nine identified victims of his sex trafficking organization, dating back to at least 2017. And that while Young received all the proceeds, the victims’ received beatings and scars.
Additionally, one victim’s statement was read, in part, to the Court, during the sentencing hearing. She wrote that Young made her “believe that [she] worthless and only existed to be used;” and that, “The trauma has affected every part of my life, my ability to trust, to build relationships, to feel safe, and believe in myself.” Her statement continued, “But despite everything, I am here. I am learning to heal and find myself again.” “I am speaking now because he no longer has control over my voice, I will never be silenced EVER AGAIN.”
The investigation was conducted by Homeland Security Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brandie Wade prosecuted the case.
This prosecution is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (“HSTF”) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting, the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF Dallas comprises agents and officers from Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS), Kaufman County Sheriff’s Office (KCSO), and the Internal Revenue Service (IRS).
Child Psychotherapist Sentenced to 10 Years for Distributing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Victor Renato Blythe, 61, of the District of Columbia, was sentenced to 10 years in prison in connection with his possession of 300 videos and 23,000 still images of child sexual abuse material, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
Blythe was formerly employed as a psychotherapist and specialized in working with children and adolescents. Blythe previously was employed in the Psychiatry Department at Children’s National Medical Center.
“Victor Blythe spent years hiding behind his credentials as a psychotherapist to gain the trust of vulnerable children, all while secretly collecting and trading the most exploitative images imaginable,” said U.S. Attorney Pirro. “He didn't just collect thousands of images of children being sexually abused; he encouraged others to exploit children. No sentence can undo the harm he caused, but this one ensures he is held accountable. We will continue to pursue anyone who preys on children with every tool we have.”
Blythe was found guilty on May 22, 2026, before Judge Dabney L. Friedrich during a stipulated trial to distribution of child pornography and possession of child pornography. In addition to the 10-year prison sentence, Judge Friedrich ordered Blythe to serve a lifetime of supervised release, to register as a sex offender, and to pay $71,000 in restitution. Federal prosecutors had requested a 188-month prison sentence.
According to court documents, Blythe began to collect child sexual abuse material in 2000 and attempted to sexually exploit children. For approximately six years, Blythe traded child sexual abuse material with multiple people, including a person who was later arrested for child sexual abuse.
In Blythe’s communications with that other person, Blythe detailed his sexual interest in children and advised the other individual on how to groom children for sexual abuse. For example, the other individual told Blythe that he was videochatting with a 14-year-old child for the purpose of sexual abuse and was afraid he made the child uneasy. Blythe responded, “Keep chatting with him. He will get comfortable with you video chatting once again.”
Blythe also communicated with a minor child via Skype and told him to engage in sexual acts. During the conversation, the child stated that he was 15 years old, and Blythe responded, “So?? That’s HOT!!” When the child stated “its illegal,” Blythe replied, “[n]ot for me…” Blythe then sent the child a picture of his penis.
Blythe repeatedly discussed interactions he had with children in the D.C. area and his efforts to groom them for sexual abuse. On at least one occasion in 2023, Blythe met in person with a minor child and offered to conduct therapy sessions with him. During one therapy session, Blythe asked the child about his sexuality and discussed his own sexuality with the child.
Law enforcement reviewed Blythe’s digital devices and found over 300 videos and 23,000 still images depicting the sexual abuse of children, including infants and toddlers.
This case was investigated by FBI Washington Field Office's Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force, with assistance from the Fairfax County Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Rachel Bohlen.
This case was brought as part of the Department of Justice's Project Safe Childhood initiative. In February 2006, the Attorney General created Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from online exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorney's Offices, 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 identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
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Career Offender Sentenced to 151 Months’ Imprisonment for Methamphetamine DistributionRead the Press Release
TRENTON, N.J. – An Ocean County woman was sentenced for distributing over 1,500 pills containing methamphetamine, United States Attorney Robert Frazer announced.
Denise Manco, 49, of Little Egg Harbor Township, New Jersey, pleaded guilty on May 27, 2025 before U.S. District Judge Zahid N. Quraishi in Trenton federal court to one count of distributing and possessing with the intent to distribute methamphetamine. Judge Quraishi imposed the 151-month sentence on June 8, 2026 in Trenton federal court.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
Between August 2022 through March 2023, undercover law enforcement officers executed several controlled purchases of pills from Manco. These pills were presented by Manco as containing ecstasy or MDMA, but in fact contained methamphetamine. Officers also executed a search warrant of Manco’s Ocean County residence, where officers seized a variety of controlled substances and various items associated with drug manufacturing and distribution, including binding powder, scales, and glassine bags. Manco’s prior state convictions for distribution of controlled substances and manslaughter qualified her to be sentenced as a “career offender” under the United States Sentencing Guidelines, significantly increasing her sentencing exposure.
In addition to the prison term, Judge Quraishi sentenced Manco to five years of supervised release following Manco’s term of imprisonment.
U.S. Attorney Frazer credited special agents and task force officers of the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Towanda R. Thorne-James, special agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation – Newark Division, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Stefanie Roddy, and the New Jersey Department of Corrections, under the direction of Commissioner Victory L. Kuhn, Esq., for the investigation leading to the sentencing.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan S. Garelick of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Criminal Division in Trenton.
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Defense counsel: Serguel Mawuko Akiti, Esq., of Lowther Walker LLC.
California man sentenced to more than 12 years in prison for Los Angeles-to-Dayton drug traffickingRead the Press Release
DAYTON, Ohio – Ernesto Villalobos, 48, of Los Angeles, was sentenced in U.S. District Court here today to 150 months in prison distributing kilograms of cocaine, fentanyl and methamphetamine throughout the United States, including in the Southern District of Ohio.
According to court documents, Villalobos served as the hub of a multi-state drug conspiracy for at least three years. The defendant personally packaged and shipped the drugs from his home in Los Angeles. Since at least 2021 until 2024, Villalobos mailed kilograms of drugs to Dayton, Ohio; Atlanta, Georgia; Raleigh, North Carolina; and Charleston, West Virginia. The defendant worked with a drug trafficking organization in Dayton to locally traffic the narcotics he shipped.
Packages intercepted by law enforcement between January and April 2024 included three parcels bound for Dayton containing nearly five kilograms of pure methamphetamine and more than four kilograms of fentanyl.
Villalobos was charged federally in March 2025 and pleaded guilty in July 2025.
Dominick S. Gerace II, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Jason Cromartie, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division and Joseph O. Dixon, Special Agent in Charge, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Detroit announced the sentence imposed by Senior U.S. District Court Judge Walter H. Rice. Deputy Criminal Chief Brent G. Tabacchi and Assistant United States Attorney Elizabeth L. McCormick are representing the United States in this case.
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Buffalo man pleads guilty to meth chargeRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, N.Y.–U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Julius M. Hatten, 36, of Buffalo, NY, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Richard J. Arcara to possession with intent to distribute five grams or more of methamphetamine, which carries a mandatory minimum penalty of five years in prison, a maximum of 40 years and a $5,000,000 fine.
According to the plea agreement, on September 25, 2025, law enforcement executed search warrants at an Eckhert Street residence, on the person of Julius Hatten, and on Hatten’s vehicle, seizing quantities of cocaine, methamphetamine, and fentanyl, ammunition, $21,740 in cash, and drug paraphernalia.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Matt I. Kass. The plea is the result of an investigation by the Buffalo Police Department, under the direction of Commissioner Erika Shields, the Erie County Sheriff’s Office, under the direction of Sheriff John Garcia, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Acting Special Agent-in-Charge Brendan Dunford.
Sentencing is scheduled for October 5, 2026, before Judge Arcara.
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Bridal Shop Owner Sentenced to Prison for Willfully Failing to Pay More Than $1.3M in Employment TaxesRead the Press Release
A Parker woman was sentenced today to 12 months and one day in prison for willfully failing to pay over employment taxes on behalf of the bridal shop company she owned and operated for more than a decade.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Donna M. Savoy owned and operated Donna Beth Creations, a bridal studio in Denver, Colorado. As the owner of the company, Savoy was responsible for withholding Social Security, Medicare and income taxes from her employees’ wages, paying those funds over to the IRS and filing quarterly employment tax returns with the IRS.
For more than a decade – that is, from the first quarter of 2014 through the fourth quarter of 2024 – Savoy admitted that she withheld taxes from her employees’ wages but willfully failed to pay them over to the IRS. Savoy also willfully failed to file employment tax returns for that entire period. Savoy spent the tax money she withheld from her employees on personal and business expenses. In total, Savoy caused a tax loss to the United States exceeding $1.3 million.
Savoy pleaded guilty to one count of willful failure to account for and pay over trust fund taxes.
Assistant Attorney General Colin McDonald of the Justice Department’s National Fraud Enforcement Division made the announcement.
IRS Criminal Investigation investigated the case.
Trial Attorney Stuart A. Wexler of the Criminal Division’s Tax Section prosecuted the case.
On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division (“Fraud Division”). The Fraud Division is laser-focused on investigating and prosecuting those who commit fraud against the American people. The Department’s work to combat fraud supports President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs.
Brazilian citizen charged with escape from the Buffalo Federal Detention FacilityRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Ernando Elias Orelio, 38, a citizen of Brazil, was arrested and charged by criminal complaint with escape from custody, which carries a maximum penalty of one year in prison.
According to the criminal complaint, on May 31, 2026, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) was notified that the Watervliet City Police Department, in Albany County, NY, had arrested and charged Orelio on charges of Criminal Trespass in the 2nd Degree, Criminal Obstruction of Breathing or Blood Circulation, and Harassment 2nd Degree: Physical Contact. On June 1, 2026, Orelio was arrested by ICE, Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO), served with a Warrant for Arrest of Alien and transported to the Buffalo Federal Detention Facility. Orelio is a citizen of Brazil with no legal immigration status in the United States and was confined at the detention facility for expulsion proceedings.
On June 7, 2026, personnel at the detention facility informed Homeland Security Investigations that Orelio had escaped. The complaint states that a detainee told a detention officer that Orelio climbed the fence and went onto the roof. The detention officer checked Orelio’s cell and the recreation yard but did not locate Orelio. The officer then went to the roof and located Orelio, who then jumped off the roof to the ground, and fled on foot. Orelio was captured a short time later in a nearby wooded area.
Orelio made an initial appearance this morning before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jeremiah J. McCarthy and was detained.
The case is being prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Brendan Fitzgerald. The criminal complaint is the result of an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Acting Special Agent-in-Charge Anthony Patrone, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Enforcement and Removal Operations, under the direction of Phillip Rhoney, the Batavia Police Department, under the direction of Chief Christopher Camp, and the Genesee County Sheriff’s Office, under the direction of Sheriff Joseph Graff.
The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
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Billings man pleads guilty to drug trafficking chargesRead the Press Release
BILLINGS – A Billings man who was traveling through Montana with five pounds of meth admitted to charges today, Acting U.S. Attorney Mark Steger Smith said.
Jason Daniel Schauer, 45, pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. Schauer faces 10 years in prison, a $10 million fine, five years of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.
U.S. District Magistrate Judge Timothy J. Cavan presided and will determine a sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Sentencing will be set at a later time. Schauer remained on pretrial release pending further proceedings.
The government alleged in court documents that Schauer was moving methamphetamine from Arizona to Montana.
Schauer and a companion were pulled over outside Livingston on July 3, 2025, after a Montana Highway Patrol trooper watched the pair “tear through a (gas station) parking lot at a high rate of speed.” Troopers grew suspicious that Schauer might be trafficking drugs after seeing drug paraphernalia in the car, which prompted them to seek a search warrant.
Searching the vehicle, troopers found five cellophane-wrapped bundles under the rear set of the car, weighing roughly five pounds total. DEA testing later revealed it was 2,202 grams of meth. When interviewed by the Montana Department of Criminal Investigation Schauer told agents he had paid $4,500 for the meth and that he purchased it in Phoenix from “cartel associated” individuals.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office is prosecuting the case. Montana Highway Patrol, Montana Department of Criminal Investigation and the DEA conducted the investigation.
Atlanta Attorney Sentenced to Federal Prison for Serial Tax EvasionRead the Press Release
ATLANTA - Amjad Ibrahim will serve more than a year in federal prison following his conviction for evading nearly $1.5 million in federal income taxes over a four-year span.
“Ibrahim was a licensed attorney fully aware of his legal duty to file returns and pay federal taxes. Rather than meeting his obligations and paying the taxes he owed to the government, he intentionally and deceptively concealed his income,” said U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg. “This prison sentence should send a clear message that my office will pursue, prosecute, and punish tax cheats.”
“This case sends an unmistakable message that if you try to hide income and cheat the tax system, IRS Criminal Investigation will find you,” said Special Agent in Charge Demetrius Hardeman, IRS Criminal Investigation, Atlanta Field Office. “Our special agents are highly skilled at following the money, uncovering complex schemes, and ensuring that those who try to cheat the tax system are held fully accountable.”
According to U.S. Attorney Hertzberg, the charges, and other information presented in court: Amjad Ibrahim, an attorney since 1994, willfully evaded paying federal income taxes for tax years 2016, 2017, 2018, and 2019, resulting in nearly $1.5 million in unpaid personal taxes. During those years, Ibrahim managed and earned substantial income from at least seven businesses. He sought to hide his earnings from these companies by issuing at least 70 checks to himself, totaling approximately $700,000.
On June 12, 2026, Chief U.S. District Judge Leigh Martin May sentenced Amjad Ibrahim, 60, of Johns Creek, Georgia, to one year and three months in prison to be followed by two years of supervised release. Additionally, the Court ordered Ibrahim to pay $1,934,115 in restitution to the Internal Revenue Service and a fine of $35,000. Ibrahim was convicted of three counts of tax evasion on December 16, 2024, after he pleaded guilty. As part of his plea agreement, Ibrahim was required to file back tax returns covering tax years 2016 through 2023.
This case is being investigated by the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation.
Assistant United States Attorney Kelly K. Connors and former Assistant United States Attorney Thomas Krepp prosecuted the case.
For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at [email protected] or (404) 581-6185. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.
Area Scouting America Troop Leader Charged with Production of Child ObscenityRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, MO. – Jonathan Xavier Valdez, 36, of Blue Springs, Mo., was charged in a criminal complaint filed in the U.S. District Court in Kansas City, Mo. on Saturday, June 13, 2026. Valdez had his initial appearance this afternoon.
The federal complaint charges Valdez with one count of Production of Child Obscenity involving multiple minors. According to an affidavit filed in support of the criminal complaint, Valdez, over the course of at least 10 months, manipulated clothed images of multiple minors to create nude graphic depictions of those children appearing to engage in sexually explicit conduct. Valdez has been a troop leader with Scouting America for over a year. Members of the Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated the allegations after a witness came forward on June 12, 2026, and reported having observed obscene images of minors on Valdez’s smart TV screensaver. During a subsequent search of Valdez’s residence, FBI investigators located multiple manipulated still images and videos depicting at least five minors either nude or engaged in sexually explicit conduct on Valdez’s TV, cell phone, and other devices.
At this time, investigators have not determined any alleged offenses regarding hands-on abuse by Valdez. As always, the FBI and U.S. Attorney’s Office encourage the public to report any knowledge of potential violations of federal law to 1-800-CALL-FBI or provide a tip at tips.fbi.gov.
The charges contained in this complaint are simply accusations, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charges must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney David Luna. It was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Project Safe Childhood
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."
Alexandria Man Guilty of Calling in Bomb Threat to Louis Armstrong New Orleans International AirportRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – COREY JOHNSON, age 36, of Alexandria, Louisiana, pled guilty on June 9, 2026 to an indictment charging him with willfully conveying a bomb threat, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 844(e), announced U.S. Attorney David I. Courcelle. Following his guilty plea, JOHNSON was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Jay C. Zainey to a one‑year term of probation.
According to court documents, on November 7, 2025, JOHNSON became involved in a dispute with airport personnel over parking fees while attempting to exit a parking lot at Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport. The dispute escalated to the point that deputies with the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office had to respond and address the situation. After leaving the area visibly upset, JOHNSON twice called AVCOM, the airport’s operations center, claiming there was a bomb in the airport and threatening to harm the operator. Investigators with the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office and the Federal Bureau of Investigation quickly connected these threatening calls to the earlier parking dispute, identified JOHNSON as the individual responsible, and subsequently arrested him. During the investigation, JOHNSON admitted to making the calls.
U.S. Attorney Courcelle praised the work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Jefferson Parish Sheriff's Office, and the St. Charles Parish Sheriff’s Office for their efforts in investigating this matter. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Spiro G. Latsis of the General Crimes Unit.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
210-Month Sentence for Drug Trafficker Following Successful Homeland Security Task Force ProsecutionRead the Press Release
Pensacola, Florida – Alejandro Palomino-Amador, a/k/a “Ichi”, 33, of Escondido, California was sentenced to 17.5 years in federal prison after previously pleading guilty to conspiracy to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine and 500 grams or more of a mixture containing methamphetamine. The sentence was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “Dismantling this large-scale drug trafficking operation and sending its participants to federal prison for decades-long sentences vindicates the untold devastation they inflicted upon our communities by flooding our streets with deadly poison. I deeply appreciate the outstanding investigative work that went into these cases from our state and federal law enforcement partners, and reaffirm my office’s commitment to aggressively prosecuting anyone who peddles meth, fentanyl, and other deadly narcotics in the Northern District of Florida.”
Palomino was the last defendant sentenced in a drug conspiracy case that spanned several years and resulted in the conviction of 15 defendants. Palomino was a large-volume drug dealer in southern California and he was the supplier for co-defendant Phillip Martin, who distributed methamphetamine and fentanyl to co-conspirator Ohagee Curry in Pensacola, Florida. On August 17, 2022, law enforcement officers stopped Martin on I-15 in southern California immediately after surveilling a drug deal between Palomino and Martin. Officers recovered 77 pounds of methamphetamine from Martin’s vehicle. Later that day, law enforcement searched a storage unit belonging to Palomino and found another 80 pounds of methamphetamine and over 4,000 grams of fentanyl. Martin, who had a significant criminal history, received a 40-year sentence in 2024. Curry received a 10-year sentence in 2025. Palomino was arrested late last year crossing the border between Mexico and the United States.
“Getting this transnational drug trafficker off the streets will make our North Florida communities safer as well as communities around the country,” said Special Agent in Charge Daniel Escobar, Tampa Field Division. “This multi-year investigation was successful because of our agents and great law enforcement partners. I can’t thank them enough.”
“This sentence sends a clear message that drug traffickers who bring methamphetamine and fentanyl into our communities will be held accountable,” said Sheriff Bob Johnson. “The volume of narcotics involved in this conspiracy had the potential to cause tremendous harm throughout Northwest Florida. I commend the outstanding work of our deputies and our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners whose dedication and collaboration helped dismantle this trafficking network. Together, we remain committed to protecting our citizens and keeping these deadly drugs off our streets.”
Escambia County Sheriff Chip Simmons said: “We applaud the U.S. Attorney’s Office for securing this important sentencing. Our strong partnership is delivering real results—removing dangerous criminals from our streets and making Escambia County safer for all families.”
The conviction and sentence were the result of a joint investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Santa Rosa County Sheriff’s Office, the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office, the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, the Escondido (California) Police Department, and the Riverside County (California) Sheriff’s Office with assistance from the United States Postal Inspection Service. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Walter Narramore.
This prosecution is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF comprises agents and officers from multiple agencies with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida.
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.
Saturday 13 June 2026
Romanian National Sentenced for Illegal Re-EntryRead the Press Release
St. Thomas, VI – United States Attorney Adam F. Sleeper of the District of the Virgin Islands announced today that Puiu Lacatus, 37, of Romania, was sentenced on Friday, June 12, 2026, by Chief U.S. District Court Judge Robert A. Molloy to time served—after having been detained for six months and one day—for illegally entering the United States after having been previously removed.
According to court documents, on December 11, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) agents received a tip regarding a group of illegal immigrants staying at a residence in Estate Contant. HSI agents responded to the residence in Contant to conduct surveillance and observed the defendant leave and walk towards Nisky Center. Federal agents announced themselves as “Immigration” and inquired into his nationality and whether he had status to be in the United States legally. The defendant stated that he was Romanian and did not have status to be in the United States. Agents performed further records checks that revealed that the defendant had previously been deported twice.
Agents confirmed with the Department of Homeland Security that there was no record found indicating that the defendant obtained consent from the Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security to return to the United States, and that he was a citizen of Romania.
The case was investigated by HSI with assistance from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
It was prosecuted by Criminal Chief Kyle Payne of the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of the Virgin Islands.
Friday 12 June 2026
Wausau Man Pleads Guilty to Wire Fraud and Money LaunderingRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – A Wausau man has pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in Madison to wire fraud and money laundering, according to Chadwick M. Elgersma, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin.
Stanley Pophal, 64, Wausau, Wisconsin, pleaded guilty today to defrauding investors out of $14.25 million and using investor funds to fund his lifestyle.
”Today’s plea hearing makes one thing unmistakably clear: those who prey on hardworking people through deceit and greed will face decisive consequences,” said U.S. Attorney Elgersma. “The United States Attorney’s Office is committed to pursuing financial criminals wherever they hide, and we will never hesitate to bring the full weight of the justice system against anyone who abuses the public’s trust. I applaud the investigators for their hard work and commitment to holding Pophal accountable for his crimes.”
“Stanley Pophal built a façade of wealth and success, then used that illusion to convince people to hand over their hard-earned money,” said Adam Jobes, Special Agent in Charge, IRS Criminal Investigation, Chicago Field Office. “Instead of investing those funds as promised, he spent them financing a lifestyle he could not afford and kept the scheme alive by using new victims’ money to make payments to earlier investors. We will continue pursuing criminals who enrich themselves at the expense of honest people and hold them accountable for the damage they leave behind.”
“The FBI will always follow the money to root out investment fraud schemes. Stanley Pophal operated a multiyear scheme in which he made false promises to investors. His actions led to the victimization of people while Pophal pocketed their money. Pophal then spent victims’ money to fund his personal life and hobbies to include payment of his mortgage and purchasing hundreds of snowmobiles,” said FBI Milwaukee Special Agent in Charge Alan Karr. “In addition to Pophal’s guilty plea, he will be ordered to pay significant financial restitution. The FBI is committed to working with our partners to bring those who seek to enrich themselves by taking advantage of others to justice.”
According to court documents, between May 2019 and June 2025, Pophal, using the business name Bright with Silver, Inc. (formerly DBA Fromm Bros., Inc.), offered investment opportunities; including cryptocurrency, real estate flipping, artificial intelligence technology, gold, silver, and emeralds. Pophal convinced most investors to sign investment contracts, which he styled as promissory notes. The promissory notes guaranteed investors a rate of return of at least 20%. Pophal told investors that he was able to secure high rates of return because he had connections in the finance, commodities, and real estate sectors.
Pophal also repeatedly told investors that even if his investments on their behalf were not successful, their investment principal was never at risk because he had enough personal wealth to repay each investor's principal. He told investors that he had accumulated his wealth through past business and investment success. In fact, Pophal’s claims of past business success were exaggerated, and his claims of vast personal wealth were false. Pophal never had sufficient funds to personally guarantee each investor’s principal.
Pophal used the vast majority of money he received from investors to pay his personal and business expenses, fund personal travel, pay his mortgage, rent a private plane, and purchase snowmobiles, motorcycles, and vehicles.
To further the fraud scheme, Pophal made “ponzi” payments to early victims, falsely representing the payments to be investment returns or interest, when in truth the payments were comprised of funds from new investors.
Pophal will be sentenced by U.S. District Judge William M. Conley on September 2, 2026.
As part of the investigation, law enforcement agents seized more than 600 items Pophal purchased using investor funds. The items included hundreds of snowmobiles, which Pophal stored in a rented warehouse. Two photos from that warehouse are below. As part of his plea agreement with the government, Pophal agreed to forfeit these items. Public auction of these assets will occur at a later date.
The charges against Pophal are a result of an investigation by IRS Criminal Investigation and the FBI. The prosecution is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney Meredith P. Duchemin.
Waterloo Teen Sentenced to Federal Prison for Possessing GunsRead the Press Release
A convicted felon from Waterloo who possessed a gun was sentenced June 11, 2026, to two years in federal prison.
Oliver Lee Buls, 19, from Waterloo, Iowa, received the prison term after a January 16, 2026, guilty plea to Possession of a Firearm by a Felon.
Evidence at the plea and sentencing hearings showed that Buls was the passenger in a car that police officers stopped in May 2025. Officers searched the car after smelling the odor of marijuana. During the search, officers found a loaded Glock 9mm handgun underneath Buls’ seat. The gun was loaded with a high-capacity magazine. Officers also found a loaded Palmetto State Dagger 9mm handgun under the hood of the car. The Palmetto also contained a high-capacity magazine and had a machine gun conversion device, or “switch,” affixed to it. The “switch” allowed the gun to operate as a fully automatic firearm. Buls’ DNA was found on both guns. Buls was part of a social media group, which included juveniles, that posted videos of themselves playing with guns. Buls was on probation at the time he possessed the guns after being convicted of the felony offense of interference with official acts with a firearm. His probation for that conviction was revoked.
Buls was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams. Buls was sentenced to 24 months’ imprisonment. He was ordered to pay a $100 special assessment fee. He must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ashley Corkery and investigated by the Waterloo Police Department, the Bureau of Alcohol,
Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
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.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 25-CR-2038.
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United States Seizes Domain Names Publishing Nude Digital Forgeries of Famous WomenRead the Press Release
Yesterday, the U.S. Departments of Justice and Homeland Security seized the domains CFAKE.com and SOCFAKE.com, which are domains that were being used to publish thousands of digitally forged images and videos depicting famous women as nude and sometimes engaged in sexual activity, without their consent. According to the probable cause affidavit supporting the seizure warrants, the digital forgeries were made to appear to be sexual images of famous women, including politicians, first ladies of multiple countries, royalty, journalists, television presenters, athletes, entertainers, and others. The website allowed people to browse by tags that included topics like “rape,” “forced,” and “degradation.”
“These domain seizures mark a significant victory in the fight against deepfake pornography,” said Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche. “The TAKE IT DOWN Act, championed by First Lady Melania Trump, gives us the tools we need to combat the abuse and exploitation of women and children through these fabricated images. The Department of Justice will vigorously enforce this law and deliver justice for victims.”
“These groundbreaking seizures are a massive win against deepfake pornography,” said U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Markwayne Mullin. “The TAKE IT DOWN Act was a priority for First Lady Melania Trump to stop the abuse and exploitation of women and children. This is the first of many wins to stop these deepfake pornographic websites.”
“Taking down CFAKE.com and SOCFAKE.com halted the publication of non‑consensual, sexually explicit digital forgeries that harmed the women they depicted,” said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “We were honored to be part of this coordinated international operation and to help halt this ongoing abuse. The Criminal Division stands ready to enforce the TAKE IT DOWN Act to uphold basic principles of consent and human dignity.”
“These seizures stopped a website that trafficked in humiliation, exploitation, and the violation of personal privacy on a massive scale,” said U.S. Attorney Robert Frazer for the District of New Jersey. “For the victims whose images were distributed without their consent, the harm is not virtual — it is deeply personal and often enduring. Through sophisticated cyber investigative work and close coordination with our domestic and international law enforcement partners, including authorities in France, this Office played a key role in disrupting the infrastructure that enabled this conduct. Those who use the internet to exploit others should not mistake online anonymity for immunity.”
By issuing a federal warrant to seize the domains, a federal judge found probable cause to believe that the domains were being used to commit federal criminal violations of the TAKE IT DOWN Act, a statute enacted in May 2025. The TAKE IT DOWN Act makes it a federal crime to publish digital forgeries that appear to depict an identifiable adult in a sexually explicit manner without the depicted person’s consent, when what is depicted is not a matter of public concern, and the posting is meant to cause harm or actually harms the person.
The website was brought to the attention of U.S. law enforcement by Italy’s Polizia di Stato -Postal and Cybersecurity Police. The United States investigated and developed evidence that it was able to share with French authorities through use of the Budapest Convention on Cybercrime. The Paris Public Prosecutor’s Office, Cybercrime Section (J3) and French gendarmerie (Section de recherches de Paris) then conducted their own parallel investigation, resulting in an arrest on June 10 in Nice, France on French criminal charges along with seizures of cryptocurrency.
The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) New Jersey Field Office is leading the investigation, with assistance provided by HSI Rome, the DHS Cybercrime Lab, and the Department of Justice’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section (CCIPS), the CCIPS Cybercrime Lab, and Office of International Affairs.
Deputy Chief for Computer Crime Michael “Mick” Stawasz and Trial Attorney Vasantha Rao of the Criminal Division’s CCIPS and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Andrew M. Trombly, Deputy Chief of the Criminal Division for the District of New Jersey and Benjamin Levin, Chief of the Cybercrime Unit for the District of New Jersey are handling the litigation.
Significant assistance in this investigation was provided by the Criminal Division’s Money Laundering, Narcotics and Forfeiture Section. The United States also thanks France and Italy for their coordination in this matter.
United States Seizes Domain Names Publishing Nude Digital Forgeries of Famous WomenRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – Yesterday, the United States Departments of Justice and Homeland Security Investigations seized the domains CFAKE.com and SOCFAKE.com, which are domains that were being used to publish hundreds of thousands of deepfake pornographic images and videos of women without their consent, announced U.S. Attorney Robert Frazer. The digital forgeries were made to appear to be sexual images of female celebrities, including heads of state, first ladies of multiple countries, royalty, legislators, government officials, journalists, television presenters, athletes, entertainers, and others. The website allowed people to browse by tags that included topics like “rape,” “forced,” “degradation,” and “slave.”
“These seizures stopped a website that trafficked in humiliation, exploitation, and the violation of personal privacy on a massive scale. For the victims whose images were distributed without their consent, the harm is not virtual—it is deeply personal and often enduring. Through sophisticated cyber investigative work and close coordination with our domestic and international law enforcement partners, including authorities in France, this Office played a key role in disrupting the infrastructure that enabled this conduct. Those who use the internet to exploit others should not mistake online anonymity for immunity.”
- U.S. Attorney Robert Frazer
By issuing a federal warrant to seize the domains, a federal judge found probable cause to believe that the domains were being used to commit federal criminal violations of the TAKE IT DOWN Act, which makes it a federal crime to publish digital forgeries that appear to depict someone in a sexually explicit manner without the depicted person’s consent. The First Lady of the United States championed the law. This is the first seizure of a domain for violating the TAKE IT DOWN Act.
According to documents filed in these cases and statements made in court:
Italian officials brought the website to the attention of U.S. law enforcement. The United States investigated and developed evidence that it was able to share with French authorities through use of the Budapest Convention on Cybercrime. The Paris Public Prosecutor’s Office Cybercrime Division and French Gendarmerie Nationale then conducted their own parallel investigation, resulting in an arrest this morning in Nice, France on French criminal charges.
“These domain seizures mark a significant victory in the fight against deepfake pornography,” said Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche. “The TAKE IT DOWN Act, championed by First Lady Melania Trump, gives us the tools we need to combat the abuse and exploitation of women and children through these fabricated images. The Department of Justice will vigorously enforce this law and deliver justice for victims.”
“This groundbreaking seizure is a massive win against deepfake pornography,” said U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Markwayne Mullin. “The TAKE IT DOWN Act was a priority for First Lady Melania Trump to stop the abuse and exploitation of women and children. This is the first of many wins to stop these deepfake pornographic websites.”
“Taking down CFAKE.com halted the publication of non‑consensual, sexually explicit digital forgeries that harmed the women they depicted,” said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “We were honored to be part of this coordinated international operation and to help halt this ongoing abuse. The Criminal Division stands ready to enforce the TAKE IT DOWN Act to uphold basic principles of consent and human dignity.”
By issuing a federal warrant to seize the domains, a federal judge found probable cause to believe that the domains were being used to commit federal criminal violations of the TAKE IT DOWN Act, a statute enacted in May 2025. The TAKE IT DOWN Act makes it a federal crime to publish digital forgeries that appear to depict an identifiable adult in a sexually explicit manner without the depicted person’s consent, when what is depicted is not a matter of public concern, and the posting is meant to cause harm or actually harms the person.
The website was brought to the attention of U.S. law enforcement by Italy’s Polizia di Stato -Postal and Cybersecurity Police. The United States investigated and developed evidence that it was able to share with French authorities through use of the Budapest Convention on Cybercrime. The Paris Public Prosecutor’s Office, Cybercrime Section (J3) and French gendarmerie (Section de recherches de Paris) then conducted their own parallel investigation, resulting in an arrest on June 10, 2026in Nice, France on French criminal charges along with seizures of cryptocurrency.
U.S. Attorney Frazer would like to thank U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) New Jersey Field Office, which is leading the investigation, with assistance provided by the DHS Cybercrime Lab and the Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section (CCIPS) Cybercrime Lab.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Andrew M. Trombly, Deputy Chief of the Criminal Division and Benjamin Levin, Chief of the Cybercrime Unit for the District of New Jersey and Deputy Chief for Computer Crime Michael “Mick” Stawasz and Trial Attorney Vasantha Rao of the Criminal Division’s CCIPS are handling the litigation.
Significant assistance in this investigation was provided by the Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs and the Criminal Division’s Money Laundering, Narcotics and Forfeiture Section. The United States also thanks France for their coordination in this matter.
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cfake.seizurewarrant.pdfUkrainian National Pleads Guilty to Wire Fraud Conspiracy in Connection with Conti RansomwareRead the Press Release
NASHVILLE — Following his extradition from Ireland, Oleksii Oleksiyovych Lytvynenko, 44, a Ukrainian national, pleaded guilty on Wednesday to conspiracy to commit wire fraud in connection with a conspiracy to deploy Conti, a ransomware variant that infected more than 1,000 computers and networks worldwide.
“Targeting transnational criminal organizations who victimize American citizens with these outrageous ransomware attacks are 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. “These criminal enterprises are sophisticated, but our prosecutors are up to this challenge and are dedicated to rooting these thieves out and holding them accountable.”
“The defendant and his conspirators used the Conti ransomware to terrorize people and businesses in the United States and around the world, causing millions of dollars in damage,” said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Ransomware continues to pose a threat to all business organizations, from critical infrastructure to small businesses. The Justice Department will continue to work with international partners to bring to justice anyone, anywhere who attacks the United States with ransomware.”
“Lytvynenko’s guilty plea is a significant step toward holding cyber criminals accountable for the damage they inflict on victims worldwide,” said Assistant Director Brett Leatherman of the FBI’s Cyber Division. “Lytvynenko profited from fear and coercion, conspiring to use Conti ransomware to extort victims and steal their data. This case demonstrates that the FBI and our partners will relentlessly pursue those responsible for cybercrimes, regardless of where they operate, and bring them to justice.”
“This guilty plea is a powerful reminder that cybercriminals — whether acting alone or as part of a larger group — cannot hide behind their keyboards or international borders,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Andrew Forrest of the U.S. Secret Service (USSS) Criminal Investigative Division. “While this individual played a role in a group responsible for significant harm, this guilty plea demonstrates our commitment to tracking down every member of these criminal networks. The Secret Service will continue to work with our partners here and around the world to disrupt ransomware operations and ensure those responsible are held accountable.”
According to court documents, Lytvynenko, of Cork, Ireland, conspired with others to deploy Conti ransomware to extort victims and steal their data. Court filings allege the conspirators hacked into victims’ computers and networks, encrypted data, and demanded a ransom to restore the victims’ access to their files and to avoid public disclosure of the stolen information. From 2020 until 2022, Conti was used to attack computers and networks in 47 states, 31 foreign countries, as well as the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. The FBI estimates that, as of January 2022, Conti ransomware attacks resulted in at least $150 million in ransom payments.
Lytvynenko admitted to joining the Conti conspiracy no later than approximately September 2021. He admitted to possessing data from eight U.S. and four overseas victims which had been stolen by Conti conspirators. Lytvynenko further admitted to joining a team run by a Conti conspirator during which time Lytvynenko was directed to work on coding a “loader,” which is typically a type of malware, or malicious software, that is used to load programs necessary to execute other malicious attacks.
Lytvynenko pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud. He is scheduled to be sentenced on Sept. 10, 2026, and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
In September 2023, an indictment charging four other Conti conspirators was unsealed in the Middle District of Tennessee.
The FBI’s San Diego, Nashville, and El Paso Field Offices and the U.S. Secret Service are investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Taylor Phillips of the Middle District of Tennessee, and Trial Attorney Sonia V. Jimenez of the Justice Department’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section (CCIPS) are prosecuting the case.
The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs, the Irish Department of Justice, Home Affairs, and Migration, the Irish Office of the Attorney General and the Garda National Cyber Crime Bureau provided valuable assistance to secure the arrest and extradition of Lytvynenko.
CCIPS investigates and prosecutes cybercrime and intellectual property (IP) crime in coordination with domestic and international law enforcement agencies, often with assistance from the private sector. Since 2020, CCIPS has secured the conviction of over 180 cyber and IP criminals, and court orders for the return of over $350 million in victim funds.
This action is part of Operation Riptide, an ongoing FBI campaign targeting the criminal actors, infrastructure, and financial networks behind cybercrime, cyber-enabled crime, and fraud against the American people. Last year, Americans reported over $20 billion in losses to cybercrime, a 26 percent single-year increase. Operation Riptide is the FBI's sustained enforcement response to that threat.
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Ukrainian National Pleads Guilty to Wire Fraud Conspiracy in Connection with Conti RansomwareRead the Press Release
Following his extradition from Ireland, Oleksii Oleksiyovych Lytvynenko, 44, a Ukrainian national, pleaded guilty on Wednesday to conspiracy to commit wire fraud in connection with a conspiracy to deploy Conti, a ransomware variant that infected more than 1,000 computers and networks worldwide.
“The defendant and his conspirators used the Conti ransomware to terrorize people and businesses in the United States and around the world, causing millions of dollars in damage,” said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Ransomware continues to pose a threat to all business organizations, from critical infrastructure to small businesses. The Justice Department will continue to work with international partners to bring to justice anyone, anywhere who attacks the United States with ransomware.”
“Targeting transnational criminal organizations who victimize American citizens with these outrageous ransomware attacks are 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. “These criminal enterprises are sophisticated, but our prosecutors are up to this challenge and are dedicated to rooting these thieves out and holding them accountable.”
“Lytvynenko’s guilty plea is a significant step toward holding cyber criminals accountable for the damage they inflict on victims worldwide,” said Assistant Director Brett Leatherman of the FBI’s Cyber Division. “Lytvynenko profited from fear and coercion, conspiring to use Conti ransomware to extort victims and steal their data. This case demonstrates that the FBI and our partners will relentlessly pursue those responsible for cybercrimes, regardless of where they operate, and bring them to justice.”
“This guilty plea is a powerful reminder that cybercriminals — whether acting alone or as part of a larger group — cannot hide behind their keyboards or international borders,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Andrew Forrest of the U.S. Secret Service (USSS) Criminal Investigative Division. “While this individual played a role in a group responsible for significant harm, this guilty plea demonstrates our commitment to tracking down every member of these criminal networks. The Secret Service will continue to work with our partners here and around the world to disrupt ransomware operations and ensure those responsible are held accountable.”
According to court documents, Lytvynenko, of Cork, Ireland, conspired with others to deploy Conti ransomware to extort victims and steal their data. Court filings allege the conspirators hacked into victims’ computers and networks, encrypted data, and demanded a ransom to restore the victims’ access to their files and to avoid public disclosure of the stolen information. From 2020 until 2022, Conti was used to attack computers and networks in 47 states, 31 foreign countries, as well as the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. The FBI estimates that, as of January 2022, Conti ransomware attacks resulted in at least $150 million in ransom payments.
Lytvynenko admitted to joining the Conti conspiracy no later than approximately September 2021. He admitted to possessing data from eight U.S. and four overseas victims which had been stolen by Conti conspirators. Lytvynenko further admitted to joining a team run by a Conti conspirator during which time Lytvynenko was directed to work on coding a “loader,” which is typically a type of malware, or malicious software, that is used to load programs necessary to execute other malicious attacks.
Lytvynenko pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud. He is scheduled to be sentenced on Sept. 10, 2026, and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
In September 2023, an indictment charging four other Conti conspirators was unsealed in the Middle District of Tennessee.
The FBI’s San Diego, Nashville, and El Paso Field Offices and the U.S. Secret Service are investigating the case.
Trial Attorney Sonia V. Jimenez of the Justice Department’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section (CCIPS), and Assistant U.S. Attorney Taylor Phillips for the Middle District of Tennessee are prosecuting the case.
The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs, the Irish Department of Justice, Home Affairs, and Migration, the Irish Office of the Attorney General and the Garda National Cyber Crime Bureau provided valuable assistance to secure the arrest and extradition of Lytvynenko.
CCIPS investigates and prosecutes cybercrime and intellectual property (IP) crime in coordination with domestic and international law enforcement agencies, often with assistance from the private sector. Since 2020, CCIPS has secured the conviction of over 180 cyber and IP criminals, and court orders for the return of over $350 million in victim funds.
This action is part of Operation Riptide, an ongoing FBI campaign targeting the criminal actors, infrastructure, and financial networks behind cybercrime, cyber-enabled crime, and fraud against the American people. Last year, Americans reported over $20 billion in losses to cybercrime, a 26 percent single-year increase. Operation Riptide is the FBI's sustained enforcement response to that threat.
USP Allenwood Inmate Charged with Possessing WeaponRead the Press Release
WILLIAMSPORT- The United States Attorney’s office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Kareem Martin, 38, an inmate in USP Allenwood, was indicted on June 11, 2026, by a federal grand jury for possessing a weapon in prison.
According to United States Attorney Brian D. Miller, the indictment charges Martin with one count of possessing contraband in prison. Martin was allegedly in possession of an inmate-manufactured knife, six inches in length.
The Federal Bureau of Prisons and the Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Robin Zenzinger is prosecuting the case.
The maximum penalty under federal law for these offenses is 5 years’ imprisonment and a fine. A sentence following the finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
Indictments are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.
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U.S. Attorney’s Office Filed 75 Border-Related Cases This WeekRead the Press Release
SAN DIEGO – Federal prosecutors in the Southern District of California filed 75 border-related cases this week, including charges of bringing in aliens for financial gain, reentering the U.S. after deportation, and importation of controlled substances.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of California is the fourth-busiest federal district, largely due to a high volume of border-related crimes. This district, encompassing San Diego and Imperial counties, shares a 140-mile border with Mexico. It includes the San Ysidro Port of Entry, the world’s busiest land border crossing, connecting San Diego (America’s eighth largest city) and Tijuana (Mexico’s second largest city).
In addition to reactive border-related crimes, the Southern District of California also prosecutes a significant number of proactive cases related to terrorism, organized crime, drugs, white-collar fraud, violent crime, cybercrime, human trafficking and national security. Recent developments in those and other significant areas of prosecution can be found here.
A sample of border-related arrests this week:
- On June 6, Ana Sanchez, a United States citizen, was arrested and charged with Importation of a Controlled Substance. According to a complaint, Customs and Border Protection officers at the San Ysidro Port of Entry discovered 31 pounds of fentanyl and 21 pounds hidden in the seats and quarter panels of her car. She was previously convicted of the federal offense of importing drugs into the Southern District in 2018.
- On June 9, Carlos Nunez-Valdivia, a Mexican national, was arrested and charged with Attempted Entry after Deportation . According to a complaint, Nunez-Valdivia applied for admission to the United States at the Otay Mesa Port of Entry by falsely claiming to be a lawful permanent resident. He has been previously deported at least three times.
- On June 9, Victor Manuel Garcia-Ramirez, a United States citizen, was arrested and charged with Bringing in Aliens for Financial Gain. According to a complaint, Garcia-Ramirez attempted to smuggle two undocumented Chinese nationals into the United States at the San Ysidro Port of Entry inside a non-factory compartment built beneath the undercarriage of a Nissan Armada.
The immigration cases were referred or supported by federal law enforcement partners, including Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE ERO), Customs and Border Protection, U.S. Border Patrol, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS), and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), with the support and assistance of state and local law enforcement partners.
Indictments and criminal complaints are merely allegations and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
U.S. Attorney's Office and FBI Issue Warning over Use of Drones During 2026 FIFA World CupRead the Press Release
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Texas and FBI Dallas are jointly promoting the importance of drone safety and flight restrictions.
The information below is intended to raise awareness among the public at large, help to ensure the safety of fans, and also serve as a deterrence.
During the 2026 FIFA World Cup, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has imposed a Temporary Flight Restriction over multiple locations in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex. These temporary flight restrictions temporarily restrict all aircraft – airplanes, helicopters, and unmanned aircraft systems (UAS, more commonly known as “drones”) – from flying over a specific geographic area.
On each match day, a temporary flight restriction will be in effect over AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. AT&T Stadium will be known as “Dallas Stadium” during the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The flight restriction will span a 3-nautical-mile radius from AT&T Stadium, up to 3,000 feet, and will take effect 3 hours before the start of each match and will conclude 3 hours after the end of each match.
During the FIFA Fan Festival, taking place from June 11, 2026, through July 19, 2026, a temporary flight restriction will be in place over Fair Park in Dallas, Texas, for each day of the Fan Festival. The flight restriction will span a 1-nautical-mile radius from the Dos Equis Pavilion in Fair Park, up to 1,000 feet, and will be in effect 1 hour before the start of the festival each day and 1 hour after the festival concludes each day.
While these temporary flight restrictions are in place, the flying of any drone or other aircraft or UAS will be forbidden unless prior approval is obtained from the FAA. Violators will be subject to federal prosecution, imprisonment, fines, and/or forfeiture of their drone or UAS.
To avoid committing criminal federal violations, all drone pilots are reminded and warned of their responsibility to:
1. Register and label your drone and obtain a Part 107 pilot’s license from the FAA before operating your drone in any flight-restricted airspace;
2. Register and label your drone and obtain a Part 107 pilot’s license before operating your drone in any capacity other than as a FAA-designated recreational pilot (including when flying for commercial purposes or for footage that may be monetized);
3. Obtain a TRUST certificate from the FAA to be carried with you at all times that you are piloting your drone for recreational purposes only; and
4. Familiarize yourself with airspace classifications and restrictions (including temporary flight restrictions and Notices to Airmen or “NOTAMs”) before piloting your drone for any purpose to avoid flying in any flight-restricted airspace, or, if necessary, to seek permission and approval before flying in any flight-restricted airspace.
As part of ongoing drone enforcement, the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Texas has prosecuted numerous individuals for illegally flying unmanned aircraft systems (drones) in restricted areas, announced United States Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Ryan Raybould.
The cases are as follows:
• David Flores, 3:25-CR-329-B, pled guilty to one felony count of Operation of an Unregistered Drone and was sentenced to time served (a period of about five months’ imprisonment);• David Fowler, 3:25-CR-231-L, pled guilty to one felony count of Operation of an Unregistered Drone, set for sentencing on June 23, 2026;
• Melvin Mitchell III, 4:26-CR-162-O, charged via indictment with one felony count of Operating as an Airman Without an Airman’s Certificate, case is currently pending;
• Ernesto Villanueva Gonzalez, 4:25-CR-149-BJ – pled guilty to one count of Violation of National Defense Airspace and sentenced to time served (approximately two months’ imprisonment) and a monetary fine;
• Jason Carvell Banner, 4:24-CR-159-BJ, pled guilty to one count of Violation of National Defense Airspace for flying a drone over the Texas Rangers Ballpark, sentenced to 25 months’ probation and a monetary fine;
• Scott Lorenzen, 3:24-CR-502-BK, pled guilty to one count of Violation of National Defense Airspace and sentenced to six months’ probation;
• Shawn Yang, 4:26-CR-42-BJ, pled guilty to one count of Violation of National Defense Airspace and ordered to pay a monetary fine;
• Vincent Paolella, 4:26-CR-148-BJ, charged via criminal information with one count of Violation of National Defense Airspace, case is currently pending; and
• Jasson Longoria, 4:26-CR-149-BJ, charged via criminal information with one count of Violation of National Defense Airspace, case is currently pending.
“We want the 2026 FIFA World Cup fans to have a world class time while they are in the DFW metroplex. When someone makes a decision to fly a drone over restricted airspace, they are wasting valuable law enforcement resources and jeopardizing the safety and overall experience of those who are there to watch the beautiful game. Please remember that you cannot fly a drone at or near the Dallas Stadium and FIFA Fan Festival, as they are no-fly zones,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan Raybould. “If you choose to ignore this warning, understand that we’ll be ready for you and you will be prosecuted.”
“It is the drone operator’s responsibility to understand where Temporary Flight Restrictions exist. Before you fly a drone, I strongly encourage you to check for active flight restrictions using an FAA-approved B4UFLY service provider,” said FBI Dallas Special Agent in Charge R. Joseph Rothrock. “To ensure the safety of the World Cup events, we will use our full suite of capabilities to identify drone operators violating TFRs, seize their drones, and support their prosecution.
A complaint, an information, and an indictment are merely an allegations of criminal conduct, not evidence. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
See a drone breaking the rules? Blow the whistle! Report it to 911, on-site law enforcement, or the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI.
Two Men Charged in Connection with 2025 Scheme to Rob and Murder Bronx VictimRead the Press Release
United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Jay Clayton, Assistant Director in Charge of the New York Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), James C. Barnacle, Jr., and Commissioner of the New York City Police Department (“NYPD”), Jessica S. Tisch, announced today the unsealing of an Indictment charging LENYN TORIBIO and WELFY ESPINAL with interstate stalking resulting in death and conspiracy to commit interstate stalking resulting in death in connection with the April 13, 2025, murder of Jeremy Ortega in a residential neighborhood in the Bronx. ESPINAL was arrested this morning in New Jersey and was presented before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jennifer E. Willis, who ordered him detained. TORIBIO remains at large. The case has been assigned to U.S. District Judge Jennifer L. Rochon.
“As alleged, Lenyn Toribio and Welfy Espinal intentionally surveilled and tracked Jeremy Ortega before he was fatally shot in front of his own home—over little more than a bag of diamond jewelry,” said U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton. “New Yorkers deserve to live in neighborhoods free of gun violence. This Office will stop at nothing to hold accountable those who inflict violence on others.”
“As alleged, the stalking and killing of an innocent victim by Lenyn Toribio and Welfy Espinal is horrifying,” said FBI Assistant Director in Charge James C. Barnacle, Jr. “Along with our local partners, the FBI will relentlessly pursue depraved individuals who threaten the safety of our citizens.”
“These defendants orchestrated a scheme to place a GPS tracking device on their victim’s car and followed him for days, ultimately leading to his death,” said NYPD Commissioner Jessica S. Tisch. “Despite attempts to evade law enforcement by using a stolen license plate from a parked car, NYPD investigators worked tirelessly to identify, arrest, and bring those responsible to justice. I am thankful to our partners at the FBI and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York for their hard work in holding these criminals accountable.”
According to the allegations in the Indictment and other public filings:
From at least March 2025 through April 13, 2025, TORIBIO and ESPINAL—and other co-conspirators—agreed to, and in fact did, engage in a scheme to surveil Ortega using a GPS tracking device with the intent to rob him, ultimately killing him.
On or about March 28, 2025, TORIBIO activated a GPS tracking device subscribed in his own name. A few days later, ESPINAL adhered that GPS tracker (the “Tracker”) to Ortega’s vehicle as it was parked outside of his residence in the Bronx. The next day, TORIBIO and ESPINAL went to a particular nightclub in upper Manhattan, where Ortega was also located, wearing various items of diamond jewelry.
Less than 10 days later, beginning on or about April 12, 2025, TORIBIO and ESPINAL surveilled Ortega as he traveled to a restaurant in midtown Manhattan, and then they traveled to his neighborhood to conduct surveillance of the area before the murder. TORIBIO and ESPINAL departed the area before returning to Ortega’s neighborhood, where they positioned themselves in anticipation of his arrival. Just over an hour later, Ortega parked in front of his residence and exited his car. Moments after he arrived home, he was chased, shot repeatedly, and robbed of a bag containing his diamond jewelry. In the hours after the murder, the Tracker was recovered from the underside of Ortega’s car.
At different points on the night of the murder, TORIBIO and ESPINAL used multiple vehicles, as well as a license plate stolen from an uninvolved vehicle parked near the George Washington Bridge, to attempt to avoid detection and apprehension by law enforcement.
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TORIBIO, 27, of New York, New York, and ESPINAL, 25, of the Bronx, New York, are each charged with one count of interstate stalking resulting in death and aiding and abetting the same, which carries a maximum sentence of life in prison, as well as one count of conspiracy to commit interstate stalking, which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison.
The maximum potential sentences in this case are prescribed by Congress and provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendants will be determined by a judge.
Mr. Clayton praised the outstanding investigative work of the NYPD, including law enforcement officers from the 45th Precinct and Bronx Homicide Squad, and the Special Agents and Task Force Officers from the FBI’s Violent Threat Initiative.
The case is being handled by the Office’s Violent Organizations and Crime Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kathryn Wheelock is in charge of the prosecution.
The charges contained in the Indictment are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless or until proven guilty.
^
As the introductory phrase signifies, the Indictment, and the description of the Indictment set forth herein, constitute only allegations, and every fact described should be treated as an allegation.
Two Men Arrested on Federal Charges in Connection with Armed Robbery of Hinsdale Convenience StoreRead the Press Release
Two Men Arrested on Federal Charges in Connection with Armed Robbery of Hinsdale Convenience Store
CONCORD – Two men were arrested today, June 12, 2026, on federal charges stemming from the March 15, 2026 armed robbery of a convenience store in Hinsdale, New Hampshire, United States Attorney Erin Creegan announced today.
Richard Conner, 64, of Worcester, MA, and James Ferguson, 66, of Greenfield, MA, are each charged by criminal complaint with interference with commerce by robbery (Hobbs Act robbery), in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1951.
According to the charging documents, on the night of March 15, 2026, at approximately 10:40 p.m., two masked men entered the T-Bird Mini Mart in Hinsdale, New Hampshire. One of the men allegedly brandished a firearm at store employees while the pair stole merchandise, including cigarettes, from the store. The men then allegedly fled the scene in a stolen U-Haul box truck, traveling south on Interstate 91 into Vermont. Investigators recovered stolen merchandise that fell from the vehicle along the getaway route. The U-Haul was discovered on fire and abandoned in Orange, Massachusetts. Some of the visual evidence of the allegations included in the complaint appears below.
Richard Conner and James Ferguson were arrested in Massachusetts without incident and will make their initial appearances in federal court at a future date.
The charge of Hobbs Act robbery provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $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.
Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Marin, Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles DeJoie, and paralegal specialist Hayley Orlando are prosecuting the case.
Two Life Prison Sentences for Major Athens Methamphetamine Dealer in Homeland Security Task Force CaseRead the Press Release
MACON, Ga. – The man who distributed hundreds of kilograms of methamphetamine from the Rapid Lube in Athens where he worked, covertly stashing boxes in the shop, was sentenced to life in prison today as part of a Homeland Security Task Force investigation into a cross-border drug ring moving thousands of kilograms of drugs from Mexico in boxes of jalapeños to a conversion lab in Monroe, Georgia.
James Len Ramey, 54, of Comer, Georgia, was sentenced to serve two life sentences in federal prison, one for each count to be served concurrently, after he previously pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine on Oct. 14, 2025. His federal sentence will be served consecutively to his undischarged terms of imprisonment in Habersham County, Georgia, Superior Court Case No. 13CR165RS and Lumpkin County, Georgia, Superior Court Case No. 2013CR183JP. U.S. District Judge Tilman E. “Tripp” Self III presided over the case. There is no parole in the federal system.
“Mexican drug cartels rely on local collaborators to move deadly illegal substances into our country and distribute them, like James Ramey. Without these willing participants, these poisons would never cross the border or devastate lives here,” said U.S. Attorney William R. “Will” Keyes. “The Homeland Security Task Force is focused on dismantling violent organizations, and with our law enforcement partners, we will keep bringing every member to justice to protect our communities.”
"This investigation is a prime example of the critical work being done to dismantle violent drug trafficking organizations that operate with impunity, bringing dangerous narcotics into our communities,” said Marlo Graham, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Atlanta Office. “The FBI’s role in this investigation, alongside our dedicated federal, state and local law enforcement partners, has led to the disruption of a significant methamphetamine operation and the arrest of multiple individuals responsible for poisoning our communities.”
“Ramey pleaded guilty to conspiracy and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine,” said HSI Atlanta Special Agent in Charge Steven N. Schrank. “He used his job at Rapid Lube, obtained through a prison work-release program, as a cover for trafficking. After his arrest, nearly 14 kilograms of meth were found hidden at the shop. By targeting every level of these operations — from international suppliers to local distributors — the Homeland Security Task Force is making our neighborhoods safer and sending a clear message that drug trafficking will not be tolerated.”
“Methamphetamine destroys families, fuels violent crime and erodes the safety of our neighborhoods,” said Jae W. Chung, Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Atlanta Field Division. “By taking down this network of a dozen traffickers, we’re not just removing drugs, we’re removing the source of addiction, exploitation and tragedy in our communities.”
“This investigation underscores the power of collaboration between federal, state, and local partners to dismantle large-scale drug trafficking operations that threaten our communities,” said GBI Director Chris Hosey. “The sheer volume of methamphetamine seized in this case represents thousands of lives that could have been destroyed. The GBI remains committed to working alongside our partners to identify, investigate, and stop transnational criminal networks operating in Georgia.”
“The vast amount of methamphetamine being supplied is truly alarming and serves as a strong reminder that even in safe, close-knit communities like Walton County, we must stay vigilant,” said Walton County Sheriff Keith Brooks. “Collaboration at all governmental levels is essential for operational success, and we appreciate the strong partnerships.”
“This investigation is another great example of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies working together toward the shared goal of keeping our community safe. I’m proud of the collaboration and teamwork invested in this case, which led to the seizure of a significant amount of dangerous drugs. These substances have devastating effects on our community and far too often claim lives unnecessarily. Because of the continued dedication of these men and women, there are fewer narcotics and violent offenders on our streets, and our community is safer as a result,” said Athens Clarke County Police Chief Jerry Saulters.
According to court documents and statements made in court, the FBI in Athens received information in January 2024 that Ramey was selling kilograms of methamphetamine from Rapid Lube in Athens, where he worked. The FBI investigation revealed that Ramey was supplied with drugs by individuals operating a methamphetamine conversion lab inside a residence on Mountain Creek Church Road in Monroe (Walton County), who were receiving the drugs from Mexico, stashed in boxes of jalapeños. The methamphetamine was imported into the United States in liquid form, converted at a clandestine conversion laboratory, and ultimately distributed by Ramey to a network of downstream dealers. For more information about this case, including Ramey’s co-defendants and the conversion lab, please visit: https://www.justice.gov/usao-mdga/pr/defendants-face-justice-distributing-3200-kilos-methamphetamine.
The methamphetamine conversion lab located on Mountain Creek Church Road in Monroe. Common indicators of a conversion lab include piles of garbage bags, blacked-out windows, and strong chemical odors coming from the property. On August 13, 2024, agents executed a search warrant and uncovered an active lab containing enough liquid methamphetamine to produce more than 300 kilograms of crystal methamphetamine. The black garbage bags contained rotting jalapeños, discarded after unloading the trucks transporting the methamphetamine. Evidence from U.S. v. James Len Ramey, 3:24-cr-00024 in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Georgia.
Ramey received approximately 30 kilograms of methamphetamine every two weeks from his Mexico-based source of supply, whom Ramey met while serving a state prison sentence for possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute in Lumpkin County, Georgia, Superior Court. The investigation found that Ramey led a sophisticated drug trafficking network that relied upon Mexican suppliers, coded communications, couriers, stash locations, and conversion laboratories capable of producing hundreds of kilograms of methamphetamine.
Ramey took advantage of his employment at the Rapid Lube, a position obtained through a state prison work-release program to facilitate his transition back into lawful society, as the base of operations for his large-scale drug trafficking organization. Ramey would secretly store the drugs in boxes at the shop while coordinating transactions and directing the activities of couriers and distributors.
The drug evidence was packaged in oil filter boxes of varying sizes. Within the oil filter boxes, methamphetamine was packaged in a gallon-size plastic bag. Evidence from United States v. James Len Ramey, 3:24-cr-00024 in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Georgia.
After Ramey’s July 3, 2024, arrest and over the next several months, Rapid Lube employees uncovered an additional 13,992.57 grams of methamphetamine he had hidden at the shop. Ramey is responsible for distributing hundreds of kilograms of methamphetamine and repeatedly providing direct support to a Mexico-based drug trafficking organization by sending money across the border to pay for the narcotics he received.
This investigation and prosecution are part of the Homeland Security Task Force initiative. The HSTF is a United States government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, transnational gangs, and transnational criminal organizations worldwide. This initiative identifies TCOs engaged in a wide range of criminal schemes that violate federal law, while dismantling cross-border human smuggling and trafficking networks that fuel violence and instability that threaten the safety and security of the United States and its global partners. It also places a particular emphasis on criminal offenses involving children and ensures the use of all available law enforcement tools to prosecute offenders and/or facilitate the removal of criminal aliens from the United States. Atlanta Wilhelm HSTF is comprised of agents and officers from the ATF, CGIS, DEA, FBI, ICE-HSI, IRS-CI, DOL-OIG, DSS, USMS, USPIS, and USSS, as well as numerous state and local agencies, and the prosecution is being led by the Office of the United States Attorney for the Middle District of Georgia.
The case was investigated by the FBI’s Middle Georgia Safe Streets Gang Task Force, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI), the Walton County Sheriff’s Office, the Athens-Clarke County Police Department, and the Georgia State Patrol (GSP).
Assistant U.S. Attorney Mike Morrison is prosecuting the case for the Government.
Two Hells Angels Sentenced for Racketeering Attempted MurderRead the Press Release
Two members of the violent outlaw motorcycle gang, the Hells Angels (HAMC), were sentenced this week for participating in a gang-related attempted murder. David Lee Woodall, 47, of Fayetteville, North Carolina, and Jason Lee Hathaway, 48, of Columbia City, Indiana, each previously pleaded guilty to Violent Crime in Aid of Racketeering (VICAR) attempted murder against their principal rivals, the Pagan Motorcycle Club (PMC). On June 10 and June 12, the court sentenced Hathaway to 51 months in prison and Woodall to 57 months in prison, respectively.
According to court documents and evidence presented in court, the HAMC is a transnational violent outlaw motorcycle group that uses violence, threats, and intimidation to carry out its perceived mission and enforce its rules. According to the indictment, the HAMC has several support clubs to include the Red Devil Motorcycle Club (RDMC) that act as feeder outlaw motorcycle clubs in order to recruit members into the HAMC. The HAMC members were under a standing order to attack, injury and kill members of the PMC.
On July 22, 2023, Hathaway rode on his motorcycle into a Dairy Queen in Cumberland County, North Carolina during daytime hours. Finding three PMC members there, Hathaway threatened them with a hammer. Hathaway attempted to strike one with the hammer but instead shattered the glass of the victims’ vehicle. After this attack, Hathaway called other HAMC members to the Dairy Queen as backup. Woodall was among those who answered the call. Once the HAMC assembled, they went out to the parking lot and confronted the same three PMC members, attacking them with hammers, brass knuckles and fists. The attack was suspended only when a PMC member shot at the HAMC members, killing one of them. This occurred while other citizens were patronizing the Dairy Queen. Several unrelated vehicles were damaged by the attack.
Assistant Attorney General for the Justice Department’s Criminal Division A. Tysen Duva and U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina W. Ellis Boyle made the announcement.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), Raleigh and Fayetteville, North Carolina Police Departments and Cumberland County, North Carolina Sheriff’s Office are investigating the case.
Deputy Chief Kelly Pearson of the Criminal Division’s Violent Crime and Racketeering Section and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Casey Peaden and Charity Wilson for the Eastern District of North Carolina are prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN).
Two Colombian Nationals in the United States Illegally Sentenced for Trafficking CocaineRead the Press Release
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Two Colombian nationals who were in the United States illegally have been sentenced for trafficking cocaine, announced U.S. Attorney Phillip W. Williams Jr.
U.S. District Judge Liles C. Burke sentenced Johan Leandro Zapata-Valencia, 26, and Christian Yesid Lugo-Beltran, 26, each to 57 months in prison. Zapata-Valencia and Lugo-Beltran had pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute cocaine.
“This case represents the best of local law enforcement. The officers saw something, followed up, and were ultimately able to get 21 kilograms of cocaine off our interstates,” said U.S. Attorney Phil Williams. “Illegal aliens have no place in this country, especially when trafficking major quantities of narcotics.”
“Twenty-one kilograms of cocaine is not just a number—it represents a significant threat to the safety and well-being of our communities,” said Steven N. Schrank, the Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Georgia and Alabama. “This case demonstrates HSI’s unwavering commitment to working with our law enforcement partners to keep dangerous drugs and the violence they fuel off our streets. We will continue to relentlessly pursue those who seek to profit from trafficking poison into our neighborhoods and hold them accountable.”
According to the plea agreements, on February 6, 2025, an officer with the Calera Police Department was on routine patrol when he noticed suspicious behavior by the defendants at a Chevron gas station in Calera, Alabama. After noticing the patrol car, the defendants left Chevron without pumping gas. The officer continued to watch Zapata-Valencia and Lugo-Beltran. They drove across the street to the Valero gas station to get gas. The officer radioed another Calera police officer who was sitting on Interstate 65. A short time later, that second officer conducted a traffic stop for an inoperable tag light. The officer asked for identification, but neither defendant had a driver’s license. The defendants were driving from Los Angeles, California, to Miami, Florida. The officer then asked Zapata-Valencia to exit the vehicle. During a probable cause search for the vehicle, officers discovered a suitcase in the trunk hidden beneath a blanket. Inside the suitcase were 21 individually wrapped bricks of cocaine.
Homeland Security Investigations investigated the case along with the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency, and the Calera Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Brittany T. Byrd prosecuted the case.
Tonawanda man going to prison on child pornography chargeRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, NY—U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Shawn Demmick, 33, of Tonawanda, NY, who was convicted of possession of child pornography involving prepubescent minors, was sentenced to serve 10 years in prison and 35 years supervised release by U.S. District Judge Lawrence J. Vilardo.
On March 21, 2025, Demmick possessed a cellular phone, which contained images and videos of child pornography. The images and videos included depictions of prepubescent minors less than 12-years-old minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles M. Kruly. The sentencing is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Acting Special Agent-in-Charge Brendan Dunford, and the Town of Tonawanda Police Department, under the direction of Chief Corey Flatau.
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Three defendants associated with human trafficking operation sentenced to federal prisonRead the Press Release
WAYCROSS, Georgia: Three defendants have been sentenced on federal conspiracy charges after a transnational, multi-year investigation into a human smuggling and labor trafficking operation that illegally transported Mexican and Central American workers into brutal conditions on South Georgia farms.
Sentences were handed down by U.S. District Court Judge Lisa G. Wood and announced by Southern District of Georgia U.S. Attorney Margaret E. ‘Meg’ Heap. They include:
- Margarita Rojas Cardenas, a/k/a “Maggie Cardenas,” 48, of Reidsville, Georgia, was sentenced to 51 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release and ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $20,838.94 after pleading guilty to Conspiracy to Commit Money Laundering.
- Nery Rene Carrillo-Najarro, 61, of Douglas, Georgia, was sentenced to 40 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release after pleading guilty to Conspiracy to Commit Money Laundering. The court scheduled a restitution hearing on August 4, 2026, to assess victims’ losses and to determine the amount of restitution owed by the defendant.
- Brett Donavan Bussey, 44, of Douglas, was sentenced to 10 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release and ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $6,224.73 after pleading guilty to Conspiracy to Commit Money Laundering.
There is no parole in the federal system.
“This case is an outstanding example of the extensive collaboration with our partner government agencies which led to these convictions,” said U.S. Attorney Heap. “The work carried out by these professionals has had a direct impact in protecting vulnerable people and preserving the American dream for those who pursue it.”
As described in court documents and proceedings, investigators from Homeland Security Investigations, the U.S. Department of Labor, U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and the FBI began investigating the Patricio transnational criminal organization in November 2018. Court documents describe that in or before 2015, the conspirators and their associates “engaged in mail fraud, international forced labor trafficking, and money laundering, among other crimes,” fraudulently using the H-2A work visa program to transport foreign nationals from Mexico, Guatemala, and Honduras into the United States under the pretext of serving as agricultural workers.
The activities took place within the Southern, Middle, and Northern Districts of Georgia; the Middle District of Florida; the Southern District of Texas; and Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, and elsewhere. The conspirators required the workers to pay unlawful fees for transportation, food, and housing while illegally withholding their travel and identification documents and subjected the workers “to perform physically demanding work for little or no pay, housing them in crowded, unsanitary, and degrading living conditions, and by threatening them with deportation and violence.”
The conspirators are alleged to have reaped more than $200 million from the illegal scheme, laundering the funds through cash purchases of land, homes, vehicles, and businesses; through cash purchases of cashier’s checks; and by funneling millions of dollars through a casino.
The case was originally investigated under the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation, now Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF). HSTF is an interagency law enforcement network established to investigate and dismantle transnational criminal organizations, human smuggling networks, and foreign gangs in the United States. Operation Blooming Onion was also designated as a Priority Transnational Organized Crime Case.
“Federal labor programs are not a playground for criminals. Let these sentencings send a clear message: if you exploit workers, commit fraud, launder money, or abuse programs designed to help people, my office will find you and hold you accountable,” said Anthony P. D’Esposito, Inspector General, U.S. Department of Labor. "This scheme preyed on vulnerable individuals and corrupted a lawful worker program for illegal profit. Alongside our law enforcement partners, we will continue rooting out fraud, protecting American workers, and ensuring bad actors face the full weight of justice.”
The sentencings of Cardenas, Bussey, and Carrillo-Najarro bring the case against the original 24 defendants to a close. Many of the defendants were sentenced to incarceration and ordered to pay restitution to the victims in the case, with the restitution total reaching more than $1.3 million.
Agencies investigating this case include Homeland Security Investigations; U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, Fraud Detection and National Security; the U.S. Department of Labor Office of Inspector General, and Wage and Hour Division; U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service; the FBI; the U.S. Postal Inspection Service; and the U.S. Marshals Service, with assistance from the Georgia National Guard; the Georgia Bureau of Investigation; the Georgia State Patrol; the Coffee County Sheriff’s Office; the Chatham County Sheriff’s Office; the Tattnall County Sheriff’s Office; the Bacon County Sheriff’s Office; and the Tift County Sheriff’s Office. The case was prosecuted for the United States by Southern District of Georgia Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ryan E. Bondura and L. Alexander Hamner.
If you believe you have information about a potential trafficking situation, call the National Human Trafficking Hotline at 1-888-373-7888. Anti-Trafficking Hotline Advocates are available 24/7 to take reports of potential human trafficking. All reports are confidential, and you may remain anonymous. Interpreters are available. The information you provide will be reviewed by the National Hotline and forwarded to specialized law enforcement and/or service providers where appropriate.
Three Defendants Charged with Attempting to Rob Law Enforcement Agents During Undercover Operation in Chicago Suburb; Fourth Defendant Charged with Trafficking FirearmRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — Two individuals have been charged in federal court with attempted robbery after they were shot on Tuesday while allegedly attempting to rob federal agents during an undercover investigation in a Chicago suburb. The alleged getaway driver from the attempted robbery was charged with forcibly assaulting a federal officer after allegedly driving a car into a law enforcement vehicle while attempting to flee. A fourth individual was charged with trafficking a firearm as part of this investigation.
With each one pointing a firearm at law enforcement, AMIR A. FAGAN and DEMOND EDWARDS attempted to rob two ATF officers during an undercover operation on Tuesday evening near a residence in Country Club Hills, Ill., according to a criminal complaint filed in U.S. District Court in Chicago. According to the complaint, the undercover officers and a confidential informant arrived at the residence to purchase firearms in an ongoing firearms trafficking investigation. While the officers and informant waited outside the residence, Fagan and Edwards allegedly arrived in a car with other individuals. Fagan, Edwards, and a third individual exited the car and allegedly pointed firearms at the officers and informant. A separate team of ATF agents quickly arrived at the scene and fired shots towards Fagan and Edwards, striking Fagan. The alleged getaway driver, CHASHONN TONEY, allegedly rammed the car into an ATF vehicle while attempting to flee.
Edwards ran from the scene on foot but was located by another officer about two blocks away. A physical altercation ensued, with Edwards allegedly striking the officer multiple times in the face and body. In response, the officer shot Edwards, wounding him, the complaint states.
The complaint charges Fagan, 19, of Harvey, Ill., and Edwards, 18, of Markham, Ill., with attempted robbery, while Toney, 18, of Robbins, Ill., is charged with forcibly assaulting a law enforcement officer. The alleged firearms trafficker—TEVIN CURLEE, 29, of Country Club Hills, Ill.—was charged as part of this investigation with unlawfully possessing and transferring a machine gun, according to a separate complaint filed in U.S. District Court in Chicago. Curlee sold a handgun equipped with a machine gun conversion device to undercover law enforcement officers on June 3, 2026, in Crestwood, Ill., the complaint against Curlee states. The defendants' initial appearances in federal court in Chicago are pending.
The complaints were announced by Andrew S. Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, Christopher Amon, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Division of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, and Douglas S. DePodesta, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Chicago Field Office. The government in the Fagan, Edwards, and Toney case is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Luke Fiedler, while Assistant U.S. Attorney Andres Almendarez represents the government in the Curlee case. The officials noted that the investigation remains ongoing.
“Our federal, state, and local law enforcement officers are constantly displaying heroism that makes us all proud,” said U.S. Attorney Boutros. “Every day, these brave officers step into uncertainty with a resolve to protect others, often at great personal risk. Their courage allows our communities to thrive and be better, and exemplifies the highest ideals of public service. Attacks on these heroic men and women in law enforcement will not be tolerated, and our Office will pursue every available measure under the law to hold dangerous criminals accountable when they dare strike at law enforcement and our way of life. I am also proud of the Chicago Assistant U.S. Attorneys and supervisors who immediately jumped into a volatile and fast-moving situation to work with our law enforcement partners to bring immediate charges against these defendants.”
“The attempted armed robbery of our undercover agents highlights the risks law enforcement officers face every day while working to protect our communities and disrupt violent crime,” said ATF SAC Amon. “I want to recognize the professionalism, courage, and swift actions of the agents and officers involved in this incident, and we are grateful that all law enforcement personnel are safe. I also want to extend my sincere appreciation to the Chicago Police Department, Illinois State Police, FBI, and the many suburban police departments that immediately responded to assist and support the investigation.”
“The FBI possesses the specialized skills and vast resources needed to conduct investigations across a wide range of threats from counterintelligence to counterterrorism, cybercrime, public corruption, violent crime, and more," said FBI SAC DePodesta. "Our personnel work around-the-clock lending our talent, resources, and expertise to law enforcement partners who work tirelessly to keep our communities safe. The FBI remains committed to rooting out violent crime, especially when committed against law enforcement, and ensuring that offenders are brought to justice.”
The public is reminded that a complaint is not evidence of guilt. The defendants are presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial at which the government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
curlee_complaint.pdf fagan_et_al_complaint.pdfTexas Man Sentenced for Pandemic Fraud ConspiracyRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Maine: A Katy, Texas man pleaded guilty and was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Portland for wire fraud and conspiracy to commit wire fraud.
Chief U.S. District Judge Lance E. Walker sentenced Currin Caridine, 39, to 41 months in prison to be followed by three years supervised release. He was also ordered to pay $476,420 in restitution to the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA).
According to court records, from June 2020 through September 2021, Caridine conspired with others to file false and fraudulent applications for Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDLs) and Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans. Caridine filed four fraudulent PPP loan applications for himself and received over $80,000. Caridine claimed to be the sole proprietor of non-existent businesses in the entertainment and management consulting industries. Caridine filed false tax returns with his applications. Caridine, who lived in Illinois at the time, filed false EIDL and PPP applications for others, including residents of Maine and New Hampshire. Caridine worked with a co-conspirator and New Hampshire resident, Tyree Jones, to recruit others interested in receiving loans. Jones collected applicants’ personal information, which Caridine used to file fraudulent applications. Jones and Caridine received kickbacks from the loan proceeds they obtained for others. The fraudulent applications resulted in the issuance of approximately $475,000 in EIDL and PPP loans.
Tyree Jones was previously sentenced to two years in prison for his role in the conspiracy.
IRS Criminal Investigation investigated the case.
Coronavirus Aid Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act: The Coronavirus Aid Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act is a federal law enacted on March 29, 2020. It was designed to provide emergency financial assistance to the millions of Americans who suffered economic effects resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic. The CARES Act made EIDL funding available to business owners negatively affected by the COVID19 pandemic. EIDL proceeds were funded by the SBA and disbursed by the U.S. Treasury. EIDLs could only be used to pay fixed debts, payroll, accounts payable and other bills that could have been paid had the COVID19 disaster not occurred.
Paycheck Protection Program: The PPP was a COVID-19 pandemic relief program administered by the SBA that provided forgivable loans to small businesses for job retention and certain other expenses. The PPP permitted participating third-party lenders to approve and disburse SBA-backed PPP loans to cover payroll, fixed debts, utilities, rent/mortgage, accounts payable and other bills incurred by qualifying businesses during, and resulting from, the COVID-19 pandemic. PPP loans were fully guaranteed by the SBA.
On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division (“Fraud Division”). The Fraud Division is laser-focused on investigating and prosecuting those who commit fraud against the American people. The Department’s work to combat fraud supports President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs.
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Tallahassee Felon Indicted for Multiple Counts of Gun PossessionRead the Press Release
Tallahassee, Florida – Nathan Taylor Porter, 21, of Tallahassee, Florida, has been indicted in federal court for two counts of possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon. John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida announced the charge.
Porter appeared in federal court for his arraignment before United States Magistrate Judge Martin A. Fitzpatrick in Tallahassee, Florida. Change of plea is scheduled for June 15, 2026, at 11:00 am before Chief District Court Judge Allen C. Winsor in Tallahassee, Florida.
Porter faces up to 15 years’ imprisonment on each count if convicted of possession of a firearm and ammunition by a felon.
The case is being jointly investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the Tallahassee Police Department, and the Leon County Sheriff’s Office. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Joseph A. Ravelo.
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.
Suffolk County woman pleads guilty to her role in fraud schemeRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Jennifer Poliandro, 35, of Medford, NY, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Richard J. Arcara to conspiracy to commit bank fraud and aggravated identity theft, which carry a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison and a $1,000,000 fine.
Between February 18 and February 26, 2026, Poliandro conspired with others to obtain personally identifiable information of multiple victims from the internet and use this information to create counterfeit military identification cards and United States passport cards. These fraudulent cards were then used to obtain and attempt to obtain money from various banks in the Western District of New York area. On February 18, 2026, Poliandro went to a Lake Shore Bank branch in Fredonia, NY, where she used a counterfeit military identification card in the name of an individual residing in Jamestown, NY, to obtain $7,800 from a home equity line of credit account associated with the individual. The total loss amount of the scheme, including actual loss and intended loss, is between $15,000 and $40,000.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Franz M. Wright. The plea is the result of an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Acting Special Agent-in-Charge Anthony Patrone, and the U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Brian Wood.
Sentencing is scheduled for October 13, 2026, before Judge Arcara.
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Statement of the Department of Justice Antitrust Division on the Closing of Its Investigation of the Merger of Paramount Skydance and Warner Bros.Read the Press Release
The Antitrust Division of the U.S. Department of Justice (“Division”) issued the following statement today in connection with the closing of the Division’s investigation into the proposed acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery (“WBD” or “Warner Bros.”) by Paramount Skydance (“Paramount”), together (the “Parties”):
The Division has completed its analysis of the proposed merger of Paramount and Warner Bros. and determined based on the evidence received in its investigation that the transaction is not likely to result in harm to competition or American consumers, including with respect to: (1) streaming video on demand (“SVOD”); (2) linear television; and (3) studio development, production, or distribution of films for theatrical release. Over the course of a rigorous eight-month investigation led by the Division’s career staff, the Division received from the Parties over two million documents from over 80 custodians, substantial productions of data, as well as extensive documents, data, and advocacy from third parties across the media and entertainment ecosystem. State Attorney General offices (“States”) participated in the Division’s investigation by virtue of the Parties’ voluntary waivers of confidentiality, which allowed the Division and States to share information with each other and for the States to attend and participate in the Division’s depositions.
In December 2025, Netflix entered into an agreement to acquire WBD. Subsequently, Paramount submitted an all-cash tender offer. The Division reviewed both the Netflix proposed acquisition and Paramount’s competing offer. As a consequence of the competitive bidding process between Netflix and Paramount to acquire Warner Bros., the Division’s review of the competitive impacts of an acquisition of WBD began prior to Paramount reaching a definitive agreement with WBD. Throughout the investigation, the Division benefited from the comparative perspectives and contrasting visions presented in these competing proposals on the evolving media and entertainment landscape and the strategic value of WBD.
Warner Bros. has been a repeated acquisition target in the media and entertainment industry. It is thus familiar to the Division from prior investigations and enforcement actions, including AOL/TimeWarner (2001), AT&T/TimeWarner (2018), and WarnerBros./Discovery (2022). The legacy of these transactions illustrates the challenges that arise when the commercial rationale for a deal lacks clear alignment with competitive incentives of the acquiring firm or the competitive evolution of the marketplace. In technology-driven industries, the disruptors of the recent past may quickly become the entrenched monopolists of the present day. It is with this historical experience and present enforcement sensitivity to the contestability of dynamic markets that the Division conducted a thorough investigation of the proposed transaction to assess whether the proposed transaction presented any harm to competition. The extensive investigatory record reviewed by the Division suggests that the impact of the transaction will be to increase competition across the media and entertainment ecosystem, with benefits for American consumers and workers.
I. Streaming Video On Demand (“SVOD”)
First, the Division analyzed whether the proposed transaction was likely to harm competition in streaming video on demand (“SVOD”). Streaming has become one of the most prevalent forms of distribution of media content in the digital age. SVOD was pioneered by Netflix in its successful displacement of legacy home video distribution and successful disruption of traditional linear and broadcast offerings. The decline of Blockbuster Video reflects the healthy disruptive potential that drives the American economy as new and innovative solutions displace legacy offerings to meet evolving consumer preferences. Following Netflix’s pioneering role in the emergence of SVOD almost twenty years ago, large tech firms like Amazon, and later legacy media firms like Disney, entered and built SVOD platforms to compete for and meet shifting consumer preferences for scripted content and digital distribution. By comparison, the Parties are historically late entrants into SVOD with less customers subscribing to Paramount+ and Warner Bros.’ HBO Max and discovery+ offerings, compared to those of the three largest streamers today.
The evidence reviewed and carefully analyzed by the Division indicates that, post-merger, competition in SVOD is not likely to be harmed. To the contrary, the combined firm is likely to increase competition by offering consumers a more robust competitive alternative to the larger SVOD offerings. Based on extensive interviews with market participants and review of the parties’ own documents that were made in the ordinary course of business, the parties have a clear path to injecting additional competitive pressures across the media ecosystem to innovate and provide value to creators and consumers. Non-SVOD video alternatives such as YouTube, Tik-Tok, or other social media products do not appear to be competitive substitutes here under well-established antitrust legal precedents, although they compete broadly for consumer attention.
The Division also investigated whether alternative streaming video platforms and consumers might suffer if the combined company were to keep its new content and existing IP captive on its own streaming platforms, as opposed to licensing such content across the media distribution ecosystem, including to competing platforms. Such an outcome appears unlikely given the Parties’ historical practices of broadly licensing content. Even when studios such as Paramount license content on exclusive terms to another streamer, they typically maximize the value of that content by moving it from one streamer to another at the end of a license term to broaden the audience exposure across differentiated distribution channels. The Division identified no evidence to suggest that Paramount’s historical practice or incentive to do so would end following the transaction.
II. Linear Television
Second, the Division analyzed whether the proposed transaction would harm competition related to linear television. Consistent with the above-referenced consumer switching toward streaming, linear television has faced a steady decline as consumers move away from standard cable and satellite packages. The “cord cutting” phenomenon has substantially reduced revenue to both linear network owners and traditional linear distributors. This trend has accelerated in recent years as streaming services have become the primary means by which many people watch movies and television. Like broadcast television, a segment in which the transaction presents no competitive overlap, linear television has historically managed the competitive pressures from streaming alternatives by securing exclusive rights to live programming such as sports and news – segments in which streaming alternatives historically posed limited competitive significance. Today, however, streaming solutions (including non-SVOD offerings) compete aggressively for live programming such as premier sports rights, news, and political commentary (e.g., video podcasts), putting increasing competitive pressure on legacy linear and broadcast networks to secure live programming at higher costs. The evidence reviewed and carefully analyzed by the Division shows that the proposed acquisition is not likely to harm competition for linear television given the robust competitive landscape for live programming.
III. Studio Development, Production, and Distribution of Films for Theatrical Release
Third, the Division analyzed whether the transaction would harm competition for studio development, production, or distribution of films for theatrical release. Similar to the Division’s analysis of SVOD competition, the Division benefited in its assessment of competition for theatrical release on the comparative perspectives and strategic visions outlined in the competing proposals for Warner Bros. studio. Today, the Parties compete against traditional studios such as Disney, Sony, Universal, Lionsgate, and MGM (now owned by Amazon), as well as smaller independents such as A24, NEON, and Blumhouse. In recent years, Netflix and Apple have also entered and signaled a continued interest in theatrical release as a complementary business to SVOD.
The substantial body of evidence available to the Division indicates that the transaction is not likely to harm competition in studio development, production, or distribution of films for theatrical release. Instead, the evidence shows extensive competition within the industry, which has generated greater output and diversity of film offerings, and is likely to continue unabated. In fact, even since the transaction was announced, the evidence shows competition for theatrical production and distribution has increased. Smaller studios have turned to innovative content development and distribution strategies to challenge traditional assumptions regarding the conditions necessary for successful theatrical release. Indeed, this remains true looking even at narrow categories like “tentpole” or “blockbuster” theatrical production and distribution.
For example, non-legacy studios have been successful in developing, producing, and distributing films with significant budgets above $100 million, with additional large budget films soon to be offered in theaters by studios including Lionsgate (Hunger Games), Netflix (Narnia), A24 (Elden Ring), and others. Moreover, recent box office successes since the announcement of the transaction show that a studio’s legacy does not determine whether it can succeed at developing, producing, or distributing in the domestic box office today: including, for example, Amazon MGM (Project Hail Mary), A24 (Backrooms), Lionsgate (Michael), Blumhouse (Obsession). These disruptive industry developments suggest a potential inflection point in the evolving competitive landscape for theatrical production and distribution, supporting the Parties’ incentive to continue to generate and distribute content.1
The Division also analyzed multiple potential theories of harm articulated by complainants and evaluated each substantively on the merits to identify whether any would result in harm to consumers as opposed to harm to a competitor.2
One theory pointed to the purported effects of the Disney/Fox transaction as a comparable event study from which to infer that the proposed transaction risks a reduction in theatrical output. The fatal conceit of that analogy, however, is that the Disney/Fox transaction closed a year before the COVID pandemic began, which drove dramatic changes in studio output and audience content consumption patterns. In the years following the pandemic, Disney substantially increased its total spending on content production in the aggregate across its theatrical and streaming platforms. Moreover, as an entertainment and hospitality business focused historically on developing core franchise IP to monetize across a diversified business, the incentives of Disney with respect to total output of theatrical content do not clearly align with a pure-play media business like Paramount.
Another theory raised whether the merger would harm competition for labor as an input for the production and distribution of scripted content. While taking seriously the potential impact of the proposed transaction on the creative community and domestic labor groups, the substantial evidence does not suggest a likelihood of reduction in output. That is because the demand for creative workers and labor is correlated with the Parties’ incentives to maintain or expand output. Thus, the expressed labor concerns do not raise actionable antitrust concerns.
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The Division’s mandate is to investigate and, if necessary, litigate proposed mergers that harm competition or American consumers. This investigation included a review of reams of documentary evidence, hours of deposition testimony of senior-level executives, interviews with third-party witnesses, and staff-led meetings with the Parties themselves. These investigative efforts all led to the same conclusion: the film and television industry is highly dynamic, and the proposed transaction is not likely to harm competition or American consumers.
1 Consistent with controlling Supreme Court precedent, these facts raise serious questions regarding rigid reliance on historical market shares to sustain a legal presumption of harm regarding competition for theatrical release. See United States v. General Dynamics Corp., 415 U.S. 486, 508 (1974).
2 Brunswick Corp. v. Pueblo Bowl-O-Mat, Inc., 427 U.S. 477, 488 (1977) (citing Brown Show Co. v. United States, 370 U.S. 294, 320 (1962) (“the antitrust laws…were enacted for ‘the protection of competition, not competitors’”).